Musings from the Merse
Saturday, September 20, 2008
Up the Orifice
Its not always that the letter writers to the editor if the Berwickshire News</span> gets it right but this one did :
SIR, - Several of your correspondents urge readers to write to the Post Office’s “consultation” team giving their views on its branch rationalisation (closure) plans.
As a general believer in democracy, I wish I could endorse this plea as worthwhile.
However, judging by the recently concluded exercise on this side of the border, the whole process is a sham.
The announced outcome and its timing do not suggest any real consultation of the many representations made. Responses from the “consultation” team do not reveal any familiarity with the areas affected.
Remote bureaucrats forwarding computer-generated public relations-speak responses do not show any feel for the issues, but that may only be expected as a reflection of Post Office management, arrogantly aloof from the real needs of the service which it has been steadily eroding, whilst all the while maintaining its corporate bonuses.
So, by all means go through the motions of responding to the “consultation”. The outcome is certain - longer queues in the few remaining branch post offices, or a roadside wait in a wind-swept layby for an outreach van.
People’ Post Offices my derrière.
COLIN WAKELING,
Berrington Lough,
Berwick-upon-Tweed
Amen
And in Hutton there is not even a layby.
I suppose you can take it in turns to wait in the Phone Box
Its not always that the letter writers to the editor if the Berwickshire News</span> gets it right but this one did :
SIR, - Several of your correspondents urge readers to write to the Post Office’s “consultation” team giving their views on its branch rationalisation (closure) plans.
As a general believer in democracy, I wish I could endorse this plea as worthwhile.
However, judging by the recently concluded exercise on this side of the border, the whole process is a sham.
The announced outcome and its timing do not suggest any real consultation of the many representations made. Responses from the “consultation” team do not reveal any familiarity with the areas affected.
Remote bureaucrats forwarding computer-generated public relations-speak responses do not show any feel for the issues, but that may only be expected as a reflection of Post Office management, arrogantly aloof from the real needs of the service which it has been steadily eroding, whilst all the while maintaining its corporate bonuses.
So, by all means go through the motions of responding to the “consultation”. The outcome is certain - longer queues in the few remaining branch post offices, or a roadside wait in a wind-swept layby for an outreach van.
People’ Post Offices my derrière.
COLIN WAKELING,
Berrington Lough,
Berwick-upon-Tweed
Amen
And in Hutton there is not even a layby.
I suppose you can take it in turns to wait in the Phone Box
Labels: Hutton Post Office
Comments:
Mr Wakeling is not alone in his belief that the consultation is a sham - it's my conjecture that they have the plan drawn up and publish it with 1 or 2 errors - which Joe Public gets aerated about and they back track and reprieve those.
The killer is that the PO then bring forward the new victims to the slaughter, but those ones are hidden in the "bad news" day that is the original list (minus reprievees) will really definitely close.
I fully expect within 2 years that the outreach services will be discontinued as people will naturally migrate (under duress) to their nearest branches that are open. ("I have an urgent letter to post, but the outreach isn't due until Thurday afternoon")
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The killer is that the PO then bring forward the new victims to the slaughter, but those ones are hidden in the "bad news" day that is the original list (minus reprievees) will really definitely close.
I fully expect within 2 years that the outreach services will be discontinued as people will naturally migrate (under duress) to their nearest branches that are open. ("I have an urgent letter to post, but the outreach isn't due until Thurday afternoon")
