Consultations start in Scotland on changes to Post Office network

Post Office Ltd today opened the first local public consultations in Scotland on changes to the Post Office network needed to meet UK Government requirements. Proposals for the future provision of Post Officeservices in Greater Glasgow, Central Scotland and Argyll & Bute have been published today and will remain open for consultation for six weeks until 3 December 2007.

Under the Area Plan Proposals published today, 99.9 pct of the population will either see no change to their nearest branch, or will remain within one mile (by road distance) of an alternative branch.

Post Office Ltd is seeking views on the proposed future service provision in Greater Glasgow, Central Scotland and Argyll & Bute, 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 rural outreach service to be provided.

In addition to the 264 Post Office branches which are proposed to remain open in Greater Glasgow, Central Scotland and Argyll & Bute, three branches in rural Stirlingshire will be replaced with a form of outreach services. The plan also proposes a reduction of 44 branches from the present number of 308.

The plan includes proposed outreach services in three communities in rural Stirlingshire – Buchlyvie, Thornhill and Gargunnock.

Possible types of outreach service 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 shop).

In two postcode districts within Argyll and Bute (PA22 and PA35), Post Office Ltd will be actively seeking to create additional service points in the communities of Otter Ferry and Portsonachan. Post Office Ltd would welcome feedback during the six-week consultation on suitable locations where these services could be provided.

Post Office Ltd’s Network Development Manager for Scotland, Sally Buchanan, said: "Taking the decision to close any Post Office branch is always very difficult and we know will cause concern to many of our customers. We want to ensure that everyone who uses, relies on or has any concern with Post Office® services is both fully aware of the changes we are proposing to meet UK Government requirements, and able to give views on how accessible services will be in the future.

"Post Office Ltd’s aim is to continue to provide essential services and support retail businesses and the local economy in as many communities as possible, subject to the very strict minimum access criteria set by the UK Government.

"In rural parts of the area – where 25 pct of the population live – would be served by a total of 132 branches after these proposals, 77 of which would provide the only access to cash in their communities. Urban parts of the area – where 75 pct of the population live – would be served by a total of 132 branches. A total of 56 branches will specifically serve communities defined as deprived, supporting the UK Government’s focus on the provision of services in these locations.

"As part of these proposals, we will be consulting on our proposed outreach services in Stirlingshire and we also want to hear views from these communities about the kind of service that they think would be suitable."

"We believe that these proposals offer the best prospect for a sustainable way forward for post office services in Greater Glasgow, Central Scotland and Argyll and Bute, bearing in mind the minimum access criteria and the other factors, which we have taken into account."

Under the Area Plan proposals, 89.3 pct of the area’s population in total will see no change at all to their nearest branch. Of the 10.7 pct of the total population who use a branch, which is proposed to close, 6.3 pct of the population will live within a mile, by road distance, from the nearest alternative branch, with 3.9 pct of the population residing with within ½ a mile.

Post Office Ltd has made these proposals after engaging with and taking input from the independent consumer watchdog on postal services, Postwatch, and from local authorities. It has also considered factors relating to geography, the availability of local transport and alternative access to key Post Office services, local demographics and the impact on local economies. Views on all these factors are welcomed during the consultation process.