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Post Office Closures
 

The Post Office Ltd is proposing to close four Sub-Post Offices in our community, the six week consultation period ended on 2^nd April.

The Sub-Post Offices proposed for closure are:

·        258 Balham High Road

·        179 Garratt Lane

·        274 Mitcham Lane

·        318 Trinity Road

I tried to ensure that Tooting residents had their views heard and their experiences taken into account during the consultation period, so that the impact of closures on local residents, surrounding shops and the community as a whole was fully considered before a decision is announced. I am also determined to ensure that everyone in our community will continue to have adequate access to Post Office services. (Three of the four Sub-Post Offices are less than half a mile from another Post Office not due for closure).

I held my own consultation, which thousands of local residents responded to. After collating all the information form the surveys I received, I made a detailed submission on behalf of all four Post Offices in our community to Post Office Ltd and Postwatch.

I have also been in regular contact with Post Office Ltd and the Ministers responsible for post offices.  The Ministers have stated that they do not have a role to play in decisions to close or not to close individual post offices.  That is a matter for Post Office Ltd, after the local consultation, involving Postwatch, local people, Members of Parliament and other representatives.

There is the possibility of a review process.  It involves Postwatch recommending to Post Office Ltd that it looks again at a particular decision.  When that has happened previously, Post Office Ltd has so far normally been willing to do so.  I have requested that they review the closure plans for Tooting

You can see a copy of the survey I distributed to local residents by clicking HERE.

Rescue package:

You may have seen the media coverage of plans by Essex County Council to invest in their local post office network, to try and rescue some of them. 

The government has encouraged Post Office Ltd to engage seriously with local authorities (such as Wandsworth) who wish to step in and fund particular branches. 

My understanding from Post Office Ltd is that in addition to Essex County Council, 50 other local authorities are in discussions with them to try and save their post offices by a combination of providing council services through the post office network and investment in them. At the moment, Wandsworth Council are not one of these local authorities.

In addition to raising this with the Deputy Leader of Wandsworth Council at the public meeting I attended with him recently, I have also written to him to make this point. 

You can read the letter that I sent to Councillor Heaster by clicking HERE

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