Consultation by the Post Office has proved to be a sham. Their representatives attended the overview and scrutiny committee on July 15 and made two things clear.

First, plans to transfer the main post office to Primeco was "a separate exercise" to the review which is now closing Pewsham's branch. Second, Primeco would have a 999-year lease but with no guarantee that Chippenham's main post office would be there in 10 years.

It is clear that closure at Pewsham is seen as making privatisation more profitable for Primeco. But there is every belief that once the assets have been stripped the "Primeco promise" could worthless. For the North Wiltshire constituency Pewsham is one of only seven urban branches but the remaining 28 rural branches may be subject to a separate "review".

Our MP is timid about this because Mrs Thatcher started privatisation by stealth. Conservative governments commercialised a public service, broke its monopoly on stamp sales and closed many hundreds of sub post offices. The fact that Labour has continued their policy only adds to Tory embarrassment. But Liberal Democrats have to come clean on this too. Keeping post offices open will require substantial subsidy by the taxpayer through increased charges for services such as car tax and licensing.

I would say to Alan Eames and Harry Purdon that what is good enough for our Pewsham estate might also be good enough for Cepen Park or any of the thousands of communities away from town centres. I believe that Howard Greenman has enough commercial skill and commitment to the community to keep the Pewsham branch viable provided Tesco honours its moral responsibilities.

But the Post Office will be hard to move. It has suggested that Pewsham residents will find good car parking in Chippenham and are supported in this by the Liberal Democrat council leader Ruth Coleman. Petitions make good publicity but policy is what matters.

Coun P Allnatt (Ind)

Chippenham