Our Customer Scrutiny Panel

Our Customer Scrutiny Panel

Our Customer Scrutiny Panel (CSP) is a group of stakeholders that reflect the interests and expectations of our customers. It works in parallel to the Environmental Scrutiny Panel. 

The diverse membership includes customer representative organisations such as CCWater, statutory water and environmental regulators including the Environment Agency, local authorities, businesses and regional environment and countryside groups. The panel, including its Chair, is independent of both the Company and Ofwat although it has a close working relationship with both organisations. The panel has a key role to act as a champion for our customers and to make sure we understand what they expect from their water company. It also plays a role in monitoring our performance on delivering our current commitments and challenging our progress on improvement plans. 

Our members

Steve Crabb

Independent Chair

Steve is a specialist in consumer affairs, with a particular focus on customers in vulnerable circumstances. In addition to chairing SES Water’s Customer Scrutiny Panel, he is the independent chair of a voluntary code for energy companies which aims to ensure vulnerable customers are safeguarded and that companies work to continuously improve the services they offer. He has previously held senior roles at British Gas, the Alzheimer’s Society and the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development, and he is an award-winning writer and editor. Apart from his family, his passions are local history, football and walking in the countryside.

Alison Thompson

Independent

Alison Thompson is an Independent Chair who champions consumer and environmental issues. She is currently Chair of SES Water’s Environmental Scrutiny Panel and Independent Member of its Customer Scrutiny Panel. Alison also works with seasoned global Executives across the sectors as an Academic Tutor for Cambridge University on the Postgraduate Sustainable Business Course.

Alison is Deputy Chair and Independent Member of the Southern Regional Flood and Coastal Committee, a public appointment to assist the Environment Agency to ensure coherent strategy, communications and risk-based investment in flood and coastal management solutions risks across the South of England. Previously, she was Director of Business Transformation leading the Business and Nature team at University of Cambridge’s Institute for Sustainability Leadership.

Prior to that, Alison was a public appointee for Consumer Council for Water as a Consumer Advocate, championing the interests of present and future water customers. She was Chair of Micheldever CoE Primary School and Vice-Chair of the Dever Valley Federation, providing strategic leadership for two primary schools. She was a Non-Executive Director of Change Agents UK.

Alison's executive career began running the private office of Lord Puttnam at the House of Lords. Subsequently it has involved strategy and policy roles with Chime Communications Group, the Environment Agency, and National Parks England, before becoming an independent consultant working with clients such as Anglian Water and VisitEngland. She is a Fellow of Forum for the Future and holds a Masters in Sustainable Development and a Masters in Responsible Tourism.

Chris Hoskins

Nutfield Conservation Society

Chris represents Nutfield Conservation Society, is a village group which seeks to preserve local interests and protect the local environment. He has lived in the area for over 50 years and has been involved in many local issues.  Chris is a past district councillor in Tandridge District Council and past chairman of Nutfield Parish Council.  Over 40 years' experience has given him particular expertise of water, and geotechnical engineering and environmental issues. He runs a specialist consultancy and is one of the very few engineers licensed by government to be responsible for reservoirs throughout the UK. His hobbies include postcard collecting, morris dancing and socialising.

Tom Perry

The Environment Agency

Tom is a Principal Account Officer for the Environment Agency. He has worked in the Environment Sector for nearly 15 years and held a range of roles all aimed at making our rivers healthier for the people who live and work near them. Tom's main areas of interest are water resources planning, river restoration and water efficiency.

Tom also works with other water companies in the South East of England and aims to support shared learning to help deliver the best outcomes for people and the environment.

Dr Ana Maria Millan

CCWater

Dr Ana Maria Millan is a Policy Manager at the Consumer Council for Water (CCW). She has worked in the water sector for over 20 years in academia, consultancy and in policy making. Ana’s main interests are demand management, climate change, the water environment and helping people to understand why saving water matters.

She also works with another company in the South East of England to represent water consumers through her work.

She is a Civil Engineer with an MSc and PhD in water resources management.

Simon Bland

Reigate and Banstead Borough Council

Simon is the Economic Prosperity Programme Manager at Reigate and Banstead Borough Council. In this role he is responsible for the creation, management and delivery of a number of initiatives and services to help local businesses start, develop and grow.He has extensive experience of delivering stakeholder management and engagement programmes to resolve issues and to provide strategic intelligence.

His commercial experience stems from his early career in the hospitality industry where spent a number of years working as a chef before moving in to the further education sector. After a number of years working as a Lecturer his responsibilities changed to include marketing, adult education and employer engagement. He is known for the enthusiasm and commitment he brings to results based partnership and collaborative working.  

Amy England

Independent

Amy has a background in operations and customer service, she has extensive experience of working with vulnerable people having spent a number of years in management at a major disability charity. During her career Amy has also been a successful fundraising manager and has had responsibility for marketing, including customer communications.

Amy has been a customer of SES Water for seven years, and lives very locally to head office in Redhill with her husband and young son. Outside of work Amy’s interests are spending time with her family, home improvement and spending time in outside spaces. 

Janet Wright

Independent

Janet is a local resident and has lived in the Reigate and Bletchingley areas for over 25 years.

She brings to the CSP her local knowledge and her career experience as a professional economist and policy specialist, working mainly in the water, environment, health, and other regulated sectors.  She has worked in Central Government, with the trade body Water UK, and as a consultant, serving the private and public sectors.  Her key interests lie at the interfaces between technical analysis, business planning and strategy, and stakeholder engagement and communications. She is interested in how business, the public and voluntary sectors can work together to deliver more inclusive prosperity and a sustainable environment.

Janet is also a Trustee of Tandridge Voluntary Action (TVA), where she is Lead Trustee for TVA’s Befriending Scheme. She is also a Mentor with Surrey Care Trust.