Macclesfield: There could be a problem in posting Christmas cards and presents via Royal Mail this Christmas.

Cheshire East is to contact Royal Mail following complaints some residents are receiving post just once a week and some first class mail is taking up to two weeks to arrive.

Problems were first reported in Congleton last month, and has now spread across Cheshire East.

Cllr Andrew Kolker (Dane Valley, Con) said he feared the situation would only get worse in the run-up to the Christmas period.

Speaking at Tuesday's (November 30) meeting of the economy and growth committee, Cllr Kolker, whose ward covers the Holmes Chapel area, said: "In many parts of the borough, and in particular my ward, it appears that Royal Mail is really struggling to provide a service.

"My own experience, and that of many who have been in contact with me, is that Royal Mail is struggling to deliver even once a week.

"I've had council papers posted first class which have taken in excess of two weeks to arrive, some not at all."

The Dane Valley councillor urged the council to write to Royal Mail to clarify the position.

"It's not only the council which relies on the postal service," he said. "Hospital appointments and results, company invoices, bank and credit card statements, the HMRC, solicitors and many, many more rely on the postal service.

"I suggest that we ask the council to write to Royal Mail requesting a definitive position statement. A press release could then be issued suggesting organisations make changes to their working practices to mitigate for this problem."

Committee chair Nick Mannion (Lab), who lives in Macclesfield, said he was receiving his mail but understood that was not the case in parts of the borough.

"I'm quite happy to ask that we write to Royal Mail as a matter of urgency on this matter," he said.

A Royal Mail spokesperson told the Local Democracy Reporting Service: "In some areas in Cheshire, we are experiencing some disruption to service due to sickness absence and resourcing issues which we are addressing as quickly as possible.

"We aim to deliver to all addresses we have mail for, six days a week. If resourcing issues, associated self-isolation and safety measures prevent this, we'll deliver at least every other day.

"We apologise to customers for any inconvenience they may experience as we work hard to resolve the situation."

A Macclesfield Nub News search on the Royal Mail website found zero vacancies in post for our town.

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