Tag: Royal Mail

Post Office apology for ‘closure’ penalties

Posted by | Aug 4, 2007 | |

The Post Office on Friday apologized for threatening postmasters with the loss of thousands of pounds in compensation if they did not stick to an official script on closures.

The Conservatives accused Royal Mail bosses of using secret police tactics “to demand Maoist conformity to their line”, after the letter, from Sue Huggins, the Post Office’s director of the network change programme, was leaked to the press.

The letter, and an accompanying “lines to take” document, sent to all postmasters, set out official answers to questions customers might ask about 2,500 planned closures. It then went on to threaten recipients with financial penalties, including losing compensation packages, if they did not co-operate.

It warned that undercover staff would be sent around the country to check postmasters’ replies to questions.

On Friday, the Post Office apologized and insisted it would not be carrying out anonymous checks.

The Conservatives seized on the letter’s publication. Alan Duncan, shadow business and enterprise secretary, said: “It is shameful that the government, which is closing thousands of Post Offices, should blackmail hard-working subpostmasters into parroting the political spin of Gordon Brown to customers.”

George Thomson, general secretary of the National Federation of Sub-postmasters, said it accepted the letter had been “an error of judgement” by the Post Office.

Plans to close 2,500 post offices were announced by the government in May after Alistair Darling, then trade and industry secretary, said that the network could not be sustained with losses at GBP 4 m a week.

Read More

TNT weighs up 'final mile' service

Posted by | Aug 3, 2007 | |

Mail operator TNT has said it will decide in the next year whether to take on Royal Mail by launching a ‘final mile’ delivery service in the UK.

The service would focus on bulk mail such as direct mail. Dutch firm TNT’s planned decision over whether to launch the service has been accelerated by the ongoing strike action at Royal Mail.

TNT has already run trials of a final-mile service in Manchester and Glasgow, and is now looking at a national network.

Chief executive Peter Bakker said: ‘We expect a decision by TNT over the next 12 months on setting up this activity.’

Read More

Postmasters `told to stick to official line' on closures

Posted by | Aug 3, 2007 | |

Postmasters have been warned they face losing compensation packages if they stray from the official line on closures, it was revealed today.

Anonymous Post Office representatives are to travel around the country to ensure that “key messages” about the plans to close 2,500 branches are being given to customers in an “accurate and professional manner”, according to a letter to postmasters obtained by the Conservatives.

The letter, from Sue Huggins, director of the Network Change Programme, goes on to warn that postmasters whose branches are chosen for closure, risk losing compensation packages if they do not comply.

It states: “Subject to state aid clearance, any compensation offered to you if your branch is selected for closure shall be subject to you having complied, and continuing to comply, with this obligation up to the date of closure.”

Ms Huggins makes it clear that it is preferable that the details of the programme are kept confidential.

But the letter adds: “We do appreciate that customers may ask questions that you might find difficult to answer.”

With that in mind, Ms Huggins also encloses a “key message/FAQ document” for staff to use when answering questions from the public.

George Thomson, general secretary of the National Federation of SubPostmasters said: “The Federation accepts that this was an error of judgment by Post Office Limited and we are confident that Post Office Limited will apologise to SubPostmasters in due course.”

Shadow Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform Secretary, Alan Duncan, said: “It is shameful that the Government which is closing thousands of Post Offices should blackmail hard working SubPostmasters into parroting the political spin of Gordon Brown to customers.

Read More

Access to Postal Services: A Final Report for Postcomm

Posted by | Aug 3, 2007 | |

In this report for Postcomm — the independent regulator for postal services in the UK — a NERA team led by Senior Consultant Leela Barham, Consultant Simon Maunder, and former Director John Dodgson sets out NERA’s recommendations on criteria for accessing UK postal services. NERA was commissioned to:

Identify the current and future needs of postal users in relation to access to postal services. Access to the universal postal service means the use of access points capable of receiving large postal packets and special delivery.
Develop criteria that takes account of the way that the provision of access to postal services is changing (e.g., mobile offices) by suggesting a minimum number of opening hours, physical accessibility, and how in relation to communities and any other relevant factors this should be measured, with a particular consideration to meeting the reasonable needs of more vulnerable users and SMEs.
Develop recommendations on access to the universal postal service through post boxes and Post Offices, and how this should be measured, taking into account the reasonable needs of users.
Undertake a mapping exercise to examine access points in relation to a) Royal Mail’s license (but not using the straight line method); b) Department for Trade and Industry (now the Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform) criteria for the Post Office network; and c) any new access criteria suggested by NERA.

This research will help Postcomm to provide advice to the Government on access criteria, and is part of the regulator’s work leading up to Royal Mail’s price control in 2010. Learn more about NERA’s role in this project.

Read More

Postcomm – enforcement guidance

Posted by | Aug 2, 2007 | |

Postcomm has published its first stand-alone document setting out enforcement procedures relating to possible license contraventions. The guidance explains procedures likely to be followed by the postal regulator when it:

– considers complaints
– investigates licensed operators
– takes enforcement action
– imposes financial penalties.

Until now, these procedures have been set out in several Postcomm documents. The aim of bringing them together is to provide greater transparency, by setting out the general principles and approach involved in taking these actions in relation to possible license contraventions.

Some of the procedures set out in the Enforcement Guidance are required by statute, some are not. Where Postcomm is not bound to follow certain procedures, it will aim to apply the approach set out in the Enforcement Guidance on a consistent basis and, in the event that Postcomm decides to depart from the Enforcement Guidance, it will explain its reasons for doing so.

Read More

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

P&P Poll

Loading

Have you noticed a decrease of non-EU inbound parcel volumes since the implementation of the new €3 charge?

Thank you for voting
You have already voted on this poll!
Please select an option!


View ResultsHide Results

Post & Parcel Magazine


Post & Parcel Magazine is our print publication, released 3 times a year. Packed with original content and thought-provoking features, Post & Parcel Magazine is a must-read for those who want the inside track on the industry.

Subscribe to the Magazine

 

Pin It on Pinterest