HC Deb 13 July 2004 vol 423 cc1380-1

7 pm

Mr. Andrew Rosindell (Romford) (Con)

I rise to speak this evening not only as the Member of Parliament for Romford but as a local resident of the Rise Park community in my constituency. The residents of that community are appalled at the prospect of the local post office being closed. Hon. Members will be aware that a review of local post offices is taking place across the country, but people in the Rise Park community are particularly concerned that their post office will be one of those that is likely to be closed.

During the past few months, local residents have campaigned to save their local post offices, particularly the Rise Park post office that I have mentioned. I shall present to the House this evening a very large petition, containing no fewer than 1,519 signatures from the residents not only of Rise Park but of the Marshalls Park, Gidea Park and Collier Row communities in the Romford constituency. Signatures have been collected by local residents, by members of the Havering Road Methodist church in Rise Park, by parents from the Rise Park junior and infants schools, by local shopkeepers and by many other concerned local people. The petition is also supported by the local councillors for the Pettits ward, Councillors Joe Webster, Alby Tebbutt and Ray Morgon. The petition reads as follows: The people of the Rise Park area of Romford declare that the Rise Park Post Office is threatened with closure by Post Office Ltd. The Petitioners therefore request that the House of Commons does all in its power to keep the Rise Park Post Office open.

And the Petitioners remain, etc.

To lie upon the Table.

Mr. Rosindell

I rise to present a second petition. It is yet another petition relating to the prospect of the closure of local post offices in my constituency. This petition has been signed by no fewer than 1,166 local residents from the Ardleigh Green area of Romford, which comes under the Hornchurch postal district but is very much within the Romford constituency. Ardleigh Green is a small community containing many elderly residents who depend heavily on the services provided by the Ardleigh Green post office, and on the services of all the local shops that would be badly affected if the post office were allowed to close.

This petition is the result of a campaign that was launched by local residents in January, and it has received support from people across the communities of Ardleigh Green, Gidea Park, Nelmes, and the County Park area of my constituency. It has received particular support from members of the All Saints church, Squirrels Heath, and from many patents of the Ardleigh Green infants and junior schools. The petition is also strongly supported by the local councillors for the Squirrels Heath ward, Councillors Michael White, Eric Munday and Eddie Cahill. The petit ion reads as follows: The Petition of the people of the Ardleigh Green area of Romford declares that Ardleigh Green Post Office is threatened with closure by Post Office Ltd. The Petitioners therefore request that the House of Commons does all in its power to keep the Ardleigh Green Post Office open.

And the Petitioners remain, etc.

To lie upon the Table.