Tag: Networks

Fears are growing that dozens of post offices in Northern Ireland could be facing the axe.
A major announcement is expected on April 1 – and the mood is gloomy in the wake of a controversial Government cull in Great Britain.

Royal Mail has announced the closure of 2,500 offices across England, Scotland and Wales.

The Post Office is refusing to comment on possible closures here, but an approach similar to Great Britain would result in the axing of 10-20 per cent of Northern Ireland’s 540 branches.

Last night the Cookstown-based Rural Community Network (RCN) said if such closures experienced in Great Britain were carried over to the Province it would have a devastating effect on pensioners.

“Research has shown that older people in Northern Ireland are significantly more reliant on post offices than in England,” said Mark Allen, RCN research officer.

“What the decision-makers may not appreciate is that to able-bodied people with cars, these closures may not seem significant.

“But to vulnerable pensioners or lone parents, and people with literacy problems, the service is like a bank, community centre and general advice bureau all rolled into one.

“Many postmasters have told us that the services they provide to pensioners fall far outside their official remit, such as helping them fill in important forms and advising them on how to access other essential services.

“And the postmasters are also subject to a draconian confidentiality clause which forbids them from discussing who is to close. If they break confidentiality they could forfeit any compensation.”

Councils will be able to run closure-threatened post offices, the Government confirmed yesterday.

The Post Office had been told to enter into negotiations with councils wanting to take over the running of some of the branches earmarked for closure.

Business Secretary John Hutton has now written to the Post Office, encouraging the company to engage with local authorities.

He said, “If there is a way forward here which might allow more sub-post offices to remain open, while retaining a sustainable network, I am sure the Post Office will want to look very closely at how any such proposals could work in practice.”

Yesterday a Conservative motion aimed at halting the closure programme was defeated in the Commons. The Tories had hoped to persuade an estimated 90 Labour MPs who have campaigned publicly against the closures to vote with them.

Tory spokesman Alan Duncan said Labour should have “no option” but to vote with them, but last night only around 20 did so.

Plaid Cymru’s Westminster leader Elfyn Llwyd said, “There is a terrible whiff of hypocrisy in Westminster. Many Labour ministers and backbenchers are voting in favour of the closure of post offices, while at the same time running around like headless chickens in their constituencies, pretending to campaign in favour of keeping these post offices open.”

The Liberal Democrats said they wanted to de-couple the Royal Mail and Post Office, keeping the latter in the public sector but giving it freedom to develop services for all mail delivery companies.

A 49% stake in Royal Mail would be sold to the private sector, with 50% made available to provide an employee trust for staff on the John Lewis model.

Royal Mail’s plans to close 2,500 post offices could be thrown into disarray after the Mayor of London said yesterday that he would mount a legal challenge in the capital.

If Ken Livingstone is successful, other local authorities across the country could come under pressure to start similar action. He is seeking a judicial review of the closure of nearly 200 post offices in London because of the impact on local communities.

The closure programme across the country, which is being rolled out regionally, has been controversial because Royal Mail’s Post Office division is only allowing a six-week public consultation period.

Post office branches and communities have complained that this is far too short a time to take effective action. The Commons Business and Enterprise Select Committee has also attacked the closures as rushed. There has also been concern because the closures are compulsory and often opposed by the sub-postmasters.

In London, closures have caused more controversy because many post offices are profitable and well used, unlike some in rural areas where they do not get very much trade.

Mr Livingstone said: “Communities in every part of London, especially the most vulnerable people, depend on their local post office. Post Office Ltd has not provided adequate time to consult on its proposals, leaving me with no alternative but to ask lawyers to seek leave to challenge their decision to close 171 post offices in London through a judicial review.”

He said that over the past seven years the number of post offices in London had been cut by 45 per cent while the number of people in the capital had increased. “Now is not the time to be closing post offices but expanding the service.”

Billy Hayes, general secretary of the Communication Workers Union, said: “This is a proportionate response to scandalous behaviour by Post Office Ltd, which seems determined to strip the country of post offices. The consultation has been completely inadequate. We fully support Ken Livingstone’s actions.”