Tynwald has agreed a moratorium on post office branch closures until government has agreed its strategy for community services.

The move, tabled by Speaker Juan Watterson, was approved after a long debate in Tynwald lasting nearly two hours.

It came as Port St Mary post office became the latest part of the counter services network to face closure after the sub-postmaster there announced his plan to retire.

The Post Office says it won’t be advertising the vacancy and has put forward proposals for a parcel collection service only in the village.

Mr Watterson said: ’We cannot be witness to the decline of our high streets, support post office closures, and wonder how it happened.’

He said the Post office strategy over the last 14 months was ’undermining retail outside Douglas’ and warned about ’throwing the baby out with the unprofitable bath water’.

His motion called for a moratorium on branch closures until Tynwald agreed government’s ’vision for the delivery of services in the community’.

’We must be very careful of knowing the cost of everything and the value of nothing,’ he added.

Policy and Reform Minister Ray Harmer said the Council of Ministers agreed there should be a pause to reflect on the closures of sub-post offices and said the network has ’immense, incredible value’.

But he said the Council of Ministers could not support the part of Mr Watterson’s motion that called for government to ensure that retail banking services are provided in local communities outside Douglas.

Mr Harmer warned against ’decay by default’.

Tynwald unanimously supported the first two parts of the Speaker’s motion which referred to the economic benefit of banking and post office services in local communities and their potential to enable digital inclusion, reduce social isolation and assist the local retail sector.

The court also voted in support of the third part of the motion, as amended by Mr Harmer, that the Post Office is required to sustain all sub-post office branches currently open until the Chief Minister’s communities committee reports on community hubs and provision of government services and banking and cash facilities - and the report is considered by Tynwald in July.

Tynwald voted to approve the amended motion by 17 to six in the Keys and by eight to one in the Legislative Council.