Chairman's Overview

Menno HennoveldI have pleasure to present the eleventh Annual Report of the Energy and Water Ombudsman (Western Australia) Limited.
I became Chairperson of the Board in August 2015 following the retirement of Mr Paul Wilmot, the inaugural Chairperson. Mr Wilmot was the Chairperson of the Board for over eleven years and guided the expansion of the scheme from the Gas Industry Ombudsman in 2004 to the Energy Ombudsman in 2005 and the Energy and Water Ombudsman in 2014. I would like to take this opportunity to express my appreciation for the leadership Mr Wilmot has provided to the Board in establishing the Scheme and its later expansion to include new jurisdictions.

The Board

The Board comprises seven directors: an independent chairperson, three customer representative directors, a gas industry representative director, an electricity industry representative director and a water services industry representative director.
In February 2015, Mr Colin Smith was appointed the Electricity Industry Representative Director following the resignation of Mr Simon Thackray in January 2015 and, in April 2015, Mr Justin Scotchbrook resigned as the Gas Industry Representative Alternate Director, with the position being filled by Ms Sally McMahon.
The Board held five meetings during the year, as well as receiving complaint statistics and financial reports on a monthly basis.

The Company

We welcomed 11 new water services Members and one new electricity Member during the year and as at 30 June 2015 there were 41 Members of the Company. A list of the Members is included in the Company Particulars section of the report.

Customer Complaints

The Board has a service agreement with the Western Australian Ombudsman who undertakes the role of the Energy and Water Ombudsman. The Board is not involved in the handling of customer complaints. The Energy and Water Ombudsman provides a report to each meeting of the Board outlining the number of complaints received and resolved in the gas, electricity and water sectors.

Appreciation

I would like to record my thanks to my fellow Directors for their commitment to the successful operation of the Board during 2014-15. I would also like to thank the Energy and Water Ombudsman and his staff for their efforts in resolving complaints so efficiently in this eleventh year of operation of the Scheme.
The Energy and Water Ombudsman’s Report, the Company Particulars, the Independent Audit Opinion and the audited Financial Statements for the Company for 2014-15 follow.

Menno Henneveld

CHAIRPERSON

 

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