Bell Hall Post Office, Savile Park Road, Halifax, is one of 11 facing closure in the recently-announced cuts as part of the Network Change programme .

Coun Geoffrey Wainwright (Cons, Skircoat), is urging residents to sign a petition protesting against its closure.

"I feel passionately about this post office remaining open," he said.

"I was a paperboy when this post office was part of the newsagent's many years ago. It was appreciated then – as it is now.

"A lot of elderly people live in the area and rely on it greatly. It is essential to the neighbourhood.

"The post office also helps boost other shops in the area. I fear its closure would have a knock on effect on them too.

"I want as many signatures as possible."

The petition will be circulated within the next few weeks.

Residents, councils and businesses will have five weeks in which to object.

But Shadow Post Office Minister Charles Hendry has warned protests are unlikely to sway Post Office chiefs into overturning their decision.

Other doomed post offices are at Holmfield Shay Lane, Halifax; Scar Bottom Sub Post Office, Calder Avenue, Pye Nest, Halifax; Shelf, Carr House Road; Greetland, Saddleworth Road; Lightcliffe, Wakefield Road; Midgley; Stainland; Hove Edge, Halifax Road, Brighouse; Portsmouth, Burnley Road, Todmorden and Shade, Rochdale Road, Todmorden.

Others could be designated outreach offices, giving a reduced service sometimes from a mobile office. It is thought this will affect five other post offices which means Calderdale's 43 post offices will become 32.

The Bell Hall Post Office sub postmaster refused to comment.

• See Monday's Courier when we visit one of the post offices threatened

with closure.