PLANS to shut Tintwistle and four other High Peak post offices have been slammed by Derbyshire County Council.

The council gave detailed responses during a six-week consultation by Post Office Ltd, citing reasons why the branch on New Road,Tintwistle and the other outlets should survive.

It raised particular concern over Tintwistle, which carries out more than 400 transactions a week and highlighted the fact that one in seven residents in the village are elderly. They will have to travel to Hadfield or Hollingworth to use a post office from the middle of next month.

Councillor Geoff Carlile, cabinet member for regeneration, said: "The Post Office’s plans in the High Peak have not taken full account of the needs of communities which may be affected.

"While we welcome the fact that 24 post offices in Glossopdale, Buxton, New Mills and Whaley Bridge will stay open under these proposals, there is real concern for the economic and social implications which will result from the loss of the five post offices which currently serve the smaller communities in the surrounding areas.

Ignored

"Yet again we feel our comments have been ignored but we shall try to do everything we can to support the communities which will be affected by these closures."

They will follow those announced earlier this year in Amber Valley, Bolsover, Erewash and South and West Derbyshire, when the council’s recommendations again went unheeded.

In total 2,500 post office are set to be axed across the country.