Post Office Card Account Announcement Ends Months Of Worry For Local People - Kramer

6.07.20pm GMT Sat 15th Nov 2008

• SUSAN Kramer MP has expressed her relief at the Government announcement that the Post Office will keep the contract for the Post Office Card Account (POCA) for a further five years.

The Government today announced that it is cancelling the procurement process and awarding the contract to the Post Office. The decision means that up to 3,000 Post Offices nationwide could be saved from closure. Susan Kramer commented:

"This announcement will be a great relief to all the local people in our community who rely upon the POCA and to our sub-postmasters who might have lost their post offices if the decision had been different. It was the Liberal Democrat debate in Parliament on Monday on this issue that really ramped up the pressure on the Government to keep the account with the Post Office. The decision to award the POCA contract to the Post Office was essential to help keep our local branches open, as the account generates so much business. I am disappointed that the Government has wasted so much time and effort by dragging this process out for so long and caused so much worry to everyone who depends on the POCA."