Post Office consultation ignored

Jul 21 2008 by Our Correspondent, Huddersfield Daily Examiner

I AM absolutely appalled by the decision of Post Office Ltd. to close eleven Post Offices across Calderdale.

Despite the significant consultation that has taken place with residents through a series of public meetings, it seems apparent that the Post Office have totally ignored the submission of Calderdale Council.

The report outlined not only the impact the closures would have on the local communities, but also a significant number of factual inaccuracies in the data used by Post Office Ltd. Yet it took them 10 days to even acknowledge the report, and even then sent only a generic statement with no specific mention of Calderdale or the points raised.

Again, the response received from PostWatch merely stated its role was to ensure due process was followed, but it cannot overturn any decision. This so called Watchdog, costing the taxpayer in the region of £9m a year, has absolutely no powers in relation to fundamental decisions.

For vital community facilities to be closed based on wholly inaccurate data is not only fundamentally wrong, I truly believe it is morally wrong. As a result I give my assurance that I will be ensuring this decision is challenged.

Maybe now is also the time for our local MPs to admit they were wrong in backing the Government policy for closure and to stand up and support the people they represent, rather than the grey suits in Westminster.

Craig Whittaker

Conservative PPC, Calder Valley