Four post offices in Keighley and Ilkley have been earmarked for closure in the latest round of cuts.

A branch in the Skipton area is also believed to be on the list, which was expected to be confirmed by Post Office bosses today.

The post offices understood to be facing the axe are: Bradford Road, Stockbridge; East Morton; Highfield in Belgrave Road, Keighley; Leeds Road in Ilkley; and Farnhill, near Skipton.

It comes as public consultation begins, which will determine any closures in March.

Earlier this year the Telegraph & Argus reported that the national cull of post offices could see up to 21 branches closing down across the Bradford district.

Consultation has been split between the Keighley parliamentary constituency and that of Bradford - which will take place next year.

It had been due to begin in April, but this has now been put back to May to avoid making announcements on closures close to the local elections. Bradford's consultation will now begin on May 13.

Keighley MP Ann Cryer received a letter yesterday, naming the four branches which could go in her constituency. She said: "My office will be contacting the four branches in my constituency to get from the horse's mouth what they think about this, and what residents think as that is the most important thing."

She would be discussing the matter with Prime Minister Gordon Brown shortly.

"I will be seeing the Prime Minister tomorrow so I can bring it up with him then," she said.

Bradford Council leader and Worth Valley Councillor Kris Hopkins has been vocal in his opposition to the closures - and the fact that Keighley has been separated from the rest of the district.

He said: "I'm appalled that the Post Office has not informed us and I am going to oppose the closures 100 per cent.

"We are on our second or third wave of cuts now and two of those proposed this time are in Keighley East.

"Keighley and Ilkley are being judged completely out of context with closures in March, while in Bradford consultation will not take place until after the local elections. This is cynical manipulation."

The Council's Labour group leader, Councillor Ian Greenwood, said he thought it was important that they talk to both the sub-postmasters and their customers.

He said: "Post offices can be the cornerstone of people's inter-relationship with the local community.

"Yet they are being used by fewer people and less frequently. If it is at all possible to keep the branches open, I would wish to do so, but I will not adopt a knee jerk reaction, like Councillor Hopkins."

One sub-postmaster due to be affected, Mohammed Akram, who has run the Highfield post office for 11 years, said: "I was expecting it as we are near the town and there is another branch less than half a mile away. It has been harder to make a living, so I have already applied to take over a larger post office in Illingworth, Halifax. The Post Office has also offered me a good package."

Menston sub-postmaster Peter Finlay, north-east regional secretary for the National Federation of Sub-postmasters, said he had not yet been informed officially, but was surprised about just one on the list - Highfield.

"As an organisation we are very sorry that any offices have to close, but in these economic times, if none close then at the end of the day there will end up being no post offices."