Alliance concerns at Post Office plans
THE Countryside Alliance welcomes the Government's plans for the future of our Post Office network.
Its newly launched consultation outlines a way to put the network at the forefront of financial services in the UK. These plans will be especially welcome to those in rural communities worried about the future of their post office.
However, there is a concern. Business Secretary Lord Mandelson has praised the Post Office's worth to our 'economic and social fabric, yet this consultation tackles only the economic element.
Having been given a dressing down only recently about failing to understand the social impact of branch closures, does the Government now believe that a beefed-up financial services package will make it all better?
And not only that, financial services will be backed by the Bank of Ireland, so any profits will be heading out of the UK.
We have in the past criticised the Government's role in making the network unviable by removing services such as TV licensing, so it is encouraging that they are now looking to make amends.
We would encourage anyone who loves their post office to take part in the consultation and let the Government know how much their post office means to them.
Simon Hart
Chief executive Countryside Alliance
3 Comments
by Auntykill, Co Durham
Saturday, December 05 2009, 4:52PM
“Is there anything that the countryside alliance doesn't poke their blood red noses into to try to get a bit of publicity from? You mention anything rural and there they are, proving what good, caring guys they are, they'll save your post offices as well as kill your defenceless wild and domestic animals. I wish someone would hold a consultation about the countryside alliance and put them all out to grass.”
by Geoffrey Woollard, South East Cambridgeshire
Saturday, December 05 2009, 4:50PM
“Don't believe a word of what this man says. The Countryside Alliance couldn't give a monkey's about rural post offices or other and real country concerns. They have a one track mind and that track leads (literally) to the un-banning of fox hunting and hare coursing. Write to your M.P. (using a first-class stamp, of course) telling him/her to do his/her best to keep us and our wild animals safe from the hunters. And sign my NoToHareCoursing E-Petition at - http://petitions.number10.gov.uk/NoToHareCoursing/”
by RK, UK
Saturday, December 05 2009, 4:45PM
“It is pathetic to see the Countryside Alliance pretending to care about our post offices in order to gain some legitimacy. This is just a front for a group that spends all of their time and money lobbying to overturn the hunting act. We are quite capable of fighting for our post offices without associating with these thugs from the bloodsports community!”