Official: Labour Axes Local Post Offices
Posted on
Tuesday, 1st April 2008
The announcement, released on the Post Office website, demonstrates once again the total arrogance and cynicism of Mr Brown’s Labour Government.
Ridge Square, Glasson Dock, Higher Greaves and Quernmore Post Offices in Lancaster will close, along with the popular Lighthouse Post Office in Fleetwood.
Despite the efforts of local Conservatives, which included a 1,100 strong petition and the visits of Shadow Post Office Minister, Charles Hendry MP and the Shadow Attorney General, Dominic Grieve MP, Labour have pressed ahead with the unwanted closures.
Eric Ollerenshaw, Lancaster and Fleetwood’s Conservative Parliamentary Candidate, said: “First they take away business from Post Offices, then they claim the Post Offices are uneconomic.
“They pretend to consult on closures and they close them anyway”
“Can this Government be honest about anything it does?”
4 Comments | 
17/5/08
@ 1:06 pm
I agree with the view expression on the website “They pretend to consult on closures and they close them anyway”
“Can this Government be honest about anything it does?”
However, as you tell of Eric’s ‘efforts’ in getting signatures on a petition, I would point out that over 1000 signatures were collected on a petition for keeping Higher Greaves/Bargain Booze Post Office open. These were collected in favour of ONE post office alone. They were collected by LOCAL people in conjunction with LOCAL councillor Sheila Denwood. Sheila is a LABOUR councillor who represents my ward, Scotforth West.
Eric and co. never asked me to sign their petition. Something that I would have done gladly. Why was this? They are keen enough to knock on my door when they want election votes.
By the way, Higher Greaves never issued Road Fund Licences. This meant I always had to go to another PO for these. My preferred one being Bowerham Road as this a local business.
Finally, may I point out that the correct ENGLISH spelling of license is LICENCE. This may be of assistance next time you issue a propaganda leaflet.
19/5/08
@ 2:34 pm
Thanks for your comments, and sorry we didn’t get to you about the petition.
Our petition was on this website, we ran a stall at the Lancaster Market, leafleted freepost petition cards and tried whoever we came across when knocking on doors.
Unfortunately the Government only gave us 6 weeks despite this being below their own recommendations for public consultations.
At least you managed to sign one petition and I don’t have any problems with the fact that it was being taken around by a Labour Councillor.
It’s just another example of how out of touch Brown’s Labour Government and Labour’s Lancashire County Council must be, if they won’t even listen to their own Party’s Councillors!
2/6/08
@ 2:30 am
All very interesting. But tell me Eric, what alternative policy are the Conservatives proposing…
4/6/08
@ 9:14 pm
First, I would have hoped if we had been in power we wouldn’t have gone down the route of stripping business from Post Offices and so creating the decline that gives the Government the excuse to close so many.
But we are where we are, and we are committed to:
1. Rewriting the Sub-Postmasters’ contracts so they can provide a wider range of services and products, including private mail services.
2. We are looking at a scheme where people who have concerns about a range of Government services, such as tax returns and pension entitlements, can use their local Post Office as a kind of ‘Government GP’
3. Campaigning for a Post Office Card Account to cover the one million people who have no bank account.
4. Following the lead of Conservative Essex, we will encourage local authorities to see what services they could provide through Post Offices and whether they can use the network in their area to better engage with local residents.
I hope this gives you some idea that we are serious about preventing any further decline in the basic infrastructure of our local neighbourhoods and villages.
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