Post Office Network Transformation : MP's Briefing

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Letter to Branches





No. 218/12
Ref: GS: 11.0
Date: 28th March 2012


To: ALL BRANCHES

Dear Colleague


Post Office Network Transformation – MP’s Briefing Meeting – Monday 26th March 2012

On Monday 26th March 2012 the CWU hosted an MP’s Briefing Meeting in the House of Commons to discuss Post Office Network Transformation.

The meeting was chaired by Katy Clark MP, member of the CWU Parliamentary Group of MPs, and was addressed by the General Secretary and Andy Furey, CWU Assistant Secretary. Representatives were in attendance from the Federation of Small Businesses, the Countryside Alliance and the New Economics Foundation.

Attached to this LTB is the CWU MP’s briefing document issued to all MPs which outlines the CWU’s position on the Government’s plans to Transform the Post office Network. Further details of the briefing are covered in a news item on the CWU’s website through the following link http://www.cwu.org/news/achieve/mps-bac ... -call.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

The union is calling upon all MPs to sign Early Day Motion (EDM) 2841 which is also reproduced below for your information. Currently 87 MPs have signed the EDM.

EDM 2841
That this House recognises the vital role the Post Office plays throughout the country, supporting businesses and communities and providing access to a wide range of services; notes that Post Office Ltd is planning to convert over 50 per cent. of its branch network to new operating models over three years from April 2012, with 2,000 branches to be converted to the new Locals operating model; further notes that Consumer Focus has described this restructuring as being `as significant, if not more challenging, than previous restructure exercises'; further notes that there are concerns among businesses and local communities over the smaller range of services which will be available at Locals, over caps being applied to benefit payments and parcels services in Locals and over the number of existing sub-post offices which may close as a result of the proposals; expresses its concern that Post Office Ltd has not yet fully trialled the Locals model in converted post offices and that there is limited opportunity for public engagement; and calls for Post Office Ltd to impose a moratorium on the proposed rollout of the Locals model until it has carried out a full national consultation on this.

Any enquires about the contents of this LTB should be directly to the General Secretary’s Office. Those issues relating to Post office Network Transformation should be directed to Andy Furey’s Office.
Yours sincerely

W HAYES
General Secretary