Please lobby Nottingham City Council

We learned at tonight's council surgery with Councillor Penny Griggs that Nottingham City Council is currently considering whether or not to launch a judicial review. WE URGENTLY NEED THE COUNCIL TO MAKE ITS DECISION AND AT THE VERY LEAST SEEK A STAY OF EXECUTION FOR CARRINGTON AND NEW LENTON BRANCHES SO THAT WE HAVE MORE TIME TO TAKE FURTHER ACTION.

New Lenton is due to close this Friday, while Carrington is due to close next Tuesday. The tide of opinion is turning against the Post Office Ltd and it's closure programme but we must stay in the game while this is debated and the only way we can do this is with the full support and backing of Nottingham City Council.

Please urgently pick up the phone and/or email the three contacts below who are all key influencers in the council's decision. Essex, Lincolnshire and Kent County Councils are all launching judicial reviews so why not Nottingham which has been the worst hit?

Alan Clark, Portfolio Holder for Neighbourhood Regeneration [apparently Alan has been tasked with making the decision]
T: 0115 915 5667
E: alan.clark@nottinghamcity.gov.uk

Jon Collins, Leader of Nottingham City Council [and Carrington resident!]
T: 0115 915 5038/915 5636
E: jon.collins@nottinghamcity.gov.uk

Michael Edwards, Deputy Leader of Nottingham City Council
T: 0115 915 5050
E: michael.edwards@nottinghamcity.gov.uk

WE NEED THE COUNCIL TO MAKE A DECISION AND ACT BEFORE FRIDAY! OR AT THE VERY LEAST OBTAIN AN INJUNCTION TO GET MORE TIME TO CONSIDER WHAT FURTHER ACTION TO TAKE.

Below are the key points from tonight's council surgery:

Judicial Review:
We strongly urged the council to launch a judicial review based on the unfair and irrational procedures and process enforced by Post Office Ltd. While we learned that the council is already considering whether or not to launch a judicial review, we only have days left before our branches close so the council absolutely has to make its decision by Thursday at the latest or at the very least obtain an injunction against the closures to obtain more time to consider this course of action.

Apparently the decision on whether or not to launch a judicial review has been referred to Alan Clark, Portfolio Holder for Neighbourhood Regeneration, and our local councillors have lobbied for a judicial review. Councillor Griggs said that she had been told it was going to cost Essex around £1million to fund the branches so that they will remain open - this amount was queried and the Councillor said it was just a number that she had been told.

Councillor Griggs informed us that Jon Collins and Michael Edwards will also be influencial in the decision and gave us their contact details so that we can contact them directly to try to get a decision prior to the forthcoming closures. She agreed to contact Alan Clark, and Grant Butterworth, Head of Planning Transport and Intelligence Strategy and will get back in touch with us with any feedback / progress.

It was also discussed that the Council's legal department could get in touch with the campaign group to decide on which of the various arguments and information that we have gathered throughout the campaign would be relevant for a judicial review. Councillor Griggs said she would suggest this.

Thursday's Demo:
We informed Councillor Griggs about Thursday's demo outside the council house and she agreed that she would be present for it.
As a reminder to you, the demo begins at 11am at the lions outside the Council House in Market Square and aims to urge the council to launch a judicial review and obtain injunctions against the closures of Carrington and New Lenton branches.

Public Opinion:
We communicated our strong feelings of having been let down by our local councillors and John Heppell MP who have, at best, been on the peripherary of the campaign and have not provided the support and backing that other constituencies have received in their campaigns.

Despite the communities of Carrington, Mapperley Park, Sherwood Rise, the Arboretum and Sherwood uniting to show their support of Carrington Post Office, many of the councillors for these areas have not even shown their faces at any of the weekly meetings let alone kept up to date with the campaign and the wishes of their constituents. Now New Lenton and Carrington branches have joined forces to try to get Nottingham City Council to understand that they have their part to play in what is quickly becoming a regional part of a national campaign. This really is the council's last chance to act and they have to do it by Thursday!