Reading Labour leaders have responded enthusiastically to the Government's plan to turn the national network of post offices into a People's Bank, saying that it will not only help keep post offices open but also bring banking services into the heart of many communities.
Naz Sarkar says: "Some of the traditional functions of post offices have declined with the growth of the internet, but these plans take Royal Mail forward into a new era. The post office will be offering new savings accounts, a new mortgage product aimed at first-time buyers, access to existing bank accounts, and a link with credit unions. This is exciting stuff, new ideas for a new age."
Anneliese Dodds adds: "This new direction for the post office should stop pressure for any more branch closures, and hopefully we will be looking at opening new branch offices in some communities to give everybody easy and quick access to the network."
And Leader of Reading Borough Council Jo Lovelock says: "We already have a branch of the post office in the Civic Offices, and I would hope that would be one of the first to offer these new products. We would also be happy to talk to the post office about providing new post offices in Council premises across the Borough."
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