The leader of Staffordshire County Council is calling on the Post Office to safeguard services in the county and give more time to decide their future.

Post Office Ltd has only set aside six weeks for consultation over threatened services and has not offered Staffordshire any “outreach” alternatives.

It has announced plans to axe 53 post offices across the county including two branches in the Lichfield district at Whittington Barracks and St John Street and St Aidans in Pye Green, Cannock.

Councillor John Taylor wants a 12-month consultation and meaningful dialogue with the county council and partner organisations.

“Up until last week authorities and organisations across Staffordshire were playing a waiting game – waiting for the publication of the review by Post Office Ltd into the future of post offices in Staffordshire,” he said.

“Now the results of that review are out in the open we are finally in a position to draw up a response, but six weeks is not enough. I want the consultation extended, and 12 months seems quite a reasonable period of time to aim for.”