The petition of residents of the Hazel Grove constituency,
Declares that High Lane Post Office should not close on 19 September; and further declares that the post office service is vital for the local community.
The petitioners therefore request that the House of Commons urge the Government to remain open the Post Office in its current location and not to close.
And the petitioners remain, etc.—[Presented by Lisa Smart, Official Report, 3 September 2024; Vol. 753, c. 278.]
[P003007]
Observations from the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Business and Trade (Gareth Thomas):
Thank you to the petitioners for raising the closure of High Lane post office. I fully appreciate the impact a post office branch closure can have on a community. I know it can be disruptive, particularly for communities who do not have nearby alternatives.
The Government set geographical access criteria to ensure that 99% of the UK population lives within three miles of a post office. The Government’s access criteria ensure that however the network changes, services remain within local reach of citizens. The post office network meets Government-set access criteria at a national level.
Post Office has the freedom to make commercial decisions regarding the composition of its network, provided that it fulfils the Government-set access criteria. Decisions around individual branches are operational decisions for the Post Office.
I understand that the High Lane post office closed following the resignation of the postmaster and withdrawal of premises for Post Office use. While the Post Office network can fluctuate between areas and regions, I understand the priority of the Post Office is to work with communities to ensure that services are maintained. The time this can take will vary depending on the individual local circumstances in each case.
My officials inform me that the Post Office is currently advertising the opportunity to run a branch at High Lane post office. Post Office is speaking to interested parties and will provide an update as soon as more details are available.