Lib Dems fail to grill Post Office Ltd over closures

Hull North Labour MP Diana Johnson chaired a public meeting on Friday evening (2 November) on Post Office Ltd's proposed closure of two Hull North post offices.

The meeting, held at St Vincent's RC Primary School, was the only public meeting in Hull North to be attended by representatives of Post Office Ltd during their present consultation period, up to 12 November. The meeting was called by Diana Johnson MP to ensure local people could hear directly from Post Office Ltd and question them on their plans.

Matt Silcock, Post Office Ltd Senior External Relations Manager, and Adrian Wales, Post Office Ltd's Network Development Manager for the North East, explained the issues behind the proposed branch closures and took questions from the audience.

Once the consultation is concluded on Post Office Ltd's 'Network Change Programme', two Hull North post office branches, at 504 Beverley Road and 75 Princes Avenue, could close from January 2008.

After the meeting, Diana expressed concern that no elected Lib Dem councillors from the wards affected by the potential closures turned up to represent the views of local people worried about the branch closures.

Diana Johnson MP said: "This public meeting was the only face to face chance that local people in areas of Hull North affected by the two possible post office closures had to ask questions and make their views known to representatives of Post Office Ltd.

"Given the outrage at the proposed branch closures expressed by Lib Dems locally, I was dismayed that not a single Lib Dem councillor representing the affected council wards of Avenue, Newland and Beverley found time to attend this public meeting. The public meeting was called by me to give everyone including councillors - an opportunity to grill the Post Office.

"Post Office Ltd makes the final decisions on its post office branch network - not MPs or the Government. It was therefore important that Post Office Ltd heard the views of local people living and working in the areas most affected by their proposals and were asked to justify their closure plans.

"I urge any local people worried about these proposals to take part in the official Post Office Ltd consultation before the 12 November deadline. People can also sign my petition supporting the post office network as a key public service on which many local people rely. This can be done through my website at www.dianajohnson.co.uk or by ringing my office on 01482 319135."