MP Drop-in Session
Wednesday 10 December, 16.00 - 18.00
Dining Room B, House of Commons
This briefing comprises:
¢ Background
¢ List of acceptances
¢ Horizon: details of business improvements
¢ Constituency issues raised by MPs on acceptance list.
* Update on Post Offices on the Parliamentary Estate
Background
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We have invited MPs to join us to find out what investment in the Post Office means for their
constituency.
We will have a sheet for each MP/constituency with NT/CT numbers and branch names.
The following banners will be displayed in Dining Room B
¢ Christmas infographic with UK-wide NT stats
© Keep Calm and Carry On Banking ad.
Jo Swinson will look in between 4.30pm and 5.30pm.
Acceptances
Name Party constituency Comment
Active member of All Party PO
Alan Reid Liberal Democrat _I Argyll and Bute Group, POCA PQs
Andrew Bridgen
Conservative
North West Leicestershire
Horizon campaigner
Andrew Gwynne
Labour
Denton and Reddish
Andrew Jones
Conservative
Harrogate and Knaresborough
Andrew Stunell
Liberal Democrat
Hazel Grove
Scottish National
Angus MacNeil Party Na h-Eileanan An lar
Ann McKechin Labour Glasgow North
Anne McGuire Labour Stirling
Bill Wiggin
Conservative
North Herefordshire
Brandon Lewis
Conservative
Great Yarmouth
Minister for Housing, DCLG
Caroline Nokes
Conservative
Romsey and Southampton North
PPS to Mark Harper at DWP
Catherine
MckKinnell
Labour
Newcastle upon Tyne North
Shadow Treasury Minister, junior
but wide ranging role across
Treasury briefs
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Christopher
Heaton-Harris Conservative Daventry
George Young Conservative North West Hampshire
Grahame Morris I Labour Easington
Guy Opperman Conservative Hexham
lain McKenzie Labour Inverclyde
Labour/Co-
lan Davidson operative Glasgow South West
lan Murray Labour Edinburgh South Shadow Postal Affairs Minister
James Horizon campaign
Arbuthnot Conservative North East Hampshire
Jason
McCartney Conservative Colne Valley
Jim Fitzpatrick Labour Poplar and Limehouse
Jo Swinson Liberal Democrat_I East Dunbartonshire Postal Affairs Minister
Jim McGovern Labour Dundee West
Jim Shannon DUP. Strangford
John Pugh Liberal Democrat I Southport
Lindsay Roy Labour Glenrothes
Lorraine
Fullbrook Conservative South Ribble
Labour/Co-
Mike Gapes Operative Ilford South
Nigel Adams Conservative Selby and Ainsty
Paul Beresford Conservative Mole Valley
Peter Aldous Conservative Waveney
Phil Wilson, Labour Sedgefield
Joint chair of All Party PO Group,
Richard Graham I Conservative Gloucester very supportive
Robert Flello Labour Stoke-on-Trent South
West Aberdeenshire and Member of All Party PO Group
Robert Smith Liberal Democrat Kincardine
PPS to Liz Truss at DEFRA, BIS.
Robin Walker Conservative Worcester Select Committee Member
Ronnie
Campbell Labour Blyth Valley
Rosie Cooper Labour West Lancashire
Democratic
Sammy Wilson
Unionist Party
East Antrim
Therese Coffey
Conservative
Suffolk Coastal
Government Whip
Very supportive
Tim Loughton
Conservative
East Worthing and Shoreham
Alan Haselhurst
Conservative
Saffron Walden
Angela
Watkinson Conservative Hornchurch and Upminster
Chris Ruane Labour Vale of Clwyd
Jake Berry
Conservative
Rossendale and Darwen
PPS to Grant Schapps, Tory Party
Chairman
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James/Jim Paice
Conservative
South East Cambridgeshire
Karl McCartney
Conservative
Lincoln
Luciana Berger
Labour/Co-
operative
Liverpool Wavertree
Martin Vickers
Conservative
Cleethorpes
Mike Crockart
Liberal Democrat
Edinburgh West
Horizon
Key messages in separate document.
