CORNWALL TAKES A STEP FORWARD IN GETTING A JUDICIAL REVIEW ON POST OFFICE CLOSURES (Julia Goldsworthy)

CORNWALL TAKES A STEP FORWARD IN GETTING A JUDICIAL REVIEW ON POST OFFICE CLOSURES

September 11, 2008 3:00 PM

Cornwall County Council has made a major step forward in its bid for a judicial review into the Government's Post Office closure programme.

The council received notice today (Thursday) from the High Court in London that a preliminary court hearing would take place after Monday, September 29th, in the Queen's Bench Divisional Court.

It means that a judge may now call for a full judicial review and freeze the Post Office closures across Cornwall.

Cornwall's councillors unanimously agreed on pressing for a juridical review, claiming the Post Office's consultation exercise was based on fundamental inaccuracies.

The most notorious of these was the inclusion of Dartmoor in Cornwall plan, but also the Post Office was found to be using the wrong population figures for the county.

On top of this there were numerous local inaccuracies that came to light at public meetings and protests against the closures.

Cornwall County Council leader David Whalley said: "This is an important step forward in seeking a judicial review.

"Cornwall County Council is prepared to stand up to the Labour Government on this and will do everything it can to rescue our Post Offices.

"We are fighting to protect our rural Post Office network, and we now have the chance to amend the mistakes that the Conservatives and Labour have made in the past. We will have our day court."

Falmouth and Camborne MP Julia Goldsworthy, who has fought to save local Post Offices in her constituency, said: "Everyone who has participated in this so-called consultation will know that it was deeply flawed from the start.

"But it is significant that the High Court has chosen to allow the county council to go court to have its say.

"Other local authorities have tried and failed to get a judicial review into Post Office closures, but Cornwall seems to be on the right track to being the first to do so successfully.

"This could have wider implications into the whole process, and could end up being of national significance."

Dan Rogerson, MP for North Cornwall, said: "Town and village life in Cornwall is under threat as a result of the Government's attempt to turn a blind eye to rural deprivation.

"Local communities rightly lack confidence in what has been a gravely flawed process.

"Senior Liberal Democrat councillors in Cornwall are right to take Ministers to task, since is a serious case to answer."

Karen Gillard, the Liberal Democrat Prospective Parliamentary Candidate for South East Cornwall, commented: "This just goes to show that where Liberal Democrats are in control we can still fight against bad government policy.

"While, the Conservatives may have given up and allowed the closures they started to continue, the Lib Dems say no to the bad decisions of Labour and Tory governments."

Truro and St Austell MP Matthew Taylor added: "This is a step in the right direction - a day in court for Cornwall County Council to put forward the case for the rural Post Office network. I hope that the court listens to this serious issue and helps us save this vital public service"

Terrye Teverson, the Liberal Democrat Prospective Parliamentary Candidate for Truro and Falmouth said: "I am really pleased that our Liberal Democrat councillors have forced the Government to get Post offices bosses to justifiy themselves.

"We will have our day in Court. This will give hope to thousands of our pensioners and more vulnerable people in our towns and villages."

Steve Gilbert, the Liberal Democrat Prospective Parliamentary Candidate for Newquay and St Austell, said: "This is a step in the right directions. It is good news that Cornwall County Council and all the Post Offices in Cornwall are to have their day in court to make their case.

"This just goes to show that it is the Liberal Democrats standing up for local services in our county - opposing the Conservative's plan to close Post Offices that Labour have just carried on.

"While there is certainly not a guarantee of success, we do have a good case against Post Office Ltd and it is another step towards saving our Post Office network.

"Until the outcome of the judgment is known, Post Office Ltd must suspend their closure programme in Cornwall."

Julia Goldsworthy