Battle lines drawn in fight to support county post offices

Herefordshire Council is to arrange a series of public meetings across the county as the battle lines were drawn to support post offices facing the axe.

A seminar held at council headquarters in Hereford on Wednesday 3 September, representatives from Post Office Limited heard a catalogue of criticism over their closure plans, which threaten to leave some of the county's most rural areas and vulnerable people without a local post office.

The meeting was chaired by Councillor Adrian Blackshaw, cabinet member for economic development and community services and several Herefordshire councillors, together with Paul Keetch MP, representatives from parish councils, the post office watchdog Post Watch, the Rural Shops Alliance and local post office staff from the county, attended the event.

Ken Parsons, from the Rural Shops Alliance, told the meeting that Herefordshire was the last area in the country to have its post offices reviewed and that lessons could be learned from the few occasions in other areas where the Post Office had changed its mind.

"However, arguments must be based on facts and logic; the Post Office has heard emotional appeals before and it won't make any difference," he warned.

Assurances that the Post Office's consultation would be robust and open were received with scepticism.

Councillor Roger Phillips, leader of Herefordshire Council, warned the Post Office that they will be "monitored very closely" in their handling of the proposed closures.

"There's a lot of cynicism over your consultation programme - indeed, it would appear to us that Herefordshire is being hit by a double whammy.

"We've got the Post Offices you want to close added to those that will close as postmasters retire. This is mass closure by stealth," he told the meeting.

Cllr Phillips also pointed out that the introduction of mobile Post Offices - or outreach Post Offices - was in reality the death knell for post office facilities in rural communities.

MP Paul Keetch said his big concerns were over the plans to close the Post Offices at Redhill in Hereford, and Tudorville in Ross-on-Wye.

Mark Partington, from Post Office Limited responded: "We welcome the scrutiny of our operation, and a mobile facility is not a stepping stone to closure."

Speaking after the meeting, Councillor Adrian Blackshaw said: "This is not the end. This is just the start.

"We know what we've got to do. We will help to arrange public meetings right across the county. We want all residents who write to the post office to protest at the proposed closures to please send a copy to the council, so we can fully represent all corners of the county.

"We've had a guarantee that representatives from the Post Office Ltd will make every effort to attend the public meetings. This is our opportunity to challenge their proposals.

"We need to research our facts and present them in a rational way."

Anyone writing to the Post Office expressing concern at the closure of their local Post Office should also send a copy of their letter to Anthony Bush, parish liaison and rural services officer, Herefordshire Council, Plough Lane, Hereford HR4 0XH, or e-mail him at abush@herefordshire.gov.uk.