Contact/Cyswllt: Sue Callery
01686 625527 / sue.callery@wales.gov.uk

Mick Bates, Liberal Democrat Assembly Member for Montgomeryshire, expressed disappointment following questions the Leader of the House, Carwyn Jones, on Labour’s proposed Post Office Closure Programme.

Mick is incensed by the potentially wasted investment in Post Offices that may be proposed for closure in Wales, as they were given funding from the Welsh Assembly Government’s “Post Office Development Fund”. A number of Post Offices have benefited from Post Office Development Fund Grants since they were available to the most deprived in urban areas or most isolated Post Offices in rural areas.

Mick said: “Labour has just presented a penny-pinching local government settlement calling upon Local Authorities to “burn the waste” when they themselves are closing Post Offices that they have invested money in. To add insult to injury, the Leader of the House has confirmed that WAG intends to ask for their money back from the recipient postmasters and mistresses.

“This will raise huge issues for the Post Offices concerned as to whether they were aware of the need to repay the money if they are forced to close through no fault of their own. Furthermore, it is believed that grants were made up from 100% EU funding, which is not repayable in the same way”.

“Once again, we can see the double-standards employed by WAG. They waste the money and expect others to pick up the tab”.



End / Diwedd