I am really disappointed that the points made so eloquently by the Parish Council and residents has not been taken on board by the PO in the planned move. I have written this response to correspondence received from the Post Office this weekend…. Please comment too if you can.

To Suzanne Richardson

Regional Network Manager
Via comments@postoffice.co.uk and via FREEPOST your comments

Dear Suzanne,
Thank you for your comprehensive letter about the closure and move of the Sutton Scotney Post Office.
Unfortunately my mother was ill and then died during the initial letter and consultation and as I knew the Parishes were fully involved, I have left this matter in their competent hands.

However, at this point, I feel I must get involved.
There are several points in your letter which need to be addressed.

Lack of Road Crossing on the Route
In your letter you state that the new operator is seeking the provision of a new pedestrian facility. Whilst I welcome this, the County Council is under great financial pressure and is currently only installing new pedestrian measures where there have been a series of ‘killed or serious injury accidents’ (KSI’s). The only other reason by which this could be done is if the Post Office provided the full cost of the works, and even then, the delivery date of this improvement is unspecified-and probably a long way in the distance.
Would the Post Office be in a position to negotiate directly (and provide the finance) with the County Council on this?

The persistent flooding at the entrance to the garage
Whilst inconvenient for drivers coming to the garage, the frequent flooding of the area where pedestrians would enter the garage site is a real barrier to the use of the PO, even in the summer months. This work needs to be undertaken to remove the likelihood of flooding, but at present there is no planned solution.
What provision will the garage and the PO make to mitigate this

You state the PO provider will request a nearer bus stop…
Both they and I can make a request for a nearer bus stop but this is completely dependent on a safe place for the Stagecoach bus to stop. Being on a roundabout, there is no obvious public land for a bus stop. Could it come onto the forecourt? Please let us know if the PO has made arrangements for this to happen.

Accessibility
There is no doubt that once inside the Garage shop itself, the new arrangement will be satisfactory from the point of view of access, but still PO users will need to be aware of the drivers paying for fuel etc. What priority do PO users have when the garage is busy?

Alternative provision for those living so far way from the new site
Whilst I appreciate the new site is closer for some, it is further away for many of our older residents who may not be connected by use of a car, or online either.
I note that you are using a ‘mobile PO’ for Micheldever.
The Gratton Doctor’s Surgery and/or car park off Gratton Close is a well used venue. There are other spots too in this general area where a mobile PO could be sited for a short time once per week.
We ask again: would it be possible to add Sutton Scotney into the itinerary for this Wednesday mobile PO bus as well as the main PO move to the garage, thus giving a chance for elderly users on the south of the village to reach the PO in relatively short distance without catching a bus?

I realise that the current providers of the PO would prefer not to have this on their current site, but there is much to do to ensure the same standard of service before the move to the garage can be made. I urge you to sort out these difficulties before completing the transfer.

Regards
Cllr Jackie Porter,
County Councillor, representing residents in the Sutton Scotney area of the Itchen Valley County Division.

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