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Local Post Offices under threat when Government shuts Post Office Card account

10.48.14pm GMT Fri 17th Mar 2006

Petition to save Post Office card account (photography: Stephen Robinson)

Local Lib Dems Stephen Robinson & Tom Smith-Hughes are petitioning to save the PO card account

Yet more Post Offices in Chelmsford could be under threat following Government decisions to first undermine the Post Office card account, then withdraw it in 2010. 4,300 card holders in the West Chelmsford constituency stand to lose this service, whose use brings income into local Post Offices, and a petition has been launched.

Local Liberal Democrats have launched a petition calling on the Government to safeguard the future of the local Post Office network. Fears have increased over the future of the network following the decision of the Government to discontinue using the Post Office card account for pensions and benefit payments in 2010 and therefore cut the income to our local Post Offices.

"Our petition calls on the Government to reverse its decision over the Post Office card account, which is worth £1 billion pounds to Post Offices until 2010," said Cllr. Tom Smith-Hughes (Chelmsford North) who has been leading the campaign to restore a Post Office to Broomfield Parade. "Seven Post Offices in Chelmsford (half the total) have already closed over the last three years."

Stephen Robinson (Parliamentary Candidate 2005) added,

"The closure of local post offices can have a profound effect on communities, particularly hitting the more vulnerable members of society. ONLY the Liberal Democrats now have a credible policy to provide the investment necessary to protect the long-term future of the Post Office network, as agreed at our conference on 4th March. This imaginative policy could do much to enhance the service, rather than undermine it as the Government has done."

Note: Petition text reads "We, the undersigned, call on the Government to keep the Post Office card account to allow people to continue to collect their pensions and benefits at Post Offices and to safeguard our Post Offices."

Please download a copy of our petition form and return as shown.

Related Link:

Download a petition against closing the Post Office card account.

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Previous news story: Local Lib Dems speak out at conference (Wed 8th Mar 2006).
Next news story: Today's budget - a missed opportunity (Wed 22nd Mar 2006).

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