SOUTH West Surrey MP Jeremy Hunt has reacted strongly at confirmation that the Government is to push ahead with the closure of 2,500 post offices across the country, on top of the 4,000 already shut since 1999. In South West Surrey, this could potentially mean the closure of a further four post offices, despite the closure of five post offices since 1999. After announcing a consultation on its plans for the Post Office network in December 2006, the government called for major cuts in the number of post offices. On May 17, Labour Ministers announced the result of their consultation and confirmed that they would move ahead with cuts of 2,500 post offices. The overwhelming majority of remaining the Post Office network are sub-post offices run by private businessmen and women. The government stated: "Post Office Ltd will be required to ensure that, by the end of local area plan implementation, in every postcode district, without exception, 95 per cent of the population will be within six miles of their nearest post office outlet. The government funding will support strategic changes to the network with up to 2,500 compensated closures within the access criteria framework above. The government expects that Post Office Ltd will implement this over an 18- month period from summer 2007. "Post Office Ltd will draw up area plans for closures and other changes in service provision within the framework above. Post Office Ltd will be initiating this process immediately and will in due course seek information and input from relevant parties including Postwatch, sub-postmasters and local authorities as area plan proposals are developed for local public consultation." It is estimated that 4,000 post offices have already closed under the current government, with the government's Post Office Minister, Jim Fitzpatrick telling Parliament in October: "the reality is that too many offices are chasing too few customers to be viable". Speaking about the issue, Mr Hunt said: "By the time of the next election, the government will have closed down one third of the entire Post Office network. Despite huge public opposition, they are stepping up the pace, with at least four post offices under serious risk of closure in our area. This will be a particular concern to older people who depend on post offices in Waverley's villages, where losing them would be a hammer blow to community life." Mr Hunt has written to the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, Alistair Darling, urgently requesting a meeting to get clarity/review the decision. He has also presented a petition of over 600 signatures calling for rural post offices to be kept open to Parliament and is urging local residents to write to Post Office Ltd once its consultation opens.
