Guernsey Press

Guernsey Post, watchdog agree on its future role

POSTWATCH and Guernsey Post have agreed a Memorandum of Understanding which sets out the role of the voluntary watchdog.

Published
(Picture by Peter Frankland, 24163451)

Draft proposals have been drawn up and should be finalised soon.

Chairman Bryan Guilbert said in its annual report that PostWatch had become increasingly frustrated with the lack of development of a new regulatory regime for Guernsey Post.

The States agreed in 2015 that this should be taken away from the Channel Islands Competition and Regulatory Authorities and taken over by the States’ Trading Supervisory Board.

But it was held up by political changes in the STSB and also Economic Development, which is responsible for taking any changes to the law to the States,’ said Mr Guilbert.

PostWatch’s role had been agreed with the STSB’s predecessor, so last year the watchdog took the initiative and proposed the MoU, to which the Guernsey Post board gave unqualified support.

The annual report looks at Guernsey Post’s performance, in 2018 which showed a surplus of £1.27m. although profits were down.

The group pointed out to the company a pricing error when sending a parcel to European countries using the tracked and signed for system.

This was down to a software error and the two bodies will be working together this year to ensure that is not repeated,

Mr Guilbert has reiterated the need for PostWatch to find a replacement for him as he announced last year that he intends to stand down in April 2020 and none of the current volunteers want to take on the role.

n For information about PostWatch call 733561 (a voicemail facility is provided, email postwatch@cwgsy.net, write to PostWatchGuernsey, Freepost GU358, St Peter Port, GY1 5SS or go to www.guernseypost.com/postwatch.