(Image: Mike Simmonds)
A POLICE presence was present at a protest outside Yorkshire Water's headquarters in Bradford.
Campaigners from community union ACORN Yorkshire were there on Thursday as part of a nationwide day of action.
The demonstration formed part of nine coordinated actions across the UK targeting water companies, energy providers, bailiff firms and property developers.
Protesters accused Yorkshire Water of increasing bills while failing to invest adequately in infrastructure, allowing pollution incidents to continue and pursuing debt recovery action against vulnerable customers.
Yorkshire Water says the company is investing heavily in improvements and increased bill support from £45 million to £70 million
It also adds that enforcement action is only used as a last resort after efforts had been made to assess vulnerability and offer assistance.
ACORN has since said that a meeting with a Yorkshire Water executive has been arranged following the protest.
Police officers attend an ACORN protest outside Yorkshire Water's headquarters as campaigners raise concerns about water bills, pollution and debt recovery practices.
(Image: Mike Simmonds)
'The system is working as intended'
Speaking at the demonstration, ACORN member Ewan Poulson said the protest aimed to challenge what campaigners see as the root causes of rising living costs.
He said: "What we want to say is that we just want to have a conversation.
"We just want to talk about this, and we want to meet you with our demands.
"We're not here to intimidate anybody.
"We're here to have a conversation and we're here to make our voices known."
ACORN members protest outside Yorkshire Water's headquarters, calling for action on river pollution, rising bills and executive pay.
(Image: Mike Simmonds)
Residents highlight water quality and billing concerns
Fellow campaigner Izzy Hawkins said she was attending on behalf of residents in her apartment building in Armley, Leeds, who she claimed had experienced ongoing issues with their water supply.
Calling for changes to the ownership and management of utilities, she said: "We want water for the people, power for the people and not for profit anymore."
An ACORN protester holds a placard reading
(Image: Mike Simmonds)
New mother says rising bills are adding pressure
Chelsea Phillips, from Leeds, told the crowd that rising household costs were creating financial stress at a time when she should be enjoying maternity leave with her three-month-old baby.
Speaking about the impact of rising bills, she said: "It's just becoming more and more unaffordable.
"At a time when I'm supposed to be really enjoying being with my baby, all I'm thinking about is how I'm going to afford the bills that are just rising and rising, going up and up and up."
ACORN members hold a banner calling for an end to bailiff action against vulnerable residents during a protest outside Yorkshire Water's headquarters.
(Image: Mike Simmonds)
ACORN's demands
ACORN says it is calling on Yorkshire Water to stop using bailiffs against vulnerable customers, end executive bonuses while the company carries significant debt, tackle pollution and invest more heavily in infrastructure.
In a statement, the organisation said water companies were extracting wealth from communities while failing to provide the level of service customers expect.
ACORN Leeds chair Usman Akhtar said: "Working class people across the country have been battered by the cost-of-living crisis, and no one is more guilty of throwing those punches than the privatised water monopoly.”
ACORN campaigners gather outside Yorkshire Water's headquarters during a nationwide day of action focused on water bills, pollution and debt recovery practices.
(Image: Mike Simmonds)
Yorkshire Water responds
Responding to the protest, a Yorkshire Water spokesperson said the company recognised concerns around bills and customer service and was investing heavily in improvements.
"We understand the strength of feeling around bills and related customer service," the spokesperson said.
Responding to concerns about pollution, Yorkshire Water said it is investing in measures to reduce environmental impacts across the region.
A spokesperson said the company's £8.3 billion investment programme includes work to "reduce discharges from storm overflows", alongside efforts to bring in new water resources, reduce leakage and improve customer service.
The company said investment was being used to reduce storm overflow discharges, improve water resources, reduce leakage and improve customer service.
Addressing concerns about affordability, the spokesperson added: "We know it's even more important than ever that we ramp up the support we offer for those who are struggling to pay and we have a range of support schemes in place to address this.
"Last year, we helped an additional 55,000 customers across the region with their bills, and we increased the bill support we provided from £45m to £70m."
The company said customers struggling with payments should contact Yorkshire Water to discuss what support may be available.
It said enforcement action was only used as a last resort after efforts had been made to assess vulnerability and offer assistance.