Concern at Chesterfield’s Royal Mail office over 1,600 job cut plans

Concern could surround the Royal Mail delivery office at Future Walk, on West Bars, near Chesterfield town centre, which is one of Royal Mail’s main headquarters and main employers.

The announcement follows moves by Post Office Ltd - which operates independently to Royal Mail - to shut down many of its Crown Post Office centres including Chesterfield’s and move these operations into retail premises.

Royal Mail postal delivery service says the net effect of its planned job cuts will be 1,300 job losses because it also aims to create 300 new or enhanced roles at the same time.

It says the cuts are part of its aim to make cost savings of £25m in 2014-15. Royal Mail said it would start consultations with unions Unite and CWU today, Tuesday, March 25.

Royal Mail stressed cuts would have no impact on frontline employees including postmen and women.

Despite cost-cutting, it still has a £1.2bn investment plan to roll out between 2013 and 2015.

Chesterfield’ Crown Post Office is to close on March 26 and move from Market Place to a new home within nearby WH Smith.

The new branch opens at 9am, on March 27, with promises of extended hours and access seven-days-a-week.

But Chesterfield MP Toby Perkins and the CWU union have criticised Crown Post Office plans to shut down such offices and transfer them into retail premises with concerns for reduced service, job security and changes to workers’ terms.

However, Post Office Ltd has always insisted service will be maintained and there would be no compulsory redundancies relating to changes to the Crown Post Offices.