Cllr Madeleine Kirk Reports Back on Post Office Summit (York Liberal Democrats)

York Liberal Democrats <info@yorklibdems.org.uk>

Cllr Madeleine Kirk Reports Back on Post Office Summit

May 15, 2008 1:06 PM

Cllr Madeleine Kirk (second from left) and other Lib Dem Post Office Campaigners

Cllr Madeleine Kirk joined campaigners from right across the country at a post office summit organised by the Local Government Association in London yesterday.

Cllr Kirk has been campaigning with other Lib Dem councillors to save post offices across York, including Fulford Post Office which has recently closed.

The summit was attended by over 100 councillors and council officers and heard from speakers including representatives from Post Office Ltd about how councils can work to retain local post offices as community assets.

The summit discussed the current negotiations between Essex County Council and Post Office Ltd for the council to take over 15 threatened post offices by moving post office services to council buildings. The summit also discussed the model in Reading, where a post office has been taken over by the council and run by council staff, but the shop has had to double-up as a card shop to increase its profitability.

On her return to York, Cllr Kirk said: "All of the speakers made it clear that the blame for the current round of closure of 2,500 post offices rests firmly at the feet of this government.

"I heard from Paul Hook of the National Federation of Postmasters, who warned that if the remaining Post Office network of 11,500 were to fall any lower then it would no longer be viable due to economies of scale. I fear that this is something that could have a huge impact on both rural and urban parts of York in the future.

"I was disappointed that, although invited to do so, the Government refused to send a speaker. This is hardly surprising when you consider what an unpopular policy this is and how little confidence the public has in what they say these days."

"On a more positive note, I heard about how some councils have entered into partnership agreements with Post Office Limited which have evidenced real benefits for the community, and I shall be discussing those with my colleagues in the Council as it's vital that we act now if we are to survive potential further closures in 3 or 4 years time."