Tim Farron MP - Working for Westmorland and Lonsdale

Farron challenges Minister on Sustainable Communities Act in Post Offices debate

10.58.27am GMT Thu 20th Mar 2008

Local MP Tim Farron used the opposition day debate in the House of Commons today to challenge his neighbour and Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform, John Hutton on using the Sustainable Communities Act to save local post offices.

Mr Farron asked the Secretary of State why communities are not being given a chance to have a real say over the future of vital local services. The Sustainable Communities Act would give local authorities the chance to detail to the Secretary of State which local services are needed most when it comes into force in the autumn. Mr Farron has previously called for a moratorium on post office closures until that point.

Tim Farron said:

"I want to see local communities being given the right to make the decisions which affect them, instead of having plans foisted upon them by Whitehall Ministers.

"We have seen from the details released by the Post Office that communities in Beetham, Grange Fell, Longpool, Heathwaite, Cark, Endmoor, Greenodd, Leven Valley and Dent will be very seriously affected by these decisions, and they deserve the right to have their voices heard at the highest level."

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Previous news story: Lib Dems win crucial boost with Kendal by election victory (Thu 20th Mar 2008).
Next news story: Tim Farron reacts to Post Office closure announcement (Thu 20th Mar 2008).

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