Welsh Conservatives have described an Assembly Government plan to support post offices in Wales as “too little too late”.
After months of indecision, the Labour-Plaid administration has decided to consult on re-opening the Post Office Development Fund.
Welsh Conservatives have repeatedly demanded that the fund is re-opened immediately, especially as branches across Wales are facing uncertain times due to Government cuts.
Since Labour came to power a third of the Welsh post office network will have been cut, due to the UK Government’s so-called modernisation agenda.
Commenting on the Assembly Government statement on re-opening the Post Office Development Fund, Opposition Leader Nick Bourne AM said: "While any support for post offices is welcome, this announcement will throw only a few crumbs of comfort to those communities already affected by branch closures.
"It comes far too late to save the 250 post offices across Wales which have closed or are earmarked for closure under the current round of cuts, or the hundreds more that have been axed in recent years.
"Labour and Plaid Cymru have sat on their hands while branches have closed up and down the country.
"This announcement, while a belated sign of action from the Assembly Government, is too little too late for many communities."