Dear Customer
Changes to Upwell Mobile service
Local Public Consultation
I’m really pleased to let you know that we are proposing to restore Post Office services to the communities of Walton Highway, Magdalen and Marham with the introduction of a Mobile service.
The Post Office services in Magdalen and Marham have been closed for some time. Since the branches closed, we’ve continued to look at options to enable us to restore local access to Post Office services. I’m therefore pleased to inform you that the Postmaster from Upwell Post Office currently operates a Mobile service in the area and is willing to extend the service to the communities of Walton Highway, Magdalen and Marham.
To accommodate the proposed new Mobile services there will be some changes to the current services at Wimbotsham, Wereham, Nordelph, Welney, Christchurch, Beachamwell, Marshland St James, Southery, St Johns Fen End and Fincham.
We constantly monitor the number of customers using Post Office services and based on our findings we are confident that our proposed changes will meet customer demand. Our priority is always to safeguard Post Office services to rural communities so it is important that the service is viable for our Postmaster who operates it on our behalf.
Full details of the new services and the changes to the existing services are provided at the end of this letter.
Consulting on the proposed changes
We’re now starting a 6 week local public consultation and we would like to hear your views on the following areas:
How suitable do you think the proposed new Mobile service and stopping points are at Walton Highway, Magdalen and Marham? How easy is it to get there? Do you have any concerns about the proposal? Do you have any comments about the proposed days or opening hours of the services? Are there any local issues in the proposed Post Office change areas you would like us to consider?
If you have any comments or questions, please email or write to me via our Communication and Consultation team, whose contact details are below. Any information we receive will be considered as we finalise our plans for the new services. Please note that your comments will not be kept confidential unless you expressly ask us to do so by clearly marking them “In Confidence”.
I’ve included information about the Code of Practice which sets out how we communicate and explain changes to the Post Office network below.
Dates for local public consultation:
Local Public Consultation starts 15 October 2015 Local Public Consultation ends 26 November 2015 Proposed month of change January 2016
Thank you for considering our proposal.
Yours sincerely
Wendy Hamilton Field Change Advisor
How to contact us:
postofficeviews.co.uk
Customer Helpline: 03457 22 33 44 Textphone: 03457 22 33 55
FREEPOST Your Comments
Please note this is the full address to use and no further address details are required
Items sent by Freepost take 2 working days to arrive. Therefore, responses by Freepost should be sent in sufficient time to arrive before the end of the consultation period. Working days do not include Saturdays or Sundays. Responses received after the deadline will not be considered
Post Office Limited can provide information and receive comments (where appropriate) in alternative formats, for example, to assist the visually impaired. To obtain further specific information, please contact the customer helpline on 03457 22 33 44 or textphone 03457 22 33 55.
Details of the proposed Mobile service at Walton Highway:
Walton Highway Mobile Post Office service Services Outside the old Post Office The same range of services will be Transport/parking St Pauls Road North available with the addition of Car Tax Roadside parking Walton Highway and Dollars Travel Money facilities, but available close to the Wisbech excluding Lottery facilities. Customers Mobile Van. PE14 7DN can still collect benefits in cash using our everyday banking services or Post Office card account.
Proposed Opening times Monday 09:15-10:15 Route Access and facilities Thursday 09:15-10:15 Located next to the There is a step into the Mobile vehicle, previous service. but an electronic tailgate is available to
facilitate easy access for wheelchair
users and those with disabilities.
Details of the proposed Mobile service at Magdalen:
Magdalen Mobile Post Office service Services Close to: Wiggenhall St Mary The same range of services will be Transport/parking Magdalen Church available with the addition of Car Tax Roadside parking Church Road and Euros/Dollars Travel Money available close to the Magdalen facilities. Customers can still collect Mobile Van. King’s Lynn benefits in cash using our everyday PE34 3DG banking services or Post Office card account.
Proposed Opening times Route Access and facilities Monday 10:30-11:30 Located 0.1 miles There is a step into the Mobile vehicle, Thursday 10:30-11:30 along the road on but an electronic tailgate is available to level terrain, from the facilitate easy access for wheelchair previous service. users and those with disabilities.
Details of the proposed Mobile service at Marham:
Marham Post Office service Close to: Marham Chinese Take Services Away A wide range of services will be Transport/parking Hillside available including Car Tax and Roadside parking Marham Euros/Dollars Travel Money facilities. available close to the King’s Lynn Customers can still collect benefits in Mobile Van. PE33 9JJ cash using our everyday banking services or Post Office card account.
Proposed Opening times Route Access and facilities Tuesday 10:45-11:15 Located 0.4 miles There is a step into the Mobile vehicle, Wednesday 10:45-11:15 from the previous but an electronic tailgate is available to service along level facilitate easy access for wheelchair terrain. users and those with disabilities.
Details of the proposed service at Wimbotsham:
Wimbotsham Mobile Post Office Current Opening times Services The Chequers Car Park Mon & Thu 09:45-11:00 The same range of services will be 7 Church Road Tue, Wed & Fri 09:15-10:45 available. Customers can still collect Wimbotsham benefits in cash using our everyday King’s Lynn banking services or Post Office card PE34 3QG Proposed Opening times account.
Mon & Thu 12:00-13:00 Tue & Wed 09:15-10:15 Access and facilities No change.
Details of the proposed service at Wereham:
Wereham Mobile Post Office Current Opening times Services War Memorial Mon to Fri 12:45-13:15 The same range of services will be Church Road available. Customers can still collect Wereham benefits in cash using our everyday King’s Lynn banking services or Post Office card PE33 9AP Proposed Opening times Tue & Wed 12:40-13:10 account.
