FLUSHING POST OFFICE PUBLIC MEETING

9.00.22am UTC (GMT +0000) Fri 8th Aug 2008

A public meeting was held on Thursday evening at Flushing village hall to discuss the proposed closures of the local post office.

The meeting was called by local Post office campaigner Terrye Teverson who has spent months raising awareness of this issue. Mrs Teverson arranged a March from Carnon Downs to Playing Place post offices to highlight the future of the Post office in Cornwall. Nick Clegg, the Liberal Democrat Leader, had also backed her campaign when he came to Cornwall earlier this year.

She said that the Post office had been started in 1660 and it was sad that under successive Governments it was being dismantled. Services had been stripped away but there had been no thought given to how its place in the community could be modernized with innovative thinking and lifting the deadhand of the State.

Terrye said, "It seems from comments made at the meeting that the cost of travel has not been taken into account. Cornwall has some of the lowest wages in the country - it will hit local people hard to travel further."

"Several pensioners pointed out that the Mylor post office would mean quite a steep walk once they have got off the bus and there were awkward steps to it. There was also concern expressed about where pensioners would wait for the return bus which could be hours."

A pensioner stated, "What is the sense of closing our Post office. We can't go anywhere for stamps, pensions or stationery."

Concerns were also voiced about the parking issues of getting more people to drive to a nearby village with its narrow roads. One member of the public said," The Government pay lip service to the environment - but they are getting more people into their cars by this sort of action."

Mrs Teverson said that one of the public comments focused on the economy of the village. 'Where people take money out is where they spend it.'

Terrye asked people to write their concerns to The National Consultation Team,Post Office Limited, FREEPOST CONSULTATION TEAM or email to consultation@postoffice.co.uk. She also asked people to write to Julia Goldsworthy MP, 75 Trelowarren Street, Camborne TR14 8AL.

Further public meetings will be held in Falmouth on Tuesday 29 th July at the WI hall in Webber Street at 7pm.