Post Office Blunder Reveals Possible Closure Targets

8.30.00am GMT Sat 8th Dec 2007

A careless blunder by the Post Office has raised serious concerns about the integrity of the organisation's investigation and consultation process, and led to concerns that closure decisions have already been made regardless of promises to consult users in advance.

A map of the East Midlands published by the Post Office on their website in error, and quickly withdrawn, also indicated a number of Warwickshire local post offices as victims of the forthcoming closure round. Nigel Rock, Prospective Parliamentary Candidate for the new seat of Kenilworth and Southam, was able to identify among the branches marked for closure the branch at High Street, Kenilworth and West Street in Warwick. It also indicated that the majority of post offices in the area are safe.

The Post Office quickly denied that the symbols meant that decisions have already been made, and apologised. However, the damage has been done, and Nigel Rock remains sceptical about the closure planning process.

'The Post Office's statement about possible local post office closures in Warwickshire leaves us with more questions than answers', he said. 'Their spokesman claimed that the map they inadvertently published on their website 'contains information which is not final'. However, she did not explain why a number of Warwickshire post offices, including one in Kenilworth and one in Warwick, were marked on their map with the red cross that means they're due for closure. There can be no other explanation than that they have been listed as likely candidates for closure, and the Post Office has said nothing to reassure us on this point.'

'At the same time the statement did nothing to confirm that the remaining local post offices on the map, those marked as due to remain open, will in fact be safe. It is hard to imagine a more confusing outcome that the one they've created with this incredible blunder.'

'The whole process appears more and more creaky as time goes by', he added. While the Post Office's latest error, publishing on their website a detailed map long before the public consultation process has run its course, does nothing to reassure us that their eventual decision will take into account the needs of people and local communities in the towns and villages of Warwickshire. We must all remain on our guard to ensure that the Post Office cannot escape its responsibilities.'

Ann Blacklock, (district councillor, Kenilworth Abbey) said ' I am angry and alarmed at the proposals to close another Post Office in Kenilworth. A few years ago we lost some of the smaller ones, and those that remain are essential. They are doing good business, they are in the right locations and serve their local communities, efficiently and cheerfully. The criteria for closing any more seem flawed and frankly unconvincing -- in fact I can't understand it at all. '

County Councillor John Whitehouse (Kenilworth Abbey) said 'Each of the town's five post offices does good business and is a vital service to its local community. To close any of them would be a scandal, and we will fight the Post Office every step of the way. The Labour government have closed 4,000 post offices since they came to power, a worse record even than the Conservatives' 3,500 closures. Only the Liberal Democrats have clear costed policies to support and maintain the local Post Office network across the country.'