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Lib Dems fight for post office investment
Sun, 08 Mar 2009
The Liberal Democrats have set out a series of proposals in response to the Government’s strongly criticised plans to part-privatise the Royal Mail.
The Lib Dem Conference today passed a series of proposals on what should be done with Royal Mail. Whilst they support the idea of part-privatisation, they proposals greatly differ from those proposed by the Government. They argue for the importance of staff-ownership to any modernisation, and of making sure both the Post Office and the Royal Mail are able to compete effectively.
TEXT OF THE MOTION AS PASSED
F17b Emergency motion: Royal Mail / Post Offices
10 conference representatives
Mover: Lord Razzall (Lords Spokesperson on Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform)
Summation: Lorely Burt MP (Liberal Democrat Shadow Minister for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform)
Conference notes with concern:
A. The continuing failure of the Labour Government to support the Post Office network.
B. The closure by the Labour Government of 4,000 branches since it came to power.
C. The Government's proposals for legislation on Royal Mail and Post Offices which fail to offer significant investment for Post Offices; fail to establish shared ownership of Royal Mail with Royal Mail staff and fail to give customers a proper voice to hold the executives of Royal Mail and Post Office Limited to account
D. The continuing need for investment in and modernisation of Royal Mail in order that it can compete in a twenty-first century market.
Conference reaffirms its belief that the policy motion passed in March 2006, Securing Royal Mail and the Post Office' offers the best outcomes for customers, taxpayers, Royal Mail staff, and postmasters and mistresses.
Conference further reaffirms its belief that these outcomes can best be secured through:
1. Separating Post Office Ltd from Royal Mail Group and retaining Post Office Limited in the public sector, giving post offices the opportunity to develop new business.
2. Establishing an investment fund for the Post Office network in order to achieve:
a) branch modernisation.
b) providing start-up and investment capital to assist sub postmasters and mistresses in building profitable businesses.
c) the provision of training.
d) the promotion of services which sub-post offices could provide on behalf of local authorities and central government.
e) to allow the investment fund to support the opening of new Post Office branches where there are serious gaps in the existing network.
f ) the creation of a postbank to deliver financial services for all and particularly the financially excluded.
3. Establishing a shared ownership model for Royal Mail with a majority of shares divided equally between the government and a Trust for Royal Mail staff.
4. Ensuring that Royal Mail staff have a full opportunity to participate in the running of the company as part owners and through a staff council.
5. A statutory guarantee to protect the universal service obligation for six days a week throughout the United Kingdom.
6. Giving the Regulator, the power to place a levy on other operators who do not undertake the universal service obligation, to pay towards its cost.
7. Giving the body representing customers the ability to hold the Executive of Royal Mail and Post Office Limited to account.
Conference calls on Liberal Democrats to continue to campaign against the dismal failure of both Labour and the Conservatives to protect the Post Office network and ensure Royal Mail is able to compete effectively.
Conference calls on Liberal Democrats to oppose any legislation which does not deliver these outcomes.
In the interests of political balance I also looked at the Labour & Conservative sites....but even after 15+ mins on each, it would appear that they are not as forthcoming with their ideas ( so we are left to guess & expect the worse
)Personally, I'd rather no privatisation full stop, but if it can't be avoided, the Lib Dems proposal looks like the lesser of all evils *reality caveat* That assumes that the Lib Dems will do exactly as they have set out to do, instead of grab the cash and give us the shaft.....just like every other politician!