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The future of nearly 80 Post Offices across Kent could be secured under a new policy announced by the Labour Party.
John McDonnell, the shadow chancellor, has revealed a list of 3,600 post offices which would become “Post Banks” under a Labour government – giving it the largest branch network of any UK bank.
Among them are 79 in Kent.
The party said the publicly-owned bank would ensure that every community had easy access to face-to-face, trusted and affordable banking.
It would stem the tide of post office closures, unite important banking, business and community services under one roof and create skilled jobs, Labour said.
Research from the consumer magazine Which? last year showed that the UK lost nearly two-thirds of its bank and building society branches over the past 30 years, falling from more than 20,000 in 1988 to just 7,600 in 2018.
Mr McDonnell said: “We all love our local post offices, and this plan will protect them by giving them a vital extra role – providing our communities with face-to-face banking.
“This is a plan for defending our high streets. It keeps post offices safe for years to come and brings footfall back into our town centres.
"Plus it provides finance to local small businesses – especially cooperatives, companies that don't hurt the environment, and those that do research and development.
“We’re going to take finance out of the hands of the big banks and the speculators – and into the hands of our regions and communities. That’s how we’ll rebuild Britain for the many, not the few.”
The Labour Party plans to give £2.5bn of initial funding for the Post Bank, to take over services currently offered through Post Office Money and will end the existing partnership with Bank of Ireland UK.
As well as offering banking services to individuals, it would provide services to small businesses, Labour said.
The 3,600 post offices selected are all part of the Crown postal office network or larger post offices.
Over the past five years the Post Office has announced the closure of 150 Crown Post Offices, 40% of its 2013 Crown Post Office network.
In 2010 the Government stated the Post Office’s ‘network subsidy’ would “reduce substantially over time.” It is currently projected to fall from £200m in 2013 to £50m in 2020.
In addition private banks have been busy closing their branches, leaving many communities with no form of banking at all.
It is estimated that a fifth of the population already live more two miles away from their nearest bank.
Here is the full list of Post Offices that would be protected in Kent:
Ashford
Ashford TN23 1QN
Singleton TN23 5GR
Tenterden TN30 6HP
Canterbury
Canterbury CT1 2LB
Hales Place CT2 7AB
Herne Bay CT6 5DU
St Georges CT1 1PE
Sturry CT2 0BD
Swalecliffe CT5 2LX
Tankerton CT5 2AW
Whitstable CT5 1NQ
Dartford
Dartford DA1 1AB
Swanscombe DA10 0AG
Dover
Aylesham CT3 3DZ
Buckland CT17 0SR
Deal CT14 6ET
Dover CT16 1BW
Mill Hill CT14 9EX
Sandwich CT13 9DA
Whitfield CT16 3HB
Folkestone and Hythe
Cheriton CT19 4ET
Dover Road CT20 1LA
Folkestone CT20 1TU
Hythe CT21 5AD
New Romney TN28 8BZ
Gravesham
Gravesend DA11 0TA
Mid Higham ME3 7DA
Riverview Park DA12 4NG
Rosherville DA11 9JR
Singlewell Road DA11 7QA
Valley Drive DA12 5RT
Maidstone
Ashford Road ME14 4LX
Barming ME16 9EU
Coxheath ME17 4DF
Headcorn TN27 9NE
High Street ME14 1JF
Lenham ME17 2PH
Maidstone ME14 1RP
Mangravet ME15 9BQ
Park Wood ME15 9FU
Medway
Chatham ME4 4JG
Deanswood ME8 9PW
Gillingham ME7 1AU
Lordswood ME5 8NL
Post Barn ME4 6HB
Rainham ME8 8AN
Rochester ME1 1JT
Strood ME2 4SL
Twydall ME8 6JY
Walderslade ME5 9LL
Watling Street ME7 2YX
Wigmore ME8 0PN
Swale
Faversham ME13 8AA
Minster On Sea ME12 3QG
Murston ME10 3RE
Sheerness ME12 1AA
Sittingbourne ME10 4AA
Sevenoaks
Edenbridge TN8 5AB
Otford TN14 5PB
Sevenoaks TN13 1AA
Swanley BR8 7AE
Thanet
Birchington CT7 9RA
Broadstairs CT10 2AD
Cliftonville CT9 2QN
Haine Cross Road CT10 2QJ
Holly Lane CT9 3PQ
Margate CT9 1JW
Ramsgate CT11 9AA
St Lawrence CT11 0QW
Westgate On Sea CT8 8RN
Tonbridge and Malling
Larkfield ME20 6QJ
Snodland ME6 5DQ
Tonbridge TN9 1SQ
West Mailing ME19 6JZ
York Parade TN10 3NP
Tunbridge Wells
Cranbrook TN17 3DN
Five Ways TN1 2AD
Paddock Wood TN12 6EN
Rusthall TN4 8RW
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