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PASSFIELD POST OFFICE - Richard Davies (20th Nov 2007 - 07:20:54) MEETING AT LIPHOOK HALL TONIGHT 20th SEE BBC SOUTH TODAY AS THEY HAVE PUT IT ON THEIR BULLITINs COME ON ALL THOSE WHO SUPPORT THE LITTLE POST OFFICE GIVE US A HAND IN SAVING IT. BRING FRIENDS AND NEIGHBOURS PASS THE WORD IF WE SHOW HOW MUCH PEOPLE WANT IT THEY HOPEFULLY SHOULD KEEP IT [editor - can someone please clarify the venue and actual start time]

Re: PASSFIELD POST OFFICE - nikki young (20th Nov 2007 - 09:35:05) 6.30 p.m Millenium Hall in Liphook

Re: PASSFIELD POST OFFICE - Dawn Hoskins (21st Nov 2007 - 11:00:57) What was the exact purpose of this meeting and what was the outcome? I would appreciate an overview of what was discussed - and any further action we need to take as a result. Thanks dawn

Re: PASSFIELD POST OFFICE - Dawn Hoskins (23rd Nov 2007 - 10:08:41) Did anybody go?

Re: PASSFIELD POST OFFICE - Dawn Hoskins (2nd Jan 2008 - 20:48:32) Can anyone give us an update for this situation please. thanks Dawn

Re: PASSFIELD POST OFFICE - Dawn Hoskins (4th Jan 2008 - 10:22:16) I read in todays Herald that John and Sue have been kept on a knive edge for the entire Christmas period. This is another example of the contemptible manner in which they (and the general public) have been treated by this Government department. They have ignored the overwhelming public support for this vital service that was put up in the first instance by continuing to put it on the closure list and then, when they have promised John and Sue a final answer can’t even be bothered to give it!! Outrageous behaviour. I am keeping my fingers crossed for you both. Dawn aka purplecurly

Re: PASSFIELD POST OFFICE - Dawn Hoskins (8th Jan 2008 - 12:31:59) John?...Sue? Are you there? News?

Re: PASSFIELD POST OFFICE - James Arbuthnot (9th Jan 2008 - 12:56:58) I have just issued the following press release: James Arbuthnot, Member of Parliament for North East Hampshire, has described the Post Office Ltd’s decision to close Passfield Post Office as ‘defying all logic’. The announcement comes after months of uncertainty for Passfield which had been identified for closure as part of the Government's current programme to axe 2,500 Post Offices across the country. James said: “This decision makes absolutely no sense at all. The evidence in favour of keeping Passfield open was overwhelming. “Local residents in and around Passfield will be devastated, especially John and Sue Wood who have worked so hard to build a highly profitable business. But the Post Office was so much more than a business, it had become the focus of village life and the decision to close it will undermine all that hard work. “Local residents will now have a 4 mile round trip to their nearest Post Office, limited parking and lengthy queues to contend with. And what about those people without cars – it will take almost a whole working day on public transport just to travel to post a parcel. And there are many local businesses that will now be forced to travel with all the associated increases in costs and emissions. As I said, this decision makes absolutely no sense at all.”

Re: PASSFIELD POST OFFICE - Sumi Olson (9th Jan 2008 - 15:10:07) Just read about this on BBC news site. This is the PO document which mentions Passfield. What a disgrace - especially given the pathetic "peoples' post office" adverts on tv at the moment... Sumi Olson (formerly Beken) Post Office® Passfield branch The main concerns of respondents were about the impact of any change on elderly and disabled people, and mothers with children; the availability of public transport; the difficult route to the nearest alternative branch, and the impact on local businesses. A review confirmed that while the area has around 70 companies employing some 700 people, the majority of these workers are not using the Post Office®; this is borne out by the low customer usage. Additionally, a bus service runs from Passfield to the nearest alternative branch at Liphook regularly, with a timetabled journey time of 10 minutes. Taking all relevant factors into consideration our final decision is to proceed with the closure of Post Office® Passfield branch.

