Councillors call on Royal Mail to limit planned price rises

Two Hinckley Councillors have written to Royal Mail urging them to limit their planned rise in stamp prices.

Next month the price of First Class stamps are likely to rise from the current 46p to an unspecified amount, whilst Second Class stamps are due to rise from 36p to somewhere between 46p and 55p.

Liberal Democrat Councillors Michael Mullaney and David Bill have written to Royal Mail urging them to limit the rise in the cost of stamps.

Cllr Michael Mullaney (Lib Dem, Hinckley Trinity) said "We urge Royal Mail to limit their planned rise in the price of stamps.

"At present there is talk of raising the price of a Second Class stamp to 55p, that would be a whopping increase of over 50%. This level of price rise will make many people reluctant to use Royal Mail unless it's absolutely essential. I hope they realise this and keep their price well below 55p."

Cllr David Bill (Lib Dem Hinckley Clarendon) said "Many elderly people and people on low incomes, who may have limited access to emails, rely on stamps to communicate with people.

"Communications industry watchdog Ofcom has proposed giving Royal Mail the freedom to set its own prices including increasing the price of Second Class stamps to between 46p and 55p. Personally we find any increase of this kind unacceptable. However, we ask, at the very least, that the planned rises are kept to the lower end of that scale."