BENFLEET sorting office's ongoing issues with post deliveries continues to cause frustration amongst residents.

A host of residents in the Hadleigh and Benfleet area have not had any post for weeks.

Last week, the Echo reported two members of staff from the Benfleet delivery office, in Church Road, had tested positive for Covid-19 and a number of others were self-isolating.

But it appears there is no end in sight for the lack of postal deliveries with many raising concerns as Christmas draws nearer.

>>> Read more: Mail deliveries halted after Covid-19 outbreak at sorting centre

Ruth Cartwright, vicar of St. James Church, in Hadleigh, says she has been without post for THREE weeks and is concerned that elderly church memebers are not receiving the weekly newsletter and food parcels and benefit cheques are not arriving to people in need.

She, said: "We are now into our third week with no postal deliveries. Apparently the delivery office was not covid-secure and all the delivery workers had to self-isolate for two weeks when two tested positive for coronavirus.

"Residents are angry at the lack of information and the lack of post and have no indication of when normal (already restricted) services will return.

"Some people received a delivery on a Sunday by postal workers drafted in from elsewhere but there appears to be no contingency plan at all.

"I have also been told that the delivery workers from Hadleigh are bragging to colleagues from other areas about having had a fortnight off but there is no sign of them actually getting on top of the problem and delivering any post whatsoever.

"People are waiting for payments, for pensions and for benefits giros.

"I run two churches, both of which are covid-secure. A church has had to provide food parcels for people who are awaiting their money, and church newsletters and resources sent out weekly to isolated congregation members have not been reaching those in need.

"A message that staff are having to self isolate is not easily visible on the delivery office website. Their phone has no facility to leave a message and an email on their questions line is met with the response that one should turn to Royal Mail, who again have no facility to make an email complaint."

Royal Mail previously, said it was increasing its resources since the issues which have been ongoing since the start of the pandemic in March.

The spokesman also said a number of staff were self-isolating but wouold not confirm how many, and that Royal Mail had “intensively cleaned” the site.

 

 

Residents claimed up to 24 staff members were in self-isolation, but Royal Mail refused to state how many were affected.