ORGANISATIONS across Wo-rcestershire have criticised the Government's decision to close thousands of post offices across the country.

Wychavon District Council, which covers a largely rural area, is calling for even more cash to be injected into the network so branches can br-oaden their services.

It is planning to investigate how post offices can be supported in the future and intends to present its concerns and recommendations to Tr-ade and Industry Secretary Alistair Darling.

Wychavon's Post Office scrutiny panel chairman Councillor Margaret Rowley said: "In some villages the post office is the only shop and benefits are not just posting a letter but allowing residents to pick up essential supplies like bread and milk.

"Rather than the knee-jerk reaction of closing down thousands of these facilities, more cash should be injected into helping change the face of post offices and allowing them to broaden their services rather than axing them."

Phil Shellam, chairman of the Federation of Small Businesses in Worcestershire, said: "It's breathtaking that on the one hand Government seeks to reduce road-use while, on the other, it supports its decision on these closures by saying everyone will live or work within three miles of a post office.

"We do not know yet which individual post offices will be affected, nor do we know whether the closures will concentrate on rural or urban areas. What we do know is as bus routes become less accommodating, fuel prices rise and traffic congestion is at an all time high, these closures will certainly not help local people and their personal and business postal needs."

Last week Alistair Darling announced a series of proposals aimed at securing the future of the post office.

This included a £1.7bn funding package and new measures to provide innovative outlets for small remote communities.

However, the measures also include a proposal to close 2,500 post offices across the UK. There will be a 12-week national consultation process on the proposals and a further consultation by the Post Office on local plans starting next summer.

It could be two years before any post offices close.