Memorandum submitted by Northern Pensioners
Association—Crewe & District
POST OFFICE
CLOSURE PROGRAM
THIRD REPORT
OF SESSION
2007-08
Having read the above report and also watched
much of the proceedings of the Committee recently on TV we have
the following comments.
1. CONSULTATION
PROCESS
The report confirms our initial view that the
consultation was a sham. We do not share the view of the Minister
for Postal Affairs that he had done enough by informing local
councils and MPs that the real question was not whether a post
office should close but whether the right branches are being closed.
Responsibility for the consultation lies with the Post Office
and Postwatch.
The Post Office had ample opportunity in their
correspondence with me to make this clear. PostWatch had two letters
published in our local papers urging the public to participate
but to the best of my recollection did not make the question clear.
That is a fundamental flaw in any consultation/opinion poll. It
also makes consultation pointless when, as in the case of Nantwich,
all sub-post offices were to be close.
2. POST OFFICE
BUSINESS PLAN
The report does not mention the business model
adopted by the Post Office for the supply of postal services in
the future yet this has a significant bearing on the Consultation
Process. The model is based on the existence of large High Street
based urban post offices not peripheral sub-post offices. Therefore
any proposal to close such a post office and keep sub-post offices
open will be rejected out of hand.
3. WORKING NEIGHBOURHOODS
SCHEME
This scheme comes under Caroline Flint, Housing
Minister.
The following was reported in The Guardian
5 February 2008:
"Changes to the way jobcentres operate are
also central to her plans as part of the Government's working
neighbourhood schemes.
`Rather than the jobless going miles to get employment,
debt and childcare advice, it is better to bring that advice to
them'."
There seems to be a contradiction between policy
on job centres and post offices.
We feel the criticism contained in the report
of the process are far too mild and bland to reflect the depth
of feeling in the community.
28 February 2008
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