SPA MP Peter Luff claims that the town has been "snubbed" by a "greedy government" after treasury ministers refused to meet him to discuss the closure of the medal office.

Mr Luff has been seeking a meeting with ministers to discuss the Ministry of Defence's decision to close the Worcester Road site, which is home to the Ordinance Survey, Army Medal Office and the Revenue and Customs Office. However, his requests have so far fallen on deaf ears.

He is unhappy that government jobs are being taken out of the town and that the site could be sold off for housing development.

Mr Luff also believes the land does not belong to the Ministry of Defence and so is not theirs to sell. He claims the land belongs to the heirs of the original owner Thomas Everton.

"The decision has already cost government jobs in the Ordinance Survey and Medal Office, and will soon lead to more in the Revenue and Customs Office. The Government is being greedy and just wants to make money from a housing development. It is a snub to the whole town that they will not even meet to discuss the issue," said Mr Luff.

In a letter to Dawn Primarolo, the Paymaster General who is the minister responsible for the office, the MP said: "I am very disappointed that despite my frequent requests made over many months neither you nor any minister at the Treasury was prepared to meet me to discuss the future of the Revenue and Customs Office at Droitwich Spa.

"I have never before in my 13 years as an MP been refused a meeting with a minister to discuss anything. I urge you one last time not to close this Droitwich office."

christopher.flavell@

midlands.newsquest.co.uk