WHAT THE DORSET ECHO WON'T PRINT.

When I spoke to Roger Hayre, postmaster at Buxton Road Post Office in Weymouth yesterday, he informed me that he'd spoken to the Dorset Echo & mentioned both my support & the legal challenge I'd discovered concerning Hastings Post Office under the Disability Discrimination Act. I have been liaiaing with the chambers mounting this challenge & we think at Buxton Road fits into the same category. Here's the article the Echo wouldn't print:


CAMPAIGNERS TO MOUNT CHALLENGE ON POST OFFICE CLOSURE

Buxton Road Post Office in Weymouth is earmarked for closure at the end of February according to a statement from the Post Office today, but local campaigners led by Buxton Road resident Michael Watson & Liberal Democrat prospective parliamentary candidate, Cllr Ros Kayes are campaigning to prevent the closure.

“After talking to Mr Hayre the postmaster about his concerns recently I did a bit of research” said Cllr Kayes, “& discovered that there is currently a case waiting judgement in the High Court, that concerns the Post Office in Hastings. The closure there is being challenged under the Disability Equality Duty which is part of the Disability Discrimination Act. This, I am assured by my contact, who is a barrister at the Chambers that has brought the case, means that organisations have a duty to ensure that they are not unfairly discriminating against disabled members of the community in any policy decisions that they take. In terms of the number of disabled & elderly people in the communities served the Hastings PO is similar to Buxton Road



“The Post Office's criterion for closure is that in urban areas residents should not be more than one mile away from the nearest post office. If you are disabled that mile is much harder to make - especially in Buxton Road, which is very hilly. Mr Hayre's research supports his case strongly - 25% of residents within a kilometre are over 65 & 97% of them have a limiting or lifelong illness. A large proportion of service users are reliant on home help & there are 9 residential establishments for the severely mentally disabled within the near vicinity.

“It is entirely reprehensible for the PO to consider closure of this branch, which is one of the few in the area with its own parking, when 60% of its post office card account holders are disabled. It shows scant regard for the infirm & disabled within the community & I believe there is ample evidence with which to challenge their decision on the basis of discrimination. If the judgement in Hastings goes in favour of the community then we will be mounting a challenge to today’s decision. It’s bad enough to close rural POs many of which are the lynch-pin of their local communities, but to close this one, where there is a very real need is callous in the extreme & we must do everything we can to stop it.”

So Why.......?

So why did the Dorset Echo print a nonentity quote form the tory candidate who quite obviously knew nothing of this latest development, although Roger informs me that he did speak to him some months ago - but obviously decided to take no action as also is the case with the sitting MP ? This post master is hard working & providing a real service to the community. He needs all the support he can get & the action group we are setting up to raise funds for a legal case will make sure he gets it - but the Echo wouldn't print that either, would they !