By Steve Bargeton, political editor

ONE-IN-FIVE post offices in Fife, Tayside and north-east Scotland face the axe under controversial plans to be unveiled by the UK Government today.

The Courier understands that out of a total of 416 branches, 42 are to be closed and another 37 are to be replaced by a mobile post office or some other “outreach” facility.

The Government says cuts are necessary because fewer people are using small post offices, and the taxpayer is subsidising the network to the tune of £150 million a year.

Although closure details will not be confirmed until later this morning, The Courier has obtained details of widespread cuts across Tayside and Fife.

At least five branches are earmarked for closure in and around Dundee.

In Angus there are closures planned for Arbroath, Forfar and Kirriemuir, with the post offices at Inverkeilor, Glamis and Carmyllie reduced to “outreach” services.

In the Perth area more than a dozen sub post offices are affected, with three facing the axe in the Fair City itself, and Glencarse, Balbeggie, Kinnesswood, Glenfarg, Crook of Devon and Abernethy all to be replaced by “outreach” services.

In Fife there are plans for more than six post office closures, with several others being reduced to part-time services.

Last night there was anger among MSPs as they awaited confirmation of the details of closures in their constituencies—and promised to campaign to keep post offices open.

Scottish finance cabinet secretary and North Tayside MSP John Swinney said he was relieved some sub post offices in the most remote parts of his constituency would survive.

“I am pleased highland Perthshire’s postal services are earmarked for retention in the Post Office’s consultation document,” he said.

“Extensive local pressure from concerned community members has clearly paid off in this instance.

“Kinrossie’s proposed closure will be a sore disappointment to local residents however.

“It is most disappointing to see that in Kirriemuir, Lintrathen and Forfar there are closures proposed. These closures will certainly impact upon the communities which they currently cater for, and I would urge people to come forward and respond to these proposals.

“Reduced services and complete closures in east Perthshire and Angus will undoubtedly be felt hard by local communities.

“I will be monitoring the situation to ensure that my constituents do not lose out as a result of these proposed closures, and I will vigorously support the campaign to preserve our post offices in those areas which will feel the pinch the most.”

Perth MSP Roseanna Cunningham said she was particularly concerned about the plans to close three branches in the city.

“The closure of Bridgend will mean there is no post office on that side of the river and, as with the other planned closures, it is the elderly, the infirm and those without transport, who will be hit hardest,” she said.

“The nature of a post office, of course, is that these are the very people who make up its core customer base. That is why it is utterly wrong- headed to make decisions about post offices based purely on a commercial business basis.

“As we enter the consultation period for these proposed changes, I hope that the views of postmasters and the communities affected will truly be listened to.”

Ms Cunningham said she would be pressing the Royal Mail to hold at least one public meeting in Perth.

Dundee East MSP Stewart Hosie said his constituency has got off “relatively lightly.”

“I will now enter negotiations with Royal Mail about these proposals and will be speaking to people in Wellbank, Monikie and Ferry Road, Dundee, particularly, about their views,” he said.

Central Fife MSP Tricia Marwick said she, too, would take soundings from constituents affected by the proposed closures.

“I shall be talking to local people, and pressing their case if that is their view,” she said.

Ochil MSP Keith Brown said, “The Royal Mail Group’s operating profits in the last year were reported as £162m, and their chief executive is being paid £3m—£2m of which is actually a performance-related bonus.

“I can only assume his job description is to run down local post office services to the point where they are no longer deemed ‘viable’ so that closure can be presented as the only option.

“The only way to stop these closures is for local people to take part in the so-called consultation now being run.

“Every individual who writes to the Post Office will help raise a case against closure.”

The UK minister responsible for the Post Office, Pat McFadden, said it is losing custom and money.

“There are now about four million fewer customers a week compared to a few years ago, and the network is losing half-a-million pounds every single day,” he said.

“In fact, if it wasn’t for subsidies by the Government, thousands more branches would be under threat,” he added.

Pat McFadden added, “Under this proposal, 99.9% of the population will see no change to the branch they currently use, or will remain within one mile by road of an alternative outlet.

“I know that no one wants to see any closures but it is important to remember that the vast majority of most Post Office branches will be unaffected—even after the closures are complete there will still be around 11,500 post offices,” he said.

“The future for the Post Office network cannot be about turning the clock back and wishing away the changes in technology and communications that have taken place in recent years—changes that most of us have taken part in, in one way or another.

“It must be about developing new products and services which attract custom and about ensuring the viability of the network which remains after the current closures.”