AN OLDER people's champion has branded the consultation into proposed post office closures "seriously flawed", saying the company failed to disclose vital information.

The consultation into the planned closure of 50 branches across York, North Yorkshire and East Yorkshire ended on Thursday.

Four city branches - Clifton, Fulford, Haxby Road and Micklegate - are included in the list.

On Wednesday, The Press sent a delegation to Downing Street to deliver a copy of our Cut the Closures campaign petition - now 5,500-signatures strong - to Prime Minister Gordon Brown.

Don Parlabean, chairman of the York Older People's Assembly, has written to the consultation team criticising the way they have run the process.

Responding to the network change programme, he said: "Unsurprisingly, older people make greater use of the post office services than the population as a whole, and therefore are affected to a greater degree by the proposed closure of branches.

"I need to draw your attention to the fact that there are over 35,000 people of pensionable age in York, representing nearly 20 per cent of the population.

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