Tag: Royal Mail

Post Office (UK) confirms branch closure decision making approach

Posted by | Nov 28, 2007 | |

Post Office Ltd confirmed the approach it will take to finalising decisions regarding branch closures and other changes to existing branches following the Local Public Consultation process which is now underway in some parts of the UK.

During each public consultation significant correspondence is received from stakeholders and information arising from this correspondence is carefully considered against prescribed Government criteria and factors when final decisions are made. Additionally, Post Office Ltd has set up with Postwatch, the consumer body representing customers, a three stage review process for these decisions, with increasing seniority of the respective management teams participating in each stage, culminating in a member of Post Office Ltd’s board and the Postwatch Chair (or their appointed deputy).

Furthermore, after stage 3, Allan Leighton, Chairman of Royal Mail Group, will review any unresolved cases at the request of Postwatch.

Allan Leighton said, “Taking the decision to close any Post Office branch is always exceptionally difficult. I know it will always cause concern to many of our customers. We are absolutely committed to examining the most difficult decisions at the highest level, to make sure that all the information available has been considered and that the criteria set by the Government have been met.”

Pat McFadden, Minister of State for Employment Relations and Postal Affairs, commented, “I welcome this development to Post Office Ltd’s consultation review process. Allan Leighton, as chair of the Royal Mail Group and the most senior voice in the Company, will now act as final arbiter in the case of particularly controversial and contested closure decisions which Post Office and Postwatch cannot resolve bilaterally.

This demonstrates how serious the Company is about the proper handling of what is necessarily a difficult process.”

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Post Office (UK) supports world aids day with launch of limited edition phone card

Posted by | Nov 28, 2007 | |

The Post Office is proud to be supporting World AIDS Day on 1 December with the launch of a limited edition red ribbon phone card. 50 per cent of the profits from the sale of the card will be donated to the National AIDS Trust.

The theme of this year’s World AIDS Day is ‘Let’s Get Talking’ and it is estimated that on 1 December, people will talk for over 800 hours on the Post Office’s® International Phone Cards.

The Post Office wants to offer customers the option of cheap and easy calls abroad but also give them the opportunity to show their support for those affected by HIV and AIDS. The Post Office is hoping this partnership will help to break the silence about HIV and AIDS in the UK and across the globe.

Nick Gittens, Post Office head of corporate responsibility, said: “By offering these services, we are making it easy for our customers to do their bit for World AIDS Day. By simply choosing the unique GBP 15 international phone card in the weeks running up to World AIDS Day, our customers will have contributed to the National AIDS Trust and shown their support for the millions affected by HIV and AIDS.”

As well as benefitting from low cost calls to destinations across the globe, on World AIDS Day customer will be able to call China, Hong Kong, Japan and Singapore for free between 12noon and 12midnight. And on 2nd December, customers will be able to call Poland and South Africa for an unlimited time for only 15p.

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UK postal workers back peace deal

Posted by | Nov 27, 2007 | |

Postal workers have overwhelmingly backed a deal on pay and conditions finally ending their long-running dispute.
The Communication Workers Union (CWU) said its members voted by 64% in favour of an agreement and will now receive a pay rise of 6.9% over two years.
Turnout in the ballot was also 64%. The union said it would now be at the heart of implementing changes to working practices in the Royal Mail, one of the issues at the centre of the bitter dispute.
Postal workers across the country were involved in a long-running campaign of industrial action since the summer, including a number of strikes, which crippled mail deliveries.
Dave Ward, the union’s deputy general secretary, said: “Rather than accept market rate strategy for pay, this deal sets the benchmark for the whole of the postal industry to follow.
“The CWU has always recognised that change is needed in the Royal Mail and this agreement demonstrates that the union is leading the change agenda.
“The strong acceptance of this deal by postal workers shows that they also recognise that change is needed in the business.”

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Make the most of your Christmas post

Posted by | Nov 27, 2007 | |

Every year customers take their time choosing Christmas cards for friends and relatives. They then spend time carefully thinking up messages that carry their love and best wishes.

According to Royal Mail some 400 million Christmas cards are poorly addressed or badly written every year. About 5 million are so badly addressed or just not addressed at all that they cannot be delivered. Many cards are eventually destroyed.

It could also be the case this year that cards and packets are not delivered because the incorrect postage has been used. Although pricing in proportion was in place last December because it was new the Royal Mail adopted a common sense approach to surcharging for underpaid postage and largely waived it. This is the first Christmas when Royal Mail will be surcharging receiving customers for cards and packets failing the pricing in proportion test. Receiving customers might find themselves having to queue, at this busy time of year, at Callers Offices to pay the underpaid postage plus the GBP 1 per item handling fee.

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Consultation starts on changes to Post Office network – (Yorkshire, UK)

Posted by | Nov 27, 2007 | |

Post Office Ltd opened a six-week local public consultation on its Area Plan for North Yorkshire, Yorkshire East and Keighley.

The Area Plan proposes future provision of Post Office services through a network of 271 branches across the area, including 23 outreach service points, while 31 existing branches would close (see full list below).

Under the proposals, more than 99.7 pct of the area’s population will either see no change, or will remain within one mile of an alternative branch.

The 23 outreach services would use innovative ways to continue to provide Post Office services- particularly in smaller communities – where the existing branch is proposed for closure.

Possible types of outreach service could include a mobile service visiting small communities at set times, a hosted service operated within a third party premises for restricted hours each week, or a partner service within the premises of a local partner such as a pub landlord.

Post Office Ltd is now seeking views on the proposed future service provision in the area, in particular views on access to Post Office services, the accessibility of alternative branches to those proposed for closure and the appropriate form of outreach to be provided. Consultation is due to end on 17 January 2008.

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