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Caithness News Bulletins August 2005

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9 August 05
POSTWATCH URGES RESIDENTS TO HAVE THEIR SAY ON CAITHNESS POST OFFICE CHANGES
Postwatch Scotland, the consumer watchdog for postal services, is calling on residents of Reiss, Keiss, Mey, Auckengill and Thrumster to give their views on Post Office Ltd�s proposal to change post office services in their villages.

Post Office Ltd has proposed that a mobile post office will replace the static Post Offices currently serving the villages.  The mobile service will provide an extensive range of services, including car tax, bureau de change and travel insurance.  Full details of the availability of the mobile service will be announced upon the completion of the consultation.

Postwatch Scotland will be distributing surveys throughout the villages to collect views on the proposed changes. We will also be conducting analysis to determine the suitability of the proposals to the needs of the local population.

Commenting on the proposed changes, Dr Tom Begg, Chairman of Postwatch Scotland, said:  �Postwatch Scotland understands why Post Office Ltd wants to put this pilot in place. The company is looking to run trials that test ways of retaining rural post office services in local communities on a cost-effective basis. With the vast majority of rural post offices currently running at a loss, it is important that Post Office Ltd finds ways of being able to keep needed services available for the long-term.

�What we want to know is whether residents think these proposal are acceptable. People in the area value their post offices and it�s only right they have a say in their future.

�Post Office Ltd�s consultation runs until the 9th of September. Before that time, residents should either get in touch with Postwatch Scotland or Post Office Limited. We will be making representations to Post Office Ltd toward the end of the consultation, based on the investigation we make and the views we receive from residents and businesses in the area.�

The Following notice is being sent to all households in the area of each of the affected Sub Post Offices

POST OFFICE LTD IS PROPOSING TO CHANGE POST OFFICE SERVICES AT KEISS
HAVE YOUR SAY

IF THE PLAN GOES AHEAD THE CURRENT POST OFFICE SERVICES WILL BE REPLACED BY A MOBILE SERVICE OFFERING EXTENDED SERVICES INCLUDING:

MOTOR VEHICLE LICENSING, ON DEMAND BUREAU DE CHANGE AND TRAVEL INSURANCE

WHAT DO YOU THINK? CONSULTATION RUNS UNTIL 9th September 2005

Postwatch Scotland, the consumer watchdog for postal services, wants your views on the future of the local post office service. Please complete the questionnaire on the reverse, and return it to us at:

Postwatch Scotland, Queen Margaret University College, Clerwood Terrace, Edinburgh, EH12 8TS

Or

E-Mail: [email protected]  Fax: 0131 334 3972

The forms for each area are reproduced here in case anyone does not receive one through the post -
Keiss - Reiss - Mey - Auckengill - Thrumster

 

Five Caithness Sub Post Offices To Be Replaced With A Mobile Unit
Changing times and lack of revenue from sub Post Offices has meant that there are mounting losses within the service.  To try to change and retain some form of local service the Post Office intend to replace five Caithness sub post offices with a mobile unit as an experiment before it might be rolled out in other parts of the country.

The Post Office has 14,600 branches.  The rural service is sustained by a UK government subsidy.

Royal Mail Group has reported a record profit of �537m last year.  Despite the overall Group profits, the year saw Post Office Ltd increase its losses from operations by 7% to �110m. The Group says this is primarily due to reduced benefit payments revenue as a result of migration to the direct payment of benefits into accounts.

The sub post offices affected are Auckengill, Keiss, Mey, Reiss and Thrumster.


Mey Post Office


Inside Mey PO


Keiss PO


Auckengill Post Office


Reiss PO


Thrumster PO

The new mobile service could start in September. A public consultation in the areas affected will start next week.

The Villages Affected
Auckengill
Keiss

Mey
Reiss
Thrumster