Post offices get a vital ally

Dec 8 2007 by Vicky Anderson, Liverpool Daily Post

LIVERPOOL City Council is pitching into the battle to save seven Liverpool post offices under threat of closure.

Members of the council’s executive board said it would aim for a regeneration of existing post offices as it believes Royal Mail could save money – a proposed £3m – in other ways.

Councillors meeting yesterday said the proposed closures neglected some of the poorest communities in the city.

Cllr Warren Bradley, leader of the council, said: “What we have to do as a city council is put forward a regeneration agreement that will hopefully retain some of that seven from closure – I don’t think we’ll save them all but there is no reason why we can’t save some of them.” He said that representatives from Post Office had agreed that, if the city council can make a case to save each branch under threat, they would be considered on their individual merits.

Cllr Mike Storey said: “The heart is being torn out of our communities. In the ’80s and ’90s it was local police stations, then the development of superstores.

“We have seen the closure of local post offices and are shortly to see the doctor’s surgeries turn into super-surgeries, you can’t for love nor money find an NHS dentist – communities are under attack.”

The city council has until December 17 to put forward its case to the Post Office.

The seven facing closure are in the constituencies of Garston, Riverside, Walton, Wavertree, and West Derby.

Last month, it was revealed that some post office closures will be put on hold in the run-up to local elections next year.

In a letter to sub-postmasters, Post Office Ltd said it had been asked by the Government to halt part of its network shake-up during the elections.

Public consultations have begun on the closure of 2,500 branches.

The letter said: “As you will be aware, the closure of any post office can be highly sensitive and can potentially become a local political issue.

“For that reason, we have been asked by Government to introduce a freeze on some elements of the Network Change Programme during the run-up to these elections.”

There will be no public consultations or any final closure decisions between April 7 and May 2, the period immediately before local elections.

Consultations will be conducted regionally. Some will be brought forward, while others will be delayed until after May 2.

The spokesman was unable to specify how many branches would be affected.

vickyanderson