David Penna

Councillor Phil Bateman paid a personal tribute to Mr David Penna. He said today;
"Mr David Penna was the Managing Director of South Staffs Water Company. Just before Christmas David died suddenly, and today he is being laid to rest. I am unsure if I will be able to make the funeral. But I did want to share my thoughts of David with you.

I know that there are constituents that work for South Staffs Water Company, they will have perhaps known David a little better than I. They will know like I do that David above all was a nice man, a gentle man, a man who thought of others and valued people.

Business like politics is remorseless in exposing weakness, it often breeds people that sometime are hard ,sometimes single minded, sometime brutish to the point of ignorance. Business is unforgiving and success is often snatched away to be replaced by failure oh so quickly.

Yet in this sort of environment David Penna was a beacon, he was a company man through and through,above all he did have time for others. He was patient in explaining the intricacies of the water business, he cared deeply for the work force when tough decisions had to be made. He was very much a success as a Managing Director, and he had a subtle and sure footed approach with politicians.

Terry McAllister introduced me to David, and during the years I got to know him I grew to like him immensely. We were not friends in the deep sense of the word, nor were we merely acquaintances. But during the years I have had the pleasure of working with him. I have been genuinely impressed by his humanity , his talent, and his thoughtfulness.

I know that when I had the sad task of ringing to tell my colleagues on the South Staffordshire Water Companies, Customer Consultative Committee with the sad news of David's death. They like me were deeply saddened.

So today for me will be a day that will be a little darker, just a little greyer than is usual for this Winter. As David is laid to rest I will remember him as he was.

I know that his wife & family will have had a cheerless Christmas, and today will be somewhat of an ordeal. But I do hope as time goes by, that the pain lessens and the good memories flood the bad one.

That they together as a family can gain some solace in the fact that the Business Community, the Water Industry, and many others will also be mourning the loss of a very fine fellow indeed. My heart and the thought and feelings of my colleagues on the CCC is very much with the family and the individual Company employees who worked on a daily basis with David.......Who will find it hard not to envisage meeting him again in person."

Councillor Phil Bateman is Chairman of South Staffordshire Water Company's Customer Consultative Committee.