Cross-party support declared for Stourport delivery office

[TrueBlueTerrier]

http://www.kidderminstershuttle.co.uk/n ... ry_office/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

ALL parties on Wyre Forest District Council have declared their support for Stourport’s Royal Mail delivery office.

Staff fear they would be moved to a base in Kidderminster if the High Street site is closed down.

Council Leader John Campion called on Royal Mail bosses to keep the Stourport office open “for the benefit of local residents and businesses that rely on this important service”.

Council chief executive Ian Miller agreed to put the authority’s views to Royal Mail “in the strongest of terms”.

A motion was submitted at Wednesday’s full council meeting and was backed by all councillors.

Royal Mail said there are “no firm plans” for the office at present but some councillors believe it is under threat.

Labour councillor for Areley Kings, Jamie Shaw, revealed 45 businesses in Stourport collect post from the office from 7am onwards, rather than wait for it to be delivered.

Postal workers have launched a Save our Stourport Delivery Office campaign with trade unions.

More than 2,600 people had signed a petition to save the office and a Facebrook group has more than 1,400 members.

Liberal councillor Graham Ballinger warned local campaigns would have “no impact”, though.

He said the fight to save Comberton Hill’s post office last year was lost because “decisions like that are made in Westminster and we have no effect on them at all”.

Mr Campion went on: “It’s up to Royal Mail but I think its right that we say that we don’t want the service to be taken away and for residents to have to traipse to Kidderminster.”