We must act now to save our post offices

Release/Rhyddhau: 06/06/06

Contact/Cyswllt: Ceirion Rees:
029 2089 8342/ 07733280105/ ceirion.rees@wales.gov.uk 

Welsh Liberal Democrats are urging the government to take action now to save Wales' network of post offices.

In some areas 90% of the network could be under threat due to changes in the way the Labour Government deals with Post Offices.

At the Assembly today, Welsh Liberal Democrats will use their opposition party debate to call for a reintroduction of the Post Office Development Fund. The fund - a grant scheme introduced by the Welsh Liberal Democrats in government - helped keep 106 post offices in Wales to diversify and stay in business between 2002 and 2004.

Montgomeryshire AM, Mick Bates said: "Post offices are vitally important to the communities they serve.  They are one of the building blocks of local communities. 

"Many post offices are struggling and actions by various departments of the UK government are seriously damaging the future of the post office network. And meanwhile the Labour Assembly Government is sitting on their hands. That's why the Assembly government must re-instate this successful grant scheme now. If we wait, the danger is that we will lose our local post offices.

"Postmasters across Wales tell me their businesses are under threat as never before.

"Labour's reforms of the way benefits are paid - and in particular the scrapping of the Post Office Card Account - represent an apocalyptic threat to the post office network in Wales. If we do not take action anywhere between 60% and 80% of our post offices could be closed by 2010.

"That's why we're calling on the Labour Assembly Government to bring back the Post Office Development Fund."

The Post Office Development Fund was created during the Partnership Government. The Fund was established to help post offices in Wales' most deprived areas and isolated communities to stay open and become more accessible. Subpostmasters in eligible areas were invited to apply for grants of up to £50,000 each to renovate their post offices and widen the range of services and products offered to their customers.

Grants were given to 106 post offices and when the Fund closed in July 2004 a total of £4.1 million had been awarded.