Postwatch set to oppose Oldfields Road Post Office closure - Burstow

Local MP Paul Burstow today won a significant victory in the battle to stop the closure of the Oldfields Road Post Office when Postwatch agreed to back his campaign. In a letter to Royal Mail Group and to Paul Burstow, the Chairman of Postwatch Greater London, Kay Dixon, described the decision to close the Post Office as a 'breach of trust' and said that they would be opposing the closure.

Mr Burstow wrote to Postwatch on 4th March 2003 to highlight the fact that - less than 6 months after Oldfields Road was designated as an alternative to the Collingwood Road post office that was forced to close in Autumn 2002 - it had now been designated for closure itself. Postwatch described this move as the 'first time in the UK that an 'alternative' branch had been proposed for closure'.

Welcoming the Postwatch decision Mr Burstow said, "Postwatch is right to describe the plan to close the Oldfields Road post office as a breach of trust. Residents had the right to expect when Collingwood Road post office closed last year that Oldfields Road would not be next for the chop."

"So far the actions of the Post Office have given the strong impression that closures have been pre-determined. Their attitude makes a mockery of the consultation process. It's time the Post Office was more open and honest about its plans.

"Piecemeal closures will result in growing gaps in the network. The elderly, the disabled and families who rely on post office services will suffer. It's time the Post Office stopped drawing circles on maps, with no local knowledge and started listening to local people."

"With the backing of Postwatch I hope we can get the Post Office not just to suspend the Oldfield Road closure plans but to drop them altogether.

ENDS

Notes to editors

Copies of the letters are enclosed below.

Drew McBride

Head of Area

National Consultation Team

PO Box 641

St Albans

AL1 5XN

Our ref: Post Office/4/3/03/rcd

4th March 2003

Dear Mr McBride,

I have received your letter dated 24th February 2003 regarding the proposed closure of the Oldfields Road branch post office. I was astounded to read your letter and hope you will treat this issue with the attention it deserves.

You may remember that during July and August of last year we were in correspondence regarding the closure of the Collingwood Road branch post office in my constituency. At the time you justified this closure by citing a number of post offices (three to be exact) in the vicinity. I have enclosed a copy of this letter for your reference. The fact that one of these branches was precisely the Oldfields Road branch you are now proposing to close down must call into question just how little your organisation values this consultation process.

When I wrote to you to describe the hardship that would be caused to my constituents by the closure of the Collingwood Road post office, I was not being rhetorical. Your organisation saw fit to close down that branch, notwithstanding the many letters of dissent and petition forms I sent you. Six months later you inform us that one of the branches used to justify the Collingwood closure will now be shut down.

You are unable to find more than one branch less than 0.7 miles from the Oldfields Post Office - the High Street branch may be exactly 0.7 miles as you say but is not easily accessible by public transport for those residents most affected by this closure. I am now concerned about the future of the Gander Green Road branch that you mention in your letter. Given the precedent set, what confidence can we have this does not mean it is next for the chop?

I have written to Kay Dixon, Chairman of Postwatch Greater London. I have enclosed the previous correspondence and asked her to investigate the matter. I cannot believe you do not have a proper programme of closures and have asked her to provide a complete picture of how your organisation intends to run down a fundamental service to the local community in the next few years.

I shall be informing as many of my constituents as possible about your proposals and intend to discuss it at length during the Adjournment Debate I am holding next Monday.

I look forward to receiving your prompt reply.

Yours,

PAUL BURSTOW

Member of Parliament for Sutton and Cheam

Kay Dixon

Chairman

Postwatch Greater London

28 Grosvenor Gardens

London SW1W 0TT

Our ref: OldfieldsPO/040303/rcd

4th March 2003

Dear Ms Dixon,

You may remember our correspondence last year concerning the closure of the Collingwood Road post office in my constituency.

At the time Post Office Ltd cited the location of 3 other branches in the vicinity as justification for the closure and I expressed to you my concern in particular about one of them, the Oldfields Road branch. You replied that "there has been a significant increase in the volume of rumours about office that might close" and that Post Office Ltd were not prepared to discuss them.

You will be as astounded as I am to see that they now propose to close the Oldfields Road branch (see enclosed letter and my reply). I feel that their attitude makes a mockery of the consultation process. They are now unable

to find more than one post office in the vicinity - I do not accept the High Street branch as a viable local alternative for the residents affected.

I would be grateful if you would read the enclosed correspondence in conjunction with our past correspondence and give me your opinion. I intend to raise the matter in my Adjournment Debate next Monday.

With best wishes,

PAUL BURSTOW

Member of Parliament for Sutton and Cheam