Rural rides

Written by David Heath MP and published in Western Gazette on Thu 31st Jul 2008

Rural rides again. Every year I do a tour around all the villages in my constituency where I don't do one of my nine monthly advice surgeries. I reckon there are about one hundred and twenty altogether, and I try to visit at least a hundred each year over a two week period. Over recent years I've usually done the tour in September, but this year I thought I'd try to go round in July, as soon as Parliament rose for the summer recess, and so far it seems to have been working quite well.

Some of the parish councils are very good at making sure the posters we send out to tell people where and when I'm going to be in their community are displayed. Others are not so good, which is a shame. Nevertheless, I see a few villagers at each stop, get a chance to talk about any local issues that I might not otherwise hear about, and sometimes simply get to meet face to face people with whom I have had correspondence. I find it very useful, and at least it gives those who might not get a chance to attend a normal advice surgery the chance to have a word and tell me what they think.

Of course you never know what topics are going to come up, and they can range from complexities of geo-politics to potholes in the road, although if I'm honest the latter tend to be more often the case. However, every year broad themes emerge which are brought up by a significant number of people in different places, and which suggest a more general concern.

This year I think there are four issues which I've had mentioned more than any others. Two I have written about at length previously. Many people are exercised by the government's dithering over the new contract for the post office card account. We fully expected ministers to make an announcement before the house rose, but they didn't do so. I'm afraid that may be a bad sign. The post office card account, or POCA as it is known for short, is, you may remember, the system reluctantly brought in a few years ago to ensure people could still withdraw cash for pensions and benefits from their local post office. Every obstacle was put in the way of anyone actually getting one, and the estimate was that about a million would do so. In fact five million chose the POCA option. Now the contract for running the system is up for renewal, and there is no guarantee the post office will win. If they don't, it is estimated a further three to four thousand local post offices will close. No wonder people are concerned.

The second is a worry I have heard a lot in the Langport area, from those who use the local GP surgery. Langport surgery, like many others, has a dispensary which is much valued by those who use the practice and live outside Langport and Huish Episcopi. A new white paper on pharmacy services, much of which I welcome, suggests that surgeries should not run dispensing services if a chemist's shop is within a mile. Ministers say they don't want to close down GP dispensaries, but that is what is clearly set out in the white paper. I raised it in Parliament just before we broke up, and I will continue to do so. I think it's another example of Whitehall not understanding rural areas.

Others are very worried about plans by South West Trains to axe station staff in the latest cost-cutting exercise. Many of the local stations are affected, but the only one in my constituency is Templecombe. Many local people have enormous affection for Templecombe, as it was put back into action years ago by strenuous efforts by volunteers. It provides a valuable link for many. Losing station staff means not just inconvenience; in the case of Templecombe it means anyone who can't manage the bridge will not be able to access the far platform when no staff are available. The consultation period is on now. Anyone who cares about our local railway ought to make their voice heard.

Lastly, there is the issue of phone boxes. Everyone loves the classic red Gilbert Scott designed telephone box, and they add to the scene in many villages. Unfortunately, the usage of coin boxes (although most don't take coins any more, they've been converted to card only) is lamentably low. Sometimes it seems as though BT actually don't want anyone to use them. One I visited this week, in Coat, was so overgrown with nettles (even within the box itself) as to be unusable. Another, in Beercrocombe, had the notice of closure handily pasted over the instructions for use.

Nevertheless, I appreciate the dilemma. Boxes are difficult and expensive to maintain, and extremely underused in the modern age of mobile telephones. But they remain a lifeline for some, and particularly where mobile reception is poor. And many communities would like to keep them. BT made a mess of the consultation on closure, and thanks to Liberal Democrat controlled South Somerset DC they have had to reopen the period again this week. If parishes want to keep their box, they need to act, either by finding good reasons for opposing removal, or agreeing to take responsibility themselves. Otherwise next year I'll be advertising my visit to some villages, as I already had to do this year in one or two places, as taking place "where the phone box used to be".