Wessex Water chief pockets above-inflation pay rise despite bonus ban over sewage spills

CEO's pay packet surges to 791,000 as union says public sick of obscene pay' and bosses feathering own nests'

Wessex Water awarded its chief executive an above-inflation pay increase even as the company was banned from paying bonuses because of sewage spills, it has emerged.

Ruth Jefferson received a 14% base salary increase in October, from 590,000 to 670,000, before other benefits, according to accounts published this month. It was far above the 3.5% given to workers, and put her pay at 18 times that of the company's median employee.