Re: PASSFIELD POST OFFICE - Eneida Nelson (10th Jan 2008 - 10:23:52) There's an excellent full page article in the Daily Mail today about this: http://url.co.uk/exkcr [Daily Mail] Eneida

Re: PASSFIELD POST OFFICE - nikki (10th Jan 2008 - 10:27:47) Some articles published recently url.co.uk/oc0ty [Daily Mail - as above] url.co.uk/oq61d [Petersfield Post]

Re: PASSFIELD POST OFFICE - Sue W (11th Jan 2008 - 08:25:07) Many sympathies to John and Sue - it goes to show no matter how hard you work and others to save something, decisions beyond your control have devastating effects. I hope you can continue to keep the shop side going, as it is very much needed in Passfield - but fully understand that losing the income from the PO may be too much to offset! Sue

Re: PASSFIELD POST OFFICE - Jon n (12th Jan 2008 - 00:55:15) Sue & John, you have both worked soooooooo hard, and I really feel for you both. You are both are really lovely people, and have worked so hard on running your business along with the battle of saving the P.O I don't need to wish you the best of luck as I know that you both run the shop so well, you will have people waiting to get in. The rolls you make are so great I end up buying four at a time ( I cant choose just one!!!!) along with everything else. I will shop and support you all the way!

Re: PASSFIELD POST OFFICE - liz (18th Jan 2008 - 09:41:54) IF the Liphook Herald is to believed it seems that the Post Office has not only taken away the core of Sue and John's livelihood after first telling them that the Passfield Office was not under threat of closure but now seems intent on making things even more difficult. Apparently a proposed ATM has to be set up in Sue's name as John is under 'strict instructions not to impede migrating customers to the Liphook Branch'. Any support for the people the Post Office seems to have let down so badly? - Quite the opposite it seems. James Arbuthnot, I know you have been a very strong supporrter of Passfield Post Office but there seem to be a huge number of questions here that still need answering. I'm sure it all comes back to contractural law, small print and weasel words, but the government really should sit up and take notice.

Re: PASSFIELD POST OFFICE - James Arbuthnot (21st Jan 2008 - 15:46:11) I’m afraid to say that following the Government's decision to turn the Post Office into a Limited Company (of which the Government has a 51% shareholding) commercial confidentiality has played far too great a part in the decision to close Passfield. I wish they had recognised that Post Offices are Government run and taxpayer-supported public services, not secretive offshore companies. Much has been made of the fact that John and Sue were running a business which was highly profitable. However, when I and members of the Keep Passfield Post Office Action Group met Tim Nickolls from the Post Office he was adamant that while Passfield was profitable for John and Sue, it wasn’t profitable to the Post Office; but because of commercial confidentiality he wouldn’t let us see the figures or even tell us what John and Sue would need to do to turn that round. Now it seems that in Essex - where they are just beginning to name the Post Offices that are under threat of closure - the Post Office has been told by the Courts to open their books to the County Council so that the possibility of financial help can be considered. It strikes me that what can happen in Essex should happen in Hampshire, so I am writing to the Post Office to ask them to rethink the issue.

Re: PASSFIELD POST OFFICE - liz (21st Jan 2008 - 16:54:31) I wouldn't be surprised to find that "not profitable for the Post Office" equates to "not sufficiently high returns should we decide to float it on the stockmarket". That's fine so long as allowances are made for the 'public service' element (if that's the correct phrase) and the potential impact on local communities. Good luck James!

Re: PASSFIELD POST OFFICE - Paul Robinson (22nd Jan 2008 - 08:10:04) Instead of just repeating ill informed and inaccurate statements about, among other things, the closure of the Post Office at Passfield the Liphook Herald, which is sold in the shop, should have campaigned more robustly on behalf of this and other Post Offices which are facing the axe. Paul Robinson

Re: PASSFIELD POST OFFICE - Dawn Hoskins (22nd Jan 2008 - 09:08:05) James, What ever way it is viewed, the Post Office is an emanation of the State, and as such must conform / adhere to the Administrative laws laid down by the State. If a precedent has been set (however low the Court) they should be challenged on the basis of procedural irregularity if they have acted in contravention of it. I urge you to follow this line. Let us see the evidence that our only amenity was a loss maker….. Thank you Dawn (aka PurpleCurly)

Re: PASSFIELD POST OFFICE - James Arbuthnot (23rd Jan 2008 - 18:44:59) Sorry, it looks as though I made a mistake there. It seems that it wasn't the courts who told the Post Office to open their books but the Government Minister in charge. In some ways that is rather encouraging, since it suggests that if the Post Office were to be difficult about treating Hampshire in the same way as Essex, there would be no need to go through a court battle. And on top of that, the minister having set the precedent, if the Minister were to be difficult about it, then a court battle might be successful.

