Eastbourne MP Josh Babarinde Demands Southern Water Compensate Residents: “Enough is enough”.

At a packed public meeting yesterday (Wednesday 13 August), Eastbourne’s MP Josh Babarinde drew the line under the years of mismanagement and negligence that has blighted Eastbourne’s 94 beaches, and impacted thousands of residents.

Since becoming Eastbourne’s MP last year, the issue of both raw sewage dumps in the sea and disgusting smells emitting from the water treatment works (known locally as ‘poo castle’) have been raised time and time again. 

Following mentions in Parliament, Josh Babarinde forced Southern Water to host a public meeting in Eastbourne to provide answers. Sitting alongside Eastbournians from across our town, Josh listened as residents spoke passionately about the impact of these issues on their health, their property values and their livelihoods.

Southern Water acknowledged they’ve ‘failed’ residents and finally agreed to expedite work to refurbish the failed odour ‘scrubbing’ system (to a point where things will start to improve) by the end of this year.

During the meeting, Mr Babarinde also pressed Southern Water to compensate residents to make up for the years of failures they have had to endure - much like the compensation that Hastings residents recently received for poor services.