A COUNCILLOR is angry that two post offices in his ward have been lined up for the axe.

The Government announced plans this week to close ten branches in north Kirklees, including Savile Town and Whitley in Dewsbury South.

Clr Khizar Iqbal, who represents the ward on Kirklees Council, said: “These proposals have made me extremely angry.

“They come on top of two previous closures in Dewsbury South and between them the Government and Post Office Ltd are decimating the service they provide to local people.”

Clr Iqbal believes the two under-threat branches play a crucial role in their areas.

The Conservative said: “These post offices are vital parts of small communities and I am hugely disappointed at the closure in Whitley, which was under threat in 2002 until we successfully relocated a partial service into the Woolpack Inn.

“It is the only service in the village which has a small community and a number of elderly people.”

This week’s proposed closures in north Kirklees are part of Government plans to shut 2,500 branches nationwide to stem losses of £500,000 a day.

Clr Iqbal criticised Dewsbury’s Labour MP Shahid Malik for not voting against the plan.

He said: “Some Labour MPs opposed the closure programme along with the Conservatives, but Shahid Malik was firmly in favour of his Government’s actions when they took a Parliamentary vote in March.

“I hope he is happy with the resulting closures which affect his constituents, I can assure him that his constituents are not.”

Closure plans for Huddersfield and the Valleys will be announced in August.