I was pleased to get a bit of coverage on the Post Office issue in tonight's Evening Times. Would appreciate it if anyone who got a copy could pass it on to me, as I've not had time today to get to the shops!
Showing posts with label post office. Show all posts
Showing posts with label post office. Show all posts
Friday, 18 January 2008
Monday, 14 January 2008
Dalmarnock Post Office closed
I was very disappointed, but not entirely surprised to hear the confirmation that the Post Office on Springfield Road was indeed one of the ones to be closed in Glasgow. While a few were saved, others have been chosen to stand in their place, due to the crazy position where a certain number (44) have to be closed in this area, come what may. Operating in this fashion really gives no certainty and no confidence in the manner in which Post Offices are selected for closure. If the original 44 were supposed to be chosen with particular criteria, why were they even allowed to be "saved"? And if a certain number must be closed, does this not completely undermine the concept of consultation?
Aside from the immediate Post Office issue, I'm really worried that the people of Dalmarnock are being left with fewer and fewer facilities. It almost seems as though they are being fobbed off with the big bright hope of the Commonwealth Games; "sit tight, it'll all be fine by 2014". That's just not acceptable to me, and I really hope I'm not proved right.
Aside from the immediate Post Office issue, I'm really worried that the people of Dalmarnock are being left with fewer and fewer facilities. It almost seems as though they are being fobbed off with the big bright hope of the Commonwealth Games; "sit tight, it'll all be fine by 2014". That's just not acceptable to me, and I really hope I'm not proved right.
Saturday, 8 December 2007
More Labour hypocrisy on Post Offices
I've blogged on Post Office closures before, so please bear with me while I give you an update!I have finally been able to obtain a copy of the front page from Thursday's Evening Times. It's unusual for the paper to give such strong condemnation of Glasgow Labour MPs, and interesting also that by the final edition of the paper (the one most commuters will buy on their way home) the headline had changed to a picture of a swan shot by an air gun. Wonder what strings were pulled, and by whom?!
It's pretty scandalous that, given the crocodile tears these MPs have cried over the past six weeks, these Labour MPs can't be bothered turning up for this debate in the House of Commons. Given that MPs have a lot less to do these days, you'd think they'd make the time. Where were they? What was so essential that they'd let down their constituents? I think we should be told...
Thursday, 1 November 2007
Post offices at full Council
The issue of Post Office closures was under consideration at Full Council today following the submission of an emergency motion by Cllrs Findlay and Braat. This read:
All very worthy stuff and sentiments I generally agree with. It misses the point a fair bit though - this was brought about by the Labour Government in Westminster. All the Labour Glasgow MPs voted for it. None of this was mentioned in the debate by the Labour members who moved it.
The SNP's amendment sought to rectify what had been left out by adding:
This was brilliantly moved by Cllr Duffy, who tore into Labour for their lead role in all this and the hypocrisy in their current position. I seconded, talking about the Post Office in Dalmarnock, as mentioned below.
It came as little surprise that we were defeated 52:21:1, but it was fun to be able to play on the consciences of Labour members and at least attempt to get them to take some share of the blame. While they didn't make the final decision, the failure of the Labour group in Glasgow City Council to influence their MPs on such an important issue is pretty worrying. Perhaps they believed it would never happen to them.
I was patronised later in the debate in the most oily fashion possible by another member from my ward, but perhaps the least said about that the better. Perhaps if that member was true to the principles of cross party consensus espoused by the leadership of the Labour group, he would have been in touch to fight this closure together. Thus far he hasn't phoned, he hasn't written...
*I don't understand why there are so many commas in that last sentence either!
This Council strongly believes that the local post office lies at the heart of the community and condemns the decision by Post Office Limited to propose the closure of a further 22 community post offices in the Greater Glasgow area.
Most severely hit in this wave of closures will be disadvantaged areas and communities with significant elderly populations.
Whilst recognising that Post Office Limited is now run on a commercial basis and that many of its former functions have been overtaken by technology and modern methods of communication, the company is - at the same time - a public service and must recognise that its network is of a significant strategic, economic and social importance to the communities it serves.
This Council, therefore, demands that, as part of the consultation process, an economic impact study be carried out in order to assess the impact of future closures both on rural - and urban - communities.*
All very worthy stuff and sentiments I generally agree with. It misses the point a fair bit though - this was brought about by the Labour Government in Westminster. All the Labour Glasgow MPs voted for it. None of this was mentioned in the debate by the Labour members who moved it.
The SNP's amendment sought to rectify what had been left out by adding:
Council deplores the duplicity of Labour MPs who voted for legislation and government policy to reduce the number and functions of local Post Offices, thereby betraying vulnerable communities. Council further urges all members to campaign for their retention.
This was brilliantly moved by Cllr Duffy, who tore into Labour for their lead role in all this and the hypocrisy in their current position. I seconded, talking about the Post Office in Dalmarnock, as mentioned below.
