As we live in a country with some of the most excessive fuel tax charges anywhere on this planet, it is encouraging to see some movement in the other aspect of the high fuel price. The action of some large supermarkets in passing on the recent reduction in oil prices, brings, at least, a little relief at the petrol pumps.

It will be interesting to see if the big petrol suppliers follow the lead. But a word of caution. We must be vigilant to ensure 'Uncle Gordon' and his puppet Alistair do not attempt to re-impose the 2p increase in fuel tax.

What is actually needed to prevent escalation in the future is the policy already pledged by the Conservatives, to introduce a full fuel duty stabiliser.  This would have the effect of minimising the burden of duty imposed by the Chancellor when the cost of oil goes up.

With the current batch of proposed Post Office closures in the Borough, people are, rightly, very angry. Some Post Offices, but I hope not all, will close because the Labour Government has ordered the break-up of this Service, having first taken away many of it’s services and ensuring a lack of viability.

Most people will be aware of the initiative of Essex County Council to save some of their post offices.  It involved negotiations between the Conservative controlled council and the Post Office.  Without doubt it is a good way forward but I ask: Why have the Post Office not agreed to have the same system available across our ten local authorities?  Is it that the Post Office knows the initiative could work, but would be contradictory to the Government’s intention of wholesale closures?

In my own area of the Heatons it is proposed to close 1 Post Office this time. The impact on the local community would be detrimental -creating more pollution, congestion, and expensive car journeys.  If Heatons Road Post Office closes the impact will mostly fall on our vulnerable elderly residents, who will either have to climb into their cars and make expensive short journeys or who will remain stranded. This Government makes no sense asking us to cut car journeys, while moving important services further and further away. The Liberal Democrat Council sadly haven’t followed Conservative Essex’s lead, they have no alternative proposals, instead only following the wishy-washy path of submitting a document bemoaning the closures. As the Liberal Democrats all too often complain, the Government doesn’t listen to them– so will the Post Office listen now?