A Post Blog

[TrueBlueTerrier]

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The revolution in communication ushered in by the internet age and the breaking up of the postal monopoly has had serious implications for both Royal Mail and the Post Office network. Both these institutions, loved and inextricably linked in the hearts and minds of the British public, are undergoing a painful period of uncertainty as they seek to survive and adapt in the modern age.

Next week a twenty foot high pillar box will be making an appearance outside the Senedd, as part of a Communication Workers Union campaign against the proposed privatisation of Royal Mail.

I must admit, that I am instinctively sceptical and wary of the proposals. Despite the year on year decline in the number of letters being sent, I would be loath to see the universal service provided by Royal Mail disappear, and I remain to be convinced that private sector involvement would see this service preserved. For many the service remains a lifeline, particularly the elderly and those who live in the more remote parts of the country.

In my opinion, we need to look to innovative solutions; if the status quo is genuinely not sustainable then we need to be as creative as possible. That’s why I was so excited by the proposals for a ‘Post Bank’ that were mooted by the CWU and Unite Trade Unions earlier this year.

If enacted, the unions’ proposals would mean the creation of a ‘People’s Bank’, offering financial services to customers at the 11, 500 Post Office branches across the country, thus providing the public with a fantastic public service as well as helping to ensure the long term survival of the Post Office network. I also think such a scheme would have the potential to work in conjunction with and alongside an expanded credit union movement, offering financial inclusivity to the many currently unable to access banking services.

We must remember that the Royal Mail provide an important public service, and the added value public services deliver to communities cannot be judged solely by their balance sheets and profit loss ratios.
Posted by Huw Lewis at 08:24

[Big Daz]

We must remember that the Royal Mail provide an important public service, and the added value public services deliver to communities cannot be judged solely by their balance sheets and profit loss ratios.

One problem, EU law /rules mean we have to look at it like that as we are not allow to give subsidy to RML only PO counters.