Simon takes protest to the streets as Royal Mail increases fears for Farnham Post Office (South West Surrey Liberal Democrats)

South West Surrey Liberal Democrats <info@swsurreylibdems.org.uk>

Simon takes protest to the streets as Royal Mail increases fears for Farnham Post Office

December 14, 2004 3:48 PM

Simon Cordon has started a new phase in his campaign to secure the future of Farnham's General Post Office in West Street after the Chairman's Office of Post Office Limited raised new concerns about its future.

Royal Mail is carrying out a review of Crown Post Offices across Britain. These are branches directly-managed by Royal Mail and include the General Post Office in Farnham's West Street.

Simon Cordon handing out leaflets outside Farnham's West Street Post Office with Joan Clark and Ann Mansell

Simon Cordon takes action to secure the Post Office's future ahead of the Royal Mail's review

Assurances had been given that the West Street office was not on the closure list for 2005/06 but this information was not enough to satisfy Liberal Democrat parliamentary candidate, Simon Cordon.

Simon looked into the review and discovered that it would not be reporting until 2006/07. "It was clear to me that assurances given now had nothing to do with the review and the future of Farnham's General post office would depend on the criteria used within the review and the outcome in 2006/07", said Simon.

Simon immediately wrote to David Mills, Chief Executive of Post Office Limited, and asked about the criteria for the review and sought an assurance that Farnham's post office was not only protected for 2005/06 but would be protected after the review finished in 2006/07.

"If the West Street post office was safe my question would have been fairly simple to answer", said Simon. However, a holding reply received this week from a Customer Liaison Officer in the Chairman's Office at Post Office Limited said "enquiries are taking longer than expected" and that a "full response will be sent as soon as possible".

"This person speaks with the full authority of the Chairman of the Post Office and it is clear what the reply means", said Simon. "They do not know whether Farnham's post office will fall under the axe of the review and this officer has let that cat out of the bag. The earlier assurances are as meaningless as I thought".

Simon says he suspects that a full answer has not been forthcoming because they are taking a look at the criteria to see if Farnham's office falls within the closure sector, outside it or somewhere in between.

As a result of the letter Simon took to the streets in Farnham this week and handed out hundreds of leaflets explaining the potential closure threat to people and asking for signatures on a petition. "We have already lost the Boundstone office, Ridgway and East Street. There is no point waiting until an official announcement and consultation because they never take any notice. I am getting in early with this and will be fighting a three year campaign to keep Farnham's General Post Office. I urge everyone to sign my petition", said Simon.