COUNCIL leaders have launched a blistering attack on the Post Office over its 'trail of broken promises' to reopen a town centre office.

They are furious that, after seven months, Bury seems no closer to having a flagship store since Forbuoys closed last June.

"Is this the face of a 21st century public service?" stormed Councillor Wayne Campbell, leader of the council.

"A trail of broken promises, a community denied key services, a town shunned by a national service provider and customers' needs simply ignored. What business, public or private, could survive such a catalogue of customer care abuses?"

Coun Campbell has now written again to Adam Crozier, the chief executive of the Post Office, to demand answers.

"We have a great many angry shoppers and many unanswered questions from the Post Office. I know it is winter but surely they have to come out of hibernation some time to answer and face up to their responsibilities as a key community focused service. What did they do to secure alternative arrangements before closure? What have they done since the closure? Residents and businesses were promised temporary facilities, but they have reneged on that promise."

He said the council had offered the Post Office temporary use of the town hall reception area and, upon request, subsequently offered a range of sites without charge.

None of these offers were taken up - and the Post Office then scrapped plans to site a temporary cabin in Kay Gardens. Coun Campbell was particularly annoyed to hear about this from the Bury Times.

"If they are committed to restoring these facilities, let's hear from them and let them tell the public of Bury when main Post Office services will be restored," he said. "Until that happens, the credibility and reputation of the Post Office will be questioned by all those thousands of customers denied this essential community service."

Mr Mark Sanders, the council's chief executive, said: "If I ran the council like the Post Office's chief executive Adam Crozier runs his organisation, I would be looking for a new job."

A spokesman for the Post Office said: "We apologise again to customers for the continued inconvenience.

"Post Office Ltd has made significant progress towards reopening a branch in Bury town centre, and we are in the final stages of the process. As soon as we have firm news and a proposed opening date we will make an announcement."

Coun Campbell's letter to Adam Crozier.

Dear Mr Crozier

POST OFFICE FACILITIES - BURY TOWN CENTRE

I wrote to you on 18 August 2005 expressing my concerns about the Post Office's failure to replace the Town's main post office. (Copy attached).

That was some four months ago and we are still no further forward and possess no information as to when shoppers and visitors can enjoy Post Office services again. I feel that I must remind you that Bury has Greater Manchester's second highest pedestrian flow and the demand for post office facilities is of paramount importance.

It is now some 10 months since the post office management were made aware of the impending closure of the main post office facility located in the Millgate Centre. The Town's main post office has been closed now for over six months. Despite the disappointment of having no immediate replacement, there were high hopes, following a series of pubic commitments, to install a temporary facility. Planning permission was granted but the Post Office, without any warning, abandoned the installation of this temporary facility. I was disappointed and angry to learn of this decision by reading it in my local newspaper.

We also offered at the time to look into the feasibility of running post office services temporarily from the Town Hall but this offer was not taken up. That offer now made for the third time is still open.

So what are the public of Bury to make of all this? Judging by the anger and frustration published in letters each week to the local newspaper, they could be forgiven for thinking that the Post Office has left behind them a trail of broken promises, a community denied a key service, a town shunned by a national service provider and customers needs simply ignored.

What business, public or private could survive such a catalogue customer care abuses?

We have continually attempted to seek clarification of the Post Office's plans (even as late as Friday 13 January) but your regional office refuse to keep the Council informed.

If progress isn't made soon there appears to be only one certainty in this entire sorry saga, which is that we have no main post office in the second biggest retail centre in Greater Manchester. No one in Bury is quite sure what will happen next and at this rate Bury will be having its own sad and sorry anniversary of 12 months without a main Post Office.

If, as the Post Office states, they are committed to restoring these facilities can you do me and the public of Bury the courtesy of taking a close personal interest to get this sorted and let us all know when main Post Office services will be restored?

Until that happens the credibility and reputation of the Post Office will be questioned by all those thousands of customers denied this essential community service.

Yours sincerely

WAYNE CAMPBELL

LEADER OF THE COUNCIL