Post Offices

The government, on 17th May confirmed its intention to close one in five of the post offices in the UK – 2,500 branches in all. It has not announced which post offices are being considered for closure. Post Office Ltd. is responsible for running the consultation process and deciding which branches will close. It will make an announcement ‘in the near future’. It is obliged to make sure that in rural areas 95% of the population is within 3 miles of a branch. In urban areas, 95% of the population must be within 1 mile.

We would like to see the government adopt the Liberal Democrat fully-costed package to save the existing post office network. Gordon Brown took up our policy and made the Bank of England independent which has led to years of economic stability. Now we are urging him to take up this policy and save an invaluable community resource.

There is no definite threat to local Post Offices yet, but we will keep the situation under review.

Chris Jerrey 19-05-2007