| Topic: | Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Save our local Post Offices? Is Essex Council showing the way? | |
| Posted by: | John Horrocks | |
| Date/Time: | 15/03/08 11:43:00 |
| The public meeting at St Mary's Church last Thursday, to discuss the proposed closure of the two post offices in Thamesfield Ward was attended by 150 people. They unnanimously agreed they were opposed to the closures. The meeting showed that there is all-party support for the retention of these post offices. Liberal Democrat, Labour and Conservative speakers all came out strongly against closure. A questioner raised the issue of the Essex County Council moves to save its post offices and said he hoped that Wandsworth Council would look into this possibility. His question prompted a strong round of applause from the audience. Councillor Maurice Heaster, who chaired the meeting, gave a carefully considered reply. Whilst he welcomed the Essex moves, he pointed out that the circumstances in Essex are rather different from those in Wandsworth. In particular, Post Offices Ltd have made their final decision just which post offices to close in Essex, something which remains a little way off here. Cllr Heaster argued that we should all concentrate, now, on doing all we can to save our local post offices. If, at the end of the process, we are not successful, then that would be the time to start considering what our Council might do to keep the services open and available to local residents. I understand that Post Offices Ltd plan to make their final closure decision on Wandsworth's post offices in July. When we know what that decision is, we may need (but I do hope not), then, to ask the Council to see what lessons we can all learn from the Essex arrangements to save their post office services. Watch this space! |