Campaigners were out in force in the Fylde at the weekend amid fears rural post offices in the borough could be shut down, according to the Blackpool Citizen.
Government plans could see up to 2,500 rural post offices closed across the country, with the full list due to be announced in January.
Fylde borough currently has 24 post offices open, but eight have been closed since 1999.
Campaigners took to the streets of St Annes over the weekend, and were collecting signatures to fight any proposed closures.
Post office campaigner, Coun Cheryl Little, who represents the Fairhaven ward, said: "We had a remarkable day with much support from the people of St Annes and the sub post master at Wood Street.
"I strongly feel that post offices are a vital lifeline in many people's day to day lives and shutting them does not make sense."
Post Office Ltd managing director, Alan Cook, said: "Taking the decision to close any post office branch is always very difficult and we know will cause concern to many of our customers.
Showing posts with label blackpool. Show all posts
Showing posts with label blackpool. Show all posts
Wednesday, 14 November 2007
Friday, 2 November 2007
Blackpool: Famous seafront trams face axe
Blackpool's trams will stop running for five months on Monday - and could disappear from the seafront for good - reports the Manchester Evening News.
The 11-mile-long line will be shut until Easter for an £11m programme of essential maintenance.
But the resort's transport chief has warned that if it doesn't get another £66m in funding from the government for a complete upgrade of the tracks and trams, the famous machines could stop running for good.
The first tram appeared in the resort in 1885 and they run every day apart from December 25 and 26 and January 1.
Blackpool Transport managing director Steve Burd said: "If we fail to get the money then there is a chance that the trams could stop running in Blackpool."
The council hopes transport minister Tom Harris will make a decision by Christmas.
The 11-mile-long line will be shut until Easter for an £11m programme of essential maintenance.
But the resort's transport chief has warned that if it doesn't get another £66m in funding from the government for a complete upgrade of the tracks and trams, the famous machines could stop running for good.
The first tram appeared in the resort in 1885 and they run every day apart from December 25 and 26 and January 1.
Blackpool Transport managing director Steve Burd said: "If we fail to get the money then there is a chance that the trams could stop running in Blackpool."
The council hopes transport minister Tom Harris will make a decision by Christmas.
Thursday, 10 May 2007
Blackpool: Fight on for post office
The fight to save Blackpool's historic Crown post office has been stepped up with the town's MPs fearing that vulnerable residents will be hit by the closure - reports the Blackpool Citizen.
Plans were announced by Royal Mail last month to close the Abingdon Street office and transfer services to WH Smith in Bank Hey Street, as part of a nationwide cost-cutting initiative which will see 76 Crown Post Offices closed.
Both MPs for the town, Gordon Marsden and Joan Humble have signed a Commons motion, which has so far been supported by 30 MPs, calling for more consultation and expressing anger at the decision.
Not enough "anger", however, to consider blocking the government's completely unjustified 60% proposed increase in payments to the audit-failing EU, to divert the £2.5 billion a year at stake to supporting lifeline post offices serving "vulnerable" constituents instead.
Mr Marsden has also written to the managing director of the Post Office, Alan Cook, seeking assurances about services and postal workers' jobs.
In the letter, he states: "The Post Office provides a service to the most vulnerable people in Blackpool, the disabled, those claiming benefits, as well as the elderly and unemployed.
"What plans do you have to relocate the service counters with WH Smith, which has a far smaller surface area in my estimation and how will you ensure that elderly and disabled customers are able to use the new facilities easily?"
Mrs Humble said that there should be much more debate before the decision is finalised.
She said: "I will be seeking information from the Royal Mail, the DTI and ministerial colleagues on the reasons behind it and the treatment of the staff who work there.
"Whenever I go into the Abingdon Street post office it is very busy and provides an excellent service in an ideal location.
"I have my doubts whether relocating the office to WH Smith will be able to provide the same level of service.
"It is also a one of Blackpool's most eyecatching buildings and I will be seeking clarification on its future."
Both Blackpool MPs Gordon Marsden and Joan Humble have said they intend to vote in favour of the EU budget deal when it comes before Parliament for approval.
Both clearly seem to think that Blackpool's public services have all the money they could use, so gifting billions of pounds a year to the EU is affordable.
Yet auditors haven't been able to approve the "majority" of EU spending for twelve years in a row, and every week it seems there is a new report of EU waste or fraud.
