Consultation Starts on Changes to Post Office Network – East Midlands

Post Office Ltd today opened a six week local public consultation on its Area Plan for the East Midlands. In line with the criteria and factors set by the Government in its Response document, DTI The Post Office Network, Government response to public consultation May 2007(www.dti.gov.uk/consultations/page36024.html) the Area Plan proposes future provision of Post Office services through a network of 360 branches across the area, resulting in the closure of 77 existing branches.

Under the proposals, more than 99 pct of the area’s population will either see no change to their nearest branch, or will remain within one mile (by road distance) of an alternative branch.

In addition to the 360 branches which are proposed to remain in the East Midlands area, Post Office Ltd is proposing to establish 11 outreach services, which would use innovative ways to continue to provide Post Office services- particularly in smaller communities – where the existing branch is proposed for closure.

Possible types of outreach service in the East Midlands could include a mobile service visiting small communities at set times, a hosted service operated within third party premises for restricted hours each week, or a partner service within the premises of a local partner (such as a pub landlord)

The detailed Area Plan proposal for the East Midlands area is now available. To obtain a copy visit www.postoffice.co.uk/networkchange or write to Post Office Ltd at Freepost Consultation (no stamp required), or email [email protected] Post Office Ltd is now seeking views on the proposed future service provision in the area, including in particular views on access to Post Office® services, the accessibility of alternative branches to those proposed for closure and the appropriate form of outreach service to be provided. Consultation is due to end on 12 November 2007.

The Government has already undertaken a 12 week national consultation before reaching a decision to reduce the UK wide network of Post Office branches by up to 2,500 from its current level of over 14,000, while continuing to provide funding (subject to EU state aid clearance) to support a more sustainable network in the future. The proposals now published support the national accessibility criteria introduced by the Government

Under the Area Plan Proposals, 91 pct of the area’s population will see no change at all to their nearest branch. A further 8.5 pct live less than one mile, by road distance, from the nearest alternative branch, with 2.2 pct within half a mile.