Forest Hill Post Office update

12.00.00am BST (GMT +0100) Mon 24th Sep 2007

Your local councillors have been actively engaging with Post Offices Ltd and WH Smiths about the proposal to close the Post Office in Forest Hill and move it into WH Smiths next to the station. As well as arranging meetings with the companies, we have been working with local groups and civic societies to lobby the two companies to make sure that Post Office users do not lose out in the proposed changes.

As things stand, the new Post Office will open in February 2008 on a seven-year franchise (2 years longer than the usual franchise term). It is planned to have five serving positions in the Post Office section on the first floor and a dedicated staff of 12 full time equivalents who will be specifically trained for the Post Office work, and should not be diverted elsewhere in the store. We have been given assurances that the full range of services will continue to available.

Concerns remain about disabled access to the Post Office counters and about the provision of a post box outside the store, amongst other issues, and will continue to press Post Office Ltd and WH Smiths on these points.