Lib Dem councillor urges City Council leader to oppose post office closure in Milton Keynes

The post office on Midsummer Boulevard is at risk of closure potentially leaving elderly and vulnerable residents without access to vital postal and financial services after the Post Office announced plans to potentially close 115 branches across the country last month. 

This comes as the Post Office’s new chairman Nigel Railton set out a five-year transformation plan which will affect post offices wholly owned by Post Office Limited which includes the branch in Central Milton Keynes. 

At November’s Full Council meeting, Deputy Leader of the Liberal Democrat Group, Councillor Paul Trendall urged the leader of Milton Keynes City Council to take firm action opposing the plans. 

As requested by Councillor Trendall, the leader of the City Council will now write to the Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for Employment Relations and Consumer Affairs, and the Chair of the Post Office urging them to reconsider the closure. 

As well as the leader of the City Council, the formal letter will also be signed by the Mayor and the leaders of both opposition groups to demonstrate cross-party support and unified opposition to the plans. 

Councillor Trendall, said: 

“The post office is a lifeline for thousands of residents across the city and it is extremely worrying to hear of the planned closure. Dozens of people rely on its services everyday to withdraw cash or to pay bills. The closure of this branch will negatively impact those who do not have access to online services, especially elderly and vulnerable residents.”

Leader of the Liberal Democrat Group, Councillor Jane Carr, added: 

“This is about listening to residents and supporting our communities. This is not about political point scoring. By calling for cross-party support, we send a strong message to the Government and the Post Office that Lib Dem councillors will not stand by whilst essential services are put at risk. We want to save our local post office and ensure that communities across the city are not left without vital services that so many people rely on.”