A Poll Tax-style non-payment campaign is being organised to fight a hike in water bills.
Council tax payers will be urged to refuse payments – amid claims that water bill hikes will drive the most vulnerable deeper into poverty.
Scottish Water was last month accused of sitting on a £391million “cash stash” as household bills were projected to rise by an average of two per cent above inflation for years.
Now those living in social and rented housing are being encouraged to engage in a “mass non-payment campaign” against the hikes.
The campaign would mirror the Poll Tax non-payment campaign led by socialist campaigner Tommy Sheridan in 1989.
Fury over the unfair tax led to mass non-payment – and the fall-out from the row helped topple Prime Minister Maggie Thatcher.
The Scottish Tenants Organisation (SCO) has written to MSPs announcing the non-payment campaign, which it has vowed to roll out if demands for better support are not met.
It said: “The people of Scotland do not deserve this and therefore there must not be any price increase over the next six years.
“We plan to engage in a mass non-payment campaign to stop the people of Scotland having to endure any more financial hardship because of this proposed price hike in water.”
Scottish Water is responsible for delivering its service to domestic and business clients, but the Water Industry Commission for Scotland (WICS) sets the charges.
Last month, the WICS announced the planned increase over the next six years – which is about five times higher than forecast by the public company.
It was revealed that Scottish Water had a cash balance of £391.4million last year.
Labour MSP Jackie Baillie called for an immediate £100 rebate for all customers on their next water bill, saying many would be pushed deeper into debt while an “obscene cash stash sits unused in a Scottish Water bank vault”.
SCO organiser Sean Clerkin said: “If this continues over the next 20 years, that would double the price of water.
“People at the lowest end of the social scale who are on social security benefits will still have to find 65 per cent of their bill. Given the large surplus that Scottish Water has generated and the fact that we’re going through very hard times financially as a result of the pandemic, there should be no price increase at all.
“We will shortly be organising a mass non-payment campaign across Scotland if none of these demands are met.”
“If this is allowed to come in water poverty is going to be a real hardship for people in Scotland.”
In Glasgow, the price rise would see bills for a council tax band A home increase by £95 over the next six years, up from £298 this year to £393 in 2026-27.
In Band H, the increase would be £283 – going from £896 to £1179 a year.
A Scottish Water spokesman said yesterday: “Customers’ views across Scotland helped to inform the setting of charges for 2021-22 and over the longer term.
“Our announcement of charges for the next 12 months included increased provision to support those who need it most – 446,000
households will receive reductions in their water and wastewater charges.”
