The decision by the Department of Trade and Industry to retain the Social Network Payment, which subsidises rural post offices, has received support today.
Councillor Ian Stewart, Cumbria County Council's Cabinet member responsible for rural proofing, said:
"This is a vital lifeline for rural post offices - but a lot of hard work still needs to be done to ensure that they don't close under the plans announced today. It's expected that 2,500 post offices in urban and rural areas will have to close as a result of this review; we will be fighting hard to ensure that they won't be closing where they're needed most - in rural areas."
The county council has lobbied hard to retain the Social Network Payment, to ensure rural post offices can continue to fulfil their essential role in rural communities. It has previously written to the Deputy Prime Minister John Prescott MP in his role as Chairman of the Cabinet Committee on the Post Office Network, arguing that closing rural post offices would have a direct impact on vulnerable groups and those already at risk of rural social exclusion.
"For older people, parents with young families, people with disabilities and younger people, the local rural post office is the main place where they can access local services. The people who need the local post office most are some of the most disadvantaged groups in society anyway. This isn't about propping up unprofitable businesses, it is about giving people in remote areas access to things that people in urban areas take for granted - things such as access to cash. Taking the post office out of a community just creates a hole in that community. We will be working hard on ways to stop that happening," said Cllr Stewart.
One element of today's restructuring is to review how post offices can become more sustainable by delivering services in more innovative ways. Cumbria has been at the forefront of pioneering alternative models, such combining the post office with a shop and a library 'link' in the Eden Valley villages of Melmerby, Lazonby and Hallbankgate.
"We hope the Post Office will now work even more closely with county councils to target support and assistance within the existing network. It's important that more funding becomes available to help develop new solutions to the usual business model. It is the work we do now that will allow us to develop a sustainable network of post offices for the future," said Councillor Stewart.
Notes for editors
The Department of Trade & Industry has invited interested parties to respond to its consultation by March 8th 2007. Cumbria County Council will be working with its strategic partners in the county to issue a formal response to the consultation within the deadline.
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