A CONSULTATION on a plan to move Wokingham town’s Post Office into WH Smith this summer opened yesterday.
The Post Office is considering relocating from Broad Street to Market Place as part of the modernisation of its branch network.
The consultation asks Wokingham residents if they find the new location accessible and if you think the services would be easy to use in the new location.
It also provides options to explain if there are any local community issues which residents believe could be affected by the move, and if the move were to go ahead, how the Post Office could make it easier for customers.
It has a section for general feedback.
However, it doesn’t ask if customers are happy with the proposal to close the Broad Street branch.
The Post Office said that if it chooses to franchise the service to WH Smith, it hopes to safeguard its services for the community in the long-term and enable the branch to extend its opening hours, including Saturday afternoons and Sundays.
Post Office’s network and sales director Roger Gale said: “We believe this is the best approach to keeping Post Offices in main shopping locations and at the heart of communities where they plan an important role in local economies.”
Services will include everyday banking for the UK’s high street banks, online shopping returns and collections and foreign exchange.
Under the proposals there will be three serving positions and two self-service kiosks.
The new branch would be expected to open in June, but will not include the collection of undelivered items of mail such as parcels as this is a Royal Mail service. It is not yet known what Royal Mail intends for this.
Before collections were allowed from within the Broad Street Post Office, customers had to go into the service yard and there were numerous accidents and near misses as a result.
The Post Office said that 97% of its branches are run with retail partners.
Mr Gale said: “We believe our proposal is the most effective way to secure the long-term viability of Post Office services for years to come.”
The news that the consultation is now open has been welcomed by local leaders.
Conservative MP for Wokingham Sir John Redwood said: “I welcome the Post Office decision to undertake a consultation on its plans for the Post Office in Wokingham and will be putting in further thoughts to them myself.
“The Post Office would like this to be a consultation on the services and facilities to be provided in a shop, but we should be free to send in our views over whether any move is a good idea and what could be done instead on the current site where people think that might be better.”
Wokingham’s Labour Group is directly opposed to the move and has established a public petition which has attracted around 5,000 signatures.
Cllr Andy Croy explained why: “When the Post Office has joined retail stores in other towns, the service provision to clients is affected.
“Queues are longer and the quality of service goes down as WHSmith employs minimum wage staff”, whereas Post Office staff are traditionally trained in public service.
“While the law states that the staff who move from the post office will be able to keep the same wages and the same culture, it’s likely that 95% of current employees aren’t going to make the move.”
He also proposed that instead of the Royal Mail parcel collection service being located separately to the main Post Office in WH Smith, the whole operation should remain together.
The Labour petition also emphasises that it will be “a less accessible building” and “another blow to Wokingham’s historic character”.
Cllr Croy said that “councillors from all parties have signed our petition” and with approximately 5,000 signatures, “we believe it is the biggest petition in the constituency.”
He wants one of two outcomes for the Post Office.
Either, “we just hold on for a few months until there is a general election and Labour take hold” and “Labour is committed to stopping the privatisation of the Post Office.” Or “John Redwood stops it”.
Liberal Democrat leader Cllr Lindsay Ferris said that “nobody in Wokingham wants the Post Office to move” because “why break something that’s already working?”
He felt that the Broad Street branch was an iconic building: “I think it makes sense for it to remain where it is,” he said.
Cllr Ferris also emphasised that it is a “question of what the Post Office will listen to. With 74 sites with WH Smith, it clearly shows that this is a commercial arrangement.
“That’s why the consultation is so important – residents need to say if they have any problems with the move”.
He then listed potential issues, such as “will there be enough room? Can everyone get in? Will all the same services be available?”
All of which, he felt, could cause both health and safety and security issues.
He said: “The best I’ve heard people say is that they will put up with it”.
Cllr Ferris also signed the petition and stated that “we need to encourage residents to respond to the consultation.”
Cllr Julian McGhee-Sumner, Leader of Wokingham Borough Council, said: “I know that many residents have concerns about the changes to the Post Office arrangements in Wokingham.
“I would urge all residents to take part in the consultation and make their views known.
“Cllr Philip Mirfin has raised the Council’s concerns with the Post Office, and I know that he is pressing their Chief Executive
for more assurances about residents’ access to Post Office services.”
To take part in the Consultation, visit www.postofficeviews.co.uk before Wednesday, February 20.
