Town Council to Take Over Post Office Franchise

The Town Council is pleased to announce that it is currently in the process of applying to take over the franchise for the Hailsham Post Office, subject to legal administration and suitable premises being available.

In setting its budget for the current financial year (April 2018 to March 2019), the Town Council agreed in principle at a meeting held last January to take over the Post Office if other franchise applications were unsuccessful, in order to protect the service and the staff.

The required funding for the costs involved with the application process were allocated and the Town Council set its council tax at the start of this financial year to reflect this.

The current plan and the basis of the Town Council’s application to the Post office, is for the new service to run out of no.10 High Street.

“The post office is an essential component of our community, and indeed any local community,” said Town Mayor Cllr Nigel Coltman. “By taking the opportunity to apply for the franchise, your Town Council wants to ensure our local post office is safeguarded and has a sustainable future for residents and local businesses.”

“The Town Council is currently working with the Post Office on the franchise application which has been delayed recently due to the withdrawal from the process by the applicant who was originally awarded the franchise. As the process has been restarted, I encourage residents to be patient over the coming weeks as the franchise application is not an easy process and takes time.”

“But rest assured, your Town Council is working together with the relevant parties in order to get the best outcome for our residents. We will endeavour to keep the public updated on the franchise application and provide announcements as and when new developments arise.”

Deputy Town Mayor Cllr Grant De Jongh commented: “If our application is successful, the new location for the post office will quickly become a community hub – a place not only for residents to post their cards, letters, parcels as well as make bank deposits and withdrawals, but to find out in an even more accessible way what their Town Council is doing in our local area.”

“Should our application succeed I anticipate the new post office becoming a touchstone for the Hailsham community.”