COUNCILLORS in Swindon are to have their own private postie because they cannot trust the Royal Mail.

All documents, committee agendas and reports, which are now sent to councillors' homes by post, will in future be delivered door-to-door by special courier service.

This decision was taken by the council's cabinet because of the unreliability of the public postal service.

But not only will councillors receive a more personalised service, the town's taxpayers will benefit too.

The cost of doing it by courier will save the council £8,500 a year. Annual expenditure on postage for packages to councillors is currently £24,000.

Alan Winchcombe, of the council's law and corporate governance department, said: "Mail is despatched to around 50 of the 59 councillors every working weekday. Those who do not have a daily service either collect their mail when they come to the Civic Office or it is posted to them at less frequent intervals.

"The current arrangements cost £24,000 per annum. Providing the same service via the in-house courier service could reduce those costs by £8,500."

This saving will be made even though an extra courier will have to be employed.

Currently, the council employs three couriers who deliver to schools and other premises owned by the council.

Mr Winchcombe said the couriers will be making more than 150 deliveries. "It would be impossible to deliver to all councillors during the morning," he said.

"Some deliveries would not be made until the afternoon."

Council leader Mike Bawden (Con, Old Town and Lawns) told the cabinet: "Although the saving is a small amount, it is setting an example. Every little bit helps and this action should be welcomed by the taxpayer.

"We're demonstrating that we're not accepting the status quo simply for a quiet life and are actively looking for ways of trimming our budget all the time. It's a positive step."

And Jemima Milton (Con, Wroughton and Chiseldon) said: "I'm sure we're all in favour of this because the post is always so late.

"It has to be an improvement. It can't be any worse than what we have."

Royal Mail spokesman Don Veale said: "Basically, the council's entitled to do as it pleases.

"We live in an age of constant demands for cost-cutting, so these kind of decisions will always be a fact of life.

"It appears that the council will be relying on us for mailing to destinations outside Swindon, so it can't be too dissatisfied.

"Although it's the council's prerogative to take this decision we are very surprised and extremely disappointed, especially when councils complain bitterly about post office closures.

"With regard to comments of unreliability and expense we would point out that we deliver to more 24 million addresses daily and put our European counterparts to shame in terms of cost, service and efficiency."