COUNCIL tax campaigners have warned civic leaders in Hampshire about wasting tax payers' cash to take on post offices facing the axe.

Hampshire County Council leader Ken Thornber has said he will meet post office bosses to discuss the possibility of following a lead set by Essex council.

But he said the council had to see the financial books before any decision was made as to whether rescuing any of the 62 threatened post offices in the county was a "viable option".

Councillor Thornber said he wanted a "stay of execution" in the meantime.

Mike Schofield, a Hampshire spokesman for IsItFair, a council tax reform group, said council chiefs should consider the how the move would affect council tax bills.

He also questioned whether the council had staff with the required skills and the business acumen to run post offices.

"I suspect that there is not the expertise within Hampshire County Council to run any sort of business that needs to turn a profit - or even break even," he said.

Cllr Thornber said: "We are fully aware that we need to ensure that we do not add to the burden of the council taxpayer. The county council is not claiming expertise in running post offices, however it does have staff with experience of running efficient and viable businesses, which return a surplus.

"The county council operates printing services, a vehicle fleet, catering and procurement businesses that provide goods and services to county council departments and schools."

Post offices are being shut as part of a national drive to cut costs which will see up to 2,500 closed.