This week saw the announcement of a review of the Post Office announced by its Chair Nigel Railton. Media reporting that this meant the closure of 115 Crown Post Offices, Hyde Market Street branch included, caused understandable consternation and a flurry of enquiries to my office and on social media.

Misleading headlines aside, there are no proposals to close any Post Offices at this stage as the review has just been announced. The intention stated by the Post Office is for crown post offices – run by the Post Office itself – to remain open but become franchises like most other branches, and crucially this will be to boost the remuneration postmasters get as the best long term way to keep post offices open.

To achieve this the review will look at how postmasters can be better paid from the functions the Post Office currently provides. At present, many post offices are busy but the level of remuneration that postmasters get for running them is too low. On some occasions in the constituency, we have seen postmasters retire and there has not been anyone willing to take on the business. When I appeared before the Post Office Inquiry this week, I talked about how this must change.

As the review develops, I will keep constituents informed.

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