Contact: Peter Black on 029 20 898744 Release: 1 October 2002 Assembly Member hands over final sheets of 11,000-signature petition The Welsh Liberal Democrat Assembly Member for South Wales West, Peter Black, has handed over the final few sheets of a mammoth 11,000 signature petition against Post Office closures collected in the Swansea, Neath, Port Talbot and Bridgend areas over the summer. The petition is part of a nationwide campaign run by the Liberal Democrats to highlight and oppose Consignia plans to close one in three urban Post Offices over the next few years.

Peter Black AM hands over more petitions to Liberal Democrat Trade and Industry Spokesperson, Vince Cable MP.

It also raises the possibility that Labour Government plans to privatise 70% of the postal service by 2007 may well lead to the loss of door to door letter delivery in some rural areas. Mr. Black met up with Liberal Democrat MP and Trade and Industry Spokesperson, Vince Cable, to hand over the petitions. Mr. Cable has been coordinating the campaign nationally.

Although the exact number of urban Post Offices to be closed in Wales have yet to be determined, Consignia have announced that one in three of them will close due to Labour Government plans to pay benefits and pensions directly into bank accounts from next April. Most Post Offices will lose 40% of their business as a result of this change. Other pressures on Consignia include their huge trading losses and the failure of the Labour Government to pay up for an expensive computer project after a change of policy halfway through its development.

“There has been a massive response to this petition locally reflecting the concern of people at the possibility of losing this vital service”, said Mr. Black. “I have now handed over 11,000 signatures to Vince Cable and although the initial deadline has passed more are still coming in. I hope to pass these on as soon as possible and would urge anybody who has forms to return them to me.”

“The message that is coming across loud and clear from this campaign is that the Labour Government need to think again about their plans. Although the introduction of a universal bank may well keep some urban Post Offices open a lot will still close. That is not acceptable. In addition the threat of privatisation of letter delivery could lead to a worsened service for large parts of Wales. People will not easily forgive Labour if they no longer get their mail delivered every morning.”

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