Press Release
MP Praises Local Post Office Campaigners
Tom Clarke MP has welcomed the decision by the Government to award the contract for the Post Office Card Account (POCA) service to the Post Office. This news will bring great relief to local post offices who rely on the business of people picking up their pensions or benefits through the Post Office Card Account.
Mr Clarke said: “Around 12,000 people in my Constituency have such accounts, and many of them wrote to me in recent months requesting that I urge the Government to retain this facility”.
“I would like to take this opportunity of thanking local people for campaigning with me on the issue. This is great news for the post office. I recently met with James Purnell to discuss this issue and I am delighted that the Government has listened to what I have been saying on behalf of local people. I would like to thank everyone who has stood up for local post offices and made their voices known on this.”
“With the financial crisis that started with the American banks now being felt here in Britain, people are feeling worried about their finances. Post Offices are often the only providers of banking services in local areas so this vote of confidence in the post office is very welcome”
The Government has decided to award a new contract for the continuation of POCA directly to the Post Office. This announcement is good news for the Post Office as the card account is an important source of income and brings customers through the doors of post offices across the country. The National Federation of Sub Post Masters had said that, without POCA 3,000 Post Offices would close.
It was announced in December 2006 that there would be a successor to POCA and put that product out to tender. However, in order to support a viable Post Office network the Labour Government has decided to cancel the current procurement exercise.
Labour’s Secretary of State for Work and Pensions James Purnell paid tribute to the local MP for campaigning on this issue saying: “I applaud Tom Clarke for standing up for people in Coatbridge Chryston and Bellshill and his local post offices. I know how important post offices are to local communities and this decision to award the contract provides real help for these local businesses and their customers in tough times.”