Post shop on the move

Marlborough’s last standalone post shop will close early next year, with services shifting to Paper Plus in February.

The closure of the service was a part of a nationwide strategy to offer services at ‘‘third party hosted agencies’’, such as supermarkets and convenience stores.

The move signals the end of a half-decade era at Rangitane House or what was formerly known as the Blenheim Post Office Building. Instead, the post office will return to its roots at the site where it first opened in 1974.

While the standalone Post Office will be closing, Blenheim will get a dedicated Kiwibank branch.

Last month Nelson MP Nick Smith called on businesses in the city’s Stoke suburb not to partner with NZ Post in a bid to prevent its Kiwibank branch closing.

Kiwibank external communications manager Kara Tait said Kiwibank was ‘‘committed to investing in a standalone branch’’ in Blenheim and would be staying in the same location.

‘‘Our customers tell us they want a Kiwibank environment that makes it easier to have those more complex and important banking conversations,’’ Tait said.

‘‘We first introduced the standalone model in June 2016 and we’ve had great customer feedback from the branches we have opened so far. We look forward to bringing this model to Blenheim.’’

Staff at the current Post Office site were employed by Kiwibank and Tait was unable to comment on any impacts to jobs.

‘‘We have committed to our people that they will be the first to know of any changes that might affect them and won’t speculate further,’’ Tait said.

A NZ Post spokesperson said Paper Plus would begin delivering postal services from around mid-february, 2019.

‘‘We are pleased to be partnering with this local business. Working with local businesses and agencies like this is NZ Post’s preferred model to help us deliver postal services to communities,’’ the spokesperson said.

The post service was obligated to provide 880 outlets across the country.

‘‘It works well for the businesses we partner with as well who enjoy having more customers coming through their doors to use postal services.’’

Marlburians approached outside the post shop were generally positive about the move, with the only worries raised about parking and wait times.

The new agency partner will offer postal services and bill payments. The site will receive a Postcentre Plus fit-out, which includes a new counter.

The former Post Office building was opened on July 4, 1974 and replaced the old building at Market Place, the current site of The Forum.

The foundation stone of Blenheim’s old Post Office building was unearthed during renovations of the old Rangita¯ ne House foyer in 2013. It was laid by Postmaster General HJ Walker on June 29, 1972. Pay rise: $126,775. Base salary: $585,975. Back pay: $331,932.

Marlborough Lines managing director Ken Forrest made close to $1 million last financial year.

The pay rise took Forrest from $459,200 to $585,975 per year, a 27.6 per cent increase.

It would take a Marlborough District Councillor, on average, more than 13 years to earn Forrest’s base salary.

Marlborough Lines chairperson David Dew said an independent review of Forrest’s contract was carried out by national firm Strategic Pay.

The back pay was dated from April 1, 2011 to June 30, 2017.

Dew said the back pay was based on ‘‘an agreed amount of the average increase most [Marlborough Lines] staff had received year-by-year in that time’’.

Forrest’s pay packet included $72,000 for sitting on the boards of Yealands Wine Group and Nelson Electricity, which was paid to Marlborough Lines.

‘‘We had a process where we went through an update and modernisation of his contract,’’ Dew said. ‘‘Due to the time it took, the increase was backdated.’’

Dew said other important projects had taken precedence,