YORKSHIRE Water must carefully consider how much its customers can realistically afford to pay over the next five years, says watchdog WaterVoice.

And pricing will be top of the agenda when WaterVoice Yorkshire hosts a public meeting at 10.30am on Thursday at the George Hotel in Huddersfield.

Mohammed Ajeeb, WaterVoice Yorkshire chairman, said:

"WaterVoice Yorkshire continues to urge Yorkshire Water and the quality regulators to carefully consider the issue of affordability when compiling the list of schemes to be included in the company's final business plan."

WaterVoice Yorkshire will also look at Yorkshire Water's strategy for water resource management, which will include an update from the company on leakage management in the region.