STEVENSON WELCOMES VICTORY IN BATTLE TO SAVE POST OFFICE CARD ACCOUNT CONTRACT

Banff & Buchan MSP Stewart Stevenson has welcomed the news that the Westminster Government has caved in to the enormous levels of pressure being put on them by people across the country, and has announced that the Post Office will retain the contract for the Post Office Card Account (POCA).

Gordon Brown’s Government had dithered over the decision and had appeared to be on the brink of awarding the contract to Pay Point, putting thousands of local Post Offices under threat as a result.

Commenting, Mr Stevenson said:

“Banff & Buchan has already seen large numbers of Post Offices close in recent years, and the last thing that people across the region who rely on services provided by the Post Office needed was the threat of further cuts.

“The UK Government’s dithering and inaction while it considered privatising the contract is hard to understand given that stripping the Post Office of the Card Account would inevitably have led to further widespread closures.

“The vital lifeline service provided by the Post Office Network in Banff & Buchan has already been savaged by cuts and why the Labour Government was so intent on inflicting further damage to local communities is simply beyond me. I am glad that the UK Government has abandoned its plans and applaud the efforts of the many local campaigners that have caused them to think again”.