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George Thomson: Post haste to save vital part of our way of life
THE National Federation of SubPostmasters represents all subpostmasters in the UK.
We have been concerned for a number of years that the combination of changes in consumer habits, and the Government's decision to remove traditional work from the post office network, has led to falling numbers of post office customers.
This, in turn, has led to some post offices existing on the very edge of viability, with subpostmasters working hard to continue serving their communities while struggling to make ends meet.
Last year, we led calls from a number of campaigning bodies for the Government to finally make clear its future plans for the post office network, and to bring an end to the lengthy period of uncertainty which subpostmasters and their customers have suffered.
The Government decided in May that it would mandate Post Office Ltd to implement the Network Change programme, which would see the compulsory closure of 2,500 post offices across the UK by the end of 2008; while 500 new "outreach" services would be introduced, to maintain access to postal services in remote communities.
We have reluctantly supported the Network Change programme, viewing it as preferable to the entire network suffering a slow death.
As painful as post office closures undoubtedly are for customers and for subpostmasters, we believe this programme, backed by funds to compensate those forced to close for their investment, is necessary in order to give the remaining 12,000-strong post office network a chance of a viable and sustainable future.
The Network Change programme is, of course, now underway in Yorkshire and across the UK. While the NFSP has no formal role within the implementation of Network Change, we are advising and supporting our members on an individual basis.
And we are working with Post Office Ltd, the Government and Postwatch, the consumer watchdog for postal services, to ensure that the programme is delivered as efficiently and as fairly as possible for all involved, to help end the uncertainty which has bedevilled our network for too long.
Equally, we are working to deliver a vibrant and sustainable future for the majority of post offices which will remain in the network after the change programme is completed at the end of 2008.
To achieve this aim, we are calling on the Government and Post Office Ltd to deliver the following:
n The contract for the successor to the Post Office card account, which will be introduced in 2010 and which the Government recently put out to tender, should be awarded to the Post Office; and that the four million POCA customers should be able to transfer directly to the new product, rather than have to fill in more forms and
re-apply in order to be able to continue to claim their pensions and benefits at the Post Office.
n The Government should develop a Postbank to offer more banking services through the Post Office for urban and rural communities alike and to bring the UK's Post Office in line with its equivalents in France, Germany and Italy.
n Government at local, devolved and national level must look at how it can better use the Post Office as a trusted and accessible means to deliver government information and services to its citizens.
The NFSP believes that the extent of the political to achieve these aims will largely determine if the remaining network of post offices has a future after Network Change, or if post offices will continue to struggle to achieve profitability and the network continues to reduce further.
For the sake of the post office network, one of our great national resources, and for the millions of people who depend on it, we believe action must be taken soon to ensure that all post offices will have a future after this closure programme – otherwise, we fear that we run the very real risk of finding ourselves here again in a few years' time looking at another round of proposed closures.
George Thomson is general secretary of the National Federation of SubPostmasters.
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Saturday 26 May 2012
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