Stamp out the closures...

Have your say

West Sussex is directly affected by the review of the post office network by Post Office Ltd, aimed at finding savings through closures.

With post offices providing vital services for many rural and urban communities, the County Council is very concerned about the impact closures could have on West Sussex communities and businesses.

The proposals are set out in Area Plans which follow parliamentary constituencies rather than county or district boundaries. There are two area Plans affecting West Sussex.

The first Area Plan, Sussex , was launched for consultation in November. It covered Arundel and South Downs, Crawley, East Worthing and Shoreham, Horsham, Mid Sussex and Worthing West constituencies.

Following this consultation the decision has been made to close over 23 Post Offices as identified in the Sussex Area Plan. Two of these branches, in Barns Green and Plaistow, will be have a hosted outreach service to mitigate the closure.

The second Area Plan, Surrey, Berks and West Sussex, was launched on January 29, 2008, and covers Chichester, Bognor Regis and Littlehampton constituencies. The Area Plan proposes the closure of 14 branches of which 4 will have an outreach service.

There are just six weeks of public consultation from the publication of the second area Plan, so you need to make your views known quickly. A response has to be submitted by 10th March.

West Sussex County Council Leader Henry Smith has promised the County Council will oppose all closures in the county. He has asked the Post Office to open its books to public scrutiny in respect of the closures that have already been announced

He said: "To date the Post Office have totally ignored the wishes of local people.

"These ill conceived and unnecessary closures will tear the heart out of communities which rely on the invaluable and irreplacable facilities they offer.

"The axing of facilities in both rural and urban neighbourhoods will be devastating. The closures will have a wide ranging environmental impact. It will inevitably mean increased road congestion as people have to travel further to reach a post office not to mention the very real hardship and distress it will cause less mobile and vulnerable members of the community."

The network of 14 County Local Committees will play a leading role in ensuring residents’ views are heard, by discussing any closures in the areas they cover.

These views will form part of the overall County Council response to the Post Office’s public consultation.

Henry added: "I would urge everyone to take part in the public consultation process and have their say. Only by strength of numbers can we make our message loud and clear to the Post Office – leave our branches alone."

You can

Contact Post Office Ltd direct in the following ways:
Send your response to:
National Consultation Team
Post Office Ltd

E-mail: consultation@postoffice.co.uk

Telephone: 08457 22 33 44

Visit the Post Office website at:
http://www.postoffice.co.uk/portal/po/content1?catId=57600693&mediaId=57600697