To receive a presentation from Royal Mail’s Public Affairs and Operations Teams in order to provide:
• Explanation in respect of the contractual, recruitment and workforce/employment issues which are affecting service provided by the Camberley Delivery Office.
• Account of the factors which are affecting the performance of the service, including inconsistency between post codes, but also between specific addresses within the same post codes and roads. (The GU15, GU16 and GU17 postcodes); and how this is being addressed.
Minutes:
The Committee received a presentation from Michael Hogg, Senior Public Affairs Manager, and Chez Bondonno, Operations Performance Lead – GU, in respect of the recruitment, and workforce and employment issues, which affected the service which was being provided by the Camberley Delivery Office and to provide account of the factors which affected the performance of the service in postcodes GU15, GU16 and GU17.
Camberley had received and acknowledged poor Royal Mail postal delivery service during 2023. The GU area covered approximately 350,000 addresses, served by 19 delivery offices, over 50 postcodes and employed over 1,100 personnel. Camberley Delivery Office served over 31,000 addresses and employed 90 frontline employees. Pre-November 2023, the GU operation area had suffered from a significant resource gap and a success rate of 52% (criteria which aimed to achieve a postal delivery to addresses at least every other day). Since November 2023, there had been a reset of standards in the GU area, as well as recruitment to make up a significant resource gap, and new measures to increase morale and reduce sick leave. As a result of these changes the success rate had risen to between 80% and 90% success deliveries on a regular basis.
It was anticipated that moving forward, Camberley would receive a consistent service, 6 days a week and there were significant contingency plans in place for if a similar resourcing issue were to occur again. When there were acknowledged failures, Royal Mail now looked to implement rotations to ensure addresses received post regularly. This process had previously not been in place in the GU area before November 2023.
Arising from Members’ questions and comments the following points were noted:
· Whilst there had previously been reports of only 20 hours part-time contracts being offered in the Camberley area, this was untrue. Approval had recently been granted to increase the headcount at the Camberley Delivery Office, and there was no contractual limitations in place which dictated part-time hours.
· It was clarified that the standard was a 6 day a week service, which residents could all expect.
· There had previously been a recruitment gap up to approximately 120 personnel across the GU area and this had subsequently been reduced to approximately 10. It was noted that there was now also a pool of staff at the Goldsworth Park Royal Mail base, which could be diverted if resourcing problems were to exist again. Moreover, overtime facilities were available for personnel who wanted it.
· All Royal Mail employees nationally, now had access to private GP and mental health support services. Private health provision for its employees was brought in given its high levels of staff sickness and the need to ensure a healthy and productive workforce. Whilst long-term staff sick leave was handled on a case by case basis, Royal Mail did not rule out the option of recruitment of temporary members of staff where necessary.
· It had been reported to a member of the Committee, that a member of the Communication Workers Union, did not feel comfortable to attend the meeting but had a different perspective on the recent perceived turnaround of the delivery service. Whilst, there had been a significant dispute with the union and an 18 day strike in 2022, it was reported that Royal Mail were beginning to regain trust amongst its employees and managers. Moreover, there was recognition that better morale within the workforce resulted in a better quality of delivered performance.
· Collection services in GU24 had recently changed from evening collections to morning collections which had impacted the turnaround times for local businesses. It was agreed that the reasons for this would be provided in writing to the Committee in due course.
· Given the recruitment issues experienced, rolling recruitment took place in specific areas within the GU area. In other areas, this was not required because of significant amount of interest in Royal Mail employment opportunities in the area.
· Residents had reported to Members, that they found the opening hours of the sorting office for collections limiting. Whilst, redelivery had limited the necessity for extended life customer service points, the opening hours were largely dictated by footfall. Moreover, it was noted that delivery offices, now mostly provided Special Delivery, surcharges and custom services, and that the vast majority of deliveries were made to the recipients’ addresses.
The Committee thanked Michael and Chez for their time and the detailed answers to questions. The Committee was also grateful to receive an invitation from Michael, to receive a tour of the Camberley Delivery Office to illustrate some of the changes which had been made.