Fears on review of post offices

A Mid Wales MP has demanded assurance customers will come first in the review of Powys’s post office system.

Roger Williams, Liberal Democrat MP for Brecon & Radnorshire, has spoken out in Parliament over the problems for Powys communities facing the closure of their post office branches as part of a nationwide Government-led review of the system.

He said villagers in Llanwrtyd Wells were among those having a mobile post office forced on them, when they would rather have a “hosted” service in the local shop or pub, if their branch closes.

The MP said he was concerned the decision on which village gets what replacement service was based on what benefited Post Office, rather than what is best for customers.

Now, Mr Williams said he had obtained an assurance from the Leader of the House, Harriet Harman MP, that the modelling system used to determine which outreach services were being offered to communities threatened with branch closure, would be made available to MPs to study.