Response to Post Office closure proposals
Lancaster City Council has urged a rethink on the proposed closure of Post Office branches in the district.
Lancaster City Council has urged a rethink on the proposed closure of Post Office branches in the district.
The council has produced a nine page response to the Post Office's recently announced proposals to close eight branches in the Lancaster area.
The response highlights a number of concerns about how the branches have been chosen and, in particular, how their loss would effect the communities they serve.
In particular, the response notes, Post Offices are used by many people to pay household bills and to buy electricity keys and gas cards.
These services are used by some of the most vulnerable in society who have few alternatives to the services provided by the Post Office.
Another major concern is, where a Post Office is located within the last remaining shop in a community, its loss could lead to the shop becoming unviable and having to close.
Coun Stuart Langhorn, chairman of the council's Overview and Scrutiny Committee, said: "Post Offices provide a valued and vital service to the community and it was important that the city council investigate these proposed closures thoroughly.
"Having gathered a large amount of evidence we have identified a number of concerns both about how the consultation has been undertaken and the serious consequences the closures will bring.
"I would like to thank all those who came forwarded and offered evidence to the Overview and Scrutiny Committee.
"Their contributions proved invaluable in determining our response to the consultation."
The Post Office announced last year that it was reviewing the future provision of its branches across the country.
The proposals for Lancashire were revealed on January 22 and the city council immediately arranged for its Overview and Scrutiny Committee to meet to discuss the proposals.
Senior managers from the Post Office attended the meeting along with many members of the public.
A copy of the response can be viewed at www.lancaster.gov.uk/scrutiny
Date Updated: 19/03/09