Over recent months, lots of constituents have contacted Andrew Western’s office about the loss of Post Office services in Partington. So Andrew asked a Business Question in the Chamber on the possibility of having a Adjournment Debate about this.

The Post Office in Partington closed in August 2023, after the long-serving postmistress retired.

Speaking in the Chamber, Andrew Western said: “Partington is an isolated community, with low levels of car ownership and appalling public transport, and of course its town centre banks have long since closed. It is several miles to the nearest main Post Office – or, for those without transport, a multiple-hour round trip.

“May we have a debate in Government time on the support available to Post Offices in isolated communities that do not qualify for the rural support services grant, but where it is incredibly challenging for those communities to reach other post offices, to ensure that those services remain in communities such as Partington?”

Replying to Andrew Western’s question, Penny Mordaunt, Leader of the House of Commons, said: “It is covered by work undertaken by the Post Office Minister and by the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, which runs a successful scheme looking at how services might be retained in the local community, even if the bricks and mortar of the Post office have been stood down.

“The next questions to the Department, which I think runs that best practice scheme, are on 22 January, so… he (Andrew Western) might wish to raise the matter then, but I will also ensure that both relevant Ministers have heard his concerns and ask their offices to get in touch with him.”

Andrew will continue to push this point, so that Partington gets the Post Office service it needs and deserves.