LTB 230/20 - Royal Mail USO/Executive Action

[SpacePhoenix]

Some offices are stopping the run of mech on Friday nights.

Chances are that MCs won't run any mech Friday nights (maybe even not running the outward on Friday, either 1C or 2C), putting the staff who would have been on the mech onto packets and Tracked

[goneaway]

Is it not the decision of Ofcom whether Saturday delivery comes back or ever disappears ?

Indeed. Though maybe Royal Mail think that this will become a fait accomplis once the emergency is over and OFCOM will simply wave it through (permanent suspension of Saturday letters deliveries).

Does anyone know if OFCOM have authority to permanently change the USO, without reference to government, or would a fundamental change to the USO need clearance from the government or legislation?

OFCOM were to review the USO in any case, does anyone know when they are due to publish their findings?

Does anyone reckon there are any Royal Mail executives and OFCOM officials who play rounds of golf on a Friday afternoon (well, before the lockdown, anyway)?

[SpacePhoenix]

Indeed. Though maybe Royal Mail think that this will become a fait accomplis once the emergency is over and OFCOM will simply wave it through (permanent suspension of Saturday letters deliveries).

Does anyone know if OFCOM have authority to permanently change the USO, without reference to government, or would a fundamental change to the USO need clearance from the government or legislation?

The permanant axing of Saturdays for letters would require parliament to change the Postal Services Act as in the act it says:

31Minimum requirements

This section sets out the services that must, as a minimum, be included in a universal postal service.

Requirement 1: delivery of letters or other postal packets
(1)

At least one delivery of letters every Monday to Saturday—
(a)

to the home or premises of every individual or other person in the United Kingdom, or
(b)

to such identifiable points for the delivery of postal packets as OFCOM may approve.
(2)

At least one delivery of other postal packets every Monday to Friday to the places within paragraph (1)(a) or (b).
(3)

The references in this requirement to the delivery of letters or other postal packets include the delivery of packets posted outside the United Kingdom.

[A2B]

Indeed. Though maybe Royal Mail think that this will become a fait accomplis once the emergency is over and OFCOM will simply wave it through (permanent suspension of Saturday letters deliveries).

Does anyone know if OFCOM have authority to permanently change the USO, without reference to government, or would a fundamental change to the USO need clearance from the government or legislation?

The permanant axing of Saturdays for letters would require parliament to change the Postal Services Act as in the act it says:

31Minimum requirements

This section sets out the services that must, as a minimum, be included in a universal postal service.

Requirement 1: delivery of letters or other postal packets
(1)

At least one delivery of letters every Monday to Saturday—
(a)

to the home or premises of every individual or other person in the United Kingdom, or
(b)

to such identifiable points for the delivery of postal packets as OFCOM may approve.
(2)

At least one delivery of other postal packets every Monday to Friday to the places within paragraph (1)(a) or (b).
(3)

The references in this requirement to the delivery of letters or other postal packets include the delivery of packets posted outside the United Kingdom.

RM would have no problem getting it through Parliament

[britwrit]

Indeed. Though maybe Royal Mail think that this will become a fait accomplis once the emergency is over and OFCOM will simply wave it through (permanent suspension of Saturday letters deliveries).

Does anyone know if OFCOM have authority to permanently change the USO, without reference to government, or would a fundamental change to the USO need clearance from the government or legislation?

The permanant axing of Saturdays for letters would require parliament to change the Postal Services Act as in the act it says:

31Minimum requirements

This section sets out the services that must, as a minimum, be included in a universal postal service.

Requirement 1: delivery of letters or other postal packets
(1)

At least one delivery of letters every Monday to Saturday—
(a)

to the home or premises of every individual or other person in the United Kingdom, or
(b)

to such identifiable points for the delivery of postal packets as OFCOM may approve.
(2)

At least one delivery of other postal packets every Monday to Friday to the places within paragraph (1)(a) or (b).
(3)

The references in this requirement to the delivery of letters or other postal packets include the delivery of packets posted outside the United Kingdom.

RM would have no problem getting it through Parliament

Before everything happened, no doubt. But Parliament is going to have a lot on its plate this year. And I think Royal Mail is going to find its stepped on a lot of toes if they try to make this permanent right away.

It would just look insulting for Ofcom and Parliament if they were asked to rubber stamp it.

But the CWU - and all of us - got off lucky. They wanted a three-day week, right?

[postman1979]

Some offices are stopping the run of mech on Friday nights.

Chances are that MCs won't run any mech Friday nights (maybe even not running the outward on Friday, either 1C or 2C), putting the staff who would have been on the mech onto packets and Tracked

PO counter staff have already been old to put any RD items into the SD mail stream and SD at the MC staff have been told to send them with the SD items to delivery offices but not to scan them at the MC.

[SpacePhoenix]

Some offices are stopping the run of mech on Friday nights.

Chances are that MCs won't run any mech Friday nights (maybe even not running the outward on Friday, either 1C or 2C), putting the staff who would have been on the mech onto packets and Tracked

PO counter staff have already been old to put any RD items into the SD mail stream and SD at the MC staff have been told to send them with the SD items to delivery offices but not to scan them at the MC.

That doesn't cover any RD items that are posted into a post box

[Ren Hoëk]

Some offices are stopping the run of mech on Friday nights.

Chances are that MCs won't run any mech Friday nights (maybe even not running the outward on Friday, either 1C or 2C), putting the staff who would have been on the mech onto packets and Tracked

PO counter staff have already been old to put any RD items into the SD mail stream and SD at the MC staff have been told to send them with the SD items to delivery offices but not to scan them at the MC.

That doesn't cover any RD items that are posted into a post box

Obviously not. Some things will slip through the net but the majority of recorded delivery letters will be paid for and posted at the PO. Packets wont matter as they are getting delivered anyway. It's better to do something than do nothing.

[Murdoch]

Is it not the decision of Ofcom whether Saturday delivery comes back or ever disappears ?

Indeed. Though maybe Royal Mail think that this will become a fait accomplis once the emergency is over and OFCOM will simply wave it through (permanent suspension of Saturday letters deliveries).

Does anyone know if OFCOM have authority to permanently change the USO, without reference to government, or would a fundamental change to the USO need clearance from the government or legislation?

OFCOM were to review the USO in any case, does anyone know when they are due to publish their findings?

Does anyone reckon there are any Royal Mail executives and OFCOM officials who play rounds of golf on a Friday afternoon (well, before the lockdown, anyway)?

Firstly it's important to point out that OFCOM's remit is to maintain the sustainability of the USO. That's one of their roles as regulator, and it's hard written into The Postal Services Act 2011.

Within that act are the minimum requirements of the USO, which are subject to review. The process is this, the Secretary of State responsible can call for a review at any stage. OFCOM then conducts a review, and gives their recommendations. Any changes would then need to be signed off by the the Secretary of State responsible (i.e. a member of the Cabinet, I think it's the Business secretary, but I can't find that info).

So, Regulator conducts review and gives recommendations, high up member of the Government needs to sign off on that.

Also, it's extremely unlikely that the minimum requirements of the USO will be altered if Royal Mail is profitable. This is why Senior management keep playing up the fact that they're going to be "loss making" at some point in the near future.