Billericay Post Office latest

 

Light at the end of the tunnel

Andrew has continued to plug away at this with Post Office Ltd. and Basildon Council officers. 

It has been a while since I posted my last update on the Billericay High Street Post Office back in March but I can assure you all that activity has continued behind the scenes and I wanted to give residents a further update on progress so far. 

Obviously, one big advent since my last update has been the General Election and I want to place on record my thanks to our former MP, John Baron, for all his efforts and for facilitating our meetings with the Post Office. I also remain indebted to Jim Sims, Head of Economic Development at Basildon Council, who has been of inestimable assistance in helping find a way forward to secure continuation of a main Post Office counter service in our High Street. 

Firstly, my apologies to those who have been understandably concerned about the future of the service and frustrated by how little information I have been able to share. I hope residents will appreciate that there are commercial sensitivities until such time as Post Office Limited formally exchange contracts with any potential future postmaster and this limits what I am am able to confirm publicly until all relevant parties have officially signed on the dotted line. 

I am aware that many of you have spoken to the existing Post Office staff at the One Stop, who are unaware of what is happening and what the future holds. I know this has been a matter of huge concern to many residents. It is very regrettable and I have communicated this directly to the Post Office. Unfortunately, this is out of their hands, as the existing staff are employed by One Stop, who are responsible for the information that is shared with their staff. I am assured by the Post Office that they have informed One Stop that an application is progressing to transfer the service to a new location and have suggested that they share this update with their staff but this is, ultimately, a matter for One Stop. Obviously, it is also necessarily the case that any future hiring of staff at the new Post Office will likewise be a matter for the new postmaster once they take over the role from One Stop.  

I can reassure residents that Post Office Limited remains committed to maintaining a full counter service in Billericay High Street when the current branch closes in November. Having advertised the opportunity and having received a number of applications, I am happy to report that negotiations with one of the applicants is now at an advanced stage. Some of you probably think you already know where this is (I have seen speculation on the Billericay Discussion Page) and you may well be right but I am unable to confirm until contracts are signed (God forbid I should jinx it). As soon as this happens, an announcement will be made.  

There are still one or two details to be ironed out but I look forward to being able to share a positive announcement very shortly and we hope to be able to secure the Mayor of Basildon to come and officially open the new Billericay High Street Post Office in due course. 

This has been a lengthy collaborative process between the Post Office, Basildon Council and Billericay Town Council over the past 12-18 months, working together to try and do all we can to secure a replacement postmaster. It has been a challenging process at times, as the bureaucracy surrounding the arrangements has been out of this world. It has required the alignment of a suitable premises, with a willing and suitable postmaster, approval of both the Royal Mail and Post Office Limited, and access to capital funding (which has been appreciably constrained since the Horizon IT scandal). We are not yet at the finish line but, after periods where things looked a little touch and go, it does now appear to be heaving into view.

I will, of course, continue to provide updates as and when I can.