| "t" is equal to the turnover of the Appointed Business as shown in the accounting statements prepared by the Appointee under Paragraph 4 of Condition F for the financial year ending twelve months before the start of the Charging Year in which that renewal fee and special fee are payable; |
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| "T" is equal to the aggregate of the turnover of the Appointed Business of all of the Appointees as shown in their accounting statements prepared under Paragraph 4 of Condition F for the financial year ending twelve months before the start of the Charging Year in which that renewal fee and special fee are payable. |
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3.2 | The aggregate of the renewal fee and any special fee payable in any Periodic Review Year and of the additional fees payable under paragraph 2(6), in the years immediately preceding that Periodic Review Year, shall not exceed a figure of 0.3, X derived from sub-paragraph 3.1 plus a figure of 0.1, calculated as the sum of the percentages which each such fee represents of the turnover of the Appointed Business, as shown in the Accounting Statements prepared by the Appointee under paragraph 4 of Condition F, for the financial year ending twelve months before the start of the Charging Year in which that fee is payable. as an average over the five years concluding with the previous Periodic Review Year. (see protocol at end of this condition) |
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3.3 | Where: |
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| (1) | a Review Notice has been given under paragraph 7/8 of Condition B; |
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| (2) | a Periodic Review falls to be carried out under paragraph 8/9 of Condition B; or |
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| (3) | a Reference Notice has been given under paragraph 9/10 of Condition B |
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| the Director may, by notice to the Secretary of State, refer to the Secretary of State for determination by him not later than twelve months after the date which is the Review Notice Date for the purpose of the relevant Periodic Review, the question whether the limits on the fees specified in sub-paragraph 3.1 and 3.2 payable in respect of any Charging Year starting on or after 1st April 2000 should be changed (and if so what change should be made to that limit). |
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3.4 | This Condition shall be modified by the change or changes (if any) to the said limits necessary to give effect to any determination made by the Secretary of State following a reference under sub-paragraph 3.3. |
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NOTE: |
Wherever paragraph numbers are quoted in the alternative (e.g. 13/14) the lower number refers to that paragraph in Condition B of the appointment of each water only company and the higher number refers to the same paragraph in the joint appointment of each water and sewerage undertaker. |
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PROTOCOL FOR THE APPLICATION OF LICENCE CONDITION N3.2:
Condition N places limits on the fees which the Director General can levy to cover expenditure on a Periodic Review.
The original (1989) text defined the limit in terms of:
| * Amount: ie) a maximum of 0.3% of Turnover;
* Period of levy: ie) the Periodic Review Year (PRY). |
In practice work on and consequential expenditure for the Periodic Review is likely to take place over a number of years running up to and including the PRY. The Director General therefore wished to have the ability to levy fees to reflect the timing of those costs whilst remaining subject to the same overall limit.
Licence paragraph N3.2, as amended, provides a mechanism to facilitate this flexibility within the same overall limit, ie)
The current limit on fees for the PRY is 0.3% of turnover. Paragraph N3.2 allows those fees to be levied in years preceding the PRY, eg)
| PRY - 2 | PRY | - 1 | | |
| | PRY | | | | |
| | | | | | |
| 0.05 | | | 0.1% | | |
| | 0.15 | % | | | |
provided that the sum of the percentages does not exceed the figure of 0.3 from the original Licence Condition.
However bringing forward payment of the fees would result in an increase in the Net PresentValue of the fees concerned. In order to off-set this the paragraph requires that the % in each year is calculated by reference to the turnover appropriate to the Charging Year in question, rather than to the turnover relating to the PRY. The resulting fee is therefore lower in cash terms as the turnover from which it is calculated is smaller.
