'Our post offices need help to survive'

THE future of scores of post offices has been boosted after the Government announced it would save the Post Office Card Account.

Branches across the region would have faced a grim future if the contract for the card account had been lost, as it accounts for so much trade for so many branches.

But yesterday, Work and Pensions Secretary James Purnell told MPs the Post Office would keep the business, with a new contract running for five years from 2010, with the possibility of an extension beyond that.

Post office workers, pensioners' groups and local politicians have been campaigning to save the card account for months, and they welcomed the Government's decision.

But Kym Ledgar, pictured, branch secretary of the North Staffordshire and South Cheshire Federation of Sub-Postmasters, believes more needs to be done to ensure the long-term future of the network.

She said: "It's wonderful news but we're not out of the woods yet. We really need the support of Government and local councils.

"They've just spent £50 million updating our computer systems, so it would have been lunacy if this decision had gone against us.

"But the potential of this computer system is not being used. We can do so much more.

"But the Government needs to understand that we can't just be about making a profit; we're part of the community."

The card account is a simple version of a current account that can only be used to receive benefit, state pensions and tax credit payments.

The contract to run the service had been put out to tender, with the Post Office competing against PayPoint and another firm.

Up to 3,000 post offices around the country may have been forced to close if the contract had been lost.

The North Staffordshire Pensioners' Convention has been at the forefront of the campaign to save the account, urging its members to send postcards in support of the service to their MP.

Co-ordinator Andy Day said: "We're delighted. If this decision had gone the wrong way, it would have been the end of the post office network as we know it."

Sub-postmasters across the region breathed a collective sigh of relief yesterday.

Annette Booth, sub-postmistress at Beverley Drive Post Office, in Bentilee, said: "The saving of the account is an important milestone, as we have been worried about this for some considerable time. The card account is important, not just for us, but for all post offices."

Susan Williams, sub-postmistress at Bradwell Post Office, said: "It's wonderful news, not just for us but for the pensioners as well.

"It's like a weight has been lifted off us. Hopefully this should assure our future for the next few years at least.

"It must account for about 60 per cent of our business, but we also get the knock-on benefits of pensioners using other services when they come to draw money out."

Gurcharangit Chatha, sub-postmaster at Sneyd Green Post Office, said: "This is very good news for all the post offices and their customers."