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4.08.00pm UTC (GMT +0000) Tue 6th Nov 2007

Jenny Randerson AM is appalled that the Labour-Plaid Government may ask Post Offices to repay Post Office Development Fund money, which subpostmasters spent on improving their premises

Jenny Randerson, Liberal Democrat Assembly Member for Cardiff Central, quizzed the Leader of the House, Carwyn Jones, on Labour's proposed Post Office Closure Programme.

Jenny is incensed by the potentially wasted investment in 3 Post Offices proposed for closure in Cardiff, as they were given funding from the Welsh Assembly Government's "Post Office Development Fund". The Post Offices are in Splott Road and Sanquahar Street in Splott and St. Mellons.

Jenny said: "Labour has just presented a penny-pinching local government settlement calling upon Local Authorities to "burn the waste" when they themselves are closing Post Offices that they have invested money in. To add insult to injury, the Leader of the House has confirmed that WAG intends to ask for their money back from the recipient postmasters and mistresses.

"This raises huge issues for the Post Offices concerned as to whether they were aware of the need to repay the money if they close. Furthermore, it is believed that some of the money was EU funding, which is not repayable in the same way".

"Once again, we can see the double-standards employed by WAG. They waste the money and expect others to pick up the tab".

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