Post office plan 'no replacement'

Four "outreach services" would not replaceme post offices which are to close in Warwickshire, a county councillor says.

Chris Saint said there had been "little detail" about the services which would replace two post offices in Shipston-on-Stour, which he represents.

The branches are among 25 which Post Office Ltd has announced will close in Coventry and Warwickshire.

It said outreach services may include a mobile service visiting at set times.

The first post office closures have been scheduled to take place in September.

Restricted hours

The cuts are part of national plans to reduce the UK-wide network, which the Post Office said was making huge losses.

It wants to reduce the number of branches by up to 2,500, from its current level of more than 14,000.

As well as closing branches, it wants to replace some with an outreach option such as a mobile service or one operated within another premises for restricted hours each week.

In Shipston-on-Stour, branches in Middle Street, Ilmington, and Main Street, Long Compton, are to be replaced by the outreach option.

Two branches in Stratford-upon-Avon will also be replaced by the service.

'Not available'

But Mr Saint, a Conservative councillor, said: "They (the Post Office) have given us so little detail about how robust it will be and how they will be run.

"I don't think it goes anywhere near replacing them because it does not have the full range of services and it's not available to the local customers at the times that they have been used to."

A total of 30 branches are also to close in Birmingham and Solihull under the plans.

The Post Office said 99% of Birmingham, Coventry and Warwickshire would see no change to their existing branch or would remain within a mile by road distance of an alternative branch.

Mark Partington, Post Office Ltd's Network Development Manager for Birmingham, Coventry and Warwickshire, said: "These are difficult decisions which have not been taken lightly.

"We have considered very carefully all the comments made during the public consultation."