Branch User Forum
Following the publication of Second Sight’s Report last year, Post Office created a new
Branch User Forum as a way for subpostmasters and others to raise issues and insights
around business processes, training and support,
This feeds directly into the organisation’s thinking at the highest level.
One of the tasks for this forum is to review support processes and training to ensure they
meet the standards expected of the Post Office.
Improvements to training and support already introduced
The content of the training provided to new postmasters has been refreshed with more
focus on balancing and how to look for discrepancies when they occur within branch. A
further review of this is being undertaken as part of the on-line training scheduled to go live
in pilot in January 2015.
A revised balancing guide has been produced to help new postmasters balance their
accounts correctly; this is a hand-out from the initial training provided to new postmasters
and assistants where appropriate. A further best practice guide to identify discrepancies in
branch has been produced This is a hand-out at on-site training for new postmasters and
follow up visits where branches are experiencing balancing difficulties. A further review of
this is being undertaken as part of the on-line training scheduled to go live in pilot in January
2015.
A refreshed approach to supporting branches with discrepancy issues has been introduced
by the Branch Support Team. Where NBSC is unable to resolve a caller’s query/issue the
Branch Support Team is able to provide more in depth telephone support to the branch. This
team will also assess whether on-site additional support or further training is required and
will organise if appropriate.
The volume of calls from branches is now assessed by the Network Business Support Centre
(NBSC) with the branches that have a higher than average call volume being proactively
contacted by the Branch Support team to understand the reason for the high level of calls;
establish what extra support can be offered and whether any changes need to be made to
training etc. The response has been positive from the branches contacted to date.
Compliance testing is a precursor to new Subpostmaster training and is an annual regulatory
requirement for all branch staff. Traditionally this training and testing has been delivered by
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paper workbooks. After a successful pilot, this is now being provided on-line to the branch
network. User satisfaction in the pilot scored very highly at 88%.
Training and support improvements in development
® Online training is currently being developed for new postmasters that will reduce the
requirement for classroom training and enable postmasters to complete the training when
it’s convenient for them and at their own pace
* Competency will be assessed throughout the on-line training with the requirement for
additional training assessed on completion of the initial training. The on-line training is
being developed and tested by current postmasters and branch staff and will launch in pilot
in January 2015.
«The on-line training will be available to all branch staff to enable refresher training to be
accessed by experienced branch staff and as a training package for postmasters to access for
new employees.
* Anew approach has been developed to analyse the calls received by NBSC identify the
root cause of the issue; to identify the solution for the branch in the first instance and
implement wider business changes if appropriate eg content of and method of delivering
new product training
Recent constituency issues
Bill Wiggin, North Herefordshire
e Letter of apology sent to MP by NT Area manager regarding Moreton on Lugg Post office
which had converted to a local but letter had not been sent confirming (hence apology).
e Avery large rural constituency. There are currently 6 branches temp closed
* Additionally he raised some concerns regarding the planned changes to opening hours for an
outreach (Mordiford) — hours reduced BUT days adjusted to suit local requirements (to
include market day). Knock on impact to Woolhope outreach (change of day). Reduced hours
at Mordiford based on reduced customer sessions.
John Pugh, Southport
¢ Southport Crown franchise — was a very involved and attended forum and private briefing
with SSM and accepted invite for a branch visit following franchise. This was a WHSmith
franchise and the only one in the first phase to be on an upper floor. Lift refurbished,
maintenance contract and provision for serving disabled customers in the event of a lift
breakdown were all noted.
¢ There was an issue around data protection following on from the franchise when contractors
clearing out the crown branch disposed of sensitive waste. This was front page news locally
including a quote from the MP. SSM sat on the resolution team conf call and handled
stakeholder enquiries — all affected people contacted and letters of apology set.
© Has a home shopping return trial in his constituency.
Robert Flello, Stoke-on-Trent South
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® Has a home shopping return trial in his constituency.
¢ one long-term temporary closure — wood Farm closed since 2009.
¢ 6 branches are in the leavers process.
