Lib Dems Slam Post Office Decision To Close Albion Street, Kenilworth Branch

4.50.42pm GMT Wed 27th Aug 2008

Cllr John Whitehouse

County councillor John Whitehouse (Liberal Democrat, Kenilworth Abbey) has attacked the decision announced today by the Post Office to close its Albion Street Kenilworth branch. He said:

"It's a very sad day for the local community in the Albion Street area, who had demonstrated clearly its support for the current branch through survey responses, petitions, letters to the Post Office and Postwatch and attendance at the public meeting in July.

"Some elderly and vulnerable residents are going to be very badly affected by this decision, which is based purely on cost-cutting rather than meeting the needs of the community.

"The Post Office's decision document released today also makes no reference whatsoever to the knock-on effects on other shops and businesses in the Albion Street area when the post office branch closes. Many local shopkeepers are very worried about this.

"I have today asked county council officers to pick up the Outreach Services alternative again as a matter of urgency, to see if it could offer a solution to keeping some sort of local service to residents in the Albion Street area."

Local Lib Dem Euro-MP Liz Lynne has reacted angrily to the results of the consultation on post office closures in Coventry and Warwickshire, which will now result in 21 branches closing, including Kenilworth's Albion Street branch.

Liz Lynne (4th from left) campaigning in Kenilworth in February

Liz Lynne has campaigned against the closures across the region and visited Fieldgate post office in February with Councillors John Whitehouse and Ann Blacklock and Nigel Rock, Lib Dem candidate for the new Kenilworth and Southam constituency. A massive public protest against the apparent threat of closure led to it not being included on the consultation list.

Liz Lynne said:

"While a vigorous local campaign saved Fieldgate post office thanks to the efforts of local councillors such as John Whitehouse and Ann Blacklock and the many local residents who signed the petition, it appears the public's voice was not heard in the case of the Albion Street branch. The resultant loss of local services will hit people hard over the coming months, hurting the community.

"In Kenilworth, as across the region, many people on low incomes or reduced mobility could be forced to travel much further for vital goods and services they can currently find close to home.

"With fuel costs so high the government should be ensuring that essential services are delivered as locally as possible, not forcing people to travel ever further to find them."

On the claim sometimes made that the EU is behind the closures, Liz added:

"Some politicians would have you believe this is all the EU's fault, but I assure you it is not so; the closure programme comes directly from a political decision by the UK government to remove services from post office counters and the resultant fall in customers."