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09/11/2010
Gov Banks On Expanding Post Office Service
Under new Government plans, Post Offices are to remain open for longer hours with the additional time allowing customers to access better facilities, such as their current bank accounts, and even jobseekers information.
Postal Affairs Minister Ed Davey made the announcment and said there would be no new closure programme within the network of 11,500 branches.
Customers will soon be able to use the expanded facilities to access their current accounts held with other banks.
However a proposal for the Post Office to offer its own banking services has been rejected.
In recent years the Post Office has experienced a decline in customer numbers and has come to increasingly rely on Government subsidy. The new plans hope to modernise the Post Office's role in society.
In order to reform the network, they have announced £1.3bn of extra funding over the next four years.
Ed Davey, Postal Affairs Minister, commented to the BBC: "The vision is that the Post Office will become a refreshed, central point of our community life again where it will have more services."
At present, customers can employ services operated by Bank of Ireland, which include buying savings and insurance products.
Moreover, approximately 60% of current accounts, the majority being state-backed banks, can be accessed from the Post Office.
However, the Government are now planning to roll out to account holders with Royal Bank of Scotland (RBS), which also includes the NatWest brand, extending access to 80% of UK current accounts. HSBC and Santander customers cannot currently access current accounts through the Post Office.
A spokesman for the National Pensioners Convention, which supported the rejected proposal for a separate state-owned Post Office Bank said: "This is an extremely short-sighted decision which will put the future of the Post Office network in jeopardy.
"It will deprive millions of old people a secure banking system they would have confidence in."
The National Federation of SubPostmasters however welcomed the trials for services saying it would provide a "vital new revenue stream".
"However, we need to see these schemes develop beyond trial status.
"Ministers must therefore ensure that funding is earmarked to allow the nationwide roll-out of these services across the country on a permanent basis," General Secretary George Thompson added.
These proposals are a separate entity from the plans for Royal Mail, which is being lined up for privatisation.
Discussing the privatisation plan at the BBC, Billy Hayes, General Secretary of the Communication Workers Union, warned: "If you take away the oxygen of the Royal Mail from Post Office Counters, if you take away the welfare contract, you are going to kill the post office network."
During the reforms, government funding will increase from £180m in 2011-12 to £330m in 2014-15.
(BMcN/KMcA)
Postal Affairs Minister Ed Davey made the announcment and said there would be no new closure programme within the network of 11,500 branches.
Customers will soon be able to use the expanded facilities to access their current accounts held with other banks.
However a proposal for the Post Office to offer its own banking services has been rejected.
In recent years the Post Office has experienced a decline in customer numbers and has come to increasingly rely on Government subsidy. The new plans hope to modernise the Post Office's role in society.
In order to reform the network, they have announced £1.3bn of extra funding over the next four years.
Ed Davey, Postal Affairs Minister, commented to the BBC: "The vision is that the Post Office will become a refreshed, central point of our community life again where it will have more services."
At present, customers can employ services operated by Bank of Ireland, which include buying savings and insurance products.
Moreover, approximately 60% of current accounts, the majority being state-backed banks, can be accessed from the Post Office.
However, the Government are now planning to roll out to account holders with Royal Bank of Scotland (RBS), which also includes the NatWest brand, extending access to 80% of UK current accounts. HSBC and Santander customers cannot currently access current accounts through the Post Office.
A spokesman for the National Pensioners Convention, which supported the rejected proposal for a separate state-owned Post Office Bank said: "This is an extremely short-sighted decision which will put the future of the Post Office network in jeopardy.
"It will deprive millions of old people a secure banking system they would have confidence in."
The National Federation of SubPostmasters however welcomed the trials for services saying it would provide a "vital new revenue stream".
"However, we need to see these schemes develop beyond trial status.
"Ministers must therefore ensure that funding is earmarked to allow the nationwide roll-out of these services across the country on a permanent basis," General Secretary George Thompson added.
These proposals are a separate entity from the plans for Royal Mail, which is being lined up for privatisation.
Discussing the privatisation plan at the BBC, Billy Hayes, General Secretary of the Communication Workers Union, warned: "If you take away the oxygen of the Royal Mail from Post Office Counters, if you take away the welfare contract, you are going to kill the post office network."
During the reforms, government funding will increase from £180m in 2011-12 to £330m in 2014-15.
(BMcN/KMcA)
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Postmasters call for safeguard of rural offices
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Postmasters call for safeguard of rural offices
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Strike Underway At Crown Post Offices
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Crown Post Office Staff To Hold 13th Strike Action
Post Office staff are to undertake further strike action, the 13th such action since Easter. Some 4,000 Communication Workers Union (CWU) members at 372 of the UKs larger Crown post officers will hold a half-day strike on 20 November. It is the latest action in a long running dispute over jobs, pay and branch closures.
Crown Post Office Staff To Hold 13th Strike Action
Post Office staff are to undertake further strike action, the 13th such action since Easter. Some 4,000 Communication Workers Union (CWU) members at 372 of the UKs larger Crown post officers will hold a half-day strike on 20 November. It is the latest action in a long running dispute over jobs, pay and branch closures.
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Northern Ireland WeatherToday:A chilly start with a widespread frost and some freezing fog, any freezing fog slow to clear. Otherwise bright with sunny spells and coastal showers. Light winds. Maximum temperature 6 °C.Tonight:Coastal showers dying out with a widespread frost developing along with freezing fog, which could become extensive. Winds remaining light. Minimum temperature -3 °C.
