Stockport Council has reacted angrily to the proposals for Post Office closures in the borough which have just been published. 11 Post Offices are on the list for closure out of 41 in the borough.
The proposals are part of a national review of the network in response to falling customer numbers, decline in traditional services, changing consumer behaviour and rising losses in the network. It is the result of the government’s decision that upto 2,500 post offices should close in the current round, some 18% of the current network.
The Post Office is proposing the closure of eleven offices in the borough, at:
105 Silverdale Road, Gatley
446 Gorton Road, North Reddish
24 Reddish Road, South Reddish
350 Buxton Road, Great Moor
168 Hall Street, Offerton
89-91 Heaton Road, Heaton Moor
94 Lowfield Road, Shaw Heath
133 Buxton Road, Heavily
54 Osborne Street, Bredbury
204 Stockport Road ,Rose Hill, Marple
167 Strines Road, Strines
Councillor Dave Goddard, Leader of Stockport Council said: “Whilst we have known for some time that closure proposals were going to come forward, we are shocked and angered by the extent of the proposed closure programme. This is a cut of 27% of the post office service. If the government proposals were stuck to, the cut would only be 18% - four fewer post offices.
“We consider the post office is an essential part of Stockport’s community fabric, and we are opposed to closures as a matter of principle. Post offices are important for older and less mobile members of our communities, and play an important role in the viability of local shopping centres.
“We will examine these proposals very, very carefully, and we call upon the residents and businesses here in the borough to look at these proposals and tell us what they think about them. We will certainly encourage and assist the community to tell the Post Office what they think of their plans”.
The Post Office invites comment on the proposals for a period of six weeks (ending 21st July) and the Council will shortly announce methods for local residents and businesses to put forward their own thoughts and comments, in addition to the Post Office’s own consultation mechanism.
from Stockport council website author unknown