MY address shows that I am a customer (and a very satisfied one) of the Oldfield Road, Post Office.

I am writing in support of what John Layton states (SAM August 3) concerning the need to support our network of sub post offices.

Trafford are talking nonsense suggesting the continued use of these offices for payment of council tax and rent is not financially viable.

Is Cllr David Acton aware that one in five of the population do not have a bank account, and I daresay that dramatically alters in the retired population.

Has he ever taken the trouble to talk to those who regularly use their local post offices and see what they think?

It is no use suggesting that Trafford might make arrangements with local banks, because branches are being closed at an alarming rate, on the grounds that more people are using Internet banking.

I wonder if he can give a figure as to the number who bank this way in Oldfield Brow, for example.

He claims that current proposals "would be likely to increase council tax."

That is a commonly used threat to get one's way.

Can he please expand this theory with facts and figures?

I suggest Cllr Acton and his cohorts should reappraise the situation and realise they are there to give a service to the taxpayers and that service include a fully functional group of post offices, run by a dedicated band of postmasters.

L B Lux, Altrincham

Converted for the new archive on 13 March 2001. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.