THE fight against the controversial plans to close Post Offices across Gwent has begun, as DARREN EVANS and JANE HELMICH report.

A TOTAL of 21 Post Offices in villages and communities in the Gwent area are earmarked for closures by Post Office Ltd, who say their plans offer a "sustainable way forward" for the service.

But there was widespread anger yesterday after we revealed the news, and now a series of campaigns has begun to save the threatened branches.

Blaenau Gwent council leader councillor Hedley McCarthy threw the council's support behind local campaigns to save six Post Offices in the borough from closure.

Today councillors from the areas affected were meeting to discuss the matter.

Councillor McCarthy said he fully supported campaigns against the closures, like that of the Cwmcelyn Tenants and Residents Association, whose secretary Alun Lewis said: "It's going to be a devastating blow. People have to fight these plans."

He continued: "Blaenau Gwent council fully supports community Post Offices. Our aim will be to make a powerful case against any further reductions."

In 2003, local people protested strongly against plans to close seven Post Offices and two, in Rassau and Cefn Golau, were saved.

However, Rassau is on the new closure consultation list.

Businessman Chirav Dalal is urging his customers to speak out against the closure of Pontnewynydd Post Office.

Mr Dalal and his wife Madhvi poured around £100,000 into the business, which now includes a pharmacy, to make it a "one-stop shop" for customers.

He said: "We want as many people as possible to speak out on our behalf. Our customers are devastated."

Islwyn AM Irene James, whose constituency could lose four Post Offices, said: "We have got to put a good case forward for saving these much-needed community facilities."

In Newport Alway councillors Ray Truman, John Guy, and Ken Powell have vowed to fight "tooth and nail" to save the branch in Christchurch Road.

Sean and Helen Kennedy, owners of the sub Post Office and shop, were shocked to discover it was on the closure list.

Mrs Kennedy began a petition yesterday which was signed by 160 people in just a few hours.

She said there is no direct bus service to alternative Post Offices at Cross Hands and St Julians, and a steep hill at Cross Hands makes it "impossible" for older people to walk to.

Mrs Kennedy said customers were shocked. "One guy who signed the petition had come all the way from Langstone and said they had shut their Post Office so we were the nearest one."

The three councillors are distributing a newsletter and collecting names on a petition.

Councillor Truman said: "It is madness.

"There a lot of senior citizens living around here and they are going to struggle."

Newport East MP Jessica Morden is also supporting the couple.

"I want to ensure that in the next six weeks as many customers as possible get to have their say," she said.

Ms Morden also plans to consult people in Penhow where an "outreach" service is being proposed.

Alt-yr-yn Councillor David Fouweather described the announcement that the West Park Post Office, Risca Road, was at risk of closure as nothing short of "disgraceful."

In recent years the community of Allt-yr-yn have lost the Post Office at Ridgeway Ave and the bank branches in the Handpost.

He said: "The Post Office at the Handpost is the life-blood of the local community. Many residents rely on the service to conduct their every day affairs.

"If this Post Office were to close the nearest service would be in the city centre or at Cardiff Road. This may prove to be too difficult a journey for many of the elderly people who live in the area."

Fellow councillor Matthew Evans said he was "deeply concerned" about the affect on the elderly and immobile as well as local traders.

Pill Councillor Laura Buchanan-Smith, who runs two charity shops close to the branch, urged the Post Office to "have a heart".

She said: "An enormous amount of elderly people live around here and access this Post Office. It is their focal point."

West Park and another threatened Post Office in Malpas Road are both in the constituency of Newport West AM Rosemary Butler.

She promised to help in any way she can and said: "I think now is the time to remind people that their local Post Office is an enormous asset and they should make the most of it. In other words use it or lose it."



bgcolor="#FFF8F0">Worry for elderly

THERE are fears that the closures will hit the elderly hard, as they rely on Post Offices for more than just their services.

David Murray of Age Concern Gwent said: "Post Office closures have a detrimental impact on a significant number of older people.

"Many of them are not up to speed with modern banking methods - it's a system convenient for the government and banks but not for them.

"Often a trip to the Post Office is the only social interaction they get in the week. If they lose that opportunity they become more isolated."

Victoria Lloyd from Help the Aged in Wales said: "With a large part of the older population likely to be affected, it is especially important that older people themselves get involved in this process.

"Some closures are clearly inevitable. But well-researched and factually-based challenges to the Post Office proposals could shape the final outcome."