RESIDENTS of West Devon are being urged to fight proposals to close eleven post offices in the borough under a national shake-up plan. A six-week public consultation period began on Tuesday following the announcement of the plan, which if implemented will see 16 services cut or reduced in West Devon's rural communities. It is proposed to close Sampford Courtenay and Tavistock's Ford Street post offices, plus cut mobile services in Peter Tavy, Milton Combe and Buckland Monachorum. Post offices in Postbridge, Chillaton, Milton Abbot, Meeth, Northlew, Lewdown, Bridestowe, Ashwater and Shebbear are all set to close and be replaced by a mobile service. Mobile services in Clearbrook and Lamerton will be replaced by home visits in 'extreme situations' where a person is unable to get to a post office through disability. The Government undertook a 12-week national consultation before reaching a decision to reduce the UK wide network of post office branches by up to 2,500 from its current level of more than 14,000. It says it has been necessary to put in place a sustainable network for the long term after mounting financial losses and falling customer numbers. But the proposals have prompted anger in West Devon. Denny Stimson, who has run the post office at Sampford Courtenay for 23 years with her husband, said: 'The future is bleak. The Government have had this planned all along and this is a cynical move. 'If they keep taking away services from the rural community, what is going to be left? We still provide a service to the more vulnerable people, people who don't have access to the internet or don't drive, who will now find it difficult to access the alternative services that are proposed. 'But this is a supportive and caring village. We have always helped each other and we will continue to help each other.' Naomi Nardi, one of the proprietors of Bridestowe Post Office and Riverside Stores, said: 'The proposals will see the post office counter shut and replaced by a mobile service that will be here for a couple of hours, five days a week. 'If this were to happen the impact on the shop would be devastating. At the moment it is a buzzing and supportive shop. 'We've been here six and half years, working hard to build up the shop and the post office. It makes no logical sense for us to walk away from it. 'We need to stay positive — all our customers are very enthusiastic to support us and we will give them as much encouragement as possible to do this.' The post office in Bridestowe is a growing branch and earlier this month it was awarded 'Euro on Demand', allowing them to offer Euros across the counter — a rare achievement for a rural post office. West Devon and Torridge MP Geoffrey Cox has set up a dedicated website on which residents can make their views felt. He said: 'Whole areas of Devon are being denuded of fully functioning post offices and I am not convinced that the outreach proposals are anything like suitable or adequate replacements. 'I am urging everybody in the affected areas and elsewhere to get involved in this campaign. We need an overwhelming public response expressing opposition.' Cllr David Weeks, chairman of West Devon Borough Council's overview and scrutiny committee, said: 'We are very disappointed and fear these proposals will hit our rural parishes the hardest. 'We are meeting Postwatch on Friday and hope they will have data available to us so we can consider our next step.' A special task group was set up by borough councillors last year to respond to the proposals. Post office network development manager for Devon Tim Nickolls said: 'We believe these proposals offer the best prospect for a sustainable way forward for post offices services in Devon, bearing in mind the minimum access criteria and the other factors to which we have to have regard. 'Under the proposals, almost 92% of the area's population will see no change at all to their nearest branch. 'A further 7.5% live less than one mile, by road distance from the nearest alternative branch, with 3.6 within half a mile. 'Post Office Ltd must reduce the number of branches. The purpose of this public consultation is to ensure that we have the best available knowledge to allow us to make the most informed decisions about which branches should close or be replaced by an outreach service.' The post office's proposals for change will be raised as an urgent item at today (Thursday's) meeting of Devon County Council.