James Cunningham

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Commond leader considers Coventry post office debate

JIM Cunningham MP told the Commons of his ‘great fear’ over Coventry’s Post Office reorganisation.

The Coventry South MP expressed his concern to Commons Leader Jack Straw who promised to consider a request for a debate on the issue.

Mr Cunningham is campaigning against moves to relocate both the city’s main sorting office to Northampton and the Hertford Street-based Crown post office to WH Smith.

The Labour MP tabled an Early Day Motion on the sorting office issue last year and will meet Post Office managing director Alan Cook on May 9 in London to discuss the WH Smith move.

During the Commons debate, Mr Cunningham asked Mr Straw: “May we have a debate on post office reorganisations in Coventry? As my right hon. Friend knows, there is great fear among people in Coventry that the relocation of the Hertford street Crown post office to WH Smith will lead to a deterioration in the service. The relocation of the main sorting office to Northampton will also lead to a deterioration in the service and possible redundancies.”

Mr Straw responded: that he would ‘think carefully about the request’, adding “We will see what we can do.”

Speaking after the debate, Mr Cunningham said: “I am pleased Jack Straw has promised to listen to the concerns of many people in Coventry over these two proposals.

“I remain concerned the moves to close the Hertford Street post office and relocate the sorting to Northampton will affect the quality of service  for the general public and I certainly do not accept that either of the two proposals are a done deal.”