One of Britain’s oldest and most iconic institutions is in for a great shake-up: the Post Office. To rebuild from the devastating Horizon IT scandal, officials in the British government are reportedly considering an historic move: transferring ownership of the Post Office to its workers-the sub-postmasters who run local branches across the UK.

What’s the plan?
The concept being put forth is based on the ownership model adopted by the John Lewis Partnership. John Lewis is known for its workers having partial ownership in the firm so that they could share the profits acquired by the firm every year. Now, the government is interested to know whether the same could be done in the case of the Post Office.

BCG, a management consultancy firm, has been approached by the Department for Business and Trade (DBT) to research the feasibility of this plan. The Post Office is currently and with some 11,500 branches across the UK the country’s largest retail network.

It remains in the draft stages, though a report regarding how the Post Office could be “mutualized” will be submitted to Business Secretary Jonathan Reynolds later this year.

Why Does the Post Office Need a New Plan?
The Post Office has also witnessed a very tough time financially and only survives through yearly financial influx from the government. According to a government source, the Post Office is said to be struggling hard and its future in question so far. Because of this, the ministers have delved into every possible option for what to do next.

One of the reasons why the Post Office is in trouble is the scandal of Horizon IT. This scandal really shook the trust between the sub-postmasters and the management of the Post Office. Several sub-postmasters were wrongly accused of stealing money from their branches due to errors in the Horizon IT system.

The scandal devastated the lives of hundreds of innocent sub-postmasters. While some were jailed, others lost their homes or businesses. A few even died or took their own lives before they could clear their names.

This has been termed the biggest miscarriage of justice in British history. Sir Alan Bates, a sub-postmaster who has fought for many years for justice in the wrong convictions, continues to fight for compensation and reforms at the Post Office.

What’s Next?
No decision about ownership transfers to the sub-postmasters has been made yet; it is still up for debate. It is quite a lot of work, a long process in itself and, for all practical purposes, will take years before any real changes happen as it goes on changing the ownership model of such a big institution.

The discussions over the concept of turning the Post Office into a mutual company were met with former Tory minister Kevin Hollinrake, then in charge of postal affairs, in April. This would mean that the workers would have their say in running the Post Office and would share its profits.

However, whether the idea will be carried to its implementation is another question. Here, the idea would be for the Post Office to stand on its own, without direct funding by the government. The other means of funding the Post Office that the government is considering include doing more government services at local branches, for example.

A long road ahead
The debates are already going, but the case of change of ownership of the Post Office is still at its infancy. This may keep going for a long time until a concrete decision is reached, and there will be very many obstacles in the process.

These proposals would more than likely see the call-ups of government ministers such as Gareth Thomas and Jonathan Reynolds to appear in front of the public inquiry into the Horizon IT scandal. What led to this situation, and why did such injustice come to happen?.

Meanwhile, former sub-postmaster Sir Alan Bates is not sitting still. The former politian has written to the government to consider a case in which the government is litigating against former directors of the Post Office. Most subpostmasters have never been adequately compensated to date; Sir Alan Bates will do anything possible to get them their just desserts.

What’s in the Future?
The Post Office has not had it easy. Its reputation was severely damaged by the Horizon IT scandal, and its bottom line has still been feeling the effects of that and other issues. As part of its efforts to put things right, the government has appointed a new chairman, Nigel Railton, who previously ran the National Lottery operator Camelot.

One of Mr. Railton’s first tasks will be to seek a new chief executive. There are rumors that CEO Nick Read has announced his intent to step down next month. The future is always uncertain, but Mr. Railton has a tough job in that it is to turn around the fortunes of the Post Office.

Whatever the future holds for the Post Office, significant change is sure to arrive. Ownership to be transferred to sub-postmasters or another solution still, the Post Office must adapt if it’s ever going to survive challenges ahead.

A Glimmer of Hope for Finding Justice
The Horizon IT scandal has left an indelible scar on the Post Office and the individuals wrongly convicted; however, many of the sub-postmasters who were adversely affected remain without adequate redress. For that reason, Sir Alan Bates continues to fight for them to be appropriately compensated.

And while it is not clear what this next step will be from the government’s end, perhaps a resolution that allows not only the survival of the Post Office but also justice for those deceived through the scandal of Horizon, will emerge.

Only time will tell what the future holds for the Post Office, but one thing is crystal clear: the 364-year-old institution is at a crossroads. If it is passed on to the sub-postmasters or if it continues to exist as it does, the future of this British icon is sure to be one to watch closely.