Churches and Chapels hosting Post Offices

Please note that if parishes are considering the idea below they are to involve the DAC at the very beginning and request a site visit to discuss the possibilities, as the fabric of the church and security are issues that the DAC will have to take into account before any parish applies for a Faculty. 

 

Following the DTI response to the consultation on the Post Office Network in May 2007, Post Office Ltd is now rapidly progressing with plans for major changes including the potential closure of 2,500 post offices, with around 500 of these being replaced by ‘hosted’ post offices. The Cathedral and Church Buildings Division of the Church of England has worked closely with Post Office Ltd, alongside the Methodist Church and the United Reformed Church, to seek to identify opportunities for church buildings to host such post offices in order to maintain a presence for these vital services, particularly in isolated rural communities.

There are currently at least two post offices being hosted in Church of England churches, one in Leicestershire and one on the Isle of Wight. There are several others in Methodist Chapels across the country. An additional one in a Church of England Church is due to open later this month in Cumbria.

You will have probably seen in the press that the implementation of the Post Office Network Change Programme has already started in some areas. So, PCCs and other relevant local bodies need to consider whether, in principle, they wish to host an outreach post office. The guidelines being produced by CCB will help this process and list the issues you will need to consider including security and changes to the fabric of the church.

Below is the timetable for Local Public Consultations on the National Area Plans. The United Kingdom has been divided into approximately 50 areas. Each area will be included in an Area Plan detailing what changes Post Office Ltd are proposing for that area. Each Area Plan will undergo 6 weeks of local public consultation before a final decision is made by Post Office Ltd. Prior to the commencement of local public consultation, each Area Plan will be subject to a twelve week intensive pre-consultation process which should include a substantial amount of local stakeholder engagement. The whole of the Programme will be implemented over a 12-18 month period, starting in September 2007. This timetable and other information can be found by going to www.postoffice.co.uk and clicking on the item marked Network Change Programme.

Do not contact the Post Office or CCB seeking details of your NAP – When details of the National Area Plans are published, they will be widely publicised. Until then, this information is confidential and advanced details will not be released to any parties, including the Churches. It is unlikely that the plans will result in any brand new post offices - either full-time or outreach - being opened in areas where there was formerly no provision.

We are still awaiting final approval from Post Office Ltd of the Guidelines for churches and chapels wishing to explore the possibility of hosting an outreach post office. Once we have agreement, they will published on www.churchcare.co.uk hopefully within the next few weeks. In the meantime you are encouraged to identify when the local public consultation is due to commence in your area and to give due consideration to this opportunity and to encourage your churches do to the same. There is unlikely to be enough time for extensive consultation with these bodies once the National Area Plan is published, so it is advisable for a small working group to be appointed to take this work forward.

Page last edited: 30/10/2007
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