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Council scheme to rescue post offices
A RESCUE plan for Blackpool's under-threat post offices is set to be discussed tonight.
The council leader, Coun Peter Callow, says he is in the process of putting together a business rescue plan which could see sub-postmasters take on council services into their branches in a bid to make them more profitable.
Coun Callow announced the move in response to a motion from Labour members, to be discussed at tonight's meeting, which requests financial support for the post offices.
As revealed by The Gazette on Friday, Layton's Torsway Avenue has already had notice from Post Office Ltd that their branch will be closed and the future of two other Blackpool branches, on Red Bank Road, Bispham and Harcourt Road, South Shore, remains in the balance.
But now Coun Callow says he is working to try to avoid the cuts and make the offices "self-sustainable," by negotiating with Post Office Ltd bosses.
"We're saying that the under-threat branches could become outlets for council services," he said.
"This could include things like sports and leisure passes, parking permits, stocking council leaflets and things of that nature.
"We would hope to get match funding from the Government if we were to do that.
"I don't want to get anyone's hopes up and this is an idea that needs to be discussed much further but we are going to enter into negotiations with Post Office Ltd and I promise we are pulling out all the stops to try to get something done."
Coun Callow's comments follow a motion by Labour Coun Fred Jackson which requests that the chief executive of the council, Steve Weaver, puts together a report into the possibility of the council providing financial support.
The plans will be voted on at a full council meeting tonight .
Coun Callow was keen to stress that he would not support a resolution which saw the council taxpayer footing the bill to subside a branch.
"If we can implement a rescue plan we would hope that it would be a short term measure for no more than a couple of years," he said.
"It cannot be an indefinite financial commitment."
Labour leader Coun Ivan Taylor however, claimed the idea for providing financial support for the branches had come not from Coun Callow, but from the council's Labour members.
"I don't think it's fair of him, however, to bill this as his big idea," he said.
"This is our motion and tomorrow is the big test
"I hope we will see Coun Callow support us and from what he is saying it seems we are on the same page on this.
"We are the ones looking for support on this and hopefully we will get it."
The Gazette's Stand up for Post Offices campaign saw more than 9,000 Fylde residents sign a petition against the closure of 12 Fylde branches which have come under threat as a result of a nationwide closure programme.
Post Office Ltd are expected to make an announcement on the closures in early April.
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Weather for Blackpool
Monday 13 February 2012
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