CHESHIRE County Council is looking for the region's MPs to support a campaign to improve Royal Mail deliveries.

The deputy leader of the council, Clr David Rowlands, said he was not alone in thinking that erratic deliveries were annoying and having a knock-on effect for residents and the business community.

He put forward a motion last week, seeking the support of Cheshire MPs to persuade Royal Mail to improve its services.

It received the full backing of the council's executive group and it will be debated at a full council meeting later in the month.

Clr Rowlands said: "It is distressing to note the worsening postal service in some parts of Cheshire, coupled with ongoing closures of some urban and rural post offices, affecting some of the most vulnerable people in our county.

"Whilst recognising that changes must be made to the way Royal Mail works and to the Post Office network, we do not expect this to lead to worse service provision.

"What saddens me is that Post Office and Royal Mail staff are helpful and conscientious. The problems are caused by the system they are obliged to work."

Local post office closures proposed over the past year include Clive Post Office near Winsford and Winnington and Leftwich Post Offices in Northwich.

And more than 1,500 people signed a petition against the possible closure of Middlewich Post Office, following the opening of a Tesco Express store in the town centre earlier this year.

The Guardian highlighted the problem last month when residents in Winsford complained about the service they were receiving, with erratic deliveries and postmen arriving in casual clothing.

Weaverham councillors Nora and Frank Dolphin have also written to Royal Mail complaining about their late delivery times.

A spokesman for Royal Mail said its service to customers was improving after dipping in the spring, when a huge amount of operational change was introduced.

She said: "First class next day performance is currently around 92 per cent nationally - a major improvement of five percentage points above May, the period when there was most operational change."

rbabington@guardiangrp.co.uk