N4
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Condition B of the licence states that companies will have five yearly Periodic Reviews, this in turn means that Periodic Review work is likely to be spread over the five years leading up to the Periodic Review year eg 1999-2000, 2004-05 etc. The ceiling on Condition N is governed by the following formula:
AF + PRY< Y
AF | = | Total additional fees incurred before the Periodic Review Year; |
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PRY | = | The total renewal fee charged in the Periodic Review Year; |
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Y | = | X per paragraph 3.1 plus 0.1% of the average annual turnover of the five years concluding with the previous Periodic Review Year. |
Illustrative Example – Revised Condition N
| Year | 1 | | 2 | | 3 | | 4 | | 5 | |
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| Renewal fee | 11.90 | | 11.90 | | 11.90 | | 11.90 | | 11.90 | |
| (base) £m | | | | | | | | | | |
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| RPI at 2.5% per | 0.29 | | 0.60 | | 0.91 | | 1.23 | | 1.56 | |
| annum £m | | | | | | | | | | |
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| TOTAL £m | 12.19 | | 12.50 | | 12.81 | | 13.13 | | 13.46 | |
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| Additional fee* £m | 1.2 | | 1.2 | | 1.2 | | 1.2 | | 1.2 | |
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| PR costs in | | | | | | | | | 1.2 | |
| Periodic Review year | | | | | | | | | | |
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| TOTAL £m | 13.39 | | 13.70 | | 14.01 | | 14.33 | | 14.66 | |
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* | Assumes average turnover over the five years 1994-95 to 1999-2000 | = £6 billion |
| 0.1% of £6 billion | = £6 million |
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| Additional fee as per para 2(6) recovered over years 1 to 4. Periodic Review costs in year 5 recovered as part of the Renewal Fee. The total of Renewal Fee in year 5 and the additional fee years 1 to 4 is constrained by the formula above. |
In this example the additional fee is distributed evenly over the four years, however in reality, the amount of additional fees will be kept lower, to only recover costs.
Ofwat in charging companies intends to keep well below the ceiling and would remain subject to external scrutiny by HMT, NAO and the industry.
N5
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Condition O: Circumstances in which a replacement appointment may be made
[For the purposes of paragraph (c) of section 12(2),(section 7 & 9 of the 1991 Act)the only circumstances in which an appointment or variation to which section 12(section 7 & 9 of the1991 Act)applies may be made in relation to the area for which the Appointee holds the Appointment as water undertaker or, as the case may be, sewerage undertaker under this instrument are where the Secretary of State has given the Appointee at least 10 years notice, expiring not earlier than 25 years after the transfer date, to terminate the relevant Appointment in relation to the whole of its area and the said period of notice has expired.
For the purposes of paragraph (c) of Section 7(4) of the Water Industry Act 1991, the only circumstances in which an appointment or variation may be made, in relation to the area for which the Appointee holds the Appointment as water undertaker or, as the case may be, sewerage undertaker under this instrument, are where the Secretary of State has given the Appointee at least 25 years’ notice to terminate the relevant Appointment in relation to the whole of its area and that period of notice has expired.] [deleted and inserted with effect from 15 October 2002]
O1
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O2
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Condition P: The Role of United Utilities as owner of North West Water Ltd |
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1(1) | The Appointee shall, not later than 12 April 1996, procure from United Utilities PLC a legally-enforceable undertaking in favour of the Appointee in a form specified by the Director and expressed to remain in force for as long as the Appointee retains the Appointments and United Utilities PLC remains the holding company of the Appointee. |
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1(2) | The undertaking referred to in (1) above shall provide that - |
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| (a) | United Utilities PLC will, and will procure that each subsidiary of United Utilities PLC (other than the Appointee and its subsidiaries) will, give to the Appointee all such Information as may be necessary to enable the Appointee to comply with the requirements of the conditions of the Appointments; |
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| (b) | United Utilities PLC will, and will procure that each subsidiary of United Utilities PLC (other than the Appointee and its subsidiaries) will, refrain from any action which would or may cause the Appointee to breach any of its obligations under the Act or the conditions of these Appointments; and |
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| (c) | United Utilities PLC will ensure that at all times the Board of the Appointee contains two non-executive Directors, who shall be persons of standing with relevant experience, including in particular an understanding of the interests of the customers of the Appointee and how these can be respected and protected. |
