Post Office outreach service suffers setback

[TrueBlueTerrier]

http://www.thenorthernecho.co.uk/news/l ... s_setback/

VILLAGERS who will have their post office replaced with an outreach service are being asked to subsidise it, says their county councillor.

Remote Rookhope, in Weardale, County Durham, was among the handful of branches to survive the axe when Post Office Ltd decided to reduce services in County Durham, Tyneside, Wearside and Northumberland last September.

Plans to replace the branch with an outreach service in the village hall, however, have suffered a setback. County councillor for Weardale John Shuttleworth said that Post Office Ltd’s offer of £750 per year to rent Rookhope Village Hall is not enough.

He said: “I am pleased that out of all that were announced to close we were not on the list.

“Having said that it is not fair to expect the people to subsidise them. We are not going to do that.

“The post office cannot expect what equates to £3.60 per hour to go anywhere near paying for the use of the hall, or indeed the extra cleaning etc.”

Councillor Shuttleworth has called for Post Office Ltd to find an alternative to the outreach service with the Rookhope postmaster.

In a letter to councillor Shuttleworth Gillian Alstead, field change advisor for the region, warned a further delay means customers will suffer.

“As you will be aware we are working towards a closure date for Rookhope Post Office branch between January and March,” she said. “This will go ahead as planned.

“As we are already into January we are aiming to get the outreach provision of postal services set up as soon as possible.

“Any delay in this may result in a break in service for the village which I am sure we will all work our hardest to avoid.”