Julian Sturdy

The Government has ordered the Post Office to close more than 2,500 branches across the country as part of a national review, in addition to the 4,000 post offices already closed since 1999. They are conducting the review in tranche’s across the Country and today it is the turn of North Yorkshire to hear its fate. Actually the York Press broke the story on Saturday however Tuesday the 27th of November is the day that the 50 post offices due for closure across our region (Yes 50) are officially announced. In the City of York four post offices have been ear marked for closure Clifton, Haxby Road, Micklegate and Fulford.     

I have to say I am appalled at these announced closures, there has sadly been a gradual erosion of the sub-post office network and the Government is ignoring the vital social role they play in our local communities. The truth is that the Government has pulled business out of the Post Office network and undermined its finances. It doesn?t seem to understand the social value of Post Offices to our communities, particularly the disabled, the elderly, those on low incomes, without transport and those in rural areas. We need to protect and support our local post offices as they provide a vital service to our communities, especially in the villages surrounding York. By reducing the services they provide, the Government is making it incredibly difficult for postmasters to make a living, putting vital community services under threat and ripping the heart out of village life.

It is vital that we respond strongly and in numbers to show the strength of public anger and frustration at these latest proposals. There will now be a standard six week consultation period closing on the 17th January (Extended due to the Christmas break by 10 days). This is our opportunity to convince the Government that our post offices must be saved. More information can be found at Post Watch or at your individual post office.  

I visited Fullford post office which has been earmarked for closure yesterday morning, and saw first hand the steady stream of people using this vital community facility, and speaking to local residents they told me how outraged they were about the proposed closure. 

I will be campaigning to keep Fulford post office open, as well as the other post offices earmarked for closure across York. The York Press are running a campaign that I am supporting, fighting the closures across North Yorkshire. Link to the petition.

This is not turning out to be a very good week for the Government and Gordon Brown as the Northern Rock crisis worsens, and a bungling Government department has lost 25 million people’s personal details in the post. It is now reported that this bungling Government department has been hit by more than 2,100 reported breaches in security in the last year, clearly indicating that ”Dicsgate” was not a one off and to make things worse they have now decided to write out to all 25 million people whose details have been lost to say sorry at our expense.

Public confidence in the Government is starting to drain away, Mr Darling was seen to be a safe pair of hands by Gordon Brown, that doesn’t say much for the rest of the Cabinet.

And to make matters worse England have failed to qualify for the Euro 2008, after a dismal display against Croatia last night.  

I have to also mention the politics show on BBC1 last Sunday, that saw the two Liberal Democrat Leadership contenders turn on one another as the shows host produced a document  that had come out of Chris Huhnes’ office, entitled Calamity Clegg criticising him for flip flopping on policy. What once had been such a dull leadership contest has suddenly turned into a fight night special, looking forward to round two. If you missed it click on Calamity Clegg to catch it again, well worth the watch.

I read in the York Press yesterday about the dramatic rise in hospital bed blocking at York Hospital, 6,735 bed days lost the equivalent to 18 beds blocked out of the hospitals 650. T he reason for the the delayed discharge which is having an impact on patient care across the hospital is due to the lack of adequate nursing home provision and the local authorities not being able to provide the relevant care needed.

As a society we are continuing to live longer, yet the provision of nursing homes and the funding for adequate care in the community is continually squeezed by local authorities under pressure form central Government. The situation will not improve unless action is taken, most elderly people want to return from hospital to the comfort of their own home as quickly as possible and this is what care in the community is meant to achieve. For elderly patients to be forced to remain in hospital because there are not enough carers or adequate funding available is not acceptable in today’s society. The cost of bed blocking to the NHS in financial terms and to patent care is huge especially at a time when our local PCT is in such financial difficulties and having to make cuts across the board, this situation will only make their position worse.