Petitions
Monday 2 June 2008
Observations
Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform
Post Office Closures (Brighton)
The Petition of those affected by the closure of the Elm Grove Post Office in Brighton,
Declares that they believe that the Post Office provides an invaluable and local service to local residents, many of them older people and young families who need the many essential services provided by the Post Office close at hand. If the Government truly believes in building sustainable communities, it will withdraw this and other Post Office closure proposals.
The Petitioners therefore request that the House of Commons urges the Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform to make representations to the Post Office Ltd. to withdraw its closure proposals for the Post Office at Elm Grove, Brighton, which plays such an important part in the life of the local community.
And the Petitioners remain, etc. —[Presented by David Lepper , Official Report, 11 December 2007; Vol. 469, c. 272 .] [P000078]
Observations from the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform :
The Government fully recognise the important social and economic role of post offices, particularly in rural and deprived urban communities. That is why they are determined to maintain a national post office network, allowing people to have reasonable access across the whole country and why they have put in place a new policy and financial framework to achieve this. The Government have been investing substantial sums in the post office network, totalling £2 billion since 1999. This has, for example, paid for a computer link-up for every post office as well as support for non-commercial branches since 2003.
In its response to the consultation on the Post Office network, the Government announced confirmation of their decision, in May 2007, to extend funding of up to £1.7 billion to 2011, including provision of a £150 million Social Network Payment. The Government strategy includes provision for 2,500 compensated closures and 500 new Outreach services.
The 500 new and innovative Outreach locations (operated in partnership with other local services such as pubs, village halls, churches and mobile post offices) will mitigate closures, primarily in smaller and more remote communities. POL announced on 9 April that it will extend Outreach trials into urban areas. If successful, it could mean additional Outreach branches over and above the 500 originally planned. Nevertheless, there will need to be up to 2,500 compensated post office closures within the defined access criteria.
Post Office Limited (POL) is responsible for implementing the network change programme at a local level. It is developing a rolling programme of some 50
local consultations on detailed area plans, based on groups of Parliamentary constituencies. The first area plans went out to local consultation on 2 October last year and these plans will continue to be rolled out at regular intervals until August with the whole programme scheduled to take around 15 months to complete. The consultation period for Sussex finished on 24 December 2007 and Post Office Ltd announced final decisions on 29 January 2008. Having considered all representations and the criteria for the network change programme POL have confirmed that the Elm Grove Post Office is to close. POL have published their decision in an Area Plan Decision Booklet for Sussex which will be available on their website at www.postoffice.co.uk/networkchange.
POL develops its proposals with the participation of sub-postmasters, local authorities and the consumer watchdog, Postwatch. It takes into account the numeric access criteria set out by Government, as well as local factors affecting ease of access, such as local geography, rivers, mountains etc. POL is also required to consider the availability of public transport and alternative access to key post office services, local demographics and the impact on the local economy. Local consultations provide the opportunity to raise any specific concerns over particular proposals.
The Government do not have a role in proposals or decisions for individual post offices. No decisions on individual Post Offices are taken until after local consultations. Those decisions are made by POL in light of the responses to the consultation, while subject to a four-stage appeals process involving Postwatch. The review process for closure decisions, after the public consultation process, applies where Postwatch shows that, for an individual branch:
POL has not given due consideration to material evidence received during the public consultation in coming to its decision or;
evidence emerges from the consultation that the proposal for thebranch does not meet the Government’s policy requirements.
The aim of the further review process is for POL and Postwatch to reach an agreed way forward by bilateral review, with 3 stages available at increasing levels of seniority. There was an addition to the review process last November which caters for very difficult cases remaining unresolved after stage 3. Allan Leighton, Chairman of Royal Mail Group, will review the issues and reach a final decision.
The Government are not in any way constraining sub-postmasters. Sub-postmasters and mistresses, who own and operate 97 per cent. of the post office network, are private business people and contracted as agents on behalf of POL. As such, they are free to develop their associated retail business and to enter into contracts with anyone they choose, as long as the products provided are not in direct competition with key Post Office products.
The Government cannot ignore the fact that many people now want to access services in different ways, (using direct debits, ATMs, and the phone and the Internet). Government Departments must live within their financial constraints and it is only right that they ensure value for money in their delivery of services. We want the network to be autonomous and become the providers of choice and not of obligation.