Robin Walker, Worcestser
¢ Dines Green - branch relocated to a portacabin to enable the council to develop a new retail
centre. Reopening planned for Jan 2015 but the developer has recently stated that this will
will be delayed. Initial suggestions was Feb 15 but likely that this will be later than this. This
has been a long standing issue which also involved a precautionary suspension of the spmr
and has since been operated by a temp spmr who will be appointed once the building is
ready. A success story in many ways, not least because it is the result of partnership working
with the Council resulting in the provision of a temp unit to ensure continuity of service.
Luciana Berger, Liverpool Wavertree
¢ Fairfield — was originally progressing as a BAU case as was/is a temporary closure and an
applicant successfully interviewed. Due to PNOs high start up costs, he sought grant funding
via a growth fund through the Council. Unfortunately this delayed the project and instead of
it progressing as a SPSO, it had to progress as a new model local. Normally this would be fine
BUT due to the risk assessment it had to be a two position screened local branch. As there is
no solution for this currently and a trial/pilot is underway, the project could not proceed.
Previous discussions around this original proposal were favourable and meeting held with
MP and Councillors - MP was happy to officially open the branch. SSM has written to model
owner seeking a solution and has updated MP.
Old Swan Crown branch was a CTP franchise proposal — this has recently been withdrawn
from the franchise programme and is now an invest branch. MP is aware.
Jim Shannon, Strangford
* Is becoming frustrated by the lack of pace in getting two branches in his constituency open.
West Winds (modelled as a Community) and Greyabbey.
© Weare still waiting on all the financial details from the new operator in West Winds. The
new operator has sat on this for about 6 weeks. March opening at the very earliest.
® Anew operator for Greyabbey has been appointed. This follows us letting the previous sub-
postmistress go. She had been robbed several times and was regularly not turning up to
open the branch. The new operator has about £8k of enabling works that need to be
completed and given the fact that her income is likely to be around £2k she is now reluctant.
The NT team are seeing if they can free up any funds to allow this to take place.
Andrew Gwynne, Denton and Reddish.
© There is an active Flag Case from Mr Gwynne. He has nominated Denton as the shabbiest
branch in Britain. Our response is pending.
Andrew Stunnell, Hazel Grove
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e Has raised a generic enquiry about NT and the way it’s being implemented.
Rosie Cooper, West Lancashire
e Raised a query about product range in Locals.
Jason McCartney , Colne Valley
¢ Salendine Nook — following conversion to the Local Model the agent had been campaigning
for a second terminal in his branch. He has a back office terminal for mails but wanted a
second position in the retail area. His customer sessions are 956 a week and don’t warrant
the second terminal. We have sent the Retail and NT Teams in to work with him to provide
support and how to make the most of the back office terminal and given him advice on his
retail and promoting services such as Drop and Go.
e¢ The MP launched a hosted outreach service for us at Netherthong in January 2014.
Unfortunately the agent ceased the service a few weeks later as she couldn’t manage the
outreach and her core branch. We have been unable to find a new core subpostmaster.
Post Offices in the Parliamentary Estate
© The Palace of Westminster currently incurs no costs for these 3 Post Office counters (Central
Lobby, Members’ Lobby, Portcullis House). The approximate cost of service provision is
£383,000, the bulk of which relates to staffing. Revenue generated is approximately
£116,000 leaving a deficit of approximately £267,000. Business is very slow after 19.00,
averaging fewer than 5 customers per hour until close of business.
¢ We're working with the ShEX team, and the Palace of Westminster Administration and
Facilities Team to review the overall service offered and how this will be managed under the
terms of a new and bespoke contract.
¢ The intention is that the current POL service will continue but at no cost to Post Office P&L by
invoicing The Palace of Westminster for all costs less any income generated.
¢ Our preferred solution is consistent with the over-arching objective of achieving a
commercially sustainable Post Office, and the same approach has been taken with the
authorities of The Scottish Parliament.
* This means that whilst a degree of additional service is provided beyond that of a standard
Post Office; POL do not bear the losses of the branch.