Annette Brooke MP Petitions Parliament on Post Offices

4.34.36pm GMT Wed 28th Feb 2007

Annette petitioned parliament to halt Post Office cuts throughout her constituency

Annette Brooke, MP for Mid Dorset and North Poole, has presented a petition to Parliament, signed by 4,000 local residents across her constituency, protesting against Post Office closures.

The presentation of the Petition to the Deputy Speaker of the House of Commons is part of her ongoing campaign to protect local Post Offices.

Annette said:

"Local Post Offices play a very important role in the local community. People see their Post Office as much more than a business: very often it is an important social contact point.

"Services such as the Post Office card account should be continued. Being able to access cash from the Post Office is a valuable service, particularly so in areas such as Upton and Canford Heath that have no bank. The situation is even further exacerbated in Corfe Mullen where residents have lost valuable bus services.

"I believe that we must use our local Post Office or risk losing it."

Annette has been campaigning with the local community, Post Office staff and local councillors against Government cuts to the Post Office network announced recently.

Annette has visited nearly every Post Office in the constituency to discuss campaigning against the Post Office cuts.  Working with the local Post Office staff, Annette has collected the petition of over four thousand signatures, which was presented in the House of Commons on Tuesday 27 February:

After the presentation Annette Brooke said:

"I am very pleased with the level of support offered not only by local residents but by people from all over Dorset who have signed the petitions available in local Post Offices."

ENDS

Notes to Editors:

27 Feb 2007: Column 895

PETITIONS

Post Office Closures

Annette Brooke (Mid-Dorset and North Poole) (LD): I present a petition of more than 4,000 of my constituents who have expressed their concern about the potential closure of post offices.

The petition states:

The Petition of the users of post offices in the constituency of Mid-Dorset and North Poole declares that post offices are a vital part of the social fabric of the local community and must be preserved. The Petitioners rely on the important services provided by their local post office.

The Petitioners therefore request that the House of Commons urges the Government to support local post offices and not to close them.

Link to House of Commons Official Report:

http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm200607/cmhansrd/cm070227/debtext/70227-0023.htm#0702281001122

National Campaign: The Liberal Democrats have campaigned hard across Britain to save valued Post Office branches from closure. Following the vote at Harrogate Conference last year, they have a costed and credible set of proposals to keep post offices open and, where necessary, to open others.

The new policy will enable us to -

§      Open new Post Office branches where they are needed

§      Raise money for investment in Post Offices

§      Keep the Post Office in the public sector

§      Make the Royal Mail into a successful company, with new investment freedoms

§      Give Royal Mail staff a guaranteed stake in their company through employee share holding and participation

§      Protect and improve the service to customers that provides a daily delivery at a uniform price across the country