Mutualisation of the Post Office
Open date: 19 Sep 2011
Closing date: 12 Dec 2011
Response date: 04 Jul 2012
Consultation that explores what a mutual Post Office Ltd might look like. It seek feedback for more clarity on the issues that the government would need to take into account before mutualisation could be achieved.
This consultation builds on the comprehensive report Mutual Options for Post Office Ltd commissioned by government and published in May 2011 by Co-operatives UK. The government aims to appraise further the case for and shape of a mutualisation.
The consultation document sets out the following key issues:
- The current structure of Post Office Ltd and its business strategy
- Why the government thinks mutualisation could be a good idea for Post Office Ltd
- The government's belief that the members of the mutual should comprise an equal mix of ‘producers’ (such as employees and subpostmasters) and ‘consumers’, with no one constituency having an overall majority
- Why a Post Office mutual could work best without a government ownership stake, to provide a clear cultural break from the past, with government able to continue its relationship with the mutual on a contractual basis
- The proposal that a possible structure for a Post Office mutual could be a three tier structure, comprising of the membership, a representative body, and Board of Directors
- Other considerations that the government needs to take into account before a move to a mutual would be possible, the most important of which is Post Office Ltd’s financial stability.
See also the interactive webpage on the Post Office mutualisation consultation, where you can post feedback and comments.
The government published its response to the consultation on 4 July.
Download the consultation
Download the government response
