WIREDGOV

Communities and Tackling Poverty Minister, Jeff Cuthbert, will visit Williamstown Post Office in Rhondda Cynon Taff today to see how it is benefiting from Welsh Government funding. 

The Minister will also announce new Post Office Diversification Funds to benefit post offices across Wales.

Capital grants totalling almost £340,000 are being given to 32 post offices to support the important role they play in local communities and to improve the services they provide.

The grants are from the Welsh Government’s Post Office Diversification Fund which helps local post offices expand their businesses and provide new services for the community. In its application, each post office had to show it had consulted on the needs and wishes of its community and how it plans to diversify services.

In October 2010 Postmistress Mrs Fay Davies successfully applied for a £20,000 grant to refurbish Williamstown Post Office. In the latest round of funding she will receive a further £20,000 to convert the post office’s basement into a print shop, install CCTV and paint the outside of the premises.

Commenting on today’s announcement, the Minister said:

"The Welsh Government is committed to taking action to improve local communities and support the economy. Through the Post Office Diversification Fund we have been able to provide practical support to businessmen and women running our post offices.

“The Fund was originally set up for three years in 2009 with £3 million. Since then it has been extended and more money allocated. It has helped 442 Welsh post offices strengthen their role in the community with grants totalling £6.6 million.”

Grants being announced today represent the final round of funding and will go to post offices in Anglesey, Blaenau Gwent, Bridgend, Caerphilly, Cardiff, Ceredigion, Denbighshire, Flintshire, Gwynedd, Merthyr Tydfil, Monmouthshire, Neath Port Talbot, Pembrokeshire, Powys, Rhondda Cynon Taff, Swansea and Torfaen.