I WAS interested to read Hugh Bayley (The Press, March 16) railing against what he wrongly claims is the stealth closure of Tang Hall Lane post office.

This clearly completes a U-turn from Mr Bayley’s position when his party was in government and he voted in 2008 for measures to close more than 5,000 post offices, including many in York.

In contrast, the Coalition Government is investing £1.3 billion in the post office network. This money will mean local post offices will stay open longer and offer many more services. This is the complete opposite of what Mr Bayley and the last Labour government did when they shut local post offices in York including Gale Lane, Holgate Road, Bishopthorpe Road, Albemarle Road, Fishergate, Haxby Road and Boroughbridge Road.

The last Liberal Democrat council administration allowed the use of Paypal for council transactions. This enables residents to pay rent and council tax bills at the post office which helps support a valuable community facility.

The post office is seeking people to run the Tang Hall Lane branch. Mr Bayley should stop scaremongering and take a long hard look at his own record on the closure of post offices.

Coun Ann Reid, Liberal Democrat Councillor for Dringhouses and Woodthorpe.