Written evidence from Andrea Henderson
I am secretary of Furnace Community Council, Argyll,
but this email is from an individual point of view as we won't
be having a Community Council meeting before your deadline of
19 November.
In rural communities such as Furnace, the Post Office
(which is a daily, half-day service) is essential to residents,
many of whom are elderly and others include single parents and
those without private transport. Public transport is infrequent
and an elderly person who has to get a bus to the nearest available
Post Office will have to wait for several hours for the return
journey. Where do they wait and in weather which is often cold,
wet and windy? Many cannot afford to waste this amount of time.
From the point of view of the economic effect - the
Post Office in Furnace, as in many rural communities, is part
of the Village Shop and people using the Post Office will also
buy groceries and other necessary items. If they have to travel
to another Post Office they will do more of their shopping in
that town. Village shops, which not only provide a living to the
owners, often offer part-time work to other local residents. The
existence of the Village Shop/Post Office is a significant factor
to people considering buying or renting property in rural areas.
Shut the Post Office and there are many other consequences.
Postal deliveries to rural areas is equally important
and privatisation of this service would have a major negative
effect. Private companies cherry pick and are not interested in
more remote places which will not be profitable. At the moment
private companies such as TNT who are being given business from
companies and other organisations do not deliver in our area -
they sub contract the business to the Post Office which then delivers
to local businesses and to our homes. If the Post Office ceases
to exist, who will deliver to rural areas and islands.
There are some services which are so socially important
that profitability should not be the key factor and the tax payer
should accept the need to pay. So many of our other previously
public services have been sold off and it is difficult to see
any advantages, other than financial. In addition, they have been
sold to overseas companies who will have no problem pulling the
plug as soon as the sums don't add up.
23 November 2010
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