Petition to Save our Post Office

There was a debate in the House of Commons on the 1st July 2003 when Bob Spink, the then MP for Castle Point, presented the petition we had put together to try to stop the closure of the main PO in Martins Newsagents.

Bob Spink Conservative, Castle Point  11:30 pm, 1st July 2003.

The Labour Government’s policy on payment of pensions and benefits and on preventing development of an effective Post Office basic bank account is causing the demise of many post offices around the country. The people of Canvey island are outraged by the impending closure of their shopping centre post office. In only three and a half days last week, almost 5,000 on Canvey island signed a petition that states:

To the Honourable Commons of the UK, Great Britain and Northern Ireland in Parliament assembled.

The Humble Petition of Cllr Lionel Hart, Cllr Pat Haunts, Janet Penn, residents of Canvey Island and others of like disposition sheweth.

That there is massive public outrage at the Government’s policies on Post Offices, payment of pensions and benefits and the basic Post Office bank account and that these will lead to the closure of 3000 Post Offices and have added to the factors causing the closure of Canvey Island’s shopping centre Post Office in Furtherwick Road.

Wherefore your petitioners pray that your Honourable House shall urge the Government to implore Royal Mail to keep a Post Office facility in Canvey Island town Shopping Centre, to help the economic viability of the shopping centre and to provide a service for all Canvey island residents and particularly the more vulnerable people in our community.

And your Petitioners, as in duty bound, will ever pray, etc.