PROBLEMS with York's mail service will be addressed when a postal watchdog holds a special public event in the city next week.

Postwatch Northern England is inviting residents unhappy with the service they receive from Royal Mail to attend an open surgery at Central Library on Tuesday.

Judith Donovan, regional chairman of Postwatch, said: "Postwatch knows there have been some postal service problems in the York area recently, including lost mail and mis-deliveries. Consumers affected by these or other issues and invited to come along and talk to Postwatch."

In 2005/06, Royal Mail received 10,407 complaints from customers in the YO postal area, including 4,375 about lost mail and 1,347 about mis-delivery. Other causes for complaint included discourtesy from staff, mail being damaged, and mail being delayed.

The total number of complaints had fallen from 2004/05, when there were 11,806, but there were increases in the number of reported cases of mail being lost and damaged.

Royal Mail came under fire last year after refusing to publish their regionalised complaint figures online.

The move came after The Press reported the 2004/05 details, which showed an increase in complaints from the YO area of nearly 25 per cent, compared to the previous 12 months.

After criticism from local politicians and Postwatch, Royal Mail relented and published the figures by postcode area, as well as nationally.

Ms Donovan said: "If you are unhappy with the service you receive from your postal provider then Postwatch may be able to help. If you have a specific complaint, let us know, or you can just come along to pick up an information pack.

"These public surgeries will enable people to find out more about the role of Postwatch and how we can help them. As the voice of the postal consumer, it is vital that people let us know if they are suffering from poor service - so we can make sure necessary improvements are made."

The meet the public session will be held from 2pm to 4pm on Tuesday, at York Central Library, in Library Square.

A Royal Mail spokesperson said: "Royal Mail's quality of service to customers is at its highest level ever.

"In the second quarter of 2006-07 (end of June to early September), 95 per cent of first class letters in the YO postcode area arrived the next working day after posting.

"Cumulatively, in the current financial year, 94.8 per cent of First Class mail was delivered in the YO postcode area the next working day after posting. Both results are well above the national target of 93 per cent.

"If Postwatch can provide details of any specific problems in the YO postcode area, we will investigate."