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Kent County Council (KCC) Leader Paul Carter has slammed Post Office Ltd's consultation process after just two post offices branches are saved from closure out of a list of 58.

The eight  branches in Shepway and  Dover, which included  the Duke Of York's School in Dover, Enbrook Valley in Folkestone, Littlestone, Warren Road in New Romney, New Bridge in Dover, Saltwood, Seabrook Road, Shorncliffe, and Tower Hamlets in Dover will all close and two further offices have now also been put at risk.

Mr Carter said: "This whole consultation period has been a farce right from the beginning. The six-week consultation period was too short, it was further reduced by postal strikes and they then gave themselves just three weeks to review and evaluate the information supplied to them.

"We know that well over 5,000 people sent evidence and responses to Post Office and I don't believe that three weeks gave them enough time to properly digest and take on board that data. The fact that only two post office branches have been reprieved suggests to me that they haven't looked at the evidence properly, if at all."

Kent County Council is now calling for Post Office Ltd to find alternative provision to help the communities most affected by closure. Five hundred alternative 'outreach facilities' had been promised nationally, by the Government, to compensate for the 2,500 closures, but Post Office's proposals published in October failed to identify any new funding for mobile post offices or for co-locating services in village halls, shops or churches.

The branches that have been saved from closure are Hawkhurst and Cliffsend, near Ramsgate.

The closure of two more branches at Sadler Hill, Goodnestone, Canterbury, and Whitbread Cottage, Darenth, Dartford have been proposed and a six-week consultation will start shortly.