Post Office Closures (Cumbria)
The Petition of those concerned about Post Office closures in Cumbria,
Declares that they give their full support to Flookburgh, Hallgarth, Heathwaite, Grasmere, Endmoor, Burneside, Beetham, Dent, Backbarrow, Burton in Kendal, Rinkfield, Lindale, Levens, Kents Bank, Storth, Hawkshead, Hutton Roof, as these are an integral part of the local community and to lose them would be a loss to all of them.
The Petitioners therefore request that the House of Commons urges the Secretary of State for Business Enterprise and Regulatory Reform, to instruct the Post Office Ltd as it conducts its review of Post Office branches, to keep these Post Offices open; and further urges the Government to stop the unnecessary Post Office closure programme, and instead free business from restrictive regulation, invest in the future of the network and stop removing government business to safeguard our Post Offices.
And the Petitioners remain, etc. —[Presented by Tim Farron , Official Report, 17 March 2008; Vol. 473, c. 717.] [P000141]
Observations by the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform:
The Government fully recognise the important social and economic role of post offices, particularly in rural and deprived urban communities. That is why they have determined to maintain a national post office network, allowing people to have reasonable access across the whole country and why they have put in place a new policy and financial framework to achieve this. The Government have been investing substantial sums in the post office network, totalling £2 billion since 1999. This has, for example, paid for a computer link-up for every post office as well as support for non-commercial branches since 2003.
In its response to the consultation on the Post Office network, the Government announced confirmation of their decision, in May 2007, to extend funding of up to £1.7 billion to 2011, including provision of a £150 million Social Network Payment. The Government strategy includes provision for 2,500 compensated closures and 500 new Outreach services.
The 500 new and innovative Outreach locations (operating in partnership with other local services such as pubs, village halls, churches and mobile post offices) will mitigate closures, primarily in smaller and more remote communities. POL announced on 9 April that it will extend Outreach trials into urban areas. If successful, it could mean additional Outreach branches over and above the 500 originally planned. Nevertheless, there will need to be up to 2,500 compensated post office closures within the defined access criteria.
Post Office Limited (POL) is responsible for implementing the network change programme at a local level. It is developing a rolling programme of some 50 local consultations on detailed area plans, based on groups of Parliamentary constituencies. The first area plans went out to local consultation on 2 October last year and these plans will continue to be rolled out at regular intervals until August, with the whole programme is scheduled to take around 15 months to complete. The consultation period for Cumbria started on 18 March and will finish on 27 May. POL is expected to announce
final decisions on 18 June and the POL decision document will be available on their website at www.postoffice.co.uk/networkchange.
POL develops its proposals with the participation of sub-postmasters, local authorities and the consumer watchdog, Postwatch. It takes into account the numeric access criteria set out by the Government, as well as local factors affecting ease of access, such as local geography, rivers, mountains etc. POL is also required to consider the availability of public transport and alternative access to key post office services, local demographics and the impact on the local economy. Local consultations provide the opportunity to raise any specific concerns over particular proposals.
The Government do not have a role in proposals or decisions for individual post offices. No decisions on individual Post Offices are taken until after local consultations. Those decisions are made by POL in light of the responses to the consultation, while subject to a four-stage appeals process involving Postwatch. The review process for closure decisions, after the public consultation process, applies where Postwatch shows that, for an individual branch:
POL has not given due consideration to material evidence received during the public consultation in coming to its decision or;
evidence emerges from the consultation that the proposal for thebranch does not meet the Government’s policy requirements.
The aim of the further review process is for POL and Postwatch to reach an agreed way forward by bilateral review, with 3 stages available at increasing levels of seniority. There was an addition to the review process last November which caters for very difficult cases remaining unresolved after stage 3. Allan Leighton, Chairman of Royal Mail Group, will review the issues and reach a final decision.
The Government are not in any way constraining sub-postmasters. Sub-postmasters and mistresses, who own and operate 97 per cent. of the post office network, are private business people and contracted as agents on behalf of POL. As such, they are free to develop their associated retail business and to enter into contracts with anyone they choose, as long as the products provided are not in direct competition with key Post Office products.
The Government cannot ignore the fact that many people now want to access services in different ways, (using direct debits, ATMs, and the phone and the Internet). Government Departments must live within their financial constraints and it is only right that they ensure value for money in their delivery of services. We want the network to be autonomous and become the providers of choice and not of obligation.
Post Office Closures (Taunton)
The Petition of residents of Taunton constituency and others,
Declares that the government are proposing to shut 2,500 Post Offices which represents 1-in-5 of the present total. This will hit local communities in Somerset hard.
The Petitioners therefore request that the House of Commons urges the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform to save our vital Post Offices which offer an essential service to communities across Taunton constituency.
