Steve Brine, MP for Winchester & Chandler's Ford, has welcomed the news of a 10-year deal between Royal Mail and the Post Office, securing the future of services without resorting to the failed closures programme which dominated Labour's time in government.
The deal follows the Government's other measures to protect Post Office services including additional funding, new local and national contracts, a successful piloting scheme to transform many local post offices and improvements in the services offered.
Mr Brine said: "In opposition Conservatives campaigned tirelessly to stop cuts to our Post Office network and I led that in Winchester by making the case that very often it is the last shop in the village that goes when the post office closes. We lost a few, in Compton and in Littleton most painfully, but we saved many more and I hope this announcement secures their future.
"I always said, we have to find a business solution to ensure the long-term sustainability of our post office network not just simply through more taxpayer cash at the issue. The Government's announcement now means the future of the Post Office is secured, guaranteeing this valuable service for millions of people."
Pictured; Steve making the case for the local Post Office network with Tim Nichols, then heading up the Network Change Programme for the Post Office, and (left) a more youthful looking Steve Brine with the then sub-postmaster at Sutton Scotney PO which campaigned with Steve (then just the Prospective MP) to maintain the post office network in our area