NO POLITICKING ABOUT POST OFFICES, SAY KCC LABOUR GROUP

KCC’s Labour Group have responded to the news that 58 existing post offices may be closed in Kent by urging people once again to respond with reasoned arguments for keeping their local Post Office. Simply signing a petition on this issue may well not help.

At a meeting of KCC’s Cabinet Scrutiny Committee on 26 September, representatives of Postwatch said that the County Council should encourage people to respond to the forthcoming consultation on the potential changes with information to back up their views, rather than signing up to petitions. But that is exactly what KCC’s Conservative administration has been suggesting people should do.

Roger Truelove, the Labour Group’s Regeneration spokesperson, said: “KCC Labour Group are concerned about the impact closures could have on people and communities  But on the other hand, we mustn’t forget that nationally, Post Office Ltd have been losing around £4m per week, and we all pay for those losses, whether we use post offices or not. It’s a matter of making sure that the network is sustainable overall. 

“If people are concerned that a specific branch may be closed, the best thing for them to do is to make a clear case for it to stay open, using their local knowledge to find the evidence to support their case. 

“We would urge people to follow Postwatch’s advice. Signing up to blanket petitions like KCC’s tells the Post Office nothing.  The only thing it proves is that some local politicians will jump on the back of any issue to have a go at the Government”.