Post Office closure programme leaked
Government’s decision as to which post offices are scheduled for closure in Cambridgeshire was leaked to the local press on July 6, two days before a public announcement was expected.
While Melbourn ward’s post offices are safe (including Melbourn, Foxton, Meldreth and Shepreth), post offices in other parts of South Cambridgeshire have not fared so well. Post offices in Grantchester, Fen Drayton, Impington, Arrington, Elsworth and Over are scheduled for closure. Three more are to be closed in Cambridge City; a total of 26 are to be closed in the county as a whole.
What next?
Battle now begins with a six-week consultation period. We could get Government to change its mind. All local authorities in Cambridgeshire are working together to minimize the impact.
Planning ahead
The Liberal Democrats are the only party to have prepared fully costed plans to modernise Royal Mail and safeguard the Post Office network for the long term.
The Conservatives’ policy consists of a list of potential additional services that can be offered by or through the Post Office. They have no proposals on the future structure of Royal Mail and Post Office Ltd, and haven’t said where investment funds will come from.
During the 1992-97 Conservative government, when there were similar funding pressures, over 1,000 post offices were closed - more than four every week.
have your say
