Post Office cull a "betrayal" of Welsh commmunities

1.00.00am GMT Thu 14th Dec 2006

The Welsh Liberal Democrats have blasted today's Government's statement on the rural Post Office Network as a 'betrayal' of communities across Wales, and have pledged to fight to secure a sustainable future for Wales' Post Offices.

Today's announcement by Post Offices Minister Jim Fitzpatrick means that up to 2,500 Post Offices across the rural network are likely to be axed. In Wales this could mean hundreds of Post Offices closures.

Welsh Liberal Democrats have set out an alternative programme of support, and will be asking Ministers to meet with them and a delegation of Welsh sub-postmasters to re-assess these plans, and to present their alternative vision.

Commenting, the Leader of the Welsh Liberal Democrats, Lembit Öpik MP, said:

"One thing is now crystal clear: the Government doesn't care enough about Wales' Rural Communities to protect one of its vital components - the Post Offices. Cuts to social network payments will mean hundred of post office closures, and the axing of the Post Office Card Account will take away their greatest source of revenue.

"The Government has a terrible track record on Post Offices. One by one they have betrayed Post Offices by cutting key contracts. This year's cuts have cost the Post Office £ 168 Million and still counting. Indeed, when Lib Dems in the Assembly tried to reintroduce the Post Office Development Fund - a scheme which was successful in assisting 106 post offices in Wales during 2002-4 - Labour blocked us.

"The Government should offer more services at the village Post Office, instead of withdrawing them.

"Ministers must keep the Post Office Card Account and strengthen it, so that post office card users can access a wider range of banking services.

"HSBC and NatWest refuse to be part of the Post Office's 'Cash Withdrawal Scheme', which means only 40% of customers can get cash out free of charge at their Post Office. The Government needs to talk with these banks to get them to open up their services to post office users."

Ceredigion's Welsh Liberal Democrat MP, Mark Williams, whose constituency has the largest number of post offices of any in Wales, added:

"I dread to think what this decision will mean for the 66 Post Offices in my constituency.

"We will be requesting an urgent meeting between Welsh LibDem MPs, the Welsh Subpostmaster's Federation and Peter Hain to discuss the impact of this decision in Wales, and to stress the huge importance of Post Offices to our rural communities.

"Post Offices should be a one-stop shop for our towns and villages, providing access to a wide range of services, from banking, to council tax payments, and even to process livestock movement records. This approach must be investigated, before Wales' Post Offices are lost forever."

Keith Richards, Wales Executive Officer of the National Federation of Subpostmasters, added:

"This is deeply disappointing but not unexpected news. The Post Office network is struggling and changes need to be made, but the Government should look first at its own actions in creating the problem that we currently face.

"Two-thirds of our business went as a result of the Government's introduction of direct payments of benefits and pensions. We need real innovative efforts to increase business in post offices.

"The Post Office Card Account must not be scrapped outright. If it has to go, there has to be a replacement service and Post Offices must be included fully in the Link network so that customers can withdraw cash free of charge in their Post Office.

"The Post Office network needs to be given a chance to give their customers greater choice and services. I sincerely hope I will be able to get this message across to Peter Hain."