Terrye Teverson Campaigns to use Cornwall Council One Stop Shops to Support Local Post Offices

2.00.00pm GMT Mon 10th Mar 2008

Terrye Teverson, Parliamentary candidate for Truro and Falmouth Liberal Democrats, stepped up her campaign this week to back local post offices under threat of closure by combining them with proposed Cornwall Council One Stop Shops in villages.

Mrs Teverson said, "There is a great opportunity to use local post offices as a central part of the One Stop Shops that the new Cornwall council will look at to provide information centres across Cornwall. Council services and postal services could be working under the same roof in a number of our village communities. Many sub-post office staff have worked as unofficial civil servants for years. The Post Office is trusted and valued and is at the heart of the community. This would be an excellent opportunity to continue providing much needed services in our local villages. It would also lower overheads by providing two services under one roof."

Mrs Teverson has discussed the issue with Liberal Democrat Councillor Roger Jones, Chair of the County's Policy Development Committee, and Councillor Joyce Mepstead, a member of the Postwatch committee.

Councillor Jones stated, "My committee is keen to investigate new ways of delivering services to the communities. The new Council want to get services into the heart of our communities. This subject will be given a high priority and is on our next Agenda meeting in April."

Councillor Joyce Mepsted, from Saltash commented, "Terrye and I have discussed ways of getting local government into our communities. Helping elderly people and young families to easily access local government services would fit well with the Post office network. Other councils in the country are looking at these possibilities and with a new Council this could provide a perfect opportunity for Cornwall."

Terrye concluded, saying, "I will contact Mr Pound from SW Post offices to ask for a meeting to move this matter forward. I will do all I can to make sure that our post offices continue. Under successive Tory and Labour governments they have been shut down. This way forward could give a new lease of life to the Post office."