Catalogue description Records of the Directorate of Post Office Services

Prior to 1972 work for the Post Office was carried out under the direction of the Contracts Directorate, Directorate of Works, Directorate of Maintenance Services and other headquarters divisions of the Department of the Environment and its predecessors, although most of the operational aspects were handled at regional level.

The Directorate of Post Office Services (DPOS) was formed in 1974, taking over responsibility from the Post Office Group of the Directorate of Home Estate Management for the overall management of the Post Office new building and maintenance programmes. This embraced control of national programmes, co-ordination of estimates, policy and standard procedures and general supervision of the management information and accounting services. It also provided for Post Office Headquarters a works advisory service and undertook development projects. DPOS worked closely with the Directorate of Home Regional Services (DHRS) and the United Kingdom Territorial Organisation (UKTO); on average, 40% of UKTO's annual work was concerned with Post Office buildings and maintenance.

In 1981 the Directorate was renamed the British Telecom Services Division and became part of the Directorate of Civil Accommodation (DCA). Disengagement form British Telecom works and estates services began in January 1985 and withdrawal was completed in November 1986.