POST OFFICES RECEIVE SECOND CLASS SERVICE FROM CONSERVATIVE MAYOR

12.28.43pm GMT Mon 1st Feb 2010

Liberal Democrat Council Group Leader Steve Darling has hit out at Conservative Mayor Nick Bye for taking almost a year to bring forward pathetic proposals to support local sub post offices in Torbay.

At a meeting of his Cabinet in March 2009 the Mayor agreed to develop an action plan to support sub post offices. This was in response to a report from the Council's watchdog, the Overview and Scrutiny Board, which called for the council to develop a strategy to protect the long term future of our sub post offices in Torbay.

Almost a year later, a report is going to a meeting of the Cabinet next week - with the Conservative Mayor proposing to do the bare minimum to support local post offices.

Councillor Darling said, "It is simply outrageous that it has taken the Mayor and his Conservative colleagues almost a year to bring forward an action plan to support our local post offices. During the budget setting process last year, the Liberal Democrats tabled an amendment suggesting that £10,000 go towards turning post offices into community hubs. The Conservatives turned this down. Despite having a underspend of over £1 million, they are still doing precious little.

"It is no wonder that under the stewardship of the Conservatives the Council has received a Red Flag for failing to meet the needs of the less well off."