Royal Mail attacked over bill for lost post

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ROYAL MAIL compensation payouts in Wales topped £300,000 in the past year, latest figures show.

The money – paid to business and individuals – was handed out as a result of post going missing or getting stolen.

The data shows that in the CF postal area, which includes Cardiff and the South Wales Valleys, the total payouts during 2009-10 rose to £115,000 from £103,000 the previous year.

The SA postcode area, which covers Swansea and West Wales, saw compensation payments fall from £87,523 to £85,905 but in the NP area – which takes in Newport and Gwent – there was a 40% hike from £40,789 to £57,267.

Chris Franks, Plaid Cymru AM for South Wales Central, said: “It is of concern that compensation payouts in the three postal code areas in South and West Wales rose to more than £250,000. This is a significant amount of public money.

“In Cardiff, compensation payouts rose by £12,000 but the most significant issues appear to surround the Newport postal area with payouts jumping more than 40% which suggest significant problems.

“I’m aware of the tremendous commitment of Royal Mail staff but management clearly needs to address issues which lead to complaints. Compensation is no consolation to an individual or business. They want their mail delivered promptly.”

In the CF area a total of £81,930 – up £8,000 on the previous year – was paid out to 4,841 claimants for loss of mail. Total complaints across all categories came to 13,532 up from 12,485, with 7,690 receiving compensation – a rise from 4,922.

SA postcode zone had 3,551 out of 4,239 claims for loss which were successful resulting in £64,276 being paid out. Total complaints across all categories in the SA area came to 9,372, with 5,487 receiving compensation – a rise of almost 1,000 on 2008-09.

In the Newport postcode claimants for loss received £42,803 – a rise from £28,358. The number of complaints for loss came to 2,451 with the 2,058 receiving compensation.

And in the Llandudno area, compensation of £63,142 was paid, while in Llandrindod Wells compensation of £3,674 was paid out.

A spokesman for the Federation of Small Businesses said: “E-mail has, more and more, taken over the regular correspondence undertaken by businesses.

“However, there are still very important documents that have to go by mail, for instance tender documents for big contracts that have to be signed. Any delay or loss could cause problems and hassles.”

He added: “Online shopping has also become very popular and goods have to be sent to customers through the post. We have not noticed a particular increase in delays or losses, but the value of packages has increased because we are often talking about expensive items such as laptops.”

Business consultant Paul Haley, who is based in the Vale of Glamorgan, said: “It can be a problem. We are waiting for some items to be delivered from eBay which were ordered some time ago.”

A Royal Mail spokeswoman said: “In Wales, our postmen and women handle almost nine million items of mail each day. In the NP and CF postcode areas, in a whole year there was only just over 1% of the total number of delivery points from which compensation was paid.

“Therefore issues have occurred in only a tiny fraction of the mail we handle. Nevertheless, Royal Mail is focused on providing the best possible customer service and we apologise to anyone who has experienced a problem.”

[dvbuk55]

It must be difficult in Wales, I mean everbody is called Jones, Evans or Williams and lives in a place which begins Llansomethingorother so it's no wonder that mail goes astray - in fact we should be congratulated for getting so many right!