Children can be very astute at getting to the heart of a problem.

Their simple tactic is to keep asking why? We should sometimes do likewise.

Why for example is the Post Office closing sub-post offices?

Answer: Because they are losing £4 million a week and need to save money.

Why are they losing money?

Answer: Because they have outdated working practices, are inefficient, are faced with a gigantic pension deficit and are weekly losing large contracts to more efficient private delivery services.

Why are they in this position?

Answer: Because the Government with the support of the Liberal Democrats backed down after attempting to address these issues.

Why did they back down? Answer: Because the unions threatened mass strike action and are supporters of Labour while the Liberal Democrats, never having been in power and thus unaccountable, can afford to support everything. So it is not very fair of our MP, Norman Baker, to wring his hands and bemoan these closures, which will not cease until virtually every sub-post office in the country has gone, albeit over a number of years.

Some might argue that sub-post offices can never be commercially viable and need central Government funding. Clearly the Government does not agree to this degree of largesse as the scale of the financial shortfall is now massive and the ongoing costs unsustainable.

So next time we address a problem, why stop with just one question and one answer? We have to drill deep to get to the truth and if we really care about the plight of the elderly and the disabled and their accessibility problems then let's be clear about what is really going on and what are the real issues the Government needs to address.

Retirement at 60 for state employees is unaffordable. Goldplated pension schemes are no longer affordable given the rise in life expectancy and must be abolished as they have been in the private sector.

Only then can we afford to provide the services that the community is calling for. The Post Office is only one example of our crumbling public services. Other countries do much better and so must we.

Réjane Geneviève Amery
Conservative councillor for Seaford East
Seaford Town CouncilIT IS Charles Hendry who is wrong (Letters, November 17). The Post Office's problems can be laid at the feet of the management. Since Adam Crozier and Allan Leighton were appointed to run the Post Office the profits have turned to losses and this must be due to their appointments.

They have failed to tell the shareholders (ie, the taxpayers) of the European legislation forcing the Post Office to shed business. This should have been put to the shareholders in the form of a referendum to ask whether they accept this legislation or not.

They have lost major contracts.

They have tried to change working practices without consultation, resulting in strikes costing the Post Office millions. Now they are trying to save money by closing post offices instead of looking at new ways of generating business.

It is time for MPs of all parties to call for the dismissal of Mr Crozier and Mr Leighton and to stop all these post office closures.

Perhaps our local MPs can list the profits and losses of the Post Office since 1990 and we can then see the failure of these two individuals.

  • B Bayliss, Mornington Crescent, Hove