FIFTEEN fellow MPs have backed Andrew Miller in his official condemnation of the way the Post Office has handled the proposed closure of the town's Marina Walk branch.
The borough Labour MP put down an Early Day Motion in the House of Commons which says: 'This House condemns the manner in which the Post Office has failed to engage in meaningful consultations with either staff or the public about the closure of Ellesmere Port Crown Office, and calls upon the Government, as shareholders, to instruct the Post Office management to withdraw its current proposal.'
The motion also calls on postal bosses to 'share with stakeholders the financial facts and to ensure that if it demonstrates a position that is commercially viable that time is allowed to enable a proper recovery programme to be instituted.'
Fifteen other MPs from various parts of the country have added their signatures to the motion, which effectively calls for a debate on the issue.
Mr Miller said: 'This support perhaps indicates that Ellesmere Port is not the only area experiencing problems with the Post Office.
'The borough council recently wrote to the Post Office expressing its concern about the closure but I understand the reply does not hold out much hope of the office being reprieved.'
He added: 'I am looking at this with an increasing amount of concern.
'The Post Office seems to be doing everything in its power to encourage people to do their financial business at places other than post offices.
'The proposal here is to move the business to inside the new Asda store, but if the Post Office says the town centre branch is not viable, what makes Asda think they can make a go of it?
'We have been assured that when the transfer takes place there won't be any deterioration of the service but I cannot believe this is true.'
Mr Miller says he is maintaining the pressure on the Post Office to give more details of the financial facts behind the closure proposal.
