Last week we convened the first interim Stream Steering Group meeting. The Steering Group is comprised of representatives from across the water industry, data experts and consumer bodies. The interim Steering Group will meet twice, in January and March 2023 to bridge the period between the Blueprint phase and the proposed Implementation phase. It will play a critical role in Stream’s development and the development of governance that will guide the future of the programme.
Organisations represented at the meeting were Northumbrian Water, Anglian Water, Dwr Cymru (Welsh Water), SES Water, Severn Water, Southern Water, United Utilities, Yorkshire Water, Wessex Water, UK Power Network with the meeting facilitated by Icebreaker One. Also present as observers were representatives of Consumer Council for Water (CCW), the Open Data Institute and Sia Partners.
We discussed the group’s goals, roles and responsibilities, and had an overview of the challenges faced by the water industry and the importance of the Stream project. We read, reviewed, and discussed the Steering Group Terms of Reference (to be published once agreed) and heard a summary of the work completed in the first phase of work (Blueprint phase) and all the work done in 2022. We also heard a brief review of customer relevant data available across the industry, which we will discuss more at the next meeting.
Key insights from the Steering Group:
- The ToR were agreed as essential as they set out clear expectations on members and observers
- As users are responsible for generating the value from Stream, it was agreed that user needs should continue to be the focus of decision making
- There are key future decisions that the Steering Group will need to make so it is essential the ToR and membership are appropriate