Save Saddleworth's Post!

1.15.38pm BST (GMT +0100) Tue 19th May 2009

Local people are concerned that the Royal Mail are trimming down services ready for privatisation. Sunday collections are gone, fewer daily collections, with the last being as early as 5.00pm in some of Saddleworth's villages, and the first and only delivery is now as late as 3.00pm. That gives just 2 hours for local businesses to reply to their customers.

Councillor John McCann says, "Many local rural sorting offices, sited in sub post offices, are being targeted for closure, which results in later deliveries and the sub post offices being no longer viable.

"Local sub Post Offices have already been closed either directly, like Scouthead and Grasscroft or by stealth, as at Denshaw, by reducing the income so much that it becomes ever more difficult to make a living.

"Who can blame Royal Mail staff for being angry at seeing their pension fund wrecked, jobs lost, poor pay and ever increased bullying to get more work out of them?

"Local Lib Dems are determined not to give in without a battle. We need a good postal service both for businesses and to our homes. We may not be sending as many letters but we all buy more over the internet, with millions of packets being delivered by Royal Mail every day."

ACTION TAKEN!

• The Lib Dem-run borough council is actively seeking to use Post Offices as information points and for collecting fees and giving out benefits.

• The Primary Care and Acute care trusts, magistrates court, police and fire services are all coming up with ideas about how they too can use the network.

• Lib Dem Councillors called a public meeting. Royal Mail refused to attend, but over 100 people turned out.

• Since the meeting, new instructions have been received from Royal Mail's top management. For now at least, the sorting offices will stay open and the Posties continue to be based locally.

YOU CAN HELP

• Sign the petition which is at Greenfield, Uppermill and Dobcross Post Office.

• Write to Adam Crozier, Royal Mail's highly paid Chief Executive:

Mr Adam Crozier, Chief Executive Officer, Royal Mail, 148 Old Street, London EC1V 9HQ