Chief Minister Howard Quayle has urged protestors not to jump the gun ahead of any final decision about the future of the sub-post office in Ballasalla.

The board of the Post Office is due to meet today (Thursday) and make a firm decision on whether to close the sub-post office or seek someone to take over after the current sub-postmaster decided to quit.

In the House of Keys on Tuesday Jason Moorhouse (Arbory, Castletown and Malew) asked Mr Quayle if he was aware of concern from local authorities about the impact on communities of the closure of sub-post offices.

The chief minister said: ’I think to an extent we are jumping the gun here. I think the Post Office chair (Julie Edge) has been at pains to point out that the Post Office board will be meeting on Thursday to discuss whether or not the post of sub-postmaster in Ballasalla is to be advertised.

’If that answer is no, then I will expect further questions. But if that answer is yes, then it takes the wind out of the sails totally.’

He added: ’Surely we should wait to see what decision the Post Office makes before we start discussing what is going to happen?’

The sub-post office in Ballasalla, which is operated out of the village newsagent’s shop is the latest in a number of sub-post offices to face closure.

Post Office bosses have proposed closing the counter service in the village and replacing it with a self-service kiosk.

They say the sub-post office is not commercially viable and residents could use Castletown sub-post office instead.

When the Ballasalla sub-post master resigned, the position was not advertised. But in Tynwald last week, Ms Edge urged anyone interested in taking over the operation, to make contact via the consultation process.

Also in the Keys this week, Mr Moorhouse expressed concern about the impact on those people who normally collected benefits payments from sub-post offices and, if they chose to have the money paid directly into their bank account, it would come monthly rather than weekly.

Treasury Minister Alfred Cannan said: ’Some of these closures which are happening are unfortunate - nobody wants them -but there are a number of factors at play here and this is part of a much wider and broader debate.

’Over the last three years, where sub-post offices have closed, as far as I am aware people have managed to adapt and adjust their circumstances accordingly.’

Other options included collecting from a different post office or appointing someone to collect on their behalf, he said.

In response to a further question from Mr Moorhouse, Enterprise Minister Laurence Skelly said his department recognised the important rural post offices had in the community but had ’limited’ powers and resources to fund retail businesses.

Some schemes could help a business to make improvements, he said, including the business improvement scheme, the business energy saving scheme and the town and village centre regeneration scheme.