‘Save the post office network’ urges CWU
7th December 2011
Government Ministers have been urged to "take heed" of
a key report by postal services watchdog Consumer Focus
highlighting the impact of post office rationalisation on rural
communities.
The survey -
Devon Knows - looked at the effects of the
previous closure programme on the county and found that, in over
half (57 per cent) of villages surveyed, the post office had been
the only shop in the community.
Closures meant the loss of a community focal point and social
hub and hit older people and other vulnerable groups particularly
hard, the statutory organisation reported.
Losing the local post office also created new difficulties in
accessing cash - for some communities, the post office provided the
only "free cash" facility - and increased transport costs
for village residents, who were then forced to travel to the
nearest town.
Commenting on the study, CWU general secretary
Billy Hayes said: "We commend Consumer Focus
for highlighting once again the importance of post offices which
remain the lifeblood of many small towns and villages.
"Their report is timely as the government's plans to
privatise Royal Mail and sever the link with the Post Office mean
worrying times are ahead for Britain's post offices," he
added.
"For many, the move to the 'Locals' model will feel
like closures, as Consumer Focus warned in another report this year
-
Local but limited? Dedicated post offices with shop facilities
will disappear leaving a lack of facilities for many rural
communities in particular.
"If the government cares about the post office network it
should take heed of Consumer Focus' findings and the warnings
that a 'one size fits all' approach puts services at risk.
"We want the government to be expanding post office
services not reducing them, including introducing a new Post Bank,
which can meet local banking needs."
CWU national officer for postmasters and post office
employees Andy Furey also welcomed the survey,
which he described as "an extremely important contribution to
the debate over the future of post offices.
"We've just agreed with Post Office Limited (POL) a
six-month extension to the crown office network agreement, which
means that all 373 crowns are remaining open while the CWU sits
down with POL to work out how, together, we're going to
modernise our network to the benefit of our hard-working members
and the people they serve.
"And reports such as this one from Consumer Focus strengthen the case for a robust, nationwide post office network, expanding to meet the needs of our people and rewarding the efforts of all who work in it - whether crown office workers or postmasters - providing vital services to their communities," Andy added.
