To discuss the current provision of Post Offices in Stevenage and consider their ongoing viability when located within retail stores and to discuss the latest position with a temporary or long term solution for the Old Town High Street Post Office.
Members will be invited to interview the Director of North Thames & East Anglia National Federation of Sub Postmasters, a representative of Stevenage Old Town Business Partnership and the Manager of the Co-op at Symonds Green.
Decision:
The Chair welcomed all attendees to the meeting and a round of introductions was made.
The Chair then invited Christine Donnelly to address the Committee.
Ms Donnelly made a presentation during which she outlined the issues facing sub postmasters, which included competition from alternative service providers, declining letter volumes and a revised payments schedule which had resulted in reduced earnings potential for sub postmasters.
The Committee was advised that for most locations there was a need for the sub postmaster to have an alternative revenue stream (for example retail) within the premises to make a sub post office economically viable.
The Committee was further advised of a number of activities that local authorities could undertake to support the post office network in their area.
Members then asked a number of questions which included the strategic oversight of the post office network, the vulnerability of post offices located within retail chains, the Crown Office closure program and potential emergency measures to provide post office services to the Old Town.
With respect to the strategic oversight of the post office network the meeting was advised that Post Office Ltd had a longer-standing approach of providing services for the majority of the population within a three miles area, with exceptions made for remote rural areas. When an application to open a new post office was received an impact assessment on other post offices in the area would be made and the application judged accordingly, to support viability of the existing network.
For those post offices located within retail premises provision of services was at risk from decisions made by the owner of the premises such as the closure of the Waitrose branch in the Old Town. The Post Office would have no say in such decisions. However, in respect of independently run post offices, these services could also be at risk from the retirement of either the sub postmaster or the business owner when no successor could be found.
In reply to the question concerning the Crown Office closure program the meeting was advised that Crown Offices had been closed and moved into retail outlets such as W H Smith in most towns of a comparable, and larger, size to Stevenage.
Contingency arrangements for the provision of post office services for the Old Town were then discussed and the Committee was advised that in certain circumstances Post Office Ltd could provide potentially alternative arrangements where local conditions and Post Office Ltd funding and decision making permitted. Often this could be in the form of a porta cabin or temporary visit services. Members requested that Officers pursue this as an option and the Strategic Director undertook to write to Post Office Ltd to request that they consider provision of emergency post office facilities in the Old Town.
The Chair thanked Christine Donnelly for her input to the meeting and then invited Chris Newbitt, manager of the Co-op at Symonds Green to address the Committee.
Mr Newbitt informed the Committee that following the closure of the discrete and secure post office facility in the store the decision to provide a range of post office functions had been taken at the Co-op’s head office as part of its commitment to provide community services.
The Committee was then advised of the issues of providing both post office services and retail sales at the same till and the difficulties of balancing staff and customer expectations against business need.
In reply to a question the meeting was advised that staff had undergone training and adhered to compliance requirements set by Post Office Ltd.
In reply to a further question the meeting was advised that the store was expected to reopen on Tuesday 26 November 2019.
The Chair thanked Chris Newbitt for his input to the meeting and then invited Marie-Claire Clinton, Chair of Stevenage Old Town Business Partnership, to address the Committee.
Ms Clinton advised the Committee that the effect of the closure of the Old Town post office had yet to be fully felt by local businesses although the lack of banking facilities in the Old Town High Street had caused some issues for traders, especially around cash handling.
A reduction of footfall in the High Street had also been noted.
A request for a further update regarding the application for a replacement post office in the Old Town was then made of the Strategic Director, to be requested from Post Office Ltd.
The Committee was advised that the Post Office was actively considering an application to run a Post Office in the Old Town but that further details had not been forthcoming due to reasons of commercial sensitivity. Additionally a timescale for the reopening was unknown at this stage.
A Member suggested that the Council could lobby the Co-op’s head office to reinstate full post office facilities in the Symonds Green branch.
The Chair thanked Marie-Claire Clinton for her input and then invited the Portfolio Holders present to address the issues raised.
The Committee was advised that there was a clear need for post office services in the Old Town, as expressed by Members, the local community and the view of Post Office Ltd. Officers confirmed that when new or changed facilities are proposed by the Post Office Ltd, as had been the case in Bedwell with the recent addition of new services, the Council and Members are made aware of this.
It was noted that Post Office Ltd did intend to provide services in the Old Town and it was hoped that the reopening of a post office could be expedited.
With regard to the closure of the Waitrose branch regrets were expressed that neither the Council nor the Post Office had received forewarning of the impending closure.
The Chair again thanked those in attendance, including members of the public, for their input and requested that the issue be revisited at a future meeting of the Committee.
It was RESOLVED:
1. That Officers be requested to approach Post Office Ltd to seek provision of an emergency post office the Old Town and to provide such assistance as necessary to facilitate the arrangement.
2. That the subject of post office provision be reviewed at a meeting in the New Year.