‘Strong views’ for and against water charges 20 years ago, officials believed

There were “strong views” both in opposition to and in favour of water charges in Northern Ireland, government officials believed 20 years ago.

A number of files at the Public Record Office in Belfast show the planning that was undertaken for the potential introduction of domestic water metering by the Labour government during a period of direct rule.

The files reveal a meeting between Northern Ireland ministers Angela Smith and Ian Pearson in November 2002 to discuss the “future financing and structure of Water Service”.

At the meeting Ms Smith said decisions needed to be taken on whether to make a commitment to “Water Service becoming self-financing and the need for structural reform”.

Ministers recommended a “qualified commitment (to self-financing) should be given stating that substantial progress will be made by April 2006 but that no guarantee could be given that Water Service would be completely self-financing by this date”.

The note said: “Both ministers agreed that it will be vital not to discuss any prospect of water charges in isolation from reform plans for Water Service.

“It was also agreed that any statements should not overshadow the good news to be announced in the Budget.”

In September 2004, Northern Ireland Office minister John Spellar announced proposals for the introduction of a water and sewerage charging regime in the region.

The plans included provision for household metering but plans on how this would be done were still to be finalised.

Later, a policy proposal paper was drawn up which said household water metering was intended to begin on April 1 2007.

It said an announcement on metering would be made alongside the publication of an Integrated Impact Assessment consultation report in November 2005.

The proposal sent to Northern Ireland minister Shaun Woodward said there would be “both positive and negative reaction” to the plans.

The note recommended that ministers should “confirm that a managed long-term transition to widespread domestic metering will be undertaken”.

It added: “Meters will be installed in all new properties and first-time connections and billed on that basis – low income protection will be awarded on the same basis as for unmeasured customers.

“Metering will be available from the date of the introduction of comprehensive water and sewerage charging to pensioner households who apply.”

The note said: “The metering debate is characterised by strong views both in support of and against domestic metering.”

The note added: “The views of the NI political parties vary from strong opposition to any form of metering (SDLP and Sinn Fein) to support for some form of metering (Alliance), optional metering (DUP) or universal metering (UUP).”

The government later abandoned its plans to introduce domestic water charging in Northern Ireland.