Oxfordshire County Council has agreed to work with Post Office Ltd to look into how council services could be delivered in local branches.
The authority is one of 27 across the country that will explore ways services such as parking permits and council tax payments could be made on the high street. A spokesperson for Oxfordshire County Council said: “Oxfordshire County Council has been contacted by Post Office Ltd about its wish to develop a relationship. The council has now agreed to become one of up to 25 local ‘pathfinder’ authorities.
“The county council welcomes the chance to explore opportunities for closer engagement and co-operation with the Post Office. We are looking forward to continuing discussions with Post Office Ltd representatives.”
The move coincides with a Government announcement on Wednesday, January 26, that a 10-year agreement has been stuck between Post Office Ltd and Royal Mail, Post Office’s largest customer, that is likely to secure the financial future of post offices and maintain a network of at least 11,500 branches across the country.
The agreement is part of Postal Affairs Minister Ed Davey’s proposals to turn around what he described as a “demoralized” Post Office with £1.34bn of government support and investment until 2015, with £180m being spent this year.
The announcement was welcomed by Summertown and Wolvercote Councillor Jean Fooks and Nicola Blackwood, MP for Oxford West and Abingdon, who met with Post Office officials on Tuesday to pressure them to re-introduce a post office in Summertown.
In October Post Office managers said Summertown would not get its branch back, despite three years of campaigning by local residents, because of insufficient demand. But more than 500 people have signed a petition calling for the post office to return to the area.
Cllr Fooks said: “The fact that Oxfordshire has signed up as one of the 25 councils to be working with Post Office is progress that we have got in on that. That should give us hope that ultimately we will be reviewing the network in a way that meets the needs of what people want.”
Nicola Blackwell said: “In sharp contrast to the closures of more than 6,500 Post Offices over the past decade, the Government’s announcement will help to secure Post Office services in Oxfordshire and across the country. But we must keep making the case to Post Office Ltd about the importance of specific local Post Office locations for local people.
"A Summertown Post Office could play a vital social role in the heart of the local community and be an incredibly important resource and I will keep making that case to Post Office Ltd going forward.”
