Contact/Cyswllt: Sian Cliff
02920 898342 / sian.cliff@wales.gov.uk

Mick Bates, Liberal Democrat AM for Montgomeryshire, today calls on the Assembly Government to show their support for our Welsh Post Offices as the UK Government plans to close 2,500 more across the UK by 2008:

“The Post Office along with many local services are essential to retain vibrant communities both in rural and urban Wales. Post Offices need the freedom to increase their business if they are to prosper and the Assembly Government holds the key.

“During the Liberal Democrat and Labour Partnership Government we developed the Post Office Development Fund in Wales. The Fund targeted post offices in the most deprived and isolated areas of Wales and assisted 106 post offices to remain open between 2002 and 2004.

“This is the key that the Assembly Government holds that can open the door to a brighter future for Post Offices in Wales.

“Llandinam Post Office if a shining example of the success of this scheme. With the support of the fund this local post office has managed to increase the viability of its business by offering banking services and selling local produce - not only providing valuable services but also meeting the needs of a sustainable community, by reducing food miles and boosting the local economy.

“The Welsh Liberal Democrats have campaigned heavily against post office closures and in 2006 we raised a motion to re-open the development fund. The then Labour Government followed their usual faint-hearted approach and recognised the success of the scheme, but refused to take any serious action.

“This debate about post offices is at the very heart of the fight to keep local services alive. I call for a modernisation of the Post Office network, not the closure of 2,500 post offices as announced by Labour Government.

“I plan to visit local post offices and show my support for this campaign. A number of post offices in Montgomeryshire have closed as they can no longer compete with gluttonous corporations who can offer these services at a cheaper price. This is destroying community spirit and leaves the most vulnerable and least mobile in our society feeling isolated and excluded.

“I call on the Assembly Government to reopen the Post Office Development Fund and to aggressively lobby the UK Government to retain the Post Office Card Account scheme, to give post offices and postmasters across Wales hope and confidence for a prosperous, sustainable future.”


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