UK Government: Next step for the urban post office network
Jan 03, 2002 (M2 PRESSWIRE via COMTEX) — Douglas Alexander, Minister in the Department of Trade and Industry, today welcomed the terms negotiated between Post Office Ltd and the National Federation of Sub Postmasters in relation to the urban network.
A report by the Cabinet Office’s Performance and Innovation Unit recognised that in urban areas Post Office Ltd and sub-postmasters have the opportunity to improve the quality of service offered to customers with more modern Post Offices branches. It recommended that Government ensure the Post Office Ltd has the necessary resources to carry through the changes. The Government accepted this and today’s announcement is the next step in implementing the recommendation for modern sustainable urban Post Offices.
Implementation will be carefully tailored to the circumstances of each locality to ensure that Post Offices branches meet the high expectations of customers and are in the right locations for their communities. It will be in consultation with individual sub-postmasters, the local community and Postwatch and has the support of the National Federation of Sub Postmasters.
Post Office Ltd will be embarking on a restructuring programme in the New Year and where appropriate compensation will be made available for the sub-postmasters affected. The programme has the support of the National Federation of Sub- Postmasters. The DTI will be content in principle to support the compensation package, which has been negotiated between Post Office Ltd and the National Federation of Sub-Postmasters.
The programme relates only to the urban network. Existing measures to prevent avoidable closures of rural Post Office branches remain in place and separate measures are being developed to provide to financial support to the rural network.
Mr Alexander said: “Our Post Offices in towns and cities deliver essential services to many millions of people.
“I am pleased that this latest stage in the modernisation of the urban Post Office network has been agreed by the National Federation of Sub-Postmasters and the Post Office Limited.”
NOTES TO EDITORS
1. The Performance and Innovation Unit’s Report, ‘Counter Revolution – Modernising the Post Office Network’ was published in June 2000.
2. Urban Post Offices branches are defined as those located within communities with more than 10,000 residents.
