Monday 21 January 2008

"A vast body blow to our regeneration plans"

The two men who, outside of Colin, have done the most to keep our post office open are Councillor Glynne Holmes and Community Councillor Allan Matheson.

I spoke to them both this morning and they were obviously upset and angry about the decision and the way it's been made.

Both men made very powerful points as you will see.

Here Allan (Glynne's quotes will follow later) expresses his disappointment at the decision and answers the big question on all our lips at the moment: what more can we do?

"In terms of things we can still do we'll have to wait to hear the official announcement and the reasons given for closure.

"One of the things we can do is examine the reasons given. I suspect they won't comply and meet the Government's criteria to keep our post office open.

"I can't understand why Postwatch changed its position from originally supporting the review of this branch.

"I will write to Postwatch. I will also write to the House of Commons because I understand, from the meeting we had with Kim Howells last week, that a Parliamentary Select Committee is going to look at the whole process of closure and consultation, perhaps we can put a bit of pressure on there.

"The problem with all this, of course, is the timetable. Colin will be closing the post office sometime between mid and late February and that will be disastrous for people in the village.

"I live in Cross Inn but it's easier for me to use this post office than it is to use the one in Southgate and Talbot Green!

"I think the decision is deplorable. The way Colin and Lynne have been treated has been deplorable too.

"They've been loyal servants to the Post Office for many years then one day they get a letter saying they have to close.

"Unfortunately the Post Office also seems to use the media to convey the bad news, maybe to take the attention away from them a bit.

"One of the things that most disappoints me is that if Postwatch had not agreed with Post Office Ltd then the matter would have at least gone on to the Chairman of Post Office Ltd. Allan Leighton and that would have given us another opportunity to put the case strongly, but we seem to have been denied that as well.

"We're all bitterly disappointed by the decision. We can't understand the rationale behind why this post office has to close.

"I wonder, when they called it the People's Post Office, which people they meant, it certainly wasn't the people in Llantrisant."


For his part, Councillor Holmes spoke off the damage the decision will do to the town's economy. He also praised the work of Jane Davidson AM and contrasted it with the efforts of Dr Kim Howells MP.

"When I heard the news on Friday I felt like going into a corner and crying, that's how angry I felt.

"This decision is going to affect the regeneration of Llantrisant programme which Rhondda Cynon Taf started and I'm proud to say I'm part of.

"Llantrisant has been neglected for many years, we're trying to push it forward, but this is a vast body blow.

"To be honest, when we went to the House of Commons last week I had a feeling that the decision had already been made and I wasn't the only one, I feel we've been badly let down by the Westminster Government.

"As I said to the Observer reporter this morning: 'Judas Iscariot could not have done a better job.'

"Jane Davidson has been excellent, she went beyond the call of duty as far as I'm concerned. She's very caring and is in the hearts of the people of Llantrisant.

"She's a rare breed in politicians, she showed that by getting up so early last Wednesday to see us off to Westminster.

"Where Kim Howells is concerned, I felt that he was holding back. I'm reminded of that old saying: 'Some politicians are akin to bananas, they start off green, turn yellow and are seldom straight.'

"There's a dire need for our post office to remain in Llantrisant for the reasons already stated.

"I'm devastated."

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