GBP 1.5M Post Office fund blocked by executive

STRUGGLING post offices could close because the Scottish Executive won’t handover pounds 1.5million allocated to them by Westminster.

Consignia, which runs the Post Office, hit out at the Executive for failing to give out cash from the Urban Deprived Fund.

They claim around 150 post offices in Scotland’s poorer areas, such as Easterhouse in Glasgow and Wester Hailes in Edinburgh, could benefit.

Spokeswoman Lesley Sawer said Scottish post offices were being treated unfairly compared to those in England and and Wales.

There, sub-postmasters can apply to the Department of Transport, local government and regional authorities for help from the special fund.

She added: “We are keen to get this funding to help deprived areas.

We don’t want Scotland to lose out.”

The money was allocated last April as part of a three – year programme to help small post offices,a lifeline for many communities.

Mervyn Jones, of the National Federation of Sub Post Masters, said: “I can’t see why this money, which was given to the Executive to help urban post offices, isn’t being used for that purpose.”

An Executive spokesman said: “Ministers are still considering the establishment of a support fund.”