SANDRA OSBORNE MP responds to new proposals for the Post Office Network

Ayr Carrick & Cumnock MP, Sandra Osborne, was present in the House of Commons last week to hear the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, Alistair Darling MP, make a statement outlining Government proposals to put the Post Office Network on a sustainable footing. These proposals are now published in a consultation document.
 
Sandra said,
‘ The overall package of proposals is generally welcome as it will be a major step forward in arresting the current decline and uncertainty in the Post Office network. At last there will be a structured plan to create a sustainable future which is underpinned by a commitment to invest £1.7 billion between now and 2011.

The proposals have been supported by the National Federation of Postmasters and Postwatch Scotland. They recognise that a phased closure of 2500 post offices is a necessary part of achieving a viable network in both urban and rural areas.

Measures will be taken to ensure that deprived urban areas and remote areas are protected and there will be criteria to ensure that 99% of the population must live within 3 miles and 90% within 1 mile of Post Office Services. There will also be a
compensation package for postmasters who close their offices.

It is an undeniable fact that fewer and fewer people have been using post offices preferring instead to have payments made directly into bank accounts. There is also increasing use of the internet and this is set to continue.

However, it is also true that government business has been withdrawn from post offices. I very much welcome the decision to replace the Post office Card Account when the current contract runs out so that people can continue to withdraw their benefit from the post office. I know that this was a very important factor locally and I am proud that we managed to influence that decision with the petition I presented to the Government on behalf of thousands of my constituents.

I will be pressing the Government to provide further opportunities for services needed by local communities. Consultation with the local Councils will also take place to look at the potential for collaboration with local post offices.

I was particularly pleased to hear that the £150 million per year support for rural post offices will also continue. However I do have concerns about the proposals for rural areas which I raised with the Secretary of State on the floor of the House following his statement.

Post Office Ltd has been testing a ‘hub and spoke’ services in rural areas in all parts of the UK for over a year. This has involved alternative means of providing post office services and a total of 250,000 people now have an outreach location as their nearest post office service.

There are four main types of outreach suggested including a full mobile service visiting a number of locations at set times; a hosted service offered by the sub postmaster; a partner service provided by another retailer alongside their main business for example a petrol station or a pub but overseen by a postmaster and finally a home service offered via telephone or internet ordering which the sub postmaster then delivers in person or by post.

Whilst I would not dismiss these ideas out of hand, as I said in the House of Commons, the Post Office in some villages is also the only local shop and a lynch pin in the community. I am very much aware of this. I went out and spoke in detail to sub postmasters and their customers which gave me a great insight into the role of the Post Office in community life.
 
I am also aware that local sub postmasters will be anxious to hear the details contained in the consultation document and how it is likely to affect them. I will therefore be organising another meeting with them early in the new year so that we can discuss how best to respond .I will be pressing for   any changes affecting our area to be  based on a common sense approach which take account of the social needs in our urban and rural areas .’