And the Petitioners remain, etc. —[Presented by Mr. Jeremy Browne , Official Report, 6 February 2008; Vol. 1088, c. 471 .] [P000119]
Observations by the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform :
The Government fully recognise the important social and economic role of post offices, particularly in rural and deprived urban communities. That is why they are determined to maintain a national post office network allowing people to have reasonable access across the whole country and has put in place a new policy and financial framework to achieve this. The Government have been investing substantial sums in the post office network, totalling £2 billion since 1999. That has, for example, paid for a computer link-up for every post office as well as support for non-commercial branches since 2003.
In its response to the consultation on the Post Office network, the Government announced in May 2007 confirmation of its decision to extend funding of up to £1.7 billion to 2011, including provision of £150 million Social Network Payment to support the post office network up to 2011. The Government strategy includes provision for 2,500 compensated closures and 500 new Outreach services.
The 500 new and innovative Outreach locations, operated in partnership with other local services such as in pubs, village halls, churches or in mobile post offices, will mitigate closures, primarily in smaller and more remote communities. Nevertheless, to ensure sustainability, there will need to be up to 2,500 compensated post office closures within the defined access criteria.
Post Office Limited (POL) is responsible for implementing the network change programme at a local level. It is developing a rolling programme of some 50 local consultations on detailed area plans, based on groups of parliamentary constituencies. The first area plans went out to local consultation on 2 October last year and these plans will continue to be rolled out at regular intervals until August, with the whole programme scheduled to take around 15 months to complete. The consultation period for Bristol and Somerset began on 26 February 2008 and is expected to conclude on 7 May 2008.
POL develops its proposals with the participation of sub-postmasters, local authorities and the consumer watchdog, Postwatch, and takes into account the numeric access criteria set out by Government as well as local factors affecting ease of access, such as local geography: rivers, mountains etc when drawing up its implementation plans. POL is also required to consider the availability of public transport and alternative access to key post office services, local demographics and the impact on the local economy. Local consultations provide the opportunity to raise any specific concerns over particular proposals.
The Government do not have a role in proposals or decisions for individual post offices. No decisions on individual Post Offices are taken until after local consultations. Those decisions are made by POL in light of the responses to the consultation while subject to a four-stage appeals process involving Postwatch.
The review process for closure decisions after public consultation process applies where Postwatch shows that, for an individual branch:
POL has not given due consideration to material evidence received during the public consultation in coming to its decision; or
where evidence emerges from the consultation that the proposal for the branch does not meet the Government's policy requirements.
The aim of the further review process is for POL and Postwatch to reach an agreed way forward by bilateral review with 3 stages available at increasing levels of seniority. A recent addition to the review process provides that for very difficult cases which remain unresolved after stage 3, Allan Leighton, Chairman of Royal Mail Group will review the issues and reach a final decision.
The Petition of residents of the Taunton constituency and others,
Declares that the Post Office is proposing to close seven Post Offices in Taunton Deane, including Shuttern, West Monkton, Bradford-on-Tone, West Buckland, Kingston St Mary, Churchinford and Lydeard St Lawrence, all of which constitute a vital service to the residents of Taunton Deane, and whose closure will be extremely damaging to the fabric of the County of Somerset and the well-being of its communities in social, economic and environmental terms; that these Post Offices provide a lifeline for many vulnerable or disadvantaged people, and are particularly valued by pensioners and those without private transport; and that their proposed closure will risk or precipitate the closure of village shops in Somerset.
The Petitioners therefore request that the House of Commons urges the Government to reverse the Post Office's proposed Network Change Programme in Taunton Deane.
And the Petitioners remain, etc. —[Presented by Mr. Jeremy Browne , Official Report, 28 April 2008; Vol. 475, c. 138 .] [P000179]
Observations from the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform:
The Government fully recognises the important social and economic role of post offices, particularly in rural and deprived urban communities. That is why it is determined to maintain a national post office network allowing people to have reasonable access across the whole country and has put in place a new policy and financial framework to achieve this. The Government has been investing substantial sums in the post office network, totalling £2 billion since 1999. That has, for example, paid for a computer link-up for every post office as well as support for non-commercial branches since 2003.
In its response to the consultation on the Post Office network the Government announced in May 2007 confirmation of its decision to extend funding of up to £1.7 billion to 2011, including provision of £150 million Social Network Payment to support the post office network up to 2011. The Government strategy includes provision for 2,500 compensated closures and 500 new Outreach services.
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