Post office closure programme - Edinburgh, the Lothians and South of Scotland

Post Office Ltd's six week public consultation on post office closures in Edinburgh, the Lothians and South of Scotland finished on the 29 September 2008.  Post Office Ltd (POL) originally proposed to close 58 branches in this area, leaving in place a network of 265 post offices. Of the 58 closures, 32 were to be replaced by outreach services - offered from a mobile van, hosted, partner or home service. None of these post offices will close until its outreach replacement is in place. Full details of Post Office Ltd's decision can be found on the ‘current public consultations' webpage of www.postoffice.co.uk/networkchange.

Postwatch Scotland scrutinised each of Post Office Ltd's proposals, encouraged customers to engage in the consultation process, and worked to ensure Post Office Ltd took into account responses submitted.

Further meetings were held with POL where we discussed all of the cases with which we had concerns. Postwatch Scotland cannot veto any proposal and the final decision always lies with Post office Ltd.

Postwatch Scotland is pleased that as a result of our advocacy Post Office Ltd has withdrawn the proposed closures of Elm Row, 20 Elm Row, Edinburgh, EH7 4AA and Calder Crossway, 10 Calder Park, Edinburgh, EH11 4JN.  We also persuaded Post Office Ltd to improve a number of the outreach services from what was originally proposed.

In addition Post Office Ltd has agreed to ensure its capacity and staffing levels are appropriate in those post offices where we had concerns that the quality of service would decline when more customers were using them.

Post Office Ltd is now proposing to close the following alternative branch:

• Oxgangs, 8 Oxgangs Broadway, Edinburgh, EH13

This new closure proposal will be subject to a six week public consultation, starting on 4 November 2008 and concluding on 15 December 2008.

We welcome Post Office Ltd's commitment to undertake a number of improvements to remaining post offices in the area.

The total number of outright post offices closures in Edinburgh, the Lothians and South of Scotland is 56, 32 of which will have a replacement outreach service, leaving net closures at 24.  We recognise that some communities will inevitably be extremely disappointed that POL has decided to proceed with the closure of their post office.  However, we are satisfied that POL has fulfilled Government criteria and taken into account submissions from postal users and stakeholders when making their final decision.

We would like to thank you at this time for forwarding your submission to us. This was extremely helpful in our discussions with Post Office Ltd. We should now advise that Postwatch Scotland's role ends with Post Office Ltd's announcement except for the further consultation on the alternative branch proposed for closure.

Yours sincerely,

Professor Alan Alexander FRSE

Chair, Postwatch Scotland

(now part of Consumer Focus Scotland)

Irene Mitchell

Executive, Postwatch Scotland (now part of Consumer Focus)

9-10 St Andrew Square

Edinburgh

EH2 2AF

0131 718 6509

irene.mitchell@consumerfocus.org.uk