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Howard's Way.... a weekly column from the Rt. Hon. Michael Howard QC. MP. 

6 March 2008

I often tell people who come to my advice centres or write to me asking for help that I have no magic wand to wave. Much more often than I would like, I have to say that there is nothing more I can do to remedy the state of affairs which gives rise to their grievance whatever it may be.

So it is always very pleasing when I can make a difference and a good example occurred last week.

On the 26 February Councillor Carole Waters drew my attention to the fact that Southern Water were proposing a charge (between £50 and £150) for all New Romney residents connecting to the new drainage system after March 1st.

As Councillor Waters pointed out residents in New Romney have not been dragging their feet over this. Most signed up to the connection quite a while ago.

But because individual contractors have not been able to keep pace with demand, delays have occurred. The question was whether Southern Water could be persuaded to put back the date on which the new charge would come into operation.

I immediately spoke to John Spence, the Head of Wastewater and Environmental Strategy at Southern Water. Next day he told me that, for all residents who have paid for an external lateral, the period during which what he calls the infrastructure charge will be waived has been extended to 31 July.

The provision of mains drainage in New Romney has been a lengthy endeavour. Now at last it is in place. And the relief for those who will not now have to pay the extra connection charge is a very suitable conclusion.