Royal Mail update 
I held an urgent meeting with Royal Mail to address the reasons for the postal delays across the constituency and particularly in Strood. Royal Mail are aware of these delays and are sorry for this, but they have explained that this is due to staffing and recruitment challenges locally. I am told that they have managed to recruit more staff, but still remain short, also as I have seen from the information, they are working with high levels of unplanned staff sickness.
The area management have told me that to help prepare for their busiest time of year in the run up to Christmas, Royal Mail across the country have:
recruited 16,000 seasonal workers in the system
added an additional 6,800 vehicles to the fleet
opened five temporary sorting centres
I am told they are tracking the levels of post which are being delivered and working to get this cleared. I know that our Posties are working flat out to clear the backlog, as I have seen them out and about loaded up with mail. Royal Mail have also assure me that they are not prioritising parcels or tracked items over letters, and are working hard to improve their service for all types of post. I will be continuing to monitor and will hold a further follow up.
