WET News

IN THE MOST DEMANDING ENVIRONMENTS Laing O'Rourke announces re nancing deal until 2022 for its UK business until 2022. The firm said its March 2018 annual results, which were due to have been submitted to Companies House by 30 September, were being finalised and would be filed "as soon as possible". In a statement on 7 January, Laing O'Rourke founder and group chief executive Ray O'Rourke said: "I am delighted to be able to update our stakeholders on the progress of the reˆ nancing exercise. "These agreements reflect an enormous amount of work by the banks, sureties, advisors and our people. "Having achieved this important milestone as we enter the new calendar year, I want to take the opportunity to thank our clients and supply chain partners for their support and patience. "As noted in October last year, and well publicised Š Contractor agrees new bank loans that are not due to be repaid until 2022 How Twitter reacted to Defra's decision to ban outdoor use of metaldehyde from spring 2020. W elsh Water pays its suppliers more quickly than any other water company, new figures show. Companies that supply its customers are paid within a month in the vast majority of cases. The UK average is just over half of suppliers being paid within 30 days, with Welsh Water the best- performing water and sewerage company in England and Wales. Ninety-two per cent of suppliers were paid by Welsh Water within 30 days of the company receiving invoices, compared to 53 per cent for water and sewerage companies who have published figures, and also 53 per cent for the average across all sectors. A further 6 per cent were paid within 60 days, while only 2 per cent were paid later than that. The performance represents an improvement for the company, from an average of 46 per cent paid within 30 days a year before, and follows changes made to its procurement systems processes. Now reported twice a year, the latest results cover the six months to September 2018 and show that the company already exceeds the Prompt Payment Code standards, which sets out UK Government standards for payment practices and guidance on best practice. The Code requires that 95 per cent of invoices should be paid within 60 days and to work towards a 30-day deadline as the norm. Welsh Water's finance director, Peter Bridgewater, said: " We are working to improve the speed we pay our suppliers yet further." We haven't had high slug pressure this year but we did last year and found ferric phosphate pellets to be better lasting and more e ective than metaldehyde. Better for water courses too but granted it is more expensive. No choice now! @bamburghfarmer Many farmers had already stopped using this pesticide and have been using other products or farming methods to control slugs because of its impact or the wider environment. Many have found slug numbers reduce over time and less or no products are needed to control them. @NFFNUK Welsh Water suppliers boosted by company's prompt payments No problem. Switched to ferric 2 years ago. Bit more expensive but just as e ective. @blacker_david wwtonline.co.uk | FEBRUARY 2019 WET NEWS 3 WET News is registered at Stationers' Hall. Origination by Faversham House and TR Clash Ltd. Printed by Buxton Press, Palace Road, Buxton, Derbyshire, SK17 6AE. Copyright 2019. Faversham House. No part of this publication may be reproduced without prior written permission from the publishers. Every e ort is made to ensure the accuracy of material published in WET News. However, Faversham House will not be liable for any inaccuracies. The views expressed by contributors are not necessarily those of the editor or publishers. The text and cover paper are manufactured from certi• ed sustainable sources and are produced with reduced environmental impacts via a recognised and independently audited management scheme. Technical articles of full page, or more appearing in this journal are indexed by British Technical Index. © 2019 Faversham House Ltd. ISSN 1364-4513 1yr: UK £127 Overseas (airmail) £141 2yr: UK £227 Overseas (airmail) £255 Tel: 01342 332 2031 Email: subscriptions@fav-house.com Search WET News' archives for more jobs, news, features, products and services, events and training courses. wwtonline.co.uk WET News is a member of the Independent Press Standards Organisation (which regulates the UK's magazine and newspaper industry). We abide by the Editors' Code of Practice and are committed to upholding the highest standards of journalism. If you think that we have not met those standards and want to make a complaint, please contact the editor. If we are unable to resolve your complaint, or if you would like more information about IPSO or the Editors' Code, contact IPSO on 0300 123 2220 or visit www.ipso.co.uk Average circulation Jan-Dec 2017: 6,110 Editor James Brockett: jamesbrockett@fav-house.com Deputy editor Robin Hackett: robinhackett@fav-house.com Sales Manager South/Global Michael Butcher: 01342 332073 michaelbutcher@fav-house.com Sales Manager North/Midlands Judith Eastham: 07733 232418 juditheastham@fav-house.com Classifi ed sales Mark Scott: markscott@fav-house.com Production controller Sharon Miller: sharonmiller@fav-house.com Publisher Angela Himus: angelahimus@fav-house.com Published by Faversham House Ltd, Faversham House, Windsor Court, Wood Street, East Grinstead, West Sussex, RH19 1UZ Call: 01342 332000 Today, we announced the restrictions around the use of metaldehyde to help us protect water quality as well as wildlife and eliminate the need for any costly treatment by water companies #metaldehyderestrictions @DefraWater across the sector since, ˆ nancing and regulatory processes in UK construction are not simple for any business at present. The entire sector has been impacted. This remains an issue of critical national importance and concern for 2019. "For its part, Laing O'Rourke will be driving new levels of productivity through innovation, offsite manufacturing, data analysis and modern procurement practices – initiatives we believe will lead the way to a more sustainable UK construction sector." O'Rourke, who had previously lamented the "enormous pressure on parties across the sector" that followed "the demise of a number of companies and the withdrawal of significant funding", added: "We urge Government and other bodies to support the modernisation and reform of the industry and the three million UK jobs it creates. "Today's announcement that financial heads of terms have been reached is a tribute to our loyal employees, without whom we could not have delivered the ground- breaking achievements of recent years." Laing O'Rourke, which completed the refinance of its Australian business in July last year, said in October that it had £8.6 billion in "high-quality, secured and anticipated work" across its global businesses. L aing O'Rourke has announced that it has agreed terms with its ˆ nancial partners for the 2019 reˆ nance of the UK business. The company has endured a difficult period, announcing a loss of £60.6 million after tax for the year ended 31 March 2017 and £219.9 million a year earlier. In October, though, it announced that its "turnaround was complete", with its UK businesses all performing to plan and delivering forecast margins, and it has now revealed that it agreed terms over the Christmas period that will mean its credit is assured

• Cover