SAVE OUR POST OFFICES: Government's double-snub over crisis in Adur and Worthing
PEOPLE living in Worthing and Adur have been snubbed twice in a matter of days, over the threats facing post offices, health care and bus services.
Prime Minister Gordon Brown failed to respond to a direct appeal to meet people affected by the proposed cuts, last week.
On Monday, December 17, during a debate on the issue, Pat McFadden MP, Parliamentary secretary at the cabinet office, talked generally about post offices and refused to mention, even once, the specific problems in Adur or Worthing – despite being challenged do so on three occasions.
Monday night's adjournment debate, led by East Worthing and Shoreham MP Tim Loughton, saw a near-empty House of Commons hear of Adur and Worthing's local post office branches – nine of which have been earmarked for closure.
More than 5,000 people have signed the petition calling for cuts to be stopped, and in a 68-minute speech Mr Loughton pleaded for the government to acknowledge the proposed closures should be reconsidered.
He was joined by Worthing West MP Peter Bottomley, who has also been campaigning to save sub-post office branches – and who introduced Pythagoras' theorem in a bid to liven up proceedings.
Mr Loughton said: "The Post Office consultation is due to close on Christmas Eve and if Royal Mail goes ahead with these cuts it will be the worst ever Christmas present for my constituents."
The MP added plans failed to take into account house-building forecasts, population growth, deprivation and large pensioner numbers, and spoke of constituents' concerns.
He said: "I have received letter after letter outlining people's fears that they will no longer be able to access their pensions.
"Our bus services are infrequent, and for elderly people who have limited mobility, they do not go anywhere near enough to many of their houses, or the post office branches which will remain open.
"Many people will now use their cars to access post offices rather than walk for miles.
"This will have a very negative effect on our carbon footprint.
"I cannot believe that the Post Office has not taken the environmental impact of these closures into account during their consultation."
"I hope the minister will now insist that Royal Mail re-assess the criteria which it is using to determine whether to close these vital post offices.
"Although I fear that there is little hope of that, as he refused to reply to my comments on the post offices in Adur and Worthing.
"My constituency is being stripped of hospitals, post offices and bus services, left, right and centre – it is time someone from government took responsibility for it and put an end to it."
Mr McFadden's failure to respond directly to Mr Loughton's appeals over Adur and Worthing, echoed Gordon Brown's reaction to Mr Loughton at last week's Prime Minister's Questions.
Mr Brown failed to respond to an appeal to meet people affected by threatened cuts to post office services, healthcare, and bus route funding in Worthing and Adur.
During Prime Minister's Questions, on Wednesday, December 12, Mr Loughton challenged Mr Brown to meet a delegation of local residents.
Mr Loughton asked the Prime Minister: "My constituents are battling against the closure of not 18 per cent of sub-post office branches – the national average – but, in some cases, 50 per cent across the constituency, despite serving a well above average pensioner population, and with the remaining branches unable to cope with demand.
"At the same time, my councils are facing a 650,000 shortfall in the bus concessionary fares scheme.
"West Sussex County Council has got the lowest grant increase again, and we are still waiting to hear which hospitals will be downgraded.
"Will the Prime Minister meet a delegation of my local residents to explain to them what we are doing so wrong in West Sussex to be treated so unfairly?"
Mr Brown did not respond to Mr Loughton's request for a meeting, and after Prime Minister's Questions, Mr Loughton expressed his disappointment.
"If he had agreed to have the meeting, he would be closer to understanding the very real fears my constituents have about the effect this severe downgrading of local services will have on their lives," said Mr Loughton.
A public meeting will be held on Thursday, December 20, for people living in Worthing concerned about the proposed closure of local post office branches.
The meeting will be held at the Broadwater Parish Rooms, in Broadwater Street West, Worthing, and will start at 5.30pm.
Organised by Mr Loughton, it will give people the opportunity to raise their concerns with Post Office representatives, who will be in attendance.
Worthing branches affected by the proposed cuts are: The Parade in Broadwater Road, Downlands in Upper Brighton Road, Heene Road and The Strand.
Mr Loughton said: "I would encourage everyone who cares about their local post offices, in particular Downlands and the Parade, to attend and make their voices heard."
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Tuesday 29 May 2012
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