MP Martin Wrigley has stepped in to try to tackle problems with Newton Abbot’s Post Office service.

Following months of complaints about reduced opening hours of the Post Office in Queen Street, Mr Wrigley contacted the Government minister responsible to express his concerns.

The Mid Devon Advertiser first reported on issues with the Post Office counter in the Costcutter shop in August last year.

Staff shortages following several resignations and subsequent recruitment difficulties have been responsible for the problems keeping the counter manned.

Now, Gareth Thomas MP, Minister for Services, Small Business and Exports, has intervened, asking his officers to find out from Post Office bosses what had gone wrong.

Their response was that operator Costcutter had experienced severe recruitment problems.

In a letter to Mr Wrigley, the Minister said he was told: ‘Post Office informed me that the Newton Abbot branch which is operator by Costcutter has been experiencing a short term staffing issue due to the resignation of several of their staff.

‘This has resulted in the branch having to reduce their opening hours.

‘Costcutter kept attempting to recruit and were successful in appointing new employees unfortunately they resigned during training.

‘The branch has recruited further staff who are currently in training.

‘The Post Office explains the branch was doing all they can to resolve the situation.’

Mr Thomas explained that while publicly owned, the Post Office operates as a commercial business and the company has the freedom to deliver the branch network within the parameters set by Government.

The Government protects the branch network by setting minimum access criteria which, for example, require 99 per cent of the UK population to be within three miles of their nearest Post Office outlet.

The Government also protects services by setting minimum services to be provided at post offices.

Mr Thomas said: ‘We are committed to finding ways to strengthen the Post Office.

‘There are currently more than 11,500 branches therefore it is inevitable with a network of this size, there will be variations in the number of branches open at any one time.

‘The government full appreciates the impact these variations of opening hours have on a community.

‘I know it can be disruptive, particularly for communities who do not have nearby alternatives.’

Mr Wrigley said he had written to the Minister after he had received a number of emails regarding the reduction in operating hours.

He said: ‘In response I wrote to both the Post Office and the Minister for Services, Small Businesses and Exports to express my concerns that a reduced service was adversely affecting the people of Newton Abbot.

‘Both the Post Office and the Minster have responded.

‘It is encouraging to see that the Post Office is doing all it can to rectify the issue.’