Haringey could lose 17 post offices - leaving us with just 6 by 2010 warn local Conservatives 24/10/06

Justin Hinchcliffe, Chairman of Tottenham Conservatives, urged action to safeguard Haringey's remaining Post Offices and protect vital community facilities. The call comes as 1,000 sub-postmasters marched on Parliament on 18 October protesting at Post Office closures, and as a Government Minister asserted in response that there are “too many offices”.

Under the current Labour 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.

Royal Mail bosses have even suggested that the Post Office network could be reduced to just 4,000 branches. Since 1999, Haringey has lost seven branches - four in Tottenham and three in Hornsey and Wood Green. Further cuts on that scale could potentially mean that up to seventeen more could shut their doors - leaving Haringey with just six post offices!

In response, Conservatives have launched an Action Plan to save local Post Offices:

• Giving Sub-Post Offices greater freedoms to offer a wider range of commercial products.
• Pushing for more Post Offices to be ‘one stop shops’ for central government services.
• Campaigning to save the Post Office Card Account from being axed.
• Encouraging local councils to consider opening ‘council counters’ in local branches.

Justin Hinchcliffe explained:

“Post offices are the lifeblood of Haringey's community. But their future is now under real threat. The Government needs to understand the importance of their valuable social role and Labour must end the damaging uncertainty over the future of the network.

“I want to add my support to the Action Plan unveiled by David Cameron, to give sub-Post Offices greater freedoms to diversify, to provide more central and local government services through branches, and to campaign to save the Post Office Card Account.

“I hope this will put pressure on the Government to develop a clear long-term strategy for Post Office, to help support our local branches and preserve these vital community institutions.”