Post office closures will hit vulnerable people hardest (From Cotswold Journal)

Post office closures will hit vulnerable people hardest

12:29pm Thursday 3rd July 2008 in News

VULNERABLE members of society will have the most to lose if village post offices close, warns one of Shipston's civic leaders.

Councillor Chris Saint, Shipston's Conservative representative on Warwickshire County Council, spoke after Post Office Ltd announced its proposal to downgrade three of its branches near the town.

The company announced it was proposing to replace its Brailes, Ilmington and Long Compton post offices with outreach services, which will involve mobile post offices visiting these villages.

It also proposes replacing two other Warwickshire branches with outreach services and closing 51 branches throughout Birmingham, Coventry and Warwickshire.

With sub-postmasters confirming their businesses have declined since they were no longer needed for pension payments, the company says the closures are the best way to make its service sustainable.

The company is consulting the public about its proposals until Monday, August 4.

It will then decide the branches' fates on or around Friday, August 29.

At a full council meeting, the Tories claimed the proposals would see 12 per cent of Warwickshire's post offices close.

Cllr Saint, the council's economic development portfolio holder, opened the debate by saying: "Post Offices are local businesses that provide business services to firms and the general public alike.

"Your local authorities have been working together for some months to plan ahead for any reduction in services that may be imposed and we are very concerned that the most vulnerable members of our communities have the most to lose."

He described the proposals as "just not acceptable", saying that Ilmington and Brailes' services would be cut to eight hours weekly and Long Compton's to 10 hours a week, in an area where there are many home-based businesses that rely on postal services.

Brailes Post Office is in High Street, Lower Brailes; Ilmington Stores and Post Office is in Middle Street, Ilmington and Long Compton Post Office is in Main Street, Long Compton.