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2 | The Appointee shall, not later than 31 October 1997, produce to the Director the undertaking given to it under paragraph 1 of this condition, amended to reflect the requirements in paragraph 1(2)(c) above and provide to him such certified copies of the undertaking as he may require. |
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3 | The Appointee shall immediately inform the Director in writing, if it becomes aware that the undertaking referred to in paragraph 1 of this condition has ceased to be legally-enforceable or that there has been any breach of its terms. |
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4 | The Appointee shall not, except with the written consent of the Director, enter (directly or indirectly) into any contract or arrangement with United Utilities PLC or any Associated Company (other than subsidiaries of the Appointee) at a time when:- |
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| (i) | no undertaking complying with paragraph 1 of this condition exists; or |
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| (ii) | there is an unremedied breach of that undertaking. |
P3
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P4
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| | | |
Condition Q: Interruptions in Supply because of Drought (coming into effect 19 April 1997) |
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| 1. | Interpretation |
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| "business customer" means the person who is liable to pay the Appointee's charges in respect of a supply of water to premises other than domestic premises; |
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| "drought order" means an order made under section 73 of the Water Resources Act 1991; |
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| "household customer" means the person who is liable to pay the Appointee's charges in respect of a supply of water to domestic premises. |
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| 2. | Liability and amounts of payments |
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| 2.1 | Where a supply of water to premises is interrupted or cut off under the authority of a drought order the Appointee shall, subject to sub-paragraph 2.2, pay to the customer (or credit to his account) whichever of the amounts referred to in paragraph 3 is applicable. |
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| 2.2 | The Appointee shall not be liable to make any payments under this Condition where the circumstances were so exceptional that it would have been unreasonable to have expected the interruption or cut-off to have been avoided. |
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| 3. | Amounts payable to household and business customers |
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| 3.1.1 | The Appointee shall pay to a household customer £10 for each day during which (or during part of which) the supply is interrupted or cut off. |
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| 3.1.2 | The amount payable to any household customer in any Charging Year shall not exceed the average amount of water charges payable to the Appointee by household customers for the Charging Year preceding that in which the interruption or cut-off happens. |
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| 3.2.1 | The Appointee shall pay to a business customer £50 for each day during which (or during part of which) the supply is interrupted or cut off. |
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| 3.2.2 | The amount payable to any business customer in any Charging Year shall not exceed - |
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| | (a) | the amount of water charges payable by that customer for the supply of water to those premises for the Charging Year preceding that in which the interruption or cut-off happens or |
Q1
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| | | (b) | if that customer was not liable to pay those charges, £500. |
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| 3.2.3 | When calculating the charges payable by a business customer for the supply of water services, amounts payable in respect of any separate supply which was provided solely for purposes other than domestic purposes shall be excluded. |
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| | 3.3 | If, when a payment becomes due under this Condition, a customer owes money to the Appointee and the debt has been outstanding for more than 6 weeks, any payment from the Appointee to which the customer is entitled under this Condition shall, to the extent that it does not exceed the amount so owed, be made by way of credit to that customer's account. |
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| | 4. | Determination of Disputes |
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| | 4.1 | Where any dispute arises between the Appointee and a customer as to the right of that customer to a payment or credit under this Condition, the matter may be referred to the Director by either party for determination1. |
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| | 4.2 | Any determination under this Condition shall be final and, if the Appointee fails to give effect to the determination, the customer may set off the amount in question against any payment which is due to the Appointee. |
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| | 5. | Cessation or Modification of this Condition |
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| | 5 .1 | This Condition shall cease to have effect in relation to any interruptions or cut-offs occurring on or after the commencement date of any Regulations made by the Secretaries of State pursuant to Section 38 of the Water Industry Act 1991, implementing the recommendations made to them by the Director in May 1996 for the making of payments to customers for interruptions or cut-offs because of drought. |
