Written evidence from Ashburton Town Council (PON0039)

Ashburton Town Council want to pay respect and appreciation towards our Sub Post Master Stuart Rogers BEM, Jackie Rogers and Joanna Giles.

The current inquiry focuses on 8 areas, 5 of these are relevant to independent branches.

Ashburton Town Council will only submit information on these 5 questions relevant to directly managed branches.

Ashburton Town Council ask the inquiry to ensure evidence submitted receives rural proofing to ensure there is consideration for rural branches.

53% of the 11,547 Post Office Branches are in rural communities.

Is the Post Office currently delivering services to the necessary standards across the UK?

Ashburton Post Office is classified as a Mains Branch, offering mail sevices, banking, bill payments, financial services, telephone and broad band, travel, passport, international Driving Permits and other services.

The only service unique to Post Office is the Postal Order.

Ashburton Town Council ask for branches such as Ashburton to enter into an ID Verification Services to ensure that Citizens use their local branch.

Ashburton Town Council believe that our Post Office has delivered all services to an exemplary level,e.g. enabling businesses to send and receive parcels before the usual opening hours. Stuart Rogers has received the British Empire Medal in recognition of his services to the town of Ashburton.

· What concerns do you have, if any, about the long-term resilience of the Post Office network across the UK?

The Post Office is facing competition in all categories from other companies and also Internally within the Post Office Network .

On line rates for travel services differ are differ.. Travel service rates e.g. currency are more competitive online compared to within P.O. branches. tAshburton Town Council believe that the rates should be the same thus creating a level playing field.

The mail and parcel market is now more competitive than ever before.

We are witnessing other providers undercutting Post Offices branches through self employed couriers with less operational overheads and costs.

There is only self regulation and we believe that OFCOM, the postal regulator, needs to have resource to audit all operators .

Numbers of customers using cash continues to decline .

The Ashburton Post Office ATM is the only location in the whole of the UK to donate 2 pence for every cash withdrawal , There is a decline in cash withdrawals.  It is important to encourage small cash withdrawals often thus assisting in maintaining donations to Ashburton Local Charities .

The match funding by the family owned local quarry company,E & JW Glendinning, is appreciated and highlights that the P.O. is working with local industry for the larger community.

Students from South Dartmoor College have met Senior Post Office Management and were invited to Post Office Head Office in London. Seeking the advice and views of the young people of our Town encourages encourages them to partake in the Post Office Services. Ashburton Town Council seeks the support of the Select Committee to ask Government to create a plan for engaging and reviewing the products and  services offered to Young Citizens. This is key to the future sustainability of Rural Post Offices.

·         Is the current framework for sub-Post Offices sustainable for sub-Postmasters and the communities they serve?

Ashburton Post Office, like every branch, relies on transactions over the counter and ATM usage.

Ashburton Library has a rent free tenancy within the Post Office thus providing a valuable service that could have been lost to Ashburton due to withdrawal of local library funding. This also encourages footfall into the Post Office.

The Post Office works collaboratively with us (the Town Council), the Chamber of Trade and other local organisations to encourage more customers to visit Ashburton, it’s retailers and the our High Street.

.Does the increasing role that Post Offices play in providing basic banking services create an an opportunity or a threat?

Recent research confirms that individuals who do not have access to a basic bank account are financially disadvantaged.

Ashburton Town Council seek the Inquiry to encourage Government to implement a plan to enable Post Offices to offer basic bank accounts.

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The role Ashburton Post Office now undertake for basic banking needs i.e. cash & cheque deposits, withdrawals and balance enquiries, is benefiting footfall in the branch and Ashburton generally .

The Government is the sole shareholder of Post Office Ltd. The Government need to invest in the Post Office Branch network in order to refer customers to to open a basic bank account for all citizens of all ages.  Thus addressing the financially disadvantaged and the problem of there being no banks left in a town of 4,500 citizens.

We are witnessing financial exclusion in Communities without banks. If customers are unable to get on line, do not have the confidence and means to undergo a telephone application, then customers have to travel to open a bank account in a neighbouring thus discriminating against our disabled and financially poor citizens. 

Ashburton Town Council believe that Post Office Branches must have the facility to refer customers via the IT System to allow access to apply for basic bank accounts .

Vulnerable customers have confidence in Ashburton Post Office and trust the service to enable them to have financial security. .

Ensuring that the Post Office continues to be a viable and sustainable service, requires cross government support and involvement of Local Government.

·         What new services, if any, could the Post Office provide to customers?

There is a significant switch to online and digital services.

Customers can use without leaving their home and /or workplace digital and online services..

On Line Shopping continues to exceed expectation.

Ashburton Town Council is aware that Ashburton Post Office needs to increase awareness of “ local collect “, and on line shopping returns. The Post Office can help customers to create online selling and start up businesses.

Ashburton Post Office commits to donating 10 pence to Ashburton Swimming Pool Charity for every Amazon Local Collect.

Ashburton Town Council seek the support of the Inquiry to ask Government to produce an Action Plan which will collate best practices of how other communities are working to sustain their Post Offices.

Ashburton Town Council ask for the Support of the Inquiry to encourage Government to raise awareness of Post Offices to key industry organisations such as Federation of small business. National Farmers Union,etc.

It is important to support the most vulnerable in our Town.

Ashburton Post Office is a community asset.

We ask Government to pay particular attention to reviewing the declared intention to withdraw the Post Office Card Account. This service is vital for the payment of pensions and child benefit to those who have no bank account.

Ashburton Town Council recognizes that the Post Office supports the most vulnerable, young and old, in our community.

The post office is an amazing community asset.. The dedication of the Post Office staff to the benefit of the Town is outstanding.  The cohesion of our community is absolutely reliant upon Ashburton Post Office.

May 2019