Despite public opposition it has been confirmed that Queens Park Post Office will close.

Clearly by announcing these closures earlier than originally planned the Post Office has ignored the case put by local people to keep these offices open. The whole consultation process appears to have been a sham – less than a month has been taken to look at people’s responses and decide which looks suspiciously like a decision that had already been made.

It seems that the Post Office was simply running a ‘numbers game’ where people don’t matter. How hollow their current advertising slogan now sounds.

The Labour Government clearly wanted to close 2,500 across the Country and that means closing offices in Northampton despite the strong cases made to keep them open. Labour MP Sally Keeble has supported her Governments plans for the Post Office in Parliament yet campaigned against the closures in Northampton. Clearly she has misled people by making them think there was a chance to change her Government’s plans – when there was not. She needs to explain her position.

Local Lib Dem Councillors will continue to do all we can to fight these closure plans.

At the request of local residents the Council are looking to put a recycling facility in Arthur St for people who live in the flats. This is good news, and I hope it will be used by people who live in the Webbs factory too. When the site has been agreed, the council will inform residents by leaflet.

Queens Park Post Office on Kingsley Rd is one of 8 Post Offices in Northampton set to close. Queens Park is used by many residents in Kingsthorpe, and is a result of Government policy to close thousands of post offices nationally. Lib Dem councillors will be campaigning strongly against these closures. Andrew is organising an online petition at www.andrew-simpson.org.uk

The County Council has decided to market the site of Raeburn Special School after the school has moved to its new site at Tiffield. Local residents are campaigning to keep the site for community use. There are no childrens play areas or community facilities in the area. The Focus team are supporting the campaign and Richard Church has spoken up at a recent County Council meeting in support of a petition presented by local community activist Karen Lennon.

The County Council are funding repairs to footpaths across the Racecourse. Work will start in the new year to improve the main footpaths used to cross the park. This follows on from the upgrade of lighting in the park 2 years ago. This is good news, and is another step towards making the park a safer and more inviting place for people of all ages.

The Healthy Living Hub project is a plan to create a future for the Racecourse as a community base for helthy living, including walking, cycling, sport a community cafe and green gym. Visit their website .

Andrew Simspn are invloved in the Friends of Northampton Racecourse community group which brings together local resdients and users of the Racecourse as well as the Racecourse Partnership, which brings together public bodies and voluntary groups with an interest in the future of the park.