Decision details

Standing in the name of Councillor JP Chatfield

Decision Maker: Scrutiny and Overview Committee, Council

Is Key decision?: No

Is subject to call in?: No

Decision:

Council RESOLVED that:

 

This Council regrets the loss of any post offices in South Cambridgeshire and notes with concern the announcement by the Government on 14 December 2006 of Ministers’ plans to close 2,500 Post Office branches across the UK.

 

This Council further notes the social importance of Post Offices to the well being of communities and individuals in South Cambridgeshire.

 

This Council believes that the recently announced closure programme is unnecessary and calls on the government to end the branch closure programme, open up further business opportunities for the network and carry out a review of which additional Government functions could be carried out through Post Offices.

 

This Council welcomes the decision of the Government to withdraw its previous proposals to scrap completely the Post Office Card Account (POCA), but calls on Ministers to ensure that any replacement POCA should be open freely to all pensioners and benefit recipients who want one.  This Council calls on the Government to avoid putting pressure on current and future POCA users to switch to having benefits and pensions paid directly into bank accounts.

Publication date: 27/01/2007

Date of decision: 25/01/2007

Decided at meeting: 25/01/2007 - Council