Fears for thousands more post offices

Jun 2 2008 by Haydon Wood, Liverpool Daily Post

FEARS that thousands more post offices could shut after the current 2,500 closure programme ends were voiced by the chairman of a committee of MPs yesterday.

The Business and Enterprise Select Committee said it welcomed government intentions to keep the network at 11,500 branches between now and 2011, but MPs added that they were concerned the Post Office did not believe it was possible to set a minimum number of outlets.

Committee chairman Peter Luff (Conservative, Mid Worcestershire) said there could be a further 4,000 closures, mainly if sub-postmasters retired and were not replaced.

“There could be no compulsion to replace sub-postmasters who retire,” Mr Luff said.

The report noted that the Post Office had estimated a network of around 7,500 would meet the national criteria for access to branches, although government funding and the company’s business case were both based on the number of outlets remaining at 11,500 after the current closure programme is completed later this year.

The MPs claimed that consultation on post office closures had been “rushed”.

“We do not think it is satisfactory simply to accept that the network may continue to shrink in an unplanned way between now and 2011. Post Office Ltd should be obliged to use its best endeavours to keep the network at a minimum of 11,500 fixed outlets,” said the report.

“While Post Office Ltd has no plan or desire to see any further reduction in the overall size of the post office network, it does not believe it is possible or desirable to set a minimum number of fixed outlets.”