Stuart Derwent used to help design bridges, which might come in handy as he reaches out to communities opposed to the development of a wastewater treatment and sludge recycling works.

Southern Water's managing director says he likes to "go with the flow" - but he also has some strong views about Brighton and Hove. Views you can't imagine him surrendering.

This man, who runs a company of 2,000 employees spread across four sites, wasn't always up to his neck in water though.

On leaving university he joined an engineering consultancy in Croydon. His first task was to help design the new London Bridge and his first on-site job was working on the Victoria Line.

He joined what was then the Sussex River Authority (SRA)

in 1972, eager to work on smaller jobs he could run himself.

He also moved with his wife from Crowborough to the same house on Withdean Crescent they live in today.

He took up his first management position in 1985 when he became the water controller for Brighton and Worthing, a title he says "amused my kids no end".

He says he doesn't miss engineering because running a company of 2,000 people is a "very rounded and interesting job". "

But, he says, "But I enjoy walking across London Bridge and thinking I had something to do with the building of it,"

he says.

One of his reasons for moving was because he: "very much liked the idea of living in the area your company does business.

"You are with it all the time and see it when you drive around. I like that, although I know some people would find it difficult."

I ask him if he enjoys this in practice, given the controversy surrounding the company's plan to build a new wastewater treatment and sludge recycling works at one of eight shortlisted sites in Brighton.

"We have our issues," he says, adding "I live much closer to Withdean Stadium, if you want to change the topic."

He admits he doesn't live anywhere near any of the projected sites but says this is missing the point.

He says: "We've looked at 66 sites and we've got it down to eight. The problem is not one of these eight jumps out and says 'I am the site'.

"Everyone has different views, particularly those people who live anywhere near one of the sites. But all of us -

and by that I mean the whole community - have got to find a site."

He says running Southern Water takes most of his time these days but he enjoys walking on the South Downs.

He is also reminded of one of his passions from earlier days - Brighton and Hove's elm trees - which he campaigned to save.

He says: "I still get a kick walking around and seeing those trees."

I ask him how Brighton has changed since he moved here.

He says a number of things have changed for the better, particularly along the seafront, but said more needed to be done.

"I think the council's got to grab hold of the tatty areas and make them better," he says.

He points to the example of Anston House at the bottom of Preston Road, which was also the first building he worked in when he joined the SRA.

"How can you have a town that wants to call itself a city when, if you're driving along the main road into town, you pass some lovely buildings and parks and, all of a sudden, there's this decaying building with broken windows and graffiti all over it.

"It has to be grabbed hold of.

It's not owned by the council but that's not the point. The point is someone's got to grab hold of it and sort it out."

He also has strong views about the West Pier.

"I moved to Brighton in 1972 and it closed in 1975.

"I remember taking my family there on the last afternoon it was open and that was 27 years ago.

"I'm astonished it's still there. I don't think the town even deserves it. How can something take 27 years?"

He says he'd like to see more people read Anthony Seldon's book, Brave New City.

"One doesn't have to agree with everything he says but it's a good marker for the sort of thought processes we should be going through."