AROUND fifty people packed into a public meeting in Northfleet to voice their opinions about plans to axe local post offices.

The meeting at the Rainbow Centre was the first of three meetings arranged by Gravesham Borough Council to give the public a chance to have their say on Post Office proposals to close branches in The Hive, Waterdales and Chalk.

Residents were incensed that a representative of the Post Office was unable to attend telling council officials they only came to one meeting per area.

Chair of the meeting Northfleet Councillor Ray Parker said: "As far as I understand it the Post Office are not sending a representative to this meeting.

"This makes a bit of a mockery of the consultation process."

Pensioner Sam Luckin from Huggens College added: "I think the way that the Post Office has handled this so called public consultation has been despicable, deplorable and non-existent.

"It is totally unacceptable that they are not here tonight."

Many of the people at the meeting were pensioners worried about the effect the closure of the Hive branch would have on their lives.

However a few younger people added their voices to the discussion saying the Hive must be saved.

Rosemarie Read from Rose Street said: "I am under 50 and registered disabled. I do not get half fare bus tickets, I do not drive and I can not afford to go to Swanscombe.

"It is not just the elderly. There are lots of other people who need the post office."

MP for Gravesham Chris Pond told the meeting that he had spoken to Chief Executive of Post Office Ltd , three senior managers and the person directly responsible for the Gravesham area.

He said: "It is good to see so many people here and to show that the community is behind stopping the closure.

"I think we can win. I can not promise anything but if we are determined and give it our best shot I think we have a good chance."

After the meeting a spokesman for the Post Office said: "It would be extremely difficult for us to attend every public meeting we were invited to attend.

"That is why we have the six-week consultation period. People can register their opinions at any time during that period.

"No decisions have been made and will not be until the end of the consultation period."