Postwatch calls for clarification of the social role of rural post offices

Postwatch, the consumer watchdog for postal services, today called on the Government
to clarify the social role that it expects post offices to play in rural communities and to
provide appropriate funding if it wishes to help secure the future of the rural network.
The industry Regulator, Postcomm, has been asked to provide advice to Government by
the end of July on the future of rural post offices from 2006. Postcomm has asked
Postwatch for its views in advance of its submission to Government. Postwatch today
outlined its policy, which includes a need for clarification on the social role of rural post
offices and definition of the nature of the essential services they are expected to provide.
The Postwatch paper suggests that ‘access criteria’ should be established to optimise
rural customers’ access to these essential services. These should include as a
minimum, the distance to the nearest post office, the time it takes customers to get there
and an assessment of the adequacy of public transport provision.
Peter Carr, Chairman of Postwatch said; “Subpostmasters are not purveyors of charity.
They are responsible citizens who have made a significant personal investment upon
which they expect a fair return. It is not enough for Government to say ‘rural post offices
have a social role’. We need to know what that means. If Government believes rural
post offices should perform a social role and act as a channel for government
communication, then a fair price must be paid.
“Future funding should include direct assistance to rural subpostmasters as well as
incentive payments that recognise successful innovation.
“Clear access criteria would underpin many existing rural post offices and may mean that
post office services would need to be established in other rural areas where they
currently do not exist. The current policy of preventing all avoidable rural closures is
welcome insofar as it has helped to slow the closure rate of rural post offices. However,
the network could be strengthened by an approach that is more responsive to local
needs, both by identifying areas that are currently inadequately served by post offices,
and by giving subpostmasters greater freedom in tailoring their businesses to suit local
demand.”
-ENDS-
Notes to Editors:
1. Postwatch’s submission to Postcomm can be found in full under the policy
documents section of the website at www.postwatch.co.uk
2. Information on research commissioned by Postwatch last year into the impact of
post office closures in rural communities can be found at:
http://www.postwatch.co.uk/pdf/pressnews/28.11.02RuralResearch.pdf