I warned of Barrowford Post Office closure

Firstly, I would like to extend my sorrow for the employees who have now lost their livelihood as a result of the closure and wish them well in the endeavours to secure alternative employment.

Secondly, I express my concern for the many elderly residents who relied upon the post office and the services it provided.

I hope the local Labour Party’s efforts to try to secure alternative arrangements are quickly realised.

Last year I spoke out against the retrospective planning application for the Morrison’s store which was dismissed and the application subsequently granted by the local Conservatives. The effects are now plain to see for the people of Barrowford.

I subsequently informed the people of Barrowford, via my leaflet last year, of the potential consequences and threat posed to the Post Office as result.

Upon this information being posted through the letterboxes, I was telephoned on the day of the elections by Mr John Kay (the landlord of the Morrison’s site) who was none too happy with the contents of my leaflet and accused me of scaremongering.

I responded to Mr Kay that I was merely informing the electorate of Barrowford of the potential implications of recent decisions, in much the same way I had informed the people of Barrowford, via a previous leaflet the year before, about the planned building of houses on Trough Laithe Farm (which has now come to fruition).

The reality is that councillors cannot continue to divorce themselves from the decisions they make and the consequences of their actions.

Amid all the political point scoring, we would all do well to remember there are real people whose real lives will be affected by those decisions.

Finally, as my telephone number has not changed, I wonder if I will receive another telephone call from Mr Kay admitting I was not scaremongering and the warnings contained in my leaflet were indeed well founded?

Mark Porter

Hollin Fold, Blacko