ANGRY civic leaders have spoken of their disappointment being 'snubbed' by the Post Office after asking for eleventh hour talks over a proposed closure.

Whiteshill post office is among those on the company's county 'hit list' of under-used branches that could be axed in an effort to restructure the service and make it more viable.

But Whiteshill and Ruscombe parish councillors want it to hold off any decision on the future of the village post office until the fate of the nearby Paganhill branch is settle.

The Paganhill branch has been put forward as an alternative for villagers but it too looks set for the chop as Tesco takes over the One Stop shop that houses it and says there is no room to keep the counter after conversion.

John Rogers, chairman of Whiteshill and Ruscombe Parish Council, told the SNJ the council had written to the Post Office asking for a representative to attend a public meeting to hear villagers' concerns and explain the company's thinking. But the invitation was declined.

"It's a straightforward snub," said Cllr Rogers. "It seems they're just not interested in meeting the people of Whiteshill.

"We told them we would arrange the venue and the time at their convenience. "All they had to do was send somebody along.

"They sent a rather short reply saying their staff are in constant demand and they couldn't spare anyone.

He said the refusal to meet the people made a mockery of the post offices nod to consultation. "We know there's been a lot of local feeling about this," he said.

"It remains to be seen whether they have already made their mind up and are too shame-faced to come to talk to us or whether they are making their decision on a purely commercial basis and feel that they don't need to pay attention to our submissions. "But it seems a bit offhand to simply say they can't find anyone."

"I don't know that there is anything else we can do now apart from hope." The letter said the final decision would not be made without carefully considering the results of the public consultation.

Jane Thomas, a spokesman for Post Offices Ltd, said the company had not snubbed the parish council.

"The views they sent in to the consultation team will be fully considered along with other representations," she said.

"We have met with the MP and Stroud Town Council to discuss the situation but it's impossible for us to attend every meeting.

"The consultation period ended on September 27 and we will be looking at all the feedback we received before making any decisions. "We are aware of the situation at Paganhill and that will be taken into account.

"But we will have to make some tough decisions because there are so many branches struggling to survive and if we don't act now others will suffer."

"Whiteshill Post Office has hardly any customers and although it's a full time office there is only four hours a week of work.

"If we did go ahead with the closure it would help the survival of other branches which would pick up the business."