LIBERAL DEMOCRATS 'CALL-IN' MAYOR'S DECISION ON POST OFFICES

3.02.02pm GMT Mon 15th Feb 2010

Five Liberal Democrat Councillors have 'called-in' the Mayor's decision on failing to support local post offices because it does not go far enough. This means that his decision will be scrutinised by the Council's watchdog 'Overview and Scrutiny' Board on Tuesday 23rd February at 5.30pm.

The 'call-in' was signed by Councillors Steve Darling, Alan Faulkner, Jenny Faulkner, Christine Carter and Cindy Stocks.

The reasons for the 'Call-in' are:

(1) Why did the Mayor fail to endorse the Overview and Scrutiny recommendation to "approve the council taking forward a path finder scheme with a number of post offices to evaluate the success of delivering services such as surveys, Benefits interventions and information and advice so that these can be commissioned in the future in line with some of the national initiatives"? We would strongly urge him to reconsider this.

(2) The Mayor and the Cabinet Member for Community Safety and Community Engagement seem to be under the impression that some Councillors are calling for a subsidy for sub post offices. This is not the case. The reason for a path finder scheme is to increase footfall and to work with partners to look at new ways of working with sub post offices so that they can become community hubs which are self financing.

(3) In light of the limited time before the next round of potential reductions in the number of sub post offices from 2011, we are concerned at the length of time it has taken to bring forward an action plan on supporting local sub post offices.

(4) How were local postmasters consulted on the action plan that was brought to Cabinet, and are there any proposals that they put forward which have not been included?

(5) According to paragraph 3.3 of the Cabinet Report 17/2010, "we do not currently have the resource or the funding identified to develop our proposals to support and promote the local network of post offices in a more sustainable way". We would urge the Mayor to reconsider using £20,000 of the money available in the credit crunch reserve, the balance of which stood at in excess of £350,000 0n 10th February 2010. (These figures were supplied by council officers on the 10th February 2010).

(6) A significant key risk identified in the Cabinet report (on paragraph A2.1.2) is "That the Council and Torbay Strategic Partnership does not consider this to be a priority". Why was this considered to be a key risk?

(7) How will the Mayor be continuing "to lobby and work at a national, regional, countywide and local basis for the future of post offices"?

(8) Concerns have been raised about the process of bringing forward the action plan.

Commenting on the 'Call-in' Councillor Darling said, "The Mayor and his Conservative administration have taken nearly a year to bring forward an incredibly weak action plan, which will not provide the support that our local sub-post offices need. The Government's current funding arrangements for post offices runs out in 2011, and there are likely to be more post offices threatened with closure then. The Council needs to be doing much more to help Torbay's post offices become self sufficient. The campaign to save the post offices in Torbay that were threatened with closure showed how much they are treasured by their local communities. The Council should not let them down by inaction at this late stage."