COUNCIL chiefs will review their payment collection procedures in a bid to help the borough's hard-pressed post offices.

Leader of the council David Acton pledged to investigate helping sub post offices after a post master sent him an open letter appealing for support.

It is feared a third of the borough's post offices could be forced to the wall as a result of Government moves to get state benefits paid into banks.

Three weeks ