Plans for a major overhaul of the Post Office has left 115 branches and 1,000 jobs under threat. On Wednesday the firm set out its “transformation plan” which warned could see 115 loss-making branches axed with 1,000 jobs including hundreds at its head office.
Post Office chairman Nigel Railton said plans would offer a “new deal for postmasters” by increasing their share of revenue and giving them a greater say in the running of the business as it looks to move on from the Horizon IT scandal that saw hundreds of subpostmasters wrongfully convicted. These are subject to government funding but if successful would see average branch pay doubled by 2030, with £120 million in additional pay by the end of the first year.
Mr Railton made the announcement at the company’s headquarters in London on Wednesday in a speech to postmasters across the country, as well as retail partners and Post Office staff. He said: “The Post Office has a 360-year history of public service and today we want to secure that service for the future by learning from past mistakes and moving forward for the benefit of all postmasters.
“We can, and will, restore pride in working for a business with a legacy of service, rather than one of scandal.” He added the overhaul also “begins a new phase of partnership during which we will strengthen the postmaster voice in the day-to-day running and operations of the business, so they are represented from the frontline to the boardroom”.
The 115 branches put at risk are are Crown Post Offices located in city centres and staffed by Post Office employees. They are the only remaining branches directly owned by the Post Office, down from close to 400 in 2010.
A spokesman for the Post Office said: “The plan intends to create a new operating model for the business that means ensuring the Post Office has the right organisational design.” But the Communication Workers Union (CWU) union called on the Post Office to halt the plans and for the Government to intervene.
CWU general secretary Dave Ward said: “For the company to announce the closure of hundreds of Post Offices hot on the heels of the Horizon scandal is as tone deaf as it is immoral. CWU members are victims of the Horizon scandal – and for them to now fear for their jobs ahead of Christmas is yet another cruel attack.”
But the Post Office insisted that aims are to franchise the branches or transfer ownership to other parties, such as its network of retail partners. Retailers including WH Smith, Tesco, Morrisons and the Co-Op operate around 2,000 Post Offices across the country while the remaining branches – around 9,000 Post Offices – are operated by independent postmasters.
As part of the transformation, the Post Office is also setting up a new postmaster panel to increase support and training, as well as a consultative council “to ensure postmasters’ interests remain front and centre”.
A spokesperson for the Department for Business and Trade said: “Post Offices are an integral part of the communities they serve and the services they provide for local people. The Government is in active discussion with Nigel Railton on his plans to put postmasters at the centre of the organisation and strengthen the Post Office network for its long-term future.”
The full list of branches which are under threat are:
- Antrim
- Bangor
- Belfast City
- Edinburgh City
- Glasgow
- Haddington
- Inverness
- Kirkwall
- Londonderry
- Newtownards
- Saltcoats
- Springburn Way
- Stornoway
- Wester Hailes
- Barnes Green
- Bransholme
- Bridlington
- Chester Le Street
- Crossgates
- Eccles
- Furness House
- Grimsby
- Hyde
- Kendal
- Manchester
- Morecambe
- Morley
- Poulton Le Fylde
- Prestwich
- Rotherham
- Salford City
- Sheffield City
- South Shields
- St Johns
- Sunderland City
- The Markets
- Birmingham
- Breck Road
- Caernarfon
- Didsbury Village
- Harlesden
- Kettering
- Kingsbury
- Leigh
- Leighton Buzzard
- Matlock
- Milton Keynes
- Northolt
- Old Swan
- Oswestry
- Oxford
- Redditch
- Southall
- St Peters Street
- Stamford
- Stockport
- Wealdstone
- Barnet
- Cambridge City
- Canning Town
- Cricklewood
- Dereham
- Golders Green
- Hampstead
- Harold Hill
- Kilburn
- Kingsland High Street
- Lower Edmonton
- Roman Road
- South Ockendon
- Stamford Hill
- Bideford
- Dunraven Place
- Gloucester
- Liskeard
- Merthyr Tydfil
- Mutley
- Nailsea
- Newquay
- Paignton
- Port Talbot
- Stroud
- Teignmouth
- Yate Sodbury
- Baker Street
- Bexhill On Sea
- Cosham
- Great Portland Street
- Croydon High Street (10)
- Kensington
- Knightsbridge
- Melville Road
- Paddington Quay
- Portsmouth
- Raynes Park
- Romsey
- Westbourne
- Windsor
- Worlds End
- Aldwych
- Brixton
- Broadway
- City of London
- Clapham Common
- East Dulwich
- Eccleston Street
- High Holborn
- Houndsditch
- Islington
- Kennington Park
- London Bridge
- Lupus Street
- Mount Pleasant
- Vauxhall Bridge Road