Consultation starts on changes to post office network in Cumbria
Post Office Ltd opened a six-week local public consultation on its Area Plan for Cumbria 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 226 branches across the area, including 10 outreach outlets, while 35 existing branches would close (see full list below).
Under the proposals, 98.5% of the area’s population will either see no change, or will remain within one mile of an alternative branch.
The 10 outreach services 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 outlet could include a mobile service visiting small communities at set times, a hosted service operated within a 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 is now available from Post Office Ltd at www.postoffice.co.uk/networkchange, by emailing: [email protected] or by writing to: Post Office Ltd, Freepost Consultation Team (no stamp required).
Post Office Ltd is now seeking views on the proposed future service provision in the area, 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 to be provided.
In the run-up to the local elections taking place in England and Wales, on 10 April 2008 and on 2 May 2008, Post Office Ltd will be suspending consultation activity, including participating in public meetings, and will not announce any final decisions regarding closures or replacement outreach services. This is in line with the usual guidelines regarding such elections.
Additionally in this instance, we have extended public consultation by two working days to allow for the holiday period over Easter. The local public consultation usually lasts for a period of six weeks; however, public consultation will end on 27 May .
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 to support a more sustainable network in the future. The proposals now published support the national accessibility criteria introduced by the Government.
Richard Lynds, Post Office Ltd’s Network Development Manager for the North West,
said: "Taking the decision to close any Post Office branch is always very difficult and we know it 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 proposed changes and able to give views on them.
"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 minimum access set by the Government. Rural parts of Cumbria – where 62.1% of the population live – would be served by a total of 190 branches. Urban areas would be served by 36 post offices, including nine branches which will specifically serve communities defined as deprived, supporting the Government’s focus on the provision of services in these locations.
"We believe these proposals offer the best prospect for a sustainable way forward for Post Office services in this area, bearing in mind the minimum access criteria and the other factors we have to take into account."
Under the Area Plan proposals, 89.6% of the area’s population will see no change at all to their nearest branch. A further 8.9% would have access to Post Office services within one mile by road distance from the nearest alternative branch, with 5.4% being within half a mile.
Post Office Ltd has reached these proposals after engaging with, and taking input from, the independent consumer watchdog for postal services, Postwatch, and from all local authorities within the area, and has 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.
Post Office branches in the following parliamentary constituencies are included in this Area Plan:
Barrow and Furness, Carlisle, Copeland, Penrith and the Border, Westmorland and Lonsdale, and Workington.
The Government criteria:
Nationally:
• 99% of the UK population to be within 3 miles and 90% of the population to be within 1 mile of their nearest Post Office branch.
• 99% of the total population in deprived urban(1) areas across the UK to be within 1 mile of their nearest Post Office branch.
• 95% of the total urban(2) population across the UK to be within 1 mile of their nearest Post Office branch.
• 95% of the total rural(3) population across the UK to be within 3 miles of their nearest Post Office branch.
In addition, for each individual postcode district:
• 95% of the population of the postcode district to be within six miles of their nearest Post Office branch.
(1) Deprived urban – The most disadvantaged urban parts of the UK based on the Indices of Multiple Deprivation (top 15% Super Output Areas in England, 15% of Data Zones in Scotland and 30% of Super Output Areas in Wales and Northern Ireland).
(2) Urban – A community with 10,000 or more inhabitants in a continuous built up area.
(3) Rural – A community not covered by the definition of Urban above.
