The Welsh Liberal Democrat Assembly Member for South Wales West, Peter Black, has called for commonsense to prevail in a dispute between Valleys to Coast Housing Association and a local Post Office, which could lead to the closure of a valuable community facility.
Valleys to Coast Housing Association is seeking to terminate the lease on North Cornelly Post Office for not paying a demand for £14,600 in backdated rent. The dispute has arisen following Bridgend Council's failure to implement a rent review seven years ago. When the ownership of the property was handed over to Valleys to Coast they decided to double the rent and backdate the it to the review date, leaving the Post Office with a demand for £14,600. Although the Sub Post Master, Mr Dauncey, has made several offers to the Housing Association, they have failed to respond and are now taking him to court instead.
"I am simply shocked by the news that a Housing Association could act in such a way that is so obviously detrimental to the local community." said Mr Black. "This is not something that the local Post Office has had any hand in. They have paid all their invoices for rent in the past seven years as received them. It is only when they received an invoice from Valleys to Coast telling them their rent had doubled they became aware of any problem."
"The offer put forward by Mr Dauncey to pay back the full £14,600 over four years is reasonable. This mistake was made seven years ago by the Council and Valleys to Coast must accept that they cannot force a business to pay back an amount it cannot afford. I have written to Valleys to Coast and asked them to accept the offer as it is the only option that will allow them to get their money back as well as allowing the Post Office to remain open."
