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Hard questions must be asked
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| Virendra Sharma MP |
THE Post Office's proposals to close eight branches in the borough and 169 across London has prompted fierce opposition from local people and elected representatives, including myself and other local MPs, the Mayor of London and local councillors.
Two branches are earmarked for closure in my constituency - Park Parade, 6 Park Parade, Gunnersbury Avenue, W3 and Norwood Green, 175 Norwood Road, Southall UB2.
No one is suggesting that there should be no closures at all, as the Post Office seeks to modernise and get on to a sustainable footing, but the Post Office needs to think very carefully about the impacts of certain closures and also about the adequacy of its consultation process.
Ken Livingstone has highlighted the fact that, contrary to government best practice guidelines, this consultation is only open for six weeks and includes the Easter holiday period, instead of the recommended 12 weeks. He is threatening to take the Post Office to judicial review and is quite rightly arguing for a more thorough consultation.
This is in part because the Post Office does not always know what it is doing. My parliamentary colleague in Ealing, Acton and Shepherds Bush, Andrew Slaughter, found that the Post Office recently directed his constituents from one closed post office to another branch that had already been closed down a few months earlier.
The impacts of some of the proposed closures will be significant, especially on the elderly. Both closures in my constituency will mean a walk of nearly a mile for local people to alternative branches. In Norwood Green it will also require two bus journeys for people to access these alternative branches.
Post office branches are vital in supporting the community socially and economically and hard questions should be asked before any are closed.
You can respond to the consultation online at: www.postoffice.co.uk, by email at: consultation@postoffice.co.uk, in writing to: Anita Turner, Network Development Manager, Post Office Ltd, C/O National Consultation Team, FREEPOST CONSULTATION TEAM, or by calling 08457 223344 by April 2.
10:18am Thursday 6th March 2008
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CommentPosted by: Liz, Hanwell on 6:23pm Sun 9 Mar 08
Mr Sharma, local post offices are due to close because YOUR party voted for this. It's no good trying to prevent local post office closures by advising your constituents to act against the planned closures - YOU are the MP and it's YOUR job to act. This is what you are paid a large amount of money each year to do: to represent your constituents. If you don't believe that local post offices should close, then it's YOUR job to make representations in the Houses of Commons to try and stop this. I suggest you either do your job or resign.
Mr Sharma, local post offices are due to close because YOUR party voted for this. It's no good trying to prevent local post office closures by advising your constituents to act against the planned closures - YOU are the MP and it's YOUR job to act. This is what you are paid a large amount of money each year to do: to represent your constituents. If you don't believe that local post offices should close, then it's YOUR job to make representations in the Houses of Commons to try and stop this. I suggest you either do your job or resign.
Posted by: aslam khalil, london on 4:29pm Sun 23 Mar 08
i would like to thanks to you for doing best things for southall
i would like to thanks to you for doing best things for southall
Posted by: Liz, Hanwell on 10:12pm Mon 24 Mar 08
[bold]On Thursday 20th March, Virendra Sharma voted in parliament to support the closure of local post offices.[/bold]
Sources: www.theyworkforyou.c
om
www.publicwhip.org.u
k/mp.php?id=uk.org.p
ublicwhip/member/202
7&showall=yes#divisi
ons
On Thursday 20th March, Virendra Sharma voted in parliament to support the closure of local post offices.
Sources: www.theyworkforyou.c
om
www.publicwhip.org.u
k/mp.php?id=uk.org.p
ublicwhip/member/202
7&showall=yes#divisi
ons
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