"Don't Cut Vital Business To Rural Post Offices" (West Worcestershire Liberal Democrats)

West Worcestershire Liberal Democrats <contact.us@westworcslibdems.org.uk>

"Don't Cut Vital Business To Rural Post Offices"

August 11, 2009 7:15 AM

Richard Burt has written to South Worcestershire council bosses calling on them to continue allowing residents to pay their Council Tax at their local Post Office.

Richard learned that the Shared Revenues and Benefits Service for Worcester City, Wychavon and Malvern Hills District councils recently issued a letter to customers who pay their Council Tax at their local Post Office, saying they were withdrawing the facility from the 1st September, and that they must use other means to pay their bills.

Commenting, Richard said: "I was contacted initially by Sub-postmasters in rural post offices whose customers were bringing in their letters telling them that the payment service would be axed. They were not even consulted about the planned cut.

"Now the service, which helps bring customers into post offices, is being cut to help the councils 'keep administration costs to a minimum'.

"These are the same councils who vocally opposed Government cuts to the rural post office network just a year ago, and now they are withdrawing vital post office business themselves.

"If the service goes it will inconvenience many rural residents and discourage them from using their local post office, putting even more village post offices at risk.

"I have written to Revenues and Benefits bosses for the three councils asking them to think again about this damaging decision to save a few pennies."