MOSL has today published the Strategic Panel’s Draft Priority Market Outcomes and Areas of Work for consultation.
The recently established Strategic Panel’s role is to promote, challenge and lead the operation and evolution of the market for the benefit of current and future non-household customers. The draft paper transposes the strategic direction set by Ofwat and Defra into prioritised outcomes and programmes of work. The Strategic Panel will work closely with customer organisations, MOSL, trading parties, Ofwat and Defra.
The Strategic Panel believes fundamental change to the non-household water market is needed.
The overarching priority is a market that delivers sustainable economic growth in its widest sense, creating social, economic, and environmental value for customers, market participants, society, and the environment. To achieve this, the Strategic Panel has identified three market outcomes that will drive the focus of key priority areas of work:
- Value creation
- Customer service excellence
- Water efficiency is core.
To deliver on these outcomes, five priority areas of work have been identified:
- Get the money right
- Get the basics right
- Water efficiency
- Get the incentives right
- Innovation.
Underneath each sits a detailed programme of work stretching across three years, aligned to MOSL’s three-year rolling business plan. The Strategic Panel recognises that market improvement projects are already underway, and is therefore only recommending reviews in some areas.
Trisha McAuley, Chair of the Strategic Panel, said: “The Strategic Panel has very carefully considered the challenges and the opportunities in the market and with a clear focus on customer outcomes through creating the right conditions for a flourishing competitive market."
"We believe that the scale of change which is required is significant which is why it’s really important that we hear from, and listen to, market stakeholders now and on an ongoing basis. This consultation is the start of that dialogue and I urge all stakeholders to let us know what you think and tell us what your priorities are and why. And let us know if you disagree - and why.”
The draft Strategic Panel Priority Market Outcomes document can be accessed here. The appendices can be found here. Responses to the consultation questions below are requested by email to
As part of its commitment to engage openly with the market to ensure that a range of stakeholder views are able to inform its priorities, the Strategic Panel has also published its plan of how it intends to engage with the market in 2022/23 and going forward. As part of this a series of roundtable events will be held in June/July to inform the priorities. The engagement plan can be accessed here.
If you have any questions on the document or consultation please email
Consultation questions
- Do you agree the three strategic outcomes are aligned to the strategic direction Ofwat and Defra have set out for the market? If not, please explain why.
- Are there any additional or alternative outcomes which you believe should be prioritised?
- Will the five strategic priorities focus work on the key matters that need to be resolved to support the strategic outcomes? If not, how should they be re-focused or amended?
- Do you have any comments on the identified activities and is there any other ongoing work not mentioned that the Strategic Panel should take account of when considering future actions?
Notes to editors
The Strategic Panel is now the most senior industry group in the non-household water market and comprises members drawn from the market, independents and CCW. It is also supported by non-voting affiliates Ofwat, Defra and MOSL.
The Strategic Panel‘s responsibilities are set out in the Market Arrangements Code and include transposing strategic direction set by Ofwat and Defra into actions for the market.