Access and facilities No change.
Details of the proposed service at Nordelph:
Nordelph Mobile Post Office Current Opening times Services High Street Mon to Fri 14:40-14:55 The same range of services will be Nordelph available. Customers can still collect Downham Market benefits in cash using our everyday PE38 0BL Proposed Opening times banking services or Post Office card account. Mon & Thu 15:10-15:25 Tue & Wed 14:50-15:05 Access and facilities No change.
Details of the proposed service at Welney:
Welney Mobile Post Office Current Opening times Services Lamb and Flag Car Park Mon to Fri 15:05-15:50 The same range of services will be Main Street available. Customers can still collect Welney benefits in cash using our everyday Wisbech Proposed Opening times banking services or Post Office card PE14 9RB account. Mon & Thu 15:50-16:20 Tue & Wed 15:15-16:00
Access and facilities No change.
Details of the proposed service at Christchurch:
Christchurch Mobile Post Office Current Opening times Services Dun Cow Car Park Mon to Fri 16:15-17:00 The same range of services will be Green Lane available. Customers can still collect Chistchurch benefits in cash using our everyday Wisbech Proposed Opening times banking services or Post Office card PE14 9PG account. Mon & Thu 16:30-17:00 Tue & Wed 16:10-17:00
Access and facilities No change.
Details of the proposed service at Beachamwell:
Beachamwell Mobile Services Post Office Current Opening times The same range of services will be 2 Old Hall Lane Mon & Thu 11:30-12:00 available. Customers can still collect Beachamwell Tue, Wed & Fri 11:15-12:00 benefits in cash using our everyday Swaffham PE37 8BA banking services or Post Office card account. Proposed Opening times Tue & Wed 11:25-11:55 Access and facilities No change.
Details of the proposed service at Marshland St James:
Marshland St James Services Mobile Post Office Current Opening times The same range of services will be St James’ Methodist Mon & Thu 07:55-08:40 available. Customers can still collect Church Smeeth Road benefits in cash using our everyday Marshland St James banking services or Post Office card Wisbech Proposed Opening times account. Mon & Thu 07:55-08:25 PE14 8ES Access and facilities No change.
Details of the proposed service at Southery:
Southery Mobile Post Services Office Current Opening times The same range of services will be 12 Westgate Street Mon & Thu 13:25-14:25 available. Customers can still collect Southery Tue, Wed & Fri 08:00-09:00 Downham Market benefits in cash using our everyday PE38 0PA banking services or Post Office card Proposed Opening times account.
Mon & Thu 13:55-14:55 Access and facilities Tue & Wed 08:00-09:00 No change. 13:20-14:20
Details of the proposed service at St Johns Fen End:
St Johns Fen End Services Mobile Post Office Current Opening times The same range of services will be Outside the old Post Mon & Thu 08:45-09:30 available. Customers can still collect Office School Road benefits in cash using our everyday St Johns Fen End banking services or Post Office card Wisbech Proposed Opening times account. Mon & Thu 08:30-09:00 PE14 7SJ Access and facilities
No change.
Details of the proposed service at Fincham:
Fincham Mobile Post Services Office Current Opening times The same range of services will be Layby opposite the Mon to Fri 12:05-12:35 available. Customers can still collect Memorial Hall High Street benefits in cash using our everyday Fincham banking services or Post Office card King’s Lynn Proposed Opening times account. Tue & Wed 12:00-12:30 PE33 9EN Access and facilities No change.
Code of Practice for changes to the Post Office® network
What’s a Code of Practice? The Code of Practice contains guidelines we follow. They tell us how, and when to tell you about changes to your local Post Office services. We’ve worked with the independent statutory consumer watchdog on these guidelines, which in Great Britain is Citizens Advice and Citizens Advice Scotland, and in Northern Ireland, the Consumer Council. .
What kind of changes does it include? Information about when we’re planning to move or close one of our branches or outreach services. This also covers information about when a branch has suddenly closed unexpectedly because of something like a flood or fire.
Who do we tell about changes? You and your representatives (who are often local MPs or local authorities and councils).
How will we tell you what’s happening? If there’s a minor change – like changing opening times, then we’ll let you know by putting up posters in the Post Office. If the plan is to move a Post Office then we’ll put up posters and hand out letters in the branch as well as writing to your representatives. We’ll have a press release and, the relevant information will be easy to find on our website.
How long will it take? We’ll let you know about any changes as soon as we possibly can. Sometimes, change is out of our control but we’ll try to keep you as up-to-date about what’s happening as much as we can. We try to make sure you have 4 weeks’ notice before anything happens. If we’re going to make big changes, there’ll be a ‘consultation period’ which lasts about 6 weeks. This means that you’ve got time to let us know how you feel.
It’s easy to let us know what you think... We want to hear what you and your representatives think about change and to make sure it’s easy for you to let us know, all of our contact details can be found on all our posters and letters. You can contact us by email, letter or ‘phone.
How will you find out about the final plans? We’ll be letting you know in as many ways as possible. There’ll be posters put up in or around your local area, letting you know what’s going on. We’ll also write to local representatives and, the information will be on our website.
If you let us know what you think, we’ll make sure you know about our final plans either by writing to you, or having the information easily available in the Post Office or on our website.
What can you do if you think we haven’t followed the Code of Practice? If you don’t think we’ve followed the Code, then please write to us or email us via the contact details included in this letter and let us know why.
To have a look at the full Code of Practice, it’s on our website at www.postoffice.co.uk/transforming-post-office