Utility Week

UTILITY WEEK | 1ST - 7TH JULY 2016 | 9 Policy & Regulation This week Alan Whitehead quits the shadow cabinet Labour's shadow energy minister cites his concerns about Jeremy Corbyn's leadership Alan Whitehead has resigned from Labour's shadow cabinet because of his concerns about Jeremy Corbyn's leadership, quit- ting his post as shadow energy minister on Tuesday. In a letter published on Twit- ter, Whitehead told Corbyn he was a "good, decent, committed person", but said he was "unfor- tunately not the right person to lead the opposition". Corbyn appointed Whitehead shadow energy minis- ter in September 2015, something for which he said he was "very grateful". "You will know that I have spent many years cham- pioning action to combat climate change and promote low-carbon energy, as have you," he said. "And it was a pleasure being able to pursue these objectives on behalf of your frontbench team." He concluded: "However, thinking as I do, I cannot give you complete loyalty in this position and it would be dishonest of me to continue to occupy it." Whitehead pleaded with Corbyn to "seriously consider" his position as party leader. On Monday, Lisa Nandy quit her post as shadow energy secretary, and has since been replaced by Barry Gardiner. Rachel Maskell was appointed as the new shadow environment secretary aer her predecessor, Kerry McCarthy, resigned over the weekend. A flurry of resignations, currently totalling more than 40, followed the reported sacking of shadow foreign secretary Hilary Benn in the early hours of Sun- day morning. TG WATER Water Plus applies for supply licence Severn Trent and United Utilities have applied for a water supply and sewerage licence for their joint venture Water Plus, which would let the company partici- pate in the new water retail mar- ket when it opens in England. Early in March, Severn Trent Water and United Utilities said they would team up and create a separate retail business, subse- quently named Water Plus. Eight companies have now applied for licences since Ofwat opened the application process for those wishing to provide retail services in the new market. ENERGY Ofgem should have regs role post-Brexit Ofgem should be given a special role following the vote for Brexit to ensure compatibility between regulations in the EU and the UK, according to the director of independent energy policy expert group E3G. Jonathan Gaventa told Utility Week: "It makes sense for Ofgem to be given an explicit mandate to ensure regulatory compatibil- ity between the UK market and broader EU market to try to de- politicise some of the decisions that might be happening." He said the main priority for the energy sector following the vote should be "seeking early confirmation both from Cameron and other potential leadership candidates that there is prefer- ence given to trying to maintain the UK's participation in the internal energy market". The industry should "try and pull it out of the inevitable horse- trading at an early stage". WATER NI Water stops work after bullet threat NI Water is urging political and community representatives "to unite with us" to ensure the safety of its staff. The call came as NI Water confirmed contractors work- ing on Glen Road/Andersons- town Road in west Belfast had received a threatening note containing a bullet and directing them to stop work. The contractor was working on part of a £5 million scheme to improve the supply of water across north and west Belfast. NI Water said it had with- drawn its contractors from the area. "Our paramount concern is the safety of our workers and we will not put them in danger. We are temporarily reinstat- ing the area and will return to complete the work when it is safe to do so. "We do not want a situation where the local community will suffer because of the actions of a few." Whitehead: championed low-carbon energy Political Agenda Mathew Beech "Supporters of community energy have cause for hope" Within hours of the leave result being confirmed, prime minister David Cameron announced his resignation as party leader, and Labour began plotting to oust leader Jeremy Corbyn. The Tories' leading light is Boris Johnson, and former shadow energy secretary Lisa Nandy is being touted as a potential Labour leader. If these two are elected by their parties and end up oppos- ing each other at the dispatch box, the energy sector, and energy sector. When she took on the role of shadow energy secre- tary last year, she saw off claims that Corbyn wanted to renation- alise the energy sector. She told the party conference in Brighton that Labour wants to "do something much more radi- cal, democratise it". This indi- cates support for a further shi towards decentralised energy. If one or both are elected to their party's top job, they will offer community and decentral- ised energy a new hope. supporters of community energy in particular, has cause for hope and optimism. During his tenure as London mayor, Johnson helped push the Greater London Authority (GLA) to take on a licence lite supply licence from Ofgem, allowing it to become the capital's "smallest energy supplier". The GLA can buy electricity from public bodies and London boroughs for up to 30 per cent more than they currently get from existing suppliers, and then sell it on at cost price to other public organisations, including Transport for London. Nandy also brings with her support for the community

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