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Port-St-Mary Post Office stays open until at least April

All branches to stay open until CM's Communities Report

Politicians have voted to keep all sub-post office branches currently open, as they are, until the chief minister's report on communities has been considered next year. 

It's after the future of the branch in Port St Mary has been put in doubt after the retirement of the sub-post masters there. 

MHK for Rushen and Speaker of the House of Keys Juan Watterson put forward a three-part motion to Tynwald. 

It also asked the Council of Ministers to return with proposals by July 2021, "to ensure that retail banking services can be provided in local communities outside of Douglas in a way that is equitable to the banking sector and the Manx public."

In a lengthy debate the court heard from a number of impassioned speakers, with themes focused on the importance of the post office to communities, as was outlined in Mr Watterson's opening statement: 

The discussion also considered the business model of the post office no longer viable in places, and the differences between banking and post office services, as explained by Chair of the Post Office Julie Edge MHK:

Whilst not all members agreed, the three parts carried with an amendment from Policy and Reform Minister Ray Harmer. 

The final vote for the substantive motion as amended:
Members of the House of Keys: 17 for, six against
Members of Legislative Council: eight for, one against
 

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