CALSTOCK Parish Council is pursuing a formal complaint over Royal Mail’s handling of the issue of the removal of a post box in Calstock.

Councillor Alastair Tinto has been battling with Royal Mail since last year when the post box in the centre of the village was removed without warning or explanation.

Cllr Tinto said: ‘Not only was this our post box in the centre of the village: it had the only afternoon collection and it was also our priority box.

‘It took me four days to find out from Royal Mail that they’d removed it because, they said, it was dangerous and beyond repair.’

Since the removal of the post box in September last year, the village has been without an afternoon delivery or priority post box. The nearest post box to Fore Street with a later collection time is located at Cotehele House and the nearest priority post box is located at Bere Alston Post Office.

In a letter to Cllr Tinto, Royal Mail stated: ‘A new location has been suggested for a replacement post box near the Calstock village hall. Royal Mail will endeavour to replace the postbox within 12-16 weeks.’

The letter also stated they are ‘unable to temporarily designate a nearby postbox with a later collection time.’

Cllr Tinto said: ‘Royal Mail plan to put a replacement post box near the village hall, on parish council land. I’m sure we would welcome a post box there, but after nearly six months we have had had no approach from Royal Mail. The parish council is pursuing a formal complaint at Royal Mail’s handling of this issue.’