It came as little surprise that we were defeated 52:21:1, but it was fun to be able to play on the consciences of Labour members and at least attempt to get them to take some share of the blame. While they didn't make the final decision, the failure of the Labour group in Glasgow City Council to influence their MPs on such an important issue is pretty worrying. Perhaps they believed it would never happen to them.
I was patronised later in the debate in the most oily fashion possible by another member from my ward, but perhaps the least said about that the better. Perhaps if that member was true to the principles of cross party consensus espoused by the leadership of the Labour group, he would have been in touch to fight this closure together. Thus far he hasn't phoned, he hasn't written...
*I don't understand why there are so many commas in that last sentence either!
Wednesday, 24 October 2007
Save Dalmarnock's Post Office!
I'm a bit late to posting this blog article, but it's not through lack of action - more like doing too much.
After hearing the news about the post office closures on the news on Tuesday morning, I went down to the post office on Springfield Road in Dalmarnock after my surgery. The people I spoke to in the post office were understandably outraged, angry that their local facility might be taken away.
To put things in context, Dalmarnock has a small row of shops - off licence, chemist, doctor's, and a few other businesses, notably a wee cafe that's due to open soon. There's also a community hall. The post office though is an anchor to all of these things, as it helps to sustain other things when people use a core local facility like a post office. The post office is also the only business in the area to give locals access to their money via a free to use cash machine.
Post offices also have a social function. My gran often tells me about the great service she gets from the sub-post office at the bottom of Wishaw; how the staff know all the customers by name, how help out the elderly, and how they ask if someone misses their regular visit. That is often lost if people have to travel somewhere else. This is true of Dalmarnock as well, and customers told me that they have that kind of relationship with staff.
The post offices provided as alternatives should Dalmarnock close are not convenient to locals. At Parkhead, the post office is queued out the door whenever you walk by, and there's nowhere for people to sit. It's also about a mile away, uphill, with only one bus an hour from Dalmarnock. Not ideal if you're elderly or unwell, not convenient if you've got children or a buggy. Bridgeton is about the same distance away, but also not that handy for people to get to. Why can't people drive there? Because according to the Glasgow Centre for Population Health, 78.3% of households in Dalmarnock have no car.
One of the most ludicrous things about this proposal is that the Commonwealth Games Village is to be built right next to this wee row of shops. Over 1,000 houses, and a sports arena to boot. Sportscotland will also be based there, should they still exist by 2014. Given that potential increase in trade, it would be a ridiculouly short-sighted idea to close that particular post office.
I've sent a letter to the consultation, got in contact with local residents, and been in touch with the local newspaper. The campaign to save this facility is just beginning...
After hearing the news about the post office closures on the news on Tuesday morning, I went down to the post office on Springfield Road in Dalmarnock after my surgery. The people I spoke to in the post office were understandably outraged, angry that their local facility might be taken away.
To put things in context, Dalmarnock has a small row of shops - off licence, chemist, doctor's, and a few other businesses, notably a wee cafe that's due to open soon. There's also a community hall. The post office though is an anchor to all of these things, as it helps to sustain other things when people use a core local facility like a post office. The post office is also the only business in the area to give locals access to their money via a free to use cash machine.
Post offices also have a social function. My gran often tells me about the great service she gets from the sub-post office at the bottom of Wishaw; how the staff know all the customers by name, how help out the elderly, and how they ask if someone misses their regular visit. That is often lost if people have to travel somewhere else. This is true of Dalmarnock as well, and customers told me that they have that kind of relationship with staff.
The post offices provided as alternatives should Dalmarnock close are not convenient to locals. At Parkhead, the post office is queued out the door whenever you walk by, and there's nowhere for people to sit. It's also about a mile away, uphill, with only one bus an hour from Dalmarnock. Not ideal if you're elderly or unwell, not convenient if you've got children or a buggy. Bridgeton is about the same distance away, but also not that handy for people to get to. Why can't people drive there? Because according to the Glasgow Centre for Population Health, 78.3% of households in Dalmarnock have no car.
One of the most ludicrous things about this proposal is that the Commonwealth Games Village is to be built right next to this wee row of shops. Over 1,000 houses, and a sports arena to boot. Sportscotland will also be based there, should they still exist by 2014. Given that potential increase in trade, it would be a ridiculouly short-sighted idea to close that particular post office.
I've sent a letter to the consultation, got in contact with local residents, and been in touch with the local newspaper. The campaign to save this facility is just beginning...
The public consultation runs until the 3rd of December. Submissions should be sent to:
Sally Buchanan
Network Development Manager
C/o National Consultation Team
FREEPOST CONSULTATION TEAM
Email: consultation@postoffice.co.uk
Customer HelplineL 08457 22 33 44
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)