I AM one of the Cambridgeshire county councillors for Soham and Fordham villages and would wish to make the following representations regarding the proposal to close the Hall Street, Soham Post Office. It is proposed to retain the main Post Office in So

I AM one of the Cambridgeshire county councillors for Soham and

Fordham villages and would wish to make the following representations

regarding the proposal to close the Hall Street, Soham Post Office.

It is proposed to retain the main Post Office in Soham situated in the

High Street.

Soham is one of the fastest-growing towns in East Cambridgeshire,

itself one of the fastest growing districts in Cambridgeshire. The

Hall Street Post Office is situated towards the northern edge of

Soham. Most of the current housing developments are taking place on

the northern fringe of Soham. 350 houses on the north west of Soham,

currently getting towards completion together with approximately 150

new houses currently under construction on the old Griggs site on The

Shade, Soham close to the 350 houses referred to earlier. There is

also in-filling in other places in the area. The Hamlets of Barway,

Eye Hill and Barcham also look to the Hall Street, Soham Post Office.

To all these people, the Hall Street Post Office is the nearest Post

Office. The mention of Isleham Post Office in the consultation

leaflet, being 5.2 miles away, is in no way an alternative facility

which in addition to the distance is across the fen and the other side

of a very busy A142. The only alternative Post Office for all these

people living in the northern area of Soham is the Post Office in the

High Street. That brings me to the effect on the High Street, Post

Office. It already serves quite a wide area. Most of the town of

Soham, the village of Wicken, which does not have a Post Office, the

Hamlets of Padney and Upware look to Soham for its Post Office

facilities. There is further housing development under construction on

the old Lion Mills site, off Clay Street, Soham and there could well

be further housing proposed in the Station Road/Spencer Drove site

which would also look to the High Street Post Office. There is also a

degree of in-filling. At times there is already congestion at the High

Street Post Office with it being a relatively small shop and Post

Office. Let us just speculate what the congestion is likely to be when

and if the Hall Street, Post Office closes and the additional existing

and potential new people want Post Office facilities. The reference

in the consultation leaflet to other Post Office facilities in the

area at 2 Carter Street, Fordham, 19 High Street, Ely and 11 The

Causeway, Burwell cannot be taken seriously taking account of the

distances involved.

JOHN POWLEY

County councillor Soham and Fordham villages, Cambridgeshire County

Council.