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| | 5.2 | If the Regulations referred to in sub-paragraph 5.1 relate to either household customers or business customers only, this Condition shall cease to have effect in so far as it relates to those customers. |
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| | | | |
| | Explanatory Note about Condition Q4 |
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| | The Director has indicated that, when deciding whether to require the Appointee to make a payment under paragraph 4 of Condition Q he will, while not being able to anticipate all relevant circumstances, take account of the following: |
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| | | | (a) | the resources available to the company and its management of those resources, including the exploration of new resources; |
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| | | | (b) | the promotion by the company of the efficient use of water by its customers; |
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| | | | (c) | The company's ability to prohibit or restrict the use of water by the exercise of its powers under section 76 of the Water Industry Act 1991 (hosepipe bans) or by obtaining a drought order containing the provision authorised by paragraph (b) of section 74(2) of the Water Resources Act 1991 (non-essential use); and |
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| | | | (d) | the maintenance of the company's assets, including the management by the company of leakage. |
Q3
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Q4
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Guide to Defined Terms
1. The words and expressions set out in Column (1) below, which are used principally in the Conditions referred to in Column (2) below, are defined in the provision referred to in Column (3) below:
(1) | (2) | (3) |
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The Appointed Business | Throughout | Condition A |
The Appointee | Throughout | The Appointments |
The Appointments | Throughout | The Appointments |
The Auditors | B and F | Condition A |
Basket Items | B | Condition B, Part I |
Charging Year | Throughout | Condition A |
The Customer Service Committee | G, H and I | Condition A |
Excluded Charges | B | Condition B, Part I |
Information | Throughout | Condition A |
Legal requirement | B | Condition B, Part IV |
Measured Basket Items | B | Condition B, Part I |
Notified Item | B | Condition B, Part IV |
Periodic Review | B, C, L, N | Condition A |
Prior Year | B | Condition A |
The Regulated Activities | B, F, J and L | Condition A |
Relevant Change of Circumstance | B | Condition B, Part IV |
The Relevant Charging Year | B | Condition B, Part I |
Relevant Premises | D, G, H, I and J | Condition A |
The Retail Prices Index | B, C and N | Condition A |
Review Charging Year | B and N | Condition A |
Standard Charges | B | Condition B, Part I |
Unmeasured Basket Items | B | Condition B, Part I |
The Water Authority | B, C, D, E, F, J and L | Condition A |
Weighted Average Charges | B | Condition B, Part I |
Increase | | |
Guide page 1
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Guide to Defined Terms cont.
2. The definitions of other words and expressions used in the Conditions may be found either in this instrument or, by virtue of paragraph 1 of Condition A, in the Act or in the Interpretation Act 1978. The words and expressions set out in Column (1) below, which are used principally in the Conditions referred to in Column (2) below, are defined in the provision of the Act or of the Interpretation Act 1978 referred to in Column (3)(A) or, as the case may be, Column (3)(B) below:
(1) | (2) | (3)(A) | (3)(B) |
| | Relevant provision of | Relevant provision of |
| | the Water Industry Act | the Interpretation Act |
| | 1991 | 1978 |
Accessories | B and J | s.219(1) | |
customer or potential | E | s.219(1) | |
customer | | | |
Director | throughout | s.219(1) | |
discharge pipe | L | s.192(1) | |
Functions | A, B and E | s.217&s.219 | |
holding company | A and F | | Companies Act 1985 |
Information | A | s.219(1) | |
MonopoliesCompetition | A, B, C, F & N | s.219(1) | |
Commission | | | |
new appointee | B | s.12(6) | |
Notice | Throughout | s.219(1) | |
public sewer | L | s.219(1) | |
Records | A | s.219(1) | |
resource main | L | s.165(8), s167& Sch 19, | |
| | para 1 | |
service pipe | H, I and L | s.219(1) and 189(4) | |
sewerage services | E and I | s.219(1) | |
sewerage undertaker | Throughout | s.11 and 189(1) | |
special administrator | K | Sch 6, para12(2) | |
special administration | K | s.25(6), Sch 5, para 1(4) | |
order | | Sch 6, para12(2) | |
subordinate legislation | B and L | s.219(1) | s.21(1) |
Subsidiary | A | s.219(1) | |
successor company | A | s.219(1) | |
transfer date | throughout | s.189(1) WA 1989 | |
trunk main | F and L | s.219(1) | |
water mains | B, J and L | s.219(1) | |
water undertaker | throughout | s.11 and 189(1) | |
Writing | B, J, M and N | | s.5 and Schedule 1 |
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3. The lists of words and expressions under in the Conditions in paragraph 1 and 2 above are not exhaustive lists of all the words and expressions used in the Conditions which are defined in this instrument, the Act or the Interpretation Act 1978.
4. This guide to defined terms is for ease of reference only and shall not affect the construction of any provision of this instrument.
Guide page 3