Braintree MP quizzes Minister on Post Office consultation process

Brooks Newmark has questioned the Minister for Postal Services about flaws in the consultation process which has led to the closure of three branches in his constituency and the sudden relocation of a fourth. Braintree MP Brooks Newmark has questioned the Minister for Postal Services about flaws in the consultation process which has led to the closure of three branches in his constituency and the sudden relocation of a fourth. Post Office Ltd wrote to interested parties on the 18th February to confirm that the George Yard Post Office branch in Braintree would move to 3-5 New Street between the 10th and 13th of March.

Mr. Newmark told the Minister, "The George Yard post office in Braintree is going to be closed in less than two weeks' time, despite not having been involved in the initial Essex consultation. When I raised that matter with the chief executive of the Post Office, he first apologised, but then asked me to keep it in the strictest confidence until he could make an announcement. Does not the Minister agree that consultations on the post office network should be both accurate and public?"

The Minister, Pat McFadden MP, replied, "Throughout this process, we have emphasised that the consultation relates to how the plans are implemented, not whether there should be closures. Replacement closures sometimes have to be identified because the Post Office is closing post offices that cost significant amounts to run-on average, £18,000 a year for each branch. I understand the hon. Gentleman's point, but that is the reason why such decisions have to be taken."

Mr. Newmark wrote to Mr. Alan Cook, Managing Director of Post Office Ltd., in January to note his concerns about the move. In his letter he stated that the decision "materially alters, and thus invalidates, the consultation process which has taken place…The consultation on the closure programme was conducted very rapidly and now appears to me to be daily unravelling."

Brooks said, "The Minister said that he understood my point but I think he rather missed it. He also showed the cavalier attitude that the Government has taken to an issue which is of vital importance to local people. Nobody should forget that it was the Government that decided upon the magic figure of 2,500 Post Office branches to be closed, but then left it to the Post Office to decide which ones should go. Meanwhile Members of the Cabinet feel that they can say one thing about closures when in Parliament and another thing when they get back to their constituencies and defend their own local branches."

The Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform Select Committee has recently published an interim report into the post office closure programme. Mr. Newmark has written to the Chairman of the Committee, Peter Luff MP, to register his concerns over this case before the Committee publishes its final report.