The Public Services Reform (Scotland) Act 2010 (Commencement No. 5) Order 2011

EXPLANATORY NOTE

(This note is not part of the Order)

This Order brings the following provisions of the Public Services Reform (Scotland) Act 2010 (“the Act”) into force on 15th August 2011:—

(a) section 3, which dissolves the Water Customer Consultation Panels and abolishes the position of their Convenor (collectively known as Waterwatch Scotland). The representative functions of Waterwatch are transferred to the National Consumer Council and complaints relating to Scottish Water are added to the remit of the Scottish Public Services Ombudsman;

(b) section 130, which amends the Water Industry (Scotland) Act 2002 (asp 3) to provide for the consultation of licensed water and/or sewerage service providers on certain matters;

(c) section 131, which inserts a new section into the Water Service etc. (Scotland) Act 2005 (asp 3) to make provision for the Scottish Public Services Ombudsman to investigate complaints against the licensed provider upon the request of a licensed provider;

(d) schedule 2, which modifies enactments and makes repeals in consequence of the transfer of the functions from Waterwatch Scotland to the Scottish Public Services Ombudsman and the National Consumer Council; and

(e) schedule 3, which makes provision for the transfer of staff, property, liabilities and undetermined complaints in consequence of the dissolution of Waterwatch Scotland.

Sections 103, 109, 132, 133 and 134 of the Act came into force on Royal Assent (28th April 2010).