Huntingdonshire councillors are in full support of a number of proposals to help improve and maintain local post offices, after a unanimous decision was made at a full meeting of the council on Wednesday 27 June 2007.
The debate took place following an announcement by the secretary of State for Trade and Industry stated that a further 2,500 post offices will close by Spring 2009.
The aim of the district council’s proposals is to reduce the “devastating impact” the closure of post offices is likely to have on local communities.
Leader of the council, Councillor Ian Bates announced that he will write to Post Office Limited asking them to take the following into account in their consultation process;
- To extend the range of transactions that can be undertaken at sub-post offices to improve business opportunities and generate extra income
- Have special regard to public transport and accessibility criteria when considering the closure of post offices in rural locations
- Extend the number of new ‘outreach’ outlets, such as mobile post offices or operating from village halls in remote communities
- Extend the consultation period on closures in lice with Cabinet Office best practice, and
- Devolve greater responsibility for future decisions on post offices to local level.
Councillor Bates said: “This council is in full support of our post offices, particularly those in our rural areas. They play a large role in our communities and we need to help sustain them, not neglect them. Post offices provide vital services; if they close it may have a knock on effect for many other services in the district”.
The motion was seconded by Councillor Kevin Reynolds who said, “Closure of our post offices would be a serious loss. We need to get the local communities behind the proposals and create a campaign to a similar scale as save the hospital if we are to prevent their closure”.