Following a Westminster Hall debate earlier this month, I was pleased to meet with Blair McDougall, Parliamentary Under Secretary of State at the Department for Business and Trade, to address the ongoing service failures by Royal Mail across Maidstone and Malling.
I am regularly contacted by constituents who have missed vital letters about health appointments, bills, and legal notices, all while stamp prices continue to rise. One striking example involved a family in Allington who received their invitation to meet the Royal Family late due to postal delays and very nearly missed a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. This is not occasional disruption — it is a systemic failure.
The Minister confirmed he will raise my concerns, and those of colleagues, directly with Royal Mail and continue working with the Department of Health to ensure health appointment notices are delivered on time. I was also pleased to learn that a government-imposed clause means value cannot be extracted from the company without meaningful improvements in performance. In addition to recent fines, Ofcom has required Royal Mail to produce a credible improvement plan, and I will continue to monitor progress closely in Parliament.
I welcome confirmation that recruitment at the Maidstone Delivery Office is ongoing, with four new permanent postmen and women recently appointed. Recruitment at the Medway Valley Delivery Office, which serves the ME19 area, is also progressing, with 11 new postmen and women joining in late 2025.
I hope this additional staffing will lead to tangible improvements in the near future. Please be assured that I will continue to press for better performance and hold Royal Mail to account both locally and in Westminster.
