Come clean - Lib Dem tells Post Office

Lib Dem Parliamentary Spokesman, Serena Tierney has today written (see attached letter: http://tinyurl.com/2y84c4) to the Post Office asking it to come clean over the reasons that it decided to close four local post offices.

"The Post Office told us that it would take into account all relevant factors including the impact on other businesses in the local community. Yet it makes no comment on the fact that closing each of these profitable post offices will almost certainly result in the loss of several other local businesses. If it had not already made the decision before consulting us, why has it apparently ignored this evidence?"

The reasons for closure given by the Post Office say that:

"This section therefore contains a summary of the key aspects of the responses to local public consultation received by Post Office Ltd in relation to each of the branches originally proposed for closure in the Sussex Area Plan Proposal.

"However, all such responses have been reviewed, considered and taken into account by Post Office Ltd when making the decisions set out below."

Yet its stated reasons for the closures do not deal with many of the factors raised in the consultation. Serena has asked the Post Office to explain what it took into account relating to those factors.

If a decision by a public body has not taken all relevant factors into consideration, it may be challenged in the courts by way of judicial review.

ENDS