Letter from Gregory Barker MP
Throughout the pre-consultation process and
public consultation into Post Office closures in my constituency,
have been somewhat frustrated by the actions of Post Office Ltd.
The gagging of PostMasters prior to the consultation
from speaking to the press led many to be wary of discussing their
concerns with me. This was counter-productive to the aims of the
consultation: to allow the communities who rely on the Post Offices
to have a clear view of their predicament and thus participate
properly in the decision. Indeed it only served to stifle, as
it seems to have been intended, a frank and reasonable discussion
of each proposed closure.
The rationales justifying each branch closure
simply do not add up, particularly when you consider the access
issues surrounding the main Post Office in Bexhill and the extremely
high level of vulnerable elderly people in my constituency.
15 January 2008
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