COUNCIL RESPONDS TO POST OFFICE CLOSURE PLANS
Posted: Wed Feb 14, 2007 1:58 pmArgyll and Bute Council has written to the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) asking it to end its Post Office closure programme.
More than one quarter of Argyll and Bute’s Post Offices are facing closure under the proposals from Government ministers to shut 2,500 Post Office branches across the UK.
At a meeting of the Full Council on Tuesday (February 13th), members voted unanimously to submit a response to the DTI consultation, highlighting the importance of Post Offices to rural communities and the need for the Government to invest in the network.
Argyll and Bute Council Leader, Councillor Allan Macaskill, said: “The DTI’s exempt postcode areas will only protect eight Post Offices in Argyll and Bute, out of a total of 99.
“Argyll and Bute’s island population is significant and often the most vulnerable.
“The access criteria should include a specific statement that any island community will be guaranteed a minimum of one Post Office.
“Without this guarantee many island communities will feel even more vulnerable and find it harder to sustain a viable mix of business and population.”
“We want the best outcome for Argyll and Bute and we want to help protect public access to these vital services.”
Members also agreed a detailed response to the questions in the DTI consultation, including a request that the Post Office be required to consult the Council on future changes to the Post Office network.
More than one quarter of Argyll and Bute’s Post Offices are facing closure under the proposals from Government ministers to shut 2,500 Post Office branches across the UK.
At a meeting of the Full Council on Tuesday (February 13th), members voted unanimously to submit a response to the DTI consultation, highlighting the importance of Post Offices to rural communities and the need for the Government to invest in the network.
Argyll and Bute Council Leader, Councillor Allan Macaskill, said: “The DTI’s exempt postcode areas will only protect eight Post Offices in Argyll and Bute, out of a total of 99.
“Argyll and Bute’s island population is significant and often the most vulnerable.
“The access criteria should include a specific statement that any island community will be guaranteed a minimum of one Post Office.
“Without this guarantee many island communities will feel even more vulnerable and find it harder to sustain a viable mix of business and population.”
“We want the best outcome for Argyll and Bute and we want to help protect public access to these vital services.”
Members also agreed a detailed response to the questions in the DTI consultation, including a request that the Post Office be required to consult the Council on future changes to the Post Office network.