Broughton Gifford Post Office.

8.20.00am BST (GMT +0100) Mon 2nd Jun 2008

Duncan and Trevor at a gloomy Broughton Gifford pub/post office

Broughton Gifford Parish Council is continuing to fight against the closure of the village Post Office.

However attempts to get the Post Office to reveal the financial information used as the basis for the closure have not been successful as the PO has claimed exemption from the Freedom of Information Act under the grounds of commercial confidentiality. The rather twisted reasoning they use is that "..we can't tell you about the running costs of Broughton Gifford Post Office because if for any reason we decided to keep it open the financial details could be used to cast doubt on its viability which might result in it closing."

The ineffective 'watchdog' Postwatch has also declined to be of any use.

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In West Wiltshire the full list of post offices closed in the latest round are:

• The Bell on the Common, Broughton Gifford

• Peace Memorial Road, Southwick Rd, North Bradley

• 2 Queens Square, Oldfield Park, Westbury

• Seymour Rd, Trowbridge

• The Obelisk, 35-37 Silver Street, Warminster

Branches that will be closed and have alternative 'outreach services' (including mobile services, at pubs etc) include:

• High Street, Wylye, Warminster

• 44-45 High Street, Heytesbury.

• BP Service Station / Smile Local, Church Street, Longbridge Deverill.

• West Wiltshire's scrutiny committee, chaired by Trowbridge councillor Jeff Osborn, resolved to oppose the Post Office's plans for closing Wiltshire branches. The impact on older people especially was picked out as a cause of concern, as was the fact that closures will mean more people driving to more distant post offices, in contradiction to government policy.

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Here's Broughton Gifford Parish Council's original response to the Post Office:

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"Further to the recent announcement of the proposed closure of Post Office facilities at The Bell, the Parish Council vehemently objects to the withdrawal of this vital service from its residents.

Being a rural community the parishioners rely of the provision of Post Office facilities within easy reach. Many of its regular users are elderly, without their own transport and the suggestion they should access alternative facilities in neighbouring settlements is unacceptable. The nearest facility would be in the neighbouring village of Holt but this has no other facilities apart from a shop at the other end of the village to the Post Office. An elderly person cannot be expected to mount a bus, cash their pension, and stand around for an hour, possibly in inclement weather, with large amounts of money on them waiting for a bus home. They will present an easy target for criminals. The nearest town of Melksham has a main Post Office that regularly has extensive queues, meaning long waiting times, difficult for those who have a bus timetable to keep to and the elderly, who do not have the luxury of being able to run for a bus.

Alternative facilities are not available on foot, with no safe walking routes to or from any neighbouring communities. This dictates that anyone using alternative Post Office facilities will incur additional transport costs of one form or another, resulting in direct financial implications and inconvenience.

The Post Office facility in Broughton Gifford is only open for six hours per week, takes up one small room, and employs one member of staff who deals with approximately 100 transactions per week. The Parish Council considers that the cost of running this branch must be so minimal and the savings made by closing it would be so small that it cannot believe that the Post Office is seriously considering withdrawing it. Surely there are alternative ways of making financial savings of a greater value than closing these facilities.

The Post Office must never undervalue its social service to residents in rural locations, which differs greatly from those provided to urban communities. The Post Office is the only service available in the village except two public houses. It may only be the issuing of a pension or the purchase of a stamp to the Post Office, but for many residents in rural villages such as Broughton Gifford, this is their one trip out of the house each week. To see a familiar face behind the counter and have a chat within easy reach of home is vital to the spirit of rural communities. The fact that someone doesn't arrive as usual to collect their pension acts as an immediate warning sign to investigate further. This consideration must never be ignored when re-evaluating finances, as it's priceless to rural communities.

The Parish Council strongly objects to the proposal to withdraw facilities from Broughton Gifford and urges the Post Office to reconsider this course of action. It must weigh up the social costs to this community against the minimal savings it would have of withdrawing it. The Parish Council predicts that the withdrawal of services from rural communities will ultimately result in the Post Office losing business to the banks and other competitors, as they will narrow people's choices and force them to make their own lives easier and more financially viable."