MARK WILLIAMS, Member of Parliament for Ceredigion and Leader of the Welsh Liberal Democrats, has criticised the Post Office for its consultation process and for failing rural areas in a debate in Parliament yesterday (Nov 17).
Speaking in the Westminster Hall debate, Mark raised the situation of the closure of the Aberystwyth Crown Post Office and its relocation to a franchisee despite major opposition from the local community.
Mark said: “The current system is absolutely shambolic. In Aberystwyth we have recently gone through a consultation process which has seen absolutely no shift in the position of Post Office management over the closure and relocation of the branch throughout the entire consultation period.
“But this is exactly the same throughout Wales. The CWU note that they are unaware of a single case where public consultation has overturned the Post Office’s proposals in recent years. The consultation process is simply lip-service to the idea, nothing more.
“Successive Governments have spoken of using the Post Office to promote a genuine front house for Government and their services and to promote the High Street. Yet we are seeing the Post Office ignore the importance of the Post Office branch to our rural communities. This is a worrying trend.
“I call on the Minister to take action over this sham of a consultation process which has seen local concerns ignored in Aberystwyth and throughout large tracts of rural Britain.”
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