Local Liberal Democrat councillors have achieved the first step in assisting residents with the reopening of axed local Post Office branches, after opposition councillors agreed to a Lib Dem motion promising to look at plans to reopen those facilities recently hit by the Labour Government’s closure programme.

Hale End and Highams Park councillor Jane Morgan (pictured above with fellow Hale and Higham councillor Sheila Smith-Pryor) spoke at the Council meeting, in which the Lib Dems agreed to accept Labour amendments to the motion in order to ensure it passed. 

However Cllr John Macklin, the local Lib Dem leader warned that he would not allow the Labour amendments (which removed the responsibility of meeting with those local businesses who plan to invest in local Post Offices from the Portfolio Holder for Enterprise and Investment) to enable the Council to ‘bury’ any proposals for the reopening of local branches.

The Liberal Democrats have vowed to help after being contacted by local resident groups who presented pland for the reopening of local branches through a combination of private enterprise and outside funding.

Head to our Speeches page to see what Cllr Morgan had to say about the Lib Dems support for the plans: