WHITEFORD CALLS ON POST OFFICE TO IMPLEMENT CONSUMER FOCUS RECOMMENDATIONS

SNP CANDIDATE HIGHLIGHTS CUMINESTOWN PROBLEMS TO POST OFFICE BOSSES

SNP Westminster candidate for Banff & Buchan Eilidh Whiteford today (Wednesday) welcomed the publication of a report by Consumer Focus on customers’ experience of Post Office Ltd’s new outreach services.

The report makes a number of recommendations including improvements to reliability of remote services, the need to advertise services and any changes to them more widely and the importance of providing contingency cover for holidays, sick leave and the like.

Commenting, Eilidh Whiteford said:

“This is a comprehensive report of customers’ experiences of the Post Office’s new services and it makes a considerable number of recommendations which I hope the Post Office will implement.

“From my discussions on this with local councillor Sandy Duncan and when I’ve been in Cuminestown attending local events recently, it has become quite clear to me that there have been a lot of difficulties with the new outreach service, particularly the computer equipment.

“I have therefore written to Post Office Ltd’s Director of Scottish Affairs, Ian McKay, to ask what commitment he can give that the Post Office will act on the recommendations from Consumer Focus and to emphasise to him that people in rural communities need to be assured of the company’s ongoing commitment to serving their needs.”

Banff & Buchan MP Alex Salmond added:

“Many people said to me during the Post Office closures that they feared this was the tip of the iceberg and that sooner or later their communities would be left without any Post Office services at all. If the Post Office is serious about its commitment to rural communities it needs to demonstrate that commitment by implementing Consumer Focus’ recommendations.”