Lynne Jones

Labour Party | Birmingham Selly Oak

Local MPs Lynne Jones and Richard Burden have today welcomed the decision by Post Office Ltd not to close The Green Post Office in Kings Norton

Tuesday, 27 August 2008

Local MPs Lynne Jones and Richard Burden have today welcomed the decision by Post Office Ltd not to close The Green Post Office in Kings Norton.

Under the Network Change proposals published in June, the post office on The Green had been earmarked for closure. However, following a strong campaign from local residents and a joint submission to the public consultation by Lynne Jones MP, Richard Burden MP and local community representatives*, the branch has been given the go-ahead to continue operating as normal.

Middlemore Road Post Office in Northfield had also been proposed for closure under the plans. Both MPs have been working with local residents**, the Chair of the Council’s Northfield Constituency Committee and the sub-postmaster at Middlemore Road to call on Post Office Ltd to reconsider its proposal. Unfortunately Post Office Ltd has decided to proceed with the closure of Middlemore Road Post Office.

Lynne Jones said: ‘I am delighted that Post Office Ltd has reconsidered its proposal to close The Green Post Office.

‘It would have been a bad business decision on the part of Post Office Ltd to shut this particular branch. The sub-postmaster has recently extended the range of services on offer and there is potential for further expansion. The increasingly positive business environment of the Kings Norton Green shopping area also means that it would have made little sense to close down the Post Office, thereby not only undermining local business but also depriving the Post Office itself of further business.

‘I am very pleased that Post Office Ltd has listened to our concerns about the unsuitability of the most likely alternative Post Offices at The Fold and Cotteridge. The closure of The Green would have left residents in Kings Norton with limited access to Post Office facilities – and in particular older residents and those with mobility problems. It was heartening to see such strong local support from the public: in less than a month 2,703 people signed the petition to show their support for The Green Post Office.

‘I am, however, bitterly disappointed that Middlemore Road Post Office is going to close. Although this post office falls within the Northfield constituency boundary, the closure of this branch will almost certainly affect my constituents, who received a set back when Wychall Road Post Office was closed in 2004.’

Richard Burden said: ‘It is fantastic news that The Green Post Office will remain open. Over the last few months Lynne Jones and I have been working with the local community to get their voice heard. I am pleased that today Post Office Ltd has confirmed that they received the message loud and clear. The case we put to them showed they had some serious thinking to do. I am pleased that they have listened and come to the right decision that The Green Post Office should not be closed.’

‘It is, of course, very disappointing that Post Office Ltd has announced it intends to proceed with the closure of Middlemore Road. I have said all along that Post Office Ltd has got some difficult decisions to make – but I am still not convinced that Post Office Ltd has made the right decision about this closure.

‘Middlemore Road Post Office provides an important service to the community – especially to disabled and older customers who live nearby. The alternative post office branches are simply not as accessible as Post Office Ltd hopes – as seen in a DVD we showed to Post Office Ltd highlighting the graphic reality of a wheelchair user trying to get to Tessall Post Office.

‘This closure has thrown up a wider issue of the difficulties people with mobility problems have in accessing public transport in Northfield. This will certainly need to be addressed if the closure goes ahead and I will continue to campaign with local residents to make sure that elderly and vulnerable people can access local transport and continue to access local post office facilities.’