AN MP has welcomed plans to set up a new post office in a rural village.
Shahid Malik says the service earmarked for Shelley Village Hall is a great result for local people, who have been without a postal service since Shelley Post Office closed last October.
The Far Bank store was closed following the resignation of the subpostmaster but a new outreach service is to be operated by Kirkburton postmistress Marion Davidson.
Mr Malik, whose Dewsbury constituency will include Kirkburton and Denby Dale at the next general election, had fought to help locals keep the service.
He says he has now become the only MP in the country to successfully fight two post office closures after he helped save the Thornhill Edge branch last year.
Mr Malik sent out a survey to Shelley households, spoke to locals and submitted a report to Post Office Ltd (POL) arguing in support of the service.
He said: “Having worked very closely with POL, I was always confident that a strong community voice would win the day.
“It is a great result for Shelley folk, they now have a local postal service and the bonus of one of the nicest post mistresses in the country in Marion Davidson.”
The service is to run on Mondays and Tuesdays between 9.30am and 12.30pm and Thursdays between 1.30pm and 4.30pm.
