The Post Office in Saltford closed on 23rd December, and there are currently no plans to re-open it at its present location or at any of the adjoining shops in the village.
Saltford’s Post Office was located in the Saltford Flowers premises | © Google
Furthermore, the cutbacks in B&NES Library Services could mean that the Saltford Library will be closed in the future.
Both the Post Office and the library are important local community assets and the Saltford Community Association (SCA) has been looking at ways in which both might be kept open.
The SCA had been working over the last few weeks, since McColls pulled out of hosting the Post Office, to find a way to stop it from closing.
The most promising future option is for both the Post Office and Library to be located in the present library building and discussions with Post Offices Ltd, B&NES Library Services and the Parish Council in this respect have been positive.
A viable option appears to be the following:
- The Post Office to be open every day, including Saturday mornings, for a total of 26 hours a week, with the library also being open for these increased times;
- The Post Office would be manned by a properly trained part-time post master/mistress;
- The Library would be staffed by volunteers, possibly with help from the post master/mistress;
- The building would be leased from B&NES at a nominal rent;
- Income to cover the post master/mistress salary would come from the transactional fees of the Post Office, with additional contributions from sundry sales (e.g. greetings cards etc);
- Income for running costs would come from donations from the local community and businesses, together with rent from the Parish Council for Parish Office space;
- Running costs include building maintenance, insurance, and electricity and water costs;
- The initial set-up costs would be covered by Post Offices Ltd. and by B&NES Council;
The operation of the joint Post Office/Library would need to be run as a Community Interest Organisation or as a subsidiary charity to the SCA. There would need to be a management committee, again formed from volunteers, who were responsible for the Post Office business, the library and for the building.
It’s hoped the joint facilities could be in place by April 2018.
The need for financial support from the local community is a key feature, as is the need for a volunteer force to form the management committee and to staff the library.
The proposal has been discussed at meetings between trustees of the SCA, Post Offices Ltd, B&NES Library services and representatives of the Parish Council.
It was discussed further at a meeting of the management committee of the SCA on 13th December, when it was resolved to try to carry it forward.
However, it was made clear that the new management team for the joint Post Office/ Library would have to be formed from individuals other than the current SCA trustees and members of the SCA management committee, who are already fully committed to maintaining the present activities of the Association and whose contribution would be limited to coordinating the initial setting up of the scheme.
The SCA are working to ascertain whether there is sufficient interest in the local community and businesses for the required volunteers for the proposed management committee and for library staffing to come forward, and on a continuing basis.
If this is not the case, it is the view of the SCA that there would cease to be a Post Office and a local library branch in Saltford.
If you feel strongly about this issue and would like to indicate your willingness to help and in what capacity, get in touch with the SCA by 15th January via email on [email protected] or phone the SCA Office on 01225 874081. The SCA will then arrange a meeting in the New Year of all those prepared to help.
