Post Office closures: South Shropshire political groups join forces

South Shropshire District Council’s own research shows that knock-on effects of Post Office’s proposals could be disastrous for village shops.

“Our rural areas are under attack”, says Cecilia Motley, Leader of South Shropshire District Council. “Pubs, village shops and schools are all under threat, and rural public transport provides a pale shadow of the services enjoyed in urban areas.”

“On top of the problems that our rural communities are already facing, proposals to close what amounts to ten Post Offices in South Shropshire are beyond comprehension,” she added. “We’re doing all we can to defend our local communities and preserve the facilities they offer.”

South Shropshire District Council is embarking on a cross-party response to the Post Office’s proposals and as an immediate step has written to the Post Office to ask for a detailed explanation of the consideration that the Post Office has given to local factors in drawing up its plan for Post Office services in South Shropshire.

“Across the whole of the counties of Staffordshire and Shropshire, the Post Office is proposing to close 53 Post Offices,” Cecilia Motley explains. “Five of those are in South Shropshire District, the most sparsely populated area in Shropshire with poor public transport links and an ageing population.”

“A further 12 so-called ‘Outreach’ services are proposed to replace existing Post Offices across the two counties, and wait for it – South Shropshire is due to get five of these ‘closures by another name’. A whopping 41.7 percent of the Outreach services proposed for the whole of Shropshire and Staffordshire are planned for South Shropshire. Clearly, this is not an equitable plan.”

“The Government often talks about the need for communities to be sustainable,” said Heather Kidd, Leader of the Council’s Liberal Democrat Group. “Clearly we are going to have to fight to preserve what we have in our rural communities.”

“It’s likely that we will have to accept some Post Office closures in South Shropshire, but with what amounts to ten closures proposed, it is difficult to see how Post Office Ltd can claim, as it does, that going forward with its proposed programme “ensures that no group of inhabitants at any level is overall significantly more adversely affected than any other”. Post Office closures are another body blow to the sustainability of our rural communities.”

“Residents in communities across South Shropshire will be further disadvantaged by these proposals, and all political groups on the Council are joining forces to press the case for South Shropshire and its residents,” Heather Kidd added.

“The knock-on effects of Post Office closures are likely to be disastrous for our communities,” says Colin Pendry, Leader of the Council’s Shropshire Independent Group. “I’m pleased to be part of a cross-party working group set up to respond to the Post Office’s proposals – from the Council’s own research, it’s clear that the proposals have the potential to devastate local businesses and local communities.”

A survey conducted by the Council in February 2007 showed that, of the Sub Post Offices receiving 50% rate relief, 83.3% of those responding to the survey said that if the Post Office part of their business were to close, the other part of their business would have to close too. The other 16.7% were unsure what effect closure would have on the other part of their business. None were confident that the other part of their business would remain open if the Post Office part was to close.

What the Council is doing

South Shropshire District Council is preparing its initial response to Post Office Ltd over the proposed closure list. Council officers are now assessing the impact the proposed closures will have on local communities and will seek to meet with Post Office officials to outline the Council’s opposition.

In early March, full Council allocated £25,000 to support village stores and post offices. The money will be used as 'match', to help draw down funding for businesses that run the only shop serving a rural community. "We're very anxious to assist the long-term viability of the village store," explained Cecilia Motley.

Council Officers will also be contacting those Sub Post Offices that haven't applied to the authority for rate relief to advise them of the scheme. The matter will also be raised at a meeting of full Council on 10 April.

A consultation period is now under way, and the Council is urging residents to make their views known to the Post Office directly. Written representations can be sent to Post Office Ltd at:

National Consultation Team
Post Office Ltd
FREEPOST NATIONAL CONSULTATION TEAM (no stamp is required).

Alternatively residents can contribute to the consultation by telephone on 08457 223344 or via the Post Office website

Issued by South Shropshire District Council - 11 April 2008