New post office opened

Lanreath is a very pretty village in south east Cornwall and lies in that quiet hinterland behind the bustling coast of Looe and Polperro. With so many community facilities under threat it's great to be able to report some good news! Having lost their post office the villagers decided to do something about it - they came to an arrangement with Caradon District Council to purchase for a nominal sum a redundant public toilet of all things! This has now been converted into the new village post office.

The village has a reputation for being proactive I'm pleased to say. Quite recently in a "village moves to the city" scenario over 100 residents took their case for keeping their primary school open to London and thereby got national publicity for their cause. And they have had reason to celebrate when they were voted "The Best Kept Village" in Cornwall. A place with a great community spirit and epitomising all the best aspects of an English village.

This entry reminds me that I must visit Lanreath's Folk and Farm Museum this year which has got a good reputation. I understand that it is housed in an old tithe barn. The Church sounds as if it is worth a look as well.

Post Office closures announcement

Yesterday Trade and Indusry Secretary Alastair Darling made the expected announcement about closing post offices. These will number 2500 but we don't know at this stage which ones in Devon and Cornwall will come under the axe. Many of our postmasters and postmistresses will have a less than happy Christmas this year.

But of course it isn't just those on the list that could go. At present individual post offices are getting a government subsidy; if this is reduced or worse still removed then more POs will go. And of course the post office card account is going, to be replaced with what? Because these additional post offices will disappear in their ones or twos no doubt HMG are hoping that the general public wont really notice and, even if they do, the government wont take any responsibility that's for sure. As usual we have been subjected to Labour spin: Tony Blair says the public are to blame for using them less. Hardly surprising is it when the government takes business away!

Bishops speak out over Post Office closures

Well tomorrow the government should be making an announcement about the future of post offices. I am heartened to read that the Bishop of Exeter, the Rt Rev Michael Langrish, and the Bishop of Truro, the Rt Rev Bill Ind, have both spoken out about, as they see it, the wrongful policy of closing post offices particularly in the rural areas of Devon and Cornwall. I cannot describe myself as a practising (i.e. churchgoing) Christian but I have the greatest respect for those two men. Why? Well apart from anything else they understand how villages and small towns work. One of my biggest complaints about urbancentric labour politicians is their lack of perception about life in the countryside and what living in very small communities is all about. Add that to the fact that so many of them have never had real jobs and it can be seen that there are problems in getting these people to understand our concerns.

Yes there is a lower footfall in many of our post offices but much of that is down to cynical policies by this government. And I would agree that renewing a licence online for example has to be cheaper for the government than using your local friendly post office. But as usual the powers that be have no concern about the social cost. And if we are to reduce our carbon footprint isn't it better to have a post office facility in your own village rather than travelling by car orhaving to use a poor bus service?

Interesting point about car tax renewal: on line I am expected to pay my dues at least 5 days before the end of the month so there is time for DVLA to process the application and post the tax disc in time for the start of the month. Going to the post office, as I do, means effectively I can delay payment by these 5 days. Incidentally you can use a credit card on line but you have to pay an extra £2.50 for the privilege. Not a good deal for the motorist! A further point - on the leaflet that came with my tax disc reminder, in describing the new electronic system they used the phrase "What's the easiest way to renew my tax disc?" In other words they were suggesting this way as opposed to using the PO. Oh, and I almost forgot you can renew over the phone using an 0870 number which again costs.