Council withdraws closure review

The council said it could have faced significant legal costs

A council has been forced to withdraw its application for a judicial review into post office closures.

Legal advisors told Cornwall County Council there was "no reasonable prospect" of its legal challenge succeeding.

Last week, Post Office Ltd announced the closures of 48 branches following a seven-week consultation, in line with plans to streamline the organisation.

Some of the axed branches will start closing in October.

The council said it had been forced to accept that to pursue a legal challenge against legal advice was not possible, despite Post Office Limited recognising errors on its part and admitting that Cornwall's population had been incorrectly stated.

A challenge could risk the council being ordered to pay significant legal costs, it added.

Adam Paynter, deputy leader of the authority, said members from all political parties and groups had explored every possible avenue and the decision to withdraw had been taken "reluctantly".

Successive governments had failed rural communities, he said.

"We may have lost this battle but we will now focus our efforts on getting ministers to come to the county to see how badly their policies have ignored the needs of Cornwall," he added.