A SENIOR Leigh town councillor says Leigh is losing its identity as vital services are being removed.

Chairman of Leigh Town Council Caroline Parker was speaking following the closure of Royal Mail’s delivery office in London Road, Leigh.

The closure means residents will have to get to the sorting office in Short Street, Southend, to collect missed parcels, or rearrange delivery.

She said Leigh is losing many vital services including a threat to the town’s library.

Mrs Parker said: “I feel bereaved at the loss of our delivery office and we are still facing the threat of Southend borough council closing our library.

“Leigh is gradually merging more and more with Southend.

We’re in danger of losing our identity. We have a large population of 10,000 households and yet more and more we are being forced into central Southend.

“How much more will they take out of Leigh? What concerns me is the disabled and older people will struggle to get to Southend for the post office or library. You can’t rely on buses and they don’t all drive.”

She pointed out Leigh library in Broadway West was the second busiest in the borough after Central Library in Southend.

A well supported protest against the closure of three branch libraries including potentially Leigh and Kent Elms libraries was held on August 10.

Southend Council say consultation on the library service review is ongoing and will close next month.

It is proposing merging six branch libraries into three run by volunteers, with Leigh or Kent Elms proposed as the west hub library.

Royal Mail said the relocation to Southend was part of its nationwide modernisation programme to make the service more efficient.