Campaign to save post offices

3:26pm Monday 8th January 2007

Comments (0)   Have your say »

MARK Formosa, Conservative spokesman for Taunton, has launched proposals to rescue local post offices from closure.

His plans are in response to Government's proposals that could see their numbers in the Taunton area cut by six.

Mr Formosa believes more Government services could be provided through the post office network, and is supported by both Taunton Sub-Postmaster David Balfour, and Leader of Taunton Deane Council John Williams.

Mark commented: "I am calling for sub-post offices to be given greater freedoms to offer a wider range of commercial products, and I am pushing for more post offices to become "one stop shops" for public services."

Mr Formosa said the Government's proposed cuts of 2,500 post offices nationally could leave people in the Taunton area to manage with just two-thirds of the number of post offices which were open in 1999.

Under the current government, a quarter of the post office network has already closed and more cuts are expected as a result of Labour's plans to abolish the post office card account in 2010.

Branches across the country also face threats from the cancellation of rural post office subsidy in 2008; the direct payment of benefits; DVLA moves to renew car tax online and the opening of new regional passport offices.

Cllr John Williams said: "I fully support the idea that more central government services should be provided through local post Offices, thereby improving the viability of vital community services."

Mark Formosa said: "The Government has a vital role to play in keeping our local post office network viable.

"By providing services from our post offices, local people would be able to access more local services, closer to home."