A Gosberton woman whose investigations helped shape a government report into the delivery of water in the country has called for all of its recommendations to be implemented.
Julie Houldershaw has campaigned for water companies to map the entirety of drains.
That’s after her home was found to have worse air quality than a sewer but she spent four years being bounced around Anglian Water and Lincolnshire County Council who both claimed the defective drain belonged to each other.
Some of her research was used by the Independent Water Commission which delivered 88 recommendations on how the water service be delivered.
In response, the government is now preparing a ‘white paper’ which would outline proposed changes.
But Julie says a law should be passed that all recommendations from independent panels are enacted.
“I wanted to bring this to the attention of the general public,” Julie said of the petition on www.change.org called ‘Demand government transparency and action against corruption’. “It will be interesting to see what they actually do, as reviews and enquires which cost us a fortune, have no legal enforcement.
“I have been helping on some investigations with other charities who are also fighting this cause, so its been interesting and at least some good came from the drainage situation.”
The wording of the petition: ‘demands legislative change that ensures recommendations from official inquiries are not just noted but legally enforced, guaranteeing accountability from the local councils right up to the highest echelons of the government’.
“The current lack of transparency and resultant inefficacy do not just hinder public trust; they degrade our quality of life by failing essential services that we all depend upon,” it says. “This is a call for justice, reform, and efficiency. It is time for our government to show leadership by prioritising public interests over bureaucratic inertia.