The following Post Office branches are proposed for replacement by an outreach outlet:
Bewcastle, Lyne Bank, Bewcastle, Carlisle, CA6 6PW
Brough, Main Street, Brough, Kirkby Stephen, CA17 4BL
Hallbankgate, Penrith Co-operative Society, Hallbankgate, Brampton, CA8 2NJ
Castle Carrock, Castle Carrock, Brampton, CA8 9LT
Hayton Carlisle, Hayton Stores, Hayton, Carlisle, CA8 9HR
Irthington, Irthington, Carlisle, CA6 4NN
Dent, Main Street, Dent, Sedbergh, LA10 5QL
Endmoor, Endmoor, Kendal, LA8 0EU
Greenodd, Main Street, Greenodd, Ulverston, LA12 7RB
Leven Valley, Glendale, Backbarrow, Ulverston, LA12 8RB
The following Post Office branches are proposed for closure as part of this Area Plan:
Anty Cross, 19 Ruskin Avenue, Dalton-In-Furness, LA15 8LU
Bardsea, The Yews, Bardsea, Ulverston, LA12 9QT
Douglas Street, 16 Douglas Street, Walney Island, Barrow-In-Furness, LA14 3QQ
Rawlinson Street, 149 Rawlinson Street, Barrow-In-Furness, LA14 1BB
Swarthmoor, 56-58 Fox Street, Swarthmoor, Ulverston, LA12 0HT
Botcherby, 1 Wood Street, Botcherby, Carlisle, CA1 2SF
Denton Holme, 125 Denton Street, Carlisle, CA2 5EN
Great Orton, Great Orton, Carlisle, CA5 6NA
Upperby, SPAR Convenience Store, 36 Lamb Street, Carlisle, CA2 4NF
Beckermet, Newlands, Beckermet, CA21 2XB
Bigrigg, Springfield Road, Bigrigg, Egremont, CA22 2TN
Gosforth (Temporarily Closed), The Lakeland Habit, Gosforth, Seascale, CA20 1EJ
Holborn Hill, 49 Holborn Hill, Millom, LA18 5BJ
Lowca, Lowca, Whitehaven, CA28 6QH
Moor Row, 1 Church Street, Moor Row, Carlisle, CA24 3JG
Parton, Village Hall, Main Street, Parton, Whitehaven, CA28 6NY
Tangier Street, 12 Tangier Street, Whitehaven, CA28 7UX
Bolton, Bolton, Appleby-In-Westmorland, CA16 6AL
Knock, Knock, Appleby-In-Westmorland, CA16 6DL
Melmerby (Temporarily Closed), Melmerby and Fellside Village Shop, Melmerby, Penrith, CA10 1HN
Penton, Bessietown, Catlowdy, Penton, Carlisle, CA6 5QP
Scotland Road, Townhead Garage, Scotland Road, Penrith, CA11 7NN
Beetham, Yew Tree House, Church Road, Beetham, Milnthorpe, LA7 7AL
Cark In Cartmel, 112 Station Roads, Cark In Cartmel, Grange-Over-Sands, LA11 7NY
Grange Fell, 20 Fell Cottages, Grange-Over-Sands, LA11 6AH
Heathwaite, 17 Park Road, Windermere, LA23 2BE
Longpool, 14 Wildman Street, Kendal, LA9 6EN
Brigham, High Brigham, Cockermouth, CA13 0TG
Broughton Moor (Temporarily Closed), The Miners Arms, Broughton Moor, Maryport, CA15 7RY
Camerton, Silver Dawn, Camerton, Workington, CA14 1LS
Crosby, 21 Garborough Close, Crosby, Maryport, CA15 6RY
Grasslot, 2 Grasslot, Maryport, CA15 8BU
Hayton, Aspatria, Carlisle, CA7 2PD
High Harrington, 1 Scaw Road, CA14 4LU
Vulcans Lane, Workington, CA14 2NX
A full list of the 216 post offices in this area which would remain unaffected under these proposals is available upon request.
The public consultation period for this Plan begins on 18 March 2008 and all representations should be received by 27 May 2008.
Post Office Ltd must reduce the number of branches and this is being implemented through a programme of change known as the ‘Network Change Programme’. The purpose of the local public consultation for this area is to obtain views to assist Post Office Limited in selecting the appropriate branches for closure or closure and replacement with an Outreach Service’
To express their views, people should write to Richard Lynds, Network Development Manager, c/o National Consultation Team, FREEPOST CONSULTATION TEAM, email: [email protected] or call the Customer Helpline: 08457 22 33 44.
