IN the past two weeks, the Journal's letter page has seen comment on Post Office closures. While welcoming the political and media attention, the coverage has failed to provide a holistic appraisal of the situation. and I thought it may be useful for your readers to learn of our experience.
Ninety-seven per cent of post offices are owned and managed by sub-postmasters, private individuals whom often live and work in the same community.
Our MP Chris Ruane has provided us with a number of opportunities, in pursuit of securing Post Offic
e branches and seeking new income streams, at national and local levels. His reported comments that the Government has invested heavily into post offices, while the Conservative Government did not, slightly misses the point that Post Office Ltd was historically profitable.
Locally, Councillors Isobel and Mike German provided their support with local customers, and sub-postmasters made their feelings known in a National lobby of Parliament in 2006. We have also gained meetings with Denbighshire County Council, in looking at how the authority could preserve post office branches for our communities. The outcome of various meetings, led to the invitation for Denbighshire County Council to be part of a unique trial, involving two services, Community Connect and Micro Consult.
Though both parties were very keen, in late 2007, disappointingly Denbighshire contacted Royal Mail Group to confirm that the council would not be taking further interest in these trials. I would point out that email and text messaging has had a positive effect on sub-post offices, and not a negative effect as pointed out by some political bodies and media reports. While deregulation of the mails market has seen Royal Mail lose contracts, such mail was not processed at your local post office. Royal Mail and Post Office Ltd remain for now, two distinct companies. Indeed, mail volumes processed at Post Office branches, influenced by online auctions have actually grown.
Public consultations are scheduled to take place in July on the future of Post Office branches in our communities in North Wales. Should your readers seek to understand the issues affecting the future of their communities Post Office branch, I would urge them to speak to their sub-postmaster/postmistress.
COLIN HALL
Sub-Postmaster
Meliden Road
Prestatyn
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