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

Mick Bates, Liberal Democrat AM for Montgomeryshire, has visited a local post office in Llandinam as part of his campaign to save our Welsh Post Offices. As the UK Government plan to close 2,500 more across the UK by 2008, Mick highlights the need for the Labour-Plaid Government to show more support for this vital community service:

“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. This is the key that the Labour-Plaid Government must use to open the door to a brighter future for Post Offices in Wales.”

Llandinam Post Office is 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.

Postmaster Alan Griffith said: “Every single post office is under threat and it is down to the community to show support for their local post office by using it! In Llandinam the community has done exactly that and transactions have increased by almost 60% since we used a Post Office Development Grant to improve our Post Office.”

Mr Griffith added that: “Without the Welsh Assembly grant, we would not have been able to do the renovation and would have never been in a position to stock the wide range of Welsh produce that we do. Welsh dairy produce and baked goods combine with truly local produce such as honey and meats and they are immensely popular with customers.”

Lynda Brown who established Neuadd Fach Baconry in Llandinam with her husband Eithyl, supplies Alan with a wide range of bacon, ham and sausages all produced from their pigs reared and processed in Llandinam.

Lynda says: “My main outlets are the local Post Offices and village shops. I don’t sell to any big retailers. I believe that by putting our produce into the Post Offices we are supporting one another. The Post Office network in rural communities is a precious service that many people rely upon.”

Commenting Mick added: “The battle to save post offices is at the very heart of our campaign to keep local services alive. Modernisation of the Post Office network, not the closure of 2,500 post offices must be the way forward.

“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 have called 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.”


End / Diwedd