Post office services may move to council buildings in Southampton
Threatened post office services in Southampton could be moved inside council owned buildings to save them from closure plans.
Services could be located in housing offices, leisure centres and libraries and a mobile post office could be launched if five city post office branches get the axe.
Liberal Democrat and Labour city councillors have agreed to explore whether the move would be feasible under new powers given to local councils.
Lib Dem councillor Ann Milton who floated the idea said there was “profound concern” for the impact the closures would have on communities, especially on elderly and disabled people.
However the minority Tory administration voted against her motion, saying although it was an admirable idea it wouldn’t work in practice and blamed the Labour Government for allowing too many services to leave post offices.
The move comes as Southampton Test MP Alan Whitehead is calling on Post Office bosses to postpone their closure decision.
Mr Whitehead claims urban obstacles’ to alternative branches such as busy dual carriageways and dimly lit parks and underpasses have not been considered.
Mr Whitehead said: “They can act as a real impediment to customers trying to get somewhere on foot.
“The Post Office Network needs to demonstrate that they have taken into account the kinds of obstacles faced by my constituents, and they have so far fundamentally failed to do so.”
The MP is calling for a review of the plans until urban obstacles have been clarified.
Under the closure plans customers losing their local branch are supposed to be within a one-mile road distance of another post office.
A Post Office spokesman said: “In developing our proposals for an area a number of criteria are considered, including the routes to alternative Post Office branches, the availability of public transport as well as the demographics of the locality and the impact on local economies.
“It is worth noting that the four branches which are proposed to close within the Southampton Test constituency referred to by Mr Whitehead are all within a mile of an alternative branch.”
In Hampshire the Post Office plans to shut 62 of its 291 full-time sub post offices in both rural and urban areas Watchdog Postwatch has urged customers to take part in the consultation process over the closures.