Re: PASSFIELD POST OFFICE - Dawn Hoskins (29th Jan 2008 - 09:21:05) James If the correct administrative process has been identified – then the Post Office should abide by this. I know it would be more useful to us if this precedent had been laid by a court – but nonetheless it has been set. I still think hat the Passfield decision should be challenged on the grounds of procedural irregularity and as MP you are the only one who can do it now. I urge you to try – it is worth a shot surely? Dawn (PurpleCurly)

Re: PASSFIELD POST OFFICE - James Arbuthnot (30th Jan 2008 - 16:53:39) Oh yes. And I'm doing so. I've written to the Minister.

Re: PASSFIELD POST OFFICE - Dawn Hoskins (31st Jan 2008 - 11:04:46) I know this is a bit like flogging a dead horse, but I would just like to say that I went in to post a number of items yesterday. The service (as usual) was speedy and done with a smile. To compare this to the horrendous waits at the co-op PO counter and the gruff service metered out is to look at chalk and cheese. I am still flabbergasted at this stupid decision. It makes me SO ANGRY

Re: PASSFIELD POST OFFICE - James Arbuthnot (19th Mar 2008 - 22:11:19) We did our best, and getting the majority down to 20 was a pretty good best, I think. There were some brave Labour MPs prepared to vote to protect their local communities. But not enough. news.bbc.co.uk But all is not yet lost. I shall continue to pursue the possibility of following the path pioneered by Essex. James

Re: PASSFIELD POST OFFICE - Freddie Dawkins (21st Mar 2008 - 10:51:30) A point of information - and a potential barrier - to supporting proposed closures: The network which connects the PO terminals on the counter is owned and operated by a different, commercial bank. The terminals are complex, built especially for PO counter business. The network operator/bank also has other retail networks, such as PayPoint I believe. It will be very difficult to move/re-open PO's if the network operator prefers to "push" customers over to cheaper PayPoint operators/terminals, many of which are in local shops and supermarkets. I'm sure there has been lots of political lobbying by the vested interests involved in this. So it's not just a case of saving £x million subsidy a year, to maintain post offices - especially as many of those already closed or scheduled for closure are profitable. Lord Hanningfield, leader of Essex County Council, has come up with several ideas to save post offices, including: Move the premises into Council-owned buildings, effectively providing free accommodation for the first three years. These could be community halls, parish and district council offices, schools.... Provide a maximum subsidy of £70,000 per PO for the first three years, to provide the opportunity to see if the POs can be commercially viable. But one of the arguments against such council assistance has been that The Post Office might then say that other, saved, POs must close to meet the target of 2,500 closures. It's all very complex, very politicial and a mess, caused by rushing through the consultation and acting precipitously.

Re: PASSFIELD POST OFFICE - Dawn Hoskins (25th Mar 2008 - 11:57:02) Just back from Easter Holidays! Any news about the reburbishment grant yet? Dawn

Re: PASSFIELD POST OFFICE - Freddie Dawkins (3rd Apr 2008 - 13:42:52) Latest breaking news today: The Post Office has been urged to begin talks with a county council over saving branches faced with closure. Essex County Council has expressed interest in taking over many branches for its own service needs. John Baron, MP for Billericay, said the county council was offering to pay to help keep some post offices open in his constituency but was not being helped. The minister responsible, Pat McFadden, said he wanted the project to succeed and hoped talks would start soon. He told Parliament: "I have encouraged the Post Office to talk to Essex County Council. "I have also spoken to the county's chief executive on two occasions and I hope discussions will take place."

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