WITH reference to recent publicity on the closure of Post Offices, I hope you will allow me to express my concerns. I have been involved in Post Office employment for over 40 years. In rural Britain the Post Office is the hub of the community, its loss is a severe dent.
But are politicians determined to kill off another British industry? They have succeeded in killing off ? the railways, coal and steel industries ? fishing and farming etc etc. Looking back over the past 20 years one can ask whether there has been a long term plan.
Past Governments never allowed sufficient investment. I recall when the Post Office was profitable, a vast percentage was pealed off by the Treasury.
The Post office missed the opportunity to enter the banking system when Alliance and Leicester was allowed to purchase National Girobank.
In the last decade we saw wholesale closures of Crown Post Offices, to be relocated as Sub Offices at the rear of newsagents or sweet shops etc.
Now we are told;
Up to a third of urban Post Offices are to close and the sub-postmasters will be paid to get out.
The Government are introducing payment of pensions and allowances direct into bank accounts from next year. This move I am sure will result in closure of many rural Post
Offices, because of the fall in salary due to the pay structure sub-postmasters work under.
Furthermore, what is more worrying:
Sub Post Office Start up Capital Subsidy Scheme is not always honoured by the Department of Trade and Industry, as in the case of South Zeal.
National Federation of Sub Postmasters? pay negotiators were told ?that there is no money available whatsoever at present to supplement agents? pay?.
So I ask, is there a plan to kill off the Post Office? Do I smell a rat? In the staff newspaper ?Courier? an article headed ?Euro backing for network reinvention? states: ?The European Commission has endorsed
Consignia?s network reinvention proposals ? raising no objections under EU state aid or competition rules. The proposals ? still to be approved by the UK Parliament ? will involve the restructuring of the network by the closure of up to 3,000 urban Post Office branches over the next three ears.?
Rural communities can do their bit to try to preserve the rural Post Office. It would be advisable for recipients of pensions and allowances to choose the Post office Card Account when they receive their options in the forthcoming months.
Dave Weeks
Courtlyns
Exbourne