Local MP Norman Baker has today warned that the decision of the Government to close down 2,500 post offices could have grave ramifications for his constituency and that virtually all rural post offices locally could close, such is the magnitude of the announcement.
The new round of closures is due to start shortly, and will run until October 2008.
Under the plans, 46 area plans will be produced for areas across the UK, and there will be a period of six weeks of consultation to allow the public to have their say on the matter. The government has made it clear, however, that the figures of 2,500 closures is not negotiable.
Norman says: "I wholeheartedly condemn this latest round of post office closures. It seems as though successive governments have made it their mission to significantly erode the coverage of service provided by the post office, with all the negative consequences that closures have, particularly for rural communities.
"It is certain that a large number of post offices in rural areas in my constituency now face the threat of closure.
"Already there are some areas in my constituency where previous post office closures have left local communities struggling to cope.
"The only safeguard we are offered is an assurance from the government that in rural areas 95 percent of the population should be within three miles of a post office. If applied rigidly, that will see the closure of many offices such as Alfriston, Glynde and Ditchling.
"You have to ask what the point is of a consultation exercise if the result has already been decided.
"I would like to assure my constituents that I will work hard to make sure that the negative consequences of the government's Post Office closures programme will be kept to a minimum."
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Contact Norman at:
Norman Baker,
23 East Street,
Lewes,
East Sussex,
BN7 2LJ.
Tel: (01273) 480281.
Fax: (01273) 480287.
Email: info
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