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New threat to Fylde post offices
FYLDE coast postmasters fear more post offices could close as a review into the institution is launched.
The business and enterprise select committee has begun a review into the future of the Post Office, which receives 150m of public money a year.
And a review of Royal Mail's postal services, headed by Richard Hooper, a former deputy chairman of the regulator Ofcom, has also been carried out and is expected to be published this week.
It is claimed the review will warn the Royal Mail it is facing a pension deficit of 7bn and that sweeping efficiencies must be introduced.
Leading figures in Blackpool have warned the investigations could threaten the future of local post offices.
Peter Collins, who runs Grange Park post office and is North West president of the National Federation of Sub-Postmasters, said: "It's very worrying. No cuts are acceptable to us or the public.
"We know the public do not want the network to reduce any further following the outcry over the Post Office card account."
The Government recently elected to award a five-year contract for the card account to Post Office Ltd, despite competition from PayPoint.
There had been an outcry from postmasters and the public, who were desperate to retain the service within local branches.
It was claimed that, if the account went elsewhere, as many as half of post offices would have had to close.
Earlier this year The Gazette's Stand up for Post Office campaign opposed the closure of 12 branches across the Fylde coast.
Mark Bamforth, who runs Warton Street post office in Lytham, which was threatened with closure as part of the cuts that eventually saw 11 Fylde branches shut in April, said there were more worrying times ahead for postmasters.
"I understand the report this week will focus more on Royal Mail and the private sector but could have a knock-on effect on post offices."
The results of the business and enterprise committee review are expected early next year.
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Weather for Blackpool
Sunday 27 May 2012
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Temperature: 13 C to 25 C
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