One-stop post office shop

Reporter: JANICE BARKER
Date online: 16 November 2009

Call for a wider range of services

Payments for fines, travel tickets, school meals, and parking badges are some of the ideas councillors want to pursue to help keep local post offices open.

Officials have asked for their ideas to be costed after reviewing ways of strengthening the post office service across Oldham at a council Cabinet meeting.

Last year, seven post offices closed across Oldham out of 2,500 across the country, although Lees was saved after a vociferous local campaign.

Councillors also want post offices to be access points for tourist information, the 999 services, and library and council services.

The Cabinet’s Opposition member, Councillor Dave Hibbert, said the Labour group is also keen for post offices to become local banks.

He said: “Many of the services that were highlighted in the report are already easily accessible.

“Most of the others could be done but were described as ‘expensive or problematic.’

“We should be lobbying the Government to explore the possibility of current accounts, savings accounts, loans and other financial services being offered at the post offices.

“The investment banks are too closely involved with the commercial banks and their collapse could have had disastrous implications for us all. Our suggestion of a people’s bank based in the existing post office branches is the best way forward.”