The UK government is moving forward with plans to create 'powerful consumer panels' designed to give the public a direct platform to question water company executives and seek redress for service failures, such as sewage spills. These panels are being organized by the Consumer Council for Water (CCW) as part of a broader effort to increase transparency and accountability for utilities in England and Wales.

However, the initiative has faced immediate backlash from advocacy groups who have labeled the plan a 'stitch-up.' This criticism stems from internal documents revealing that the CCW has invited water companies to provide input on the design and implementation of these oversight panels. Critics argue that allowing the companies being regulated to advise on the structure of their own accountability mechanisms creates a conflict of interest that undermines the panels' effectiveness.

While the government maintains that these panels are a necessary step toward empowering customers, campaigners suggest that the current approach allows utilities to influence the very systems intended to hold them to account. The CCW has not yet publicly detailed how it intends to balance this industry feedback with the need for independent oversight, leaving the extent of the companies' influence on the final policy unclear.