Postal service in Watford 'not fit for purpose'

Post by **TrueBlueTerrier** » 13 Nov 2008, 12:46

http://www.watfordobserver.co.uk/news/3 ... or_purpose_/

Furious Watford MP Claire Ward has labelled the town's postal service “not fit for purpose”, in a stinging attack on Royal Mail.

Ms Ward made an unannounced three hour visit to the company's sorting office in Ascot Road on Tuesday, and claimed staff are working “under a chaotic system, with poor management, rock bottom staff morale and poor employer-employee relations”.

She said she had been “repeatedly misled” about the backlog at the depot, following the implementation of a new delivery system at the beginning of September, and continues to receive complaints of undelivered mail, including her own Parliamentary newsletter.

Ms Ward has now written to Royal Mail chief executive Adam Crozier, stating the Watford sorting office is “not fit for purpose” and demanding an independent inquiry into the state its problems.

In her letter, she describes seeing cages filled with undelivered parcels and letters, despite assurances there was no backlog.

She said: “There were several cages of post and parcels which had been returned from the walks and remained undelivered. This was, therefore, a not inconsiderable backlog. I also noted a box of flowers due to be delivered to a constituent on November 7 that remained in the cage - no doubt my constituent will be shortly receiving a box of dead flowers.

“On further investigation I found a large wheeled tub which was full of leaflets - my parliamentary newsletters amongst others. It was clear they had been deposited there for disposal as they were not carefully stacked."

Ms Ward claimed employees were blamed for not meeting standards expected of them and was told 13 walks covering around 20 per cent of the constituency had not been delivered.

She added: "It seems to me that that morale amongst staff is at rock bottom and it is no wonder that the office continues to have problems.

“What I find very annoying is yet again, they try to pull the wool over my eyes. Only when I turn up there do I get to see what's going on.”

A Royal Mail representative said the service has faced “tough challenges” to improve efficiency, but stated again there were no backlogs at the depot, despite what Ms Ward saw during her visit.

He said: "We are obviously disappointed by Ms Ward's comments but can assure her and customers that there are no backlogs of mail at Watford Delivery Office.

“Watford, along with all delivery offices across the UK, has had to face some tough challenges to improve efficiency and service to customers in recent months and these will have meant in some cases, significant revisions to work patterns. But we can continue to assure customers that deliveries go out every day and that we work hard to ensure they continue to get the service they are entitled to.

“We are contacting Ms Ward to discuss her concerns directly and to reassure her all our people are committed to providing the most efficient and best service they can to our customers.”

F0zziebear · Post by **F0zziebear** » 13 Nov 2008, 13:46

She made an un-announced visit yet was allowed in. She is no different to any other member of public and should have not been allowed in on security grounds. Secondly she would have been in no position to comment accurately on the status of any of the items she saw.

I know that Watford has suffered for many years and anecodtally her comments do not surprise me, but once again people's comments are published as though they are fact. It seems to me that UK journalism has become a sound-bite industry and at best a copy & paste business. Its about time these so-called journalists do some proper journalism and not ourely publish gossip

Post by **kingtubby** » 13 Nov 2008, 14:56

If there are problems with a public service then they should be highlighted and Ms Ward is clearly acting on behalf of her constituents.

Night Tonic · Post by **Night Tonic** » 13 Nov 2008, 15:01

All credit to her for getting off her backside and actually going to look, even if it may not be an accurate appraisal. Plenty on here moan that the public have no idea what its like in their delivery office and then when someone does actually go and look...

And isn't the article above copied and pasted?

Phantom · Post by **Phantom** » 13 Nov 2008, 15:45

Also remember that it is this stupid government and crap management that has got us in this situation in the first place!

fatherchristmas · Post by **fatherchristmas** » 13 Nov 2008, 16:50

this is an accurate report i work their, she was escorted round the office by our cwu branch sec and delivery reps, so she was shown a warts and all picture needless to say the DOM was not happy.

mailsort6 · Post by **mailsort6** » 13 Nov 2008, 16:58

Night Tonic wrote:All credit to her for getting off her backside and actually going to look, even if it may not be an accurate appraisal. Plenty on here moan that the public have no idea what its like in their delivery office and then when someone does actually go and look...

And isn't the article above copied and pasted?

I totally agree with you. When us postman/women start moaning about the state of RM no one really believes us. It is good when members of the public, MPs and councilors, do come and have a look unannounced, they need to see how their mail is being treated and what happens to it.

axeman · Post by **axeman** » 13 Nov 2008, 18:42

F0zziebear wrote:She made an un-announced visit yet was allowed in. She is no different to any other member of public and should have not been allowed in on security grounds. Secondly she would have been in no position to comment accurately on the status of any of the items she saw.

I know that Watford has suffered for many years and anecodtally her comments do not surprise me, but once again people's comments are published as though they are fact. It seems to me that UK journalism has become a sound-bite industry and at best a copy & paste business. Its about time these so-called journalists do some proper journalism and not ourely publish gossip

All rubbish eh !!! time you took stock at what is happening everywhere within 'royal fail' just that the dim dum push the bullshi* to the next tier saying everything is hunkydory instead of having the balls to speak out

i expect what hapened was she was shown a true picture by the union rep after all he's not got any need to hide things from his master has he

Post by **dvbuk55** » 13 Nov 2008, 18:52

Ms Ward I believe has made an accurate statement of the whole of RM not just Watford. This once great organisation is now run on a slash and burn regime making the idea of a USO totally unworkable. I'll bet that any office visited by an outsider would appear to be a hotch potch of disorganised chaos and they wouldn't be imagining it.

Sandyman · Post by **Sandyman** » 13 Nov 2008, 19:08

axeman wrote: All rubbish eh !!! time you took stock at what is happening everywhere within 'royal fail' just that the dim dum push the bullshi* to the next tier saying everything is hunkydory instead of having the balls to speak out

i expect what hapened was she was shown a true picture by the union rep after all he's not got any need to hide things from his master has he

And the official response was....

A Royal Mail representative said the service has faced “tough challenges” to improve efficiency, but stated again there were no backlogs at the depot, despite what Ms Ward saw during her visit.

She clearly states she saw backlogs of undelivered mail and STILL Royal Mail insist on lying. lie!!!

Public Inquiry time for R M.

Phantom · Post by **Phantom** » 13 Nov 2008, 21:06

And they still say mail volumes are down??? so where did the backlog come from??? if they've cut out walks and adjusted the rest in relation to falling mail volumes then why is there a problem after 3 weeks???

I can smell it....

F0zziebear · Post by **F0zziebear** » 13 Nov 2008, 21:49

I know full well what has happened in Watford and what is currently happening. None of what Ms Ward claims would surprise me. HOwever, I can only go by the article that was written, which claimed she turned up un-announced and knew that a box of flowers was not delivered. Parcels in cages etc.

I don't want anyone on here to think I am not aware of the reality in operations. I got out of it because of this, which has been going on four several years and will go through a few more phases like this before it begins to settle down again

bogstandard · Post by **bogstandard** » 14 Nov 2008, 10:02

despite Ms Ward actually being there seeing for herself and as big Al would say "telling it like it is"
Royal Mail's repsonse was "no you didn't" "no it wasn't"

you have to laugh

Post by **kingtubby** » 14 Nov 2008, 12:17

bogstandard wrote:...Royal Mail's repsonse was "no you didn't" "no it wasn't"

Pantomime season is on the way

24601 · Post by **24601** » 14 Nov 2008, 12:20

kingtubby wrote:
bogstandard wrote:...Royal Mail's repsonse was "no you didn't" "no it wasn't"
Pantomime season is on the way

Oh no it's not