Horsham Post Office lose letters protesting postman change

In a letter sent to Martin Bruton, the street co-ordinator of the Residents and Neighbourhood Watch Scheme at Old Millmeads, Moya Greene, the CEO of Royal Mail, said the chair of the Horsham Delivery Office Planning Team, Steven Pawley, ‘has not been able to locate (the letters) at the Delivery Office’.

Ms Greene also apologised after Shirley Tomblin, 79, was unable to speak to Mr Pawley when she attempted to present a petition that had collected 116 signatures (as reported by the County Times last month).

Mr Bruton said he could not believe the irony of the Post Office losing letters that were handed in to them.

He said: “It is a pretty awful letter - I am angry and disappointed in Royal Mail.

“It is absolutely ironic - ‘pinching myself’ is a good expression to use. I just found that hard to believe, and if they can’t find letters handed in what confidence can we have in them handling our post?

“If this is an indication of how it is going to be managed then I am not too optimistic for the future.”

Mr Bruton and others living in Old Millmeads and surrounding roads had unsuccessfully campaigned to keep their long-term postman, Mark Griffin, on his round - but was moved as a result of a reorganisation of delivery routes at Horsham Post Office.

Mr Bruton previously told the County Times how the Post Office received ten letters on one day alone from concerned residents - but all these seem to have been lost.

He added: “It feels like our letters and our petition have been dismissed out of hand, and they can’t admit that.

“I very much doubt Moya Greene has seen the letters and it appears they have dismissed the letter from Francis Maude, who wrote on our behalf.

“Who knows what happened to that? We have had no apology.”

Old Millmeads’ post has been delivered by a different person since Mr Griffin, who had developed a rapport with residents over 12 years of delivering post there, was moved to a new round last month.

In the letter sent to Mr Bruton, Ms Greene said: “I am very sorry to hear that letters sent to Steven Pawley have not been responded to.

“Unfortunately, Steven has not been able to locate them at the delivery office,

“Further to this, I am very sorry that Steven was unable to speak with Shirley Tomblin when she wished to deliver her petition.”

However, Ms Greene thanked Mr Bruton for the positive comments made about Mr Griffin.

She added: “It is always pleasing to hear that our people are held in such a high regard within local communities.

“Any new delivery officer performing deliveries at the locations you mention will do so with the same high quality and regard ad Mark clearly has done in the past.”