Labour Challenged over Manchester Post Office Closures

12.00.00am GMT Wed 26th Mar 2008

Manchester Lib Dems Condemn the Closure of 21 Manchester Post Offices and Labour's Plans to Close Yet More

Manchester's Liberal Democrats have challenged Labour's Town Hall bosses to save local Post Offices already closed or earmarked for closure. In Manchester, Labour have closed 21 Post Offices since 2003.

Whalley Range Councillor John Grant has submitted a motion (see below) on behalf of the Lib Dems asking the Chief Executive to look at the 21 Manchester Post Offices closed since 2003 to see if any could be re-opened, and to investigate the possibility of a deal like the Essex Council arrangement with Post Office Limited.

Cllr Grant said today:

"Essex Council have saved 15 Post Offices under threat. Manchester should be looking to see if we can do the same."

Lib Dem Leader Cllr Simon Ashley added:

"It's clear the Labour government don't care. They are announcing closures after the elections in May and won't use their majority shareholding to stop them. I challenge the Labour Council to put Manchester first and support our plans to save local Post Offices."

Ends,,,

Manchester Council meeting 26th March 2008 - Notice of Motion on Post Office Services

This Council Notes that

1. Post Offices perform a vital service in our local communities.

2. As the majority shareholder, the Government can stop Post Office closures.

3. Under the last Tory Government, 3,500 local post offices closed.

4. Since 1997, under a Labour Government, a further 4,000 Post Offices across the country have closed, with 2,500 more to follow.

5. That since 2003, 21 Manchester Post Offices have closed. They are the Benchill; Moorcroft Road; Hyde Road; Abbey Hey; Beech Road; Upper Brook Street; Bradford Road; Hanging Ditch; Ashley Lane; Chain Bar; Collyhurst; Riverdale Road; St Marys Road; Burton Road; Levenshulme, Clarendon Road; Moss Side; Mauldeth Road West; Barlow Moor Road; Willow Bank and Clayton Bridge branches.

6. The closure of these 21 Post Offices across Manchester has caused immense damage to the fabric of our local communities.

7. Essex County Council has come to an agreement with the Post Office to take over 15 Post Office branches earmarked for closure.

8. We will not know which branches in Manchester are due to close until after the local elections in May.

This Council Resolves:

1. To continue to lobby the Post Office and oppose Post Office closures in Manchester

2. To lobby Government ministers to use their majority shareholding to stop Post Offices closing in Manchester.

3. To ask the Chief Executive to examine whether it would be economically viable to reopen any of the Post Offices closed since 2003, and report back to the Executive Committee.

4. To ask the Chief Executive, once the closures in Manchester are made public, to report to the Executive on the viability of coming to a similar agreement with the Post Office as Essex County Council has.