VIEWPOINT FOR 4 SEPTEMBER 2008
FROM DR RICHARD TAYLOR

Following the concerns about the possible loss of the Post Office Card Account we are now faced with a consultation on the proposals to close four more of our local post offices. 
These are the branches on_ 

• Comberton Hill
• Queens Road on The Walshes, 
• Stone branch in Harvington 
• Wolverley branch.

We must now mount an effective, cross party campaign through the District Council to protect as many as possible of these branch offices. 

The reasons for closure are financial and my fear is that if the Post Office loses the competitive tendering process to retain the Card Account even more local offices will come under threat of closure. 
I believe that a decision on current closures should not be taken until this tendering process is complete otherwise we could be faced by two separate programmes of closure with possibly worse consequences. This will be the first point I will make in my response to the consultation.

The hardest to save will be Wolverley as it is temporarily closed owing to the impossibility of finding a sub-postmaster. 

The Stone branch has, according to Post Office information, only between 50 and 99 customer sessions per week and is in an area of low population (564 people within 1 mile) and high car ownership. Its nearest alternatives are Chaddesley and Spennells.

Campaigns will, I think, be easier to win for the other two. 

There are 8310 people living within 1 mile of The Walshes branch. Customer sessions per week average 300 – 399, and although the Areley Kings branch is said to be only 0.7 miles away there are many houses and retired people's bungalows the wrong side of The Walshes branch and thus an impossibly long walk to the proposed alternative. 
We are arranging a petition for users of The Walshes branch with hopefully an indication of how many over 70s use it regularly.

The Comberton Hill branch is a busy one in a heavily populated area with very convenient parking. Alternatives suggested are Burcher Green, 0.6 miles distant but not in the natural direction of travel, I guess, for most people who use Comberton Hill, and the main Post Office in Kidderminster town centre with its expensive parking and queues at busy times. 
If any readers who will find getting to an alternative branch to their existing branch difficult or impossible because of age or disability, wish to write to me at 137 Franche Road, Kidderminster, DY11 5AP I will be grateful.

________

The Acute Hospitals Trust's consultation on their application for Foundation Trust status has commenced and meetings in the Corn Exchange last Monday posed to the Trust's Chief Executive relevant and probing questions. 

I believe we should welcome this status. 

It will give the Trust more freedom from Government influence, the ability to use savings for its own priorities and greater public involvement through its membership for which application forms are available in GP surgeries.

Please enrol now by going to www.worcsacute.nhs.uk/ft/ft_forms.html
to download their

• Consultation Response Form
• Membership Application Form

which you complete and then submit (online) or return as an attachment to .. 

ftmembershipoffice@worcsacute.nhs.uk

or, by FREEPOST, to 

Worcestershire Acute Hospitals NHSTrust
Foundation Membership Office
Kidderminster Hospital
FREEPOST RRXY-RKTX-GBXT
Kidderminster.
DY11 6RJ

A large local membership will give us more say on the decisions about provision of local hospital services especially crucial now that it has been recognised that more hospital beds are needed in the county. 

Didn't we tell them ?  !!

R.T.

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