So Marsden and Humble may well protest when the effects of shortages of public money are felt in their constituencies. But if they vote to waste vast sums on the EU - a 60% increase over what we already pay - then they alone bear ultimate responsibility for local problems that could be solved with a little extra financial support from government.
Plans were announced by Royal Mail last month to close the Abingdon Street office and transfer services to WH Smith in Bank Hey Street, as part of a nationwide cost-cutting initiative which will see 76 Crown Post Offices closed.
Both MPs for the town, Gordon Marsden and Joan Humble have signed a Commons motion, which has so far been supported by 30 MPs, calling for more consultation and expressing anger at the decision.
Not enough "anger", however, to consider blocking the government's completely unjustified 60% proposed increase in payments to the audit-failing EU, to divert the £2.5 billion a year at stake to supporting lifeline post offices serving "vulnerable" constituents instead.
Mr Marsden has also written to the managing director of the Post Office, Alan Cook, seeking assurances about services and postal workers' jobs.
In the letter, he states: "The Post Office provides a service to the most vulnerable people in Blackpool, the disabled, those claiming benefits, as well as the elderly and unemployed.
"What plans do you have to relocate the service counters with WH Smith, which has a far smaller surface area in my estimation and how will you ensure that elderly and disabled customers are able to use the new facilities easily?"
Mrs Humble said that there should be much more debate before the decision is finalised.
She said: "I will be seeking information from the Royal Mail, the DTI and ministerial colleagues on the reasons behind it and the treatment of the staff who work there.
"Whenever I go into the Abingdon Street post office it is very busy and provides an excellent service in an ideal location.
"I have my doubts whether relocating the office to WH Smith will be able to provide the same level of service.
"It is also a one of Blackpool's most eyecatching buildings and I will be seeking clarification on its future."
Both Blackpool MPs Gordon Marsden and Joan Humble have said they intend to vote in favour of the EU budget deal when it comes before Parliament for approval.
Both clearly seem to think that Blackpool's public services have all the money they could use, so gifting billions of pounds a year to the EU is affordable.
Yet auditors haven't been able to approve the "majority" of EU spending for twelve years in a row, and every week it seems there is a new report of EU waste or fraud.
So Marsden and Humble may well protest when the effects of shortages of public money are felt in their constituencies. But if they vote to waste vast sums on the EU - a 60% increase over what we already pay - then they alone bear ultimate responsibility for local problems that could be solved with a little extra financial support from government.
Thursday, 13 April 2006
Cash crisis deepens for NHS trust
More than 60 beds across the Fylde's hospitals are set to stay closed as an NHS trust grapples with a potential £22 million deficit - reports the Blackpool Citizen.
Blackpool, Fylde and Wyre NHS Trust will reopen Rossall Hospital but close wards at South Shore and Clifton to save £2m, while three other wards will remain closed until autumn at least in the latest proposed reorganisation.
And trust chiefs have also revealed that this year's deficit could be even bigger than had previously been reported because the trust had, in the past, relied on one-off income including land sales to help balance the books.
The wards affected are wards three and four at Clifton Hospital (inpatient rehabilitation) to be relocated to Rossall Hospital; Ward four and five, South Shore Hospital (ortho geriatric) to be relocated to Ward three and Ward four Clifton Hospital; Ward one, South Shore Hospital (nurse led ward) to be relocated to Bispham Hospital Rehabilitation Unit; South Shore Day Hospital to be relocated to Rossall Hospital Rehabilitation Unit.
Blackpool, Fylde and Wyre NHS Trust will reopen Rossall Hospital but close wards at South Shore and Clifton to save £2m, while three other wards will remain closed until autumn at least in the latest proposed reorganisation.
And trust chiefs have also revealed that this year's deficit could be even bigger than had previously been reported because the trust had, in the past, relied on one-off income including land sales to help balance the books.
The wards affected are wards three and four at Clifton Hospital (inpatient rehabilitation) to be relocated to Rossall Hospital; Ward four and five, South Shore Hospital (ortho geriatric) to be relocated to Ward three and Ward four Clifton Hospital; Ward one, South Shore Hospital (nurse led ward) to be relocated to Bispham Hospital Rehabilitation Unit; South Shore Day Hospital to be relocated to Rossall Hospital Rehabilitation Unit.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
