THOUSANDS of post offices could be under threat if the Government ends Post Office card accounts.
Cheshire County Council deputy leader David Rowlands has called on residents to oppose the move to abandon card accounts, in 2010, believing it will signal the end of rural post offices.
Cllr Rowlands urged the council to join the growing number of people and organisations in opposition.
He also called on members to urge the Government to rethink.
He said: 'My worries are two fold about stopping such a well regarded scheme.
'Firstly, it is very popular with older people who use it as a basic savings account with payments such as social security benefits and pensions paid directly.
'Secondly, if such monies are paid direct into bank accounts this would weaken our remaining post office network.
'Indeed the move could lead to more post office closures not just in Cheshire but across the country and not just in their hundreds but thousands.
'It must never be forgotten that the local post office has a valuable social role in rural and urban communities.'
He added: 'I am hoping that pressure from the county council will help tip the balance and bring a Government turnaround, allowing card accounts to stay as they are. As they say, if it's not broken why fix it?'
