CARD ACCOUNT "CRUCIAL" TO FUTURE OF POST OFFICES (Julia Goldsworthy)

Julia Goldsworthy <info@juliagoldsworthy.org>

CARD ACCOUNT "CRUCIAL" TO FUTURE OF POST OFFICES

June 10, 2008 2:45 PM

Julia to meet local PO campaigners in Perranwell -

Julia is stepping up her campaign to save local Post Offices next week, with a visit to Perranwell Post Office next Friday (20th June, 10am), to meet Postmistress Yvonne Banyard and concerned local residents.

Nationally, the Government is planning to close at least 2,500 Post Offices, following in the footsteps of the previous Conservative Government, who closed over 3,500. The proposals for Cornwall are expected to be announced in a few weeks time.

Communities all over the County have been preparing their campaigns in opposition to the cuts, with Julia and the Lib Dem Parliamentary Team for Cornwall backing them all the way.

With fears about this round of closures causing widespread concern, Julia has condemned the Government for adding further uncertainty to the future of the Post Office network by putting the Post Office Card Account (POCA) out to tender. If another organisation such as PayPoint or an International Bank wins the tender, the Post Office Network will lose a vital part of their business, with further closures likely.

The POCA service is currently used by 4 million people to claim their Pensions and Benefits, bringing customers into local post office branches and helping to keep them viable as businesses. The National Federation of Sub-Postmasters estimates that an extra 3,000 post offices will be forced to close if Post Office Ltd does not win the contract.

The current contract expires in 2011, and an announcement on the successful tender is expected in July - just when Cornish residents will be finding out what this latest round of cuts will mean to the network.

Commenting, Julia Goldsworthy MP said:

"In many rural areas, the local Post Office is the heart of the community. Under consecutive Labour and Conservative Governments we have seen this vital network shrink dramatically - and this latest round of closures is further evidence of this depressing trend. It seems both parties are unable to understand the vital role that Post Offices play - in providing access to vital financial and public services, as well as the important social support they provide to many people living in rural areas who would otherwise end up totally isolated.

"At a time when post offices are fighting for their lives, the Government is adding insult to injury by putting Post Office Ltd through an unnecessary tendering process to re-win its contract to run the Post Office Card Account. Post Office Ltd must be awarded this contract if we are to prevent thousands more post offices going out of business and the disintegration of the wider network.

"Local residents in Perranwell are offering great support to their local branch during these uncertain times, and I very much look forward to meeting with them to discuss the next steps of the campaign.