Post office battle continues

ATTEMPTS to reopen a post office branch in Leamington are continuing despite initial proposals being rejected.

The Milverton branch was shut last year as part of a raft of post offices closures which also saw the West Street branch in Warwick shut.

Warwick District Council had launched a bid to try and incorporate a new post office counter into a revamp of its Riverside House building.

But Post Office Ltd has told the council it will not agree to the plans, saying the re-introduction of post office services in Milverton would be to the “detriment” of the remaining post offices in the area.

The new development at Riverside House will see a Citizens Advice Bureau, police, Credit Union, Warwickshire County Council and the District Council all under one roof.

And after significant work by council officers and Cllr Les Caborn, portfolio holder for customer and information services, the council had ensured that space for a post office facility was also part of the plans.

Cllr Caborn said: “This is obviously very disappointing news especially as the council was prepared to help with the funding to bring back this valuable community amenity. However, I’m determined that the pressure will continue on Post Offices Ltd and will ensure that should the Post Office see sense, space will be available at Riverside House.”

The campaign to reopen the Milverton post office branch has been backed by MP James Plaskitt who said he wasn’t convinced of the case for closing the branch.

In March, he sent out a survey to all Milverton residents asking how they had been affected by the closure of their branch and launched an online petition to save the post office.

But Mr Plaskitt said the council should be doing more to try and ensure the Milverton post office is eventually reopened.

He added: “Leaving an empty space and waiting for something to happen isn’t going to solve the problem.

“The Riverside House location was a good option but it sounds like the council has now given up.”