Print and Postal Communications
Case reference FOI2026/01009
Received 24 April 2026
Published 8 June 2026
Request
Unless otherwise stated, please provide figures covering the period 1 April 2025 to 31 March 2026.
Print and Postal Communications
The total number of letters sent by the authority.
Of these letters:
a. Number sent via 1st class post
b. Number sent via 2nd class post
The number of letters printed and posted in‑house.
The number of letters sent via a hybrid mail service.
If hybrid mail is used:
a. The name of the hybrid mail provider (e.g. Whistl, UK Mail, etc.).
b. The date the current arrangement was agreed.
c. The contract expiry date (if applicable).
Digital Communication Portals
The number of digital communication portals currently operated by the authority.
The name(s) of the digital portal provider(s).
For each digital portal:
a. The month and year it went live
b. The number of citizens registered
c. The approximate number of communications sent via the portal during the period.
The preferred framework used (if any) for procuring digital communication platforms.
Digital Transformation and Channel Mix
Please state whether the authority has an active digital transformation programme relating to citizen communications (yes/no).
Whether the authority uses email as an outbound communication channel for residents (yes/no).
Responsible Roles
The name of the Manager responsible for:
a. Print and post management
b. Parking services
c. Accounts payable
d. Digital transformation
For each role above, please provide a Specific email address where available.
Response
Unless otherwise stated, please provide figures covering the period 1 April 2025 to 31 March 2026.
Print and Postal Communications
The total number of letters sent by the authority.
Of these letters:
a. Number sent via 1st class post
b. Number sent via 2nd class post
The number of letters printed and posted in‑house.
The number of letters sent via a hybrid mail service.
If hybrid mail is used:
a. The name of the hybrid mail provider (e.g. Whistl, UK Mail, etc.).
b. The date the current arrangement was agreed.
c. The contract expiry date (if applicable).
Digital Communication Portals
The number of digital communication portals currently operated by the authority.
The name(s) of the digital portal provider(s).
For each digital portal:
a. The month and year it went live
b. The number of citizens registered
c. The approximate number of communications sent via the portal during the period.
The preferred framework used (if any) for procuring digital communication platforms.
Digital Transformation and Channel Mix
Please state whether the authority has an active digital transformation programme relating to citizen communications (yes/no).
Whether the authority uses email as an outbound communication channel for residents (yes/no).
Responsible Roles
The name of the Manager responsible for:
a. Print and post management
b. Parking services
c. Accounts payable
d. Digital transformation
For each role above, please provide a Specific email address where available.
A: This information is not held in a form that would enable it to be located, retrieved and extracted within the Appropriate Time Limit which equates to 18 hours as defined by the Freedom of Information and Data Protection (Appropriate Limits and Fees) Regulations 2004.
To locate the information relating to Outbound communication and Digital Channels, we would need to approach every council service area, see whether they have a portal and if so collate the information requested. We would need to approach all the services within the Council, as each own their own respective “portals”, i.e. Finance team for council tax; Planning team for planning applications, Parking team for PCNs, Housing team for housing requests, Children’s services for Fostering applications, SEND team re Home to school transport enquiries, Adult social care team for care assessments and so on. The information is not centrally co-ordinated and would be held by service areas individually.
This collate these details would at a conservative estimate would far exceed 18 hours to complete. Where the Limit is exceeded Public Authorities are not obliged to supply the information requested by virtue of S12 of the Act. Please take this letter as a refusal notice under S17 of the Act.
I have been advised that teams could answer your questions relating to Print and Postal Communications and Responsible Roles, or you could narrow your request down to specific teams.
Documents
This is Herefordshire Council's response to a freedom of information (FOI) or environmental information regulations (EIR) request.
You can browse our other responses or make a new FOI request.