A Dundee East postal worker has been suspended by Royal Mail after several school pupils in Broughty Ferry did not receive their exam results in the post.
At least five living in the Clearwater Park and Ferry Fields estates to the north of the A92 Dundee to Arbroath road were left disappointed last week when their results failed to arrive. After angry parents were told by the SQA they had definitely been posted out, they contacted Royal Mail to complain.
It has now emerged an employee from Dundee East Delivery Office has been suspended as part of the Royal Mail investigation into the disappearance of the exam results.
The company initially stated that all mail had been delivered in the area last week and pointed anxious parents and pupils to the SQA. However, it has now apologised to those affected.
A spokeswoman said, “An employee from Dundee East Delivery Office has been suspended as part of an ongoing investigation into the non-delivery of mail and a small number of exam results.
“The safety and security of mail is of the utmost importance to Royal Mail and it is a criminal offence to tamper with or delay the delivery of mail. Anyone caught doing so will face serious disciplinary measures.”
She added, “We would like to apologise to those customers who have been caused any distress or inconvenience.”
The suspension comes following a Courier investigation after a Grove Academy pupil’s results failed to appear. The boy’s mother, a teacher who asked not to be identified, said, “We had no post at all on Thursday. I sat at the window all day waiting for the results for my son.Waiting all day”All his pals had their results but he was waiting all day it was torture for him. It’s just not on.”
The following day she contacted the Dundee East office and was told the postman on her route had delivered all his mail. However her son’s results and those of another four pupils in the same area have still not turned up, a full week after some pupils were mistakenly given their results a day early. It is believed that all the disappointed pupils got their results by phoning the schools.
Another mum in the Ferry Fields estate, whose 15-year-old daughter attends Harris Academy, said her neighbour had seen a postman in Clearwater Park delivering some mail but he got back into his van and left without her receiving anything. “It was a horrible day, really heavy rain, but that’s no excuse,” she added.
She said the residents’ association has since emailed parents asking for any information on missing mail.
“Royal Mail told us a temporary postie had been delivering the mail and although they searched his bag, his van and the depot, nothing had been found. They’ve either lost them or they’ve been dumped somewhere.
“I went to the Dundee East depot to pick up another parcel and I asked the guy there. He just shrugged his shoulders and turned away he didn’t even bother trying to find out where my mail was. We had to phone the school on Monday for my daughter’s results and we’re going to have to write to the SQA for replacements.
“It’s just really upsetting for the kids who were really disappointed not to get their certificates when everybody else did. I can categorically say there were no mail deliveries on Thursday and Friday at my street and I would just like to know where all this mail’s gone.”