Alloa Advertiser Monthly Article

28 April 2008

Few can have escaped recent debates in Westminster and beyond about the future of the Post Office Network in the UK.  In all likelihood the closure programme will have implications here for us in Ochil & South Perthshire and I wanted to update you on some of the facts of the situation and how I feel we can move forward.

Facts such as fewer than 16 people per week use the 800 smallest rural post offices.  1600 branches serve less than 20 customers a day and customers are choosing to use the Post Office less and less in favour of internet transactions. 

The Post Office network has lost 4 million customers a week in the past few years and the network is running at a loss of £3.5 million each week.  This Labour Government has pumped £2 billion into the network since 1997 and is committed to a further subsidy of £1.7 billion up until 2011.  Even the most open-minded of economists must realise that this is a situation which cannot continue. These figures cannot be ignored but nothing stops continued work taking place to have Post Office services operated by alternative bodies.

You may have read last week in the Advertiser that I have been writing to MSPs in our area asking them to support me in a campaign to have the Scottish Executive allocate funding either directly, or alternatively indirectly to local authorities, to allow Post Office services in my constituency to remain intact.

If local authorities such as Glasgow City Council can put together proposals to retain Post Office services in their area, it seems entirely plausible to me that other Councils could do the same if funding is made available from the Scottish Executive.

Royal Mail’s position is clear and has been for some time that even with the massive government subsidies the network change programme is necessary to protect the rest of the network.  For any of the services provided by outlets under threat to be retained a role is demanded by other players.  Could it be the only thing preventing this from happening is the stagnant politics of those individuals who are only prepared to criticise without acknowledging the full facts?

Campaigning to retain every Post Office in the constituency is not a sustainable position unless there is a clear objective of how this can be achieved.  What is essential is that there is something constructive done to alleviate the difficulties.

Last year, Cabinet Secretary for Finance John Swinney stated that the Scottish Executive (or Government if you believe in their rebranding) would do everything it could to support a sustainable network of Post Offices.  Its time we all found out from Mr Swinney what exactly he meant by ‘everything’ and how many of Scotland’s Post Offices he feels are sustainable.  Posturing and playing political games will not secure a single Post Office from closure but what will halt closures is additional funding.

If the SNP Government are going to stand idly by and not even discuss ways of achieving more investment in Post Office services in Scotland then they should be honest enough to come forward and say that.  If they refuse to engage on the issue then what real credibility can they have? It is an old wisdom that it is easy to criticise, but much harder to do better yourself.

I have written to every Sub Postmaster in Ochil & South Perthshire advising them of my action on these issues as well as offering to meet them and discuss the situation.  I am glad that a few have already taken up my offer but as always, I am keen to hear the views of my constituents on this matter and as always you can contact my office anytime.