Post Offices (From Western Telegraph)

Post Offices

9:30am Thursday 22nd May 2008

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As well as all of the current Post Office closures I was very concerned to learn recently that even more Post Offices could close if Post Office Ltd isn’t awarded the contract to run the new Post Office card account.   According to The National Federation of Sub postmasters as many as 3,000 more Post Offices could be forced to close if the Government removes the sub postmaster’s right to handle state pensions and benefits payments. The number of possible closures represents 25% of the sub Post Offices due to remain at the end of the current network change closure programme.  With the way the Westminster Government has treated our Post Offices I would urge them to do the right thing on this occasion and award the contract to the Post Office. 

A warding this contract to Post Office Ltd is not the answer to all the problems facing our Post Office network but it will provide them with breathing space so that they can work on developing a sustainable future.  We have to remember that millions of pensioners and those on benefits chose to access their money at the Post Office.  Indeed it is this choice that keeps so many sub postmasters in business. If the Government wants a sustainable network in years to come, it must choose to support our Post Offices.