LETTER: Alan & Ann Keen failing Hounslow on Post Office closures

12.00.00am GMT Wed 28th Feb 2007

Cllr Andrew Dakers (Leader of Hounslow Liberal Democrats) has accused the Keens of failing to effectively defend Hounslow's post offices

Dear Editor, Following Alan and Ann Keens' feeble defence of their record in protecting Hounslow post offices, I thought I would set the record straight on the Lib Dems' policy proposals in this area.

In the Liberal Democrat group's January motion to full council we highlighted the reality that 19 Post Offices closed between 1999 and 2005 in Hounslow Borough (8 Brentford & Isleworth/ 11 Feltham & Heston). Vincent Cable, the Lib Dem MP for Twickenham, has led our national campaigning against closures - and Satnam Kaur Khalsa (Lib Dem parliamentary spokesperson for Feltham & Heston) and I have supported this campaign for several years. See www.hounslowlibdems.org.uk

Our motion "noted with concern" the announcement by the Government on 14th December 2006 of Ministers plans to close 2500 Post Office branches across the UK. Far from scaremongering, this is based on our experience of heavy cuts in Hounslow. Labour thinks that a post office within a 'mile' is an acceptable 'local' service. But how can they ask elderly people to walk a

two mile round trip to their 'local' post office? If this is Labour's idea of a local service, then it's no wonder they think top-up fees are the answer to student debt. Post office closure is taking the heart out of rural communities and is also reducing quality of life in our towns and

cities.

Whilst I have no doubt that Alan and Ann Keen wrote letters about post office closure to ministers, they have clearly been completely ineffective given the severity of the cuts imposed since 1999 in Hounslow. They - and their government - have failed to put together the coherent investment programme required to defend our post offices.

Specifically, the Liberal Democrats would:

• Split Post Office Ltd from Royal Mail, so they were two separate organisations

• Sell 49% of shares in Royal Mail to raise £2bn

• Give employees 50% of the remaining shares, in a John Lewis-style trust

• Free Royal Mail from Treasury borrowing controls so it can invest

• Free post offices from Royal Mail restrictions

• Establish a £2bn investment fund that will enable Post Offices to invest in new business - for example, establishing themselves as mini parcel depots for Royal Mail and private firms.

Cllr Andrew Dakers

Leader of Hounslow Liberal Democrats