The boss of a company behind a major sewage leak at a Yorkshire beach has been handed a 65 per cent bonus increase in a move that has sparked outrage on social media.
Northumbrian Water has come under fire after sewage from its pipes was discharged onto Saltburn Beach, a Blue Flag spot that attracts hundreds of visitors in the summer.
The company blamed heavy rainfall for flooding its pipes, but it remains one of the six worst water companies in the UK according to the regulator, Ofwat.
Despite its poor environmental performance, Northumbrian Water chief Heidi Mottram pocketed a £215,000 bonus, up from £130,000 the year prior, accounts show.
The jump in Ms Mottram’s bonus took her total compensation last year to £781,000.
Northumbrian also paid out £159 million in shareholder dividends during 2022 despite posting a pre-tax loss of £50 million for the year, accounts first reported by the Sunday Times show.
The company, which supplies water and sewerage services to more than 4 million people in the north-east of England, Suffolk and Essex, met or exceeded just five of 12 performance criteria set by the regulator.
It failed to meet targets on water quality, stopping leaks and preventing sewer overflows running into people’s homes, among other issues.
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