Decision Announcement on Glasgow, Central Scotland and Argyll and Bute Area Plan

Post Office Ltd today (January 9 2008) announced decisions on the future of Post Office® branches across Greater Glasgow, Central Scotland and Argyll & Bute, following a six week public consultation ending on 3 December 2007.

Post Office® services will continue to be provided through a network of 264 branches, which supports the national accessibility criteria introduced by the UK Government and ensures that 99.9 pct of the area’s population will either see no change to their existing branch or will remain within one mile (by road distance) of an alternative branch.

The plan confirmed today also means that 40 branches will close within this area plan, with the first closures scheduled to take place in February. These branches were detailed in the Area Plan proposal published on 23 October 2007.

During this first six-week local public consultation, Post Office Ltd received around 5,665 responses and attended 35 meetings with customers and their representatives to understand customers’ concerns. This also helped to ensure that all information provided by customers formed part of the final decision regarding each affected branch in the area plan.

Four branches originally proposed for closure – Cultenhove in Stirling, Auchenback in Barrhead, Kelvindale and Hyndland in Glasgow – will now remain open following a review of the issues raised during consultation. These issues related to the factors of geography, the availability of local transport and access to alternative branches, local demographics and the impact on local economics.

At Cultenhove, having taken into account local feedback, Post Office Ltd was concerned that closure would severely disadvantage vulnerable groups in the area and that alternative branches were not sufficiently easy to reach.

In Auchenback in Barrhead, further review during consultation, demonstrated the difficulties that customers would face reaching an alternative branch.

During consultation, feedback relating to Kelvindale Post Office highlighted the lack of transport to one of the alternative branches at Hillhead. We also noted the regeneration plans by Tesco Plc to redevelop its store at Maryhill, which also hosts a Post Office branch.

Post Office Ltd has also removed Hyndland Post Office branch from the plan following further consideration into the proximity and impact on alternative branches and bus routes in the area.

In addition, a suggestion to run Kirn Post Office on the outskirts of Dunoon, as a locally-funded Post Office was put forward during the public consultation period. As a result, Post Office Ltd has decided to confirm the closure of this branch, but to delay the implementation of the closure by three months whilst the Kirn community develops its proposals further.

These decisions have been reached after consultation. Postwatch, the consumer body representing Post Office® customers, has verified the correct consultation procedures were followed.

Post Office Ltd is proposing the closure of four further branches in this area plan in order to ensure that the planned future network can be supported by the available funding from UK Government and meets the criteria it has set, including the requirement that no part of the UK is advantaged or disadvantaged relative to other areas.

These replacement branches are – Pollokshaws in Glasgow, University branch, Stirling, Westmuir Street, Glasgow and Clynder in Helensburgh. Six weeks public consultation on these proposals will start on 22 January 2008 and all representations should be received by 3 March 2008.