Post Offices are
central to our communities.
Yet the Government has announced the closure of over 3,000 sub-Post Offices,
with a looming threat to another 5,000 Post Offices.
This is simply unacceptable and will, in the words of the Federation of Post
Masters and Mistresses, devastate many communities. In particular, Post Offices
offer vital services to the elderly, the unemployed, and those on low wages.
Over 12,400 pensioners in Oxfordshire rely on the Post Office Card Account.
It is those in the community that often have the least, who will suffer most if
Post Offices are closed on this scale.
This is why I am launching a Petition to protect our Post Offices.
The Petition will urge the Government to stop action which will lead to the
immediate closure of Post Offices.
It will call for an urgent review of funding for Post Offices and the services
they offer.
It will call on Ministers to allow Post Offices to continue to serve as the
cornerstone of the community, for individuals, business and the most vulnerable
in society.
What we believe customers want to see is a strong Post Office network, not
subsidised but competing in the market; not held back and undermined by the
Government, but allowed to flourish and offer a full range of services for
everyone.
PUBLIC
PETITION
The Petition of the residents of Oxfordshire,
Declares that the Petitioners are extremely concerned about the threat
to close half the Post Offices in England and Wales. The Government is
considering a huge cut in Post Office funding, closing up to 7,200 Post
Offices which will adversely affect over 12,400 pensioners in
Oxfordshire alone who hold Post Office Card Accounts.
Further declares that Post Offices are at the heart of rural and many
urban communities. Post Offices offer vital services to some of the most
vulnerable people in the community, including those on low wages,
unemployed and the elderly who will suffer most if Post Offices are
closed on this scale.
Further declares that the Government has persistency undermined our Post
Office network over a number of years. Ministers have prevented the Post
Office competing in the market by penalising them and instead playing to
the high street bank network, by seeking to withdraw the Post Office
Card Account, and by preventing Post Offices selling TV Licenses and
other products to keep them competitive.
Further declares that the Government's move to merge the watchdog
Postwatch with the other consumer bodies is a clumsy attempt to silence
opposition to the closures.
Further declares that offering compensation to Post Masters and
Mistresses is no substitute for what they and communities want which is
a strong, competitive Post Office, supported and not undermined by the
Government.
Further declares that the Federation of Small Business has said that
small business will also be adversely affected by Post Offices closures
and that the Federation of Sub-Post Masters and Mistresses, which
presented the largest ever petition in support of Post Offices, has said
the closures will devastate communities.
The Petitioners therefore call on the House of Commons to urge the
Government to stop action which will lead to the immediate closures of
Post Offices and urgently review funding for Post Offices and the
services offered by them to enable Post Offices to continue to serve as
a cornerstone of the community for individuals, business and the most
vulnerable in society.
And the Petitioners remain etc.
Sign the petition
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