Post office closure plans outrageous’

IT is unlikely that Royston will escape post office closures under a Government cuts plan, claim Liberal Democrat councillors. Both Councillor Liz Beardwell and Councillor Robert Inwood say it is outrageous the Government has ignored public concerns.

IT is "unlikely" that Royston will escape post office closures under a Government cuts plan, claim Liberal Democrat councillors.

Both Councillor Liz Beardwell and Councillor Robert Inwood say it is "outrageous" the Government has ignored public concerns.

Earlier this month the Government announced that it planned to close at least 2,500 post offices across the country.

The councillors said in a joint statement: "The Government has not published the list of post offices to be closed, but with one-in-five nationwide set to shut, it is unlikely that Royston will escape."

Royston currently has a post office counter at Martin's newsagents in the High Street, and at Queens Road.

Royston's main post office in Baldock Street - now the Barracuda pub - closed more that a decade ago in spite of a campaign to keep it open.

Liberal Democrats believe that post offices across Herts will be closed under the plans.

They said the Liberal Democrats had plans to invest an additional £2 billion in the network to safeguard the future of post offices for years to come.

And the Liberal Democrats added: "The Conservatives have nothing to offer our post offices."

Royston's MP Oliver Heald said he was shocked by the Government's announcement.

He said he has written to the Post Office asking about the implications for the area.

"Some of our precious village post offices might be under threat," he said.