Summary
'Post Office Closure Programme'
(HC 292-I), a Report from the Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform Committee, examines how the Post Office closure programme is being implemented and considers areas in which it could be improved.
The Network Change Programme began in July 2007 and the final consultation is scheduled to end in October 2008. This challenging timetable has meant that consultation has been curtailed and the whole process has been rushed.
The Committee does not accept that a reduction to 7,500 offices is acceptable and a minimum of 11,500 fixed outlets is recommended. Post Office Ltd should be clearer in its approach to public consultation about closures.
The Committee is also concerned that access criteria - proximity of population to offices, local transport, and geographical constraints - have not been fully taken into account, nor has the principle of services being fully accessible to all. The process has been improving with more experience but there is still room for further improvement and clarity.
The Department of Trade and Industry (since June 2007 the Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform and the Department for Innovation, Universities and Skills) conducted a public consultation on the Post Office Network, which ran from December 2006 until March 2007. The Post Office has also held a series of local public consultations in which each of the 50 Post Office areas has been consulted on the details of the proposed changes for that area.
Found this story interesting?
Spread the news by
clicking below to add it to your bookmarking service: