Minister tackled on post office funding

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Cllr Heaster warns Pat McFadden of the devasting inpact shutting post offices

The council has called on the post office minister to spell out how he plans to support council-sponsored rescue packages for local branches faced with closure.

In a letter to Pat McFadden MP, deputy council leader Maurice Heaster warned him of the devastating impact the Government's decision to shut down 2,500 post offices nationally was having in Wandsworth.

If the latest round of closures go ahead it will mean that in just five years the borough will have lost half its branch network.

In some rural areas where closures have already been confirmed councils have been looking at plans to save some of the more remote branches. The minister, while expressing support for the councils' initiatives, has closed the door on any funding.

In his letter Cllr Heaster pictured below said:

"As a council we are keen to explore all the options for retaining these vital community facilities. We note with interest your comments in the media that you will support council initiatives that seek to keep branches open.

"We understand that the current government subsidy for the network amounts to £150m and that this will continue until 2011. It has also been reported that the current closure round will save the Post Office £45m.

"If the Government is serious about encouraging councils' 'rescue' plans it must consider the financing issues and whether some of the money it is saving through the run-down of the network can be made available for these initiatives. I appreciate that your immediate reaction has been that no government money will be forthcoming. However now that you are becoming aware of the seriousness of the proposals now emerging, I am sure you will want to reconsider this unhelpful stance.

"The Government is saving money by closing post offices. Councils, whose own finances are tightly constrained by government, have expressed interest in helping ministers reduce the impact of those closures.  My own council would be interested in working with ministers to identify potential solutions in our borough, but it would clearly be inequitable if the costs were to fall entirely on council tax payers.

"We are therefore requesting a meeting with you to discuss the financial framework for future proposals."

Cllr Heaster chaired a public meeting in Putney last night where two branches - 209 Lower Richmond Road and 279 Putney Bridge Road - are under threat. The meeting, which was attended by 150 people, voted unanimously to oppose the closures.

There are two further meetings next week, both starting at 7.30pm:

Tooting
Wednesday, March 19
Samaj Hall, 26b Tooting High Street, SW17.

Battersea
Thursday, March 20
St Stephen's Church, Battersea, SW11

For more information on the latest closures visit www.wandsworth.gov.uk/postoffices

Wandsworth Council is distributing freepost consultation response cards to every home in the borough. People can return these to the council by March 24. No stamp is needed. The council will arrange delivery of all the postcards it receives by the closing date of April 2.

People can respond direct to National Consultation Team, Post Office Ltd, FREEPOST or by email to consultation@postoffice.co.uk

March 17, 2008