Fears for thousands of rural post offices

Rules insisting every village has a branch nearby under review ahead of possible cut to subsidy

THOUSANDS of rural post offices are under threat after ministers moved to review rules that ensure countryside residents have a branch nearby.

Ministers said they were examining criteria that determine whether villages have post offices, ahead of a possible cut to an £80million a year subsidy. The Post Office is required to ensure that 95 per cent of the rural population has a branch within three miles. But campaigners fear that the criteria could be amended to close more post offices.

THOUSANDS of rural post offices are under threat after ministers said they wanted to review strict rules that require people in the countryside to have a branch within three miles.

Ministers said they were examining the relevancy of the criteria that determine whether villages have post offices, ahead of a possible cut to an £80 million-a-year subsidy. The Government top-up for the 11,500-strong network ends in March 2018, which means there is uncertainty about unprofitable areas of the service.

The 2015 Conservative manifesto committed the party to “secure the future of 3,000 rural post offices”, leaving a question over remaining branches, including 3,300 in the countryside.

The Post Office is currently required by the Government to guarantee that 95 per cent of the rural population is within three miles of a branch.

However, ministers have ordered a review to help them “understand consumers’ and businesses’ expectations for what the network should look like and how it should be operated”. They said they want to understand whether the criteria “remain relevant” and whether a different approach should be considered.

The review, which ends on Dec 21, has alarmed unions and rural campaigners who are concerned that the criteria could be amended to close more branches. Greg Clark, the Business Secretary, will face questions about the plans when he appears before MPs this week.

Tom Fyans of the Campaign to Protect Rural England said: “Post offices are pillars of rural life. They are popular with many, and vital for even more.

“The Government has pledged to protect less than half of existing rural post offices, so any change in criteria leaves more than 3,000 rural post offices with an uncertain future.”

Richard Quallington, of Action with Communities in Rural England, said: “Rural post offices provide a lifeline for the elderly and those isolated by lack of transport. Any proposals must be ‘rural-proofed’ to ensure that people, and those in greatest need, are not disadvantaged by any changes in provision.”

Postal unions plan to deliver up to 100,000 signed postcards to Mr Clark’s office on Dec 19, two days before the consultation closes, protesting against any dilution of the criteria.

Dave Ward, general secretary of the Communication and Workers’ Union, said the possible closure programme “represents the biggest ever threat to the future of both high street and rural post offices”.

Labour also criticised the plans. Gill Furniss, the shadow postal affairs minister, said: “The Government’s consultation could precipitate the loss of over half of all rural post offices.

“This would be nothing short of a disaster for rural communities, which are already treated as second class when it comes to service provision.”

A spokesman for the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy said: “Our consultation has nothing to do with closing branches. We recognise the importance of the Post Office in the community, which is why 93 per cent of the population live within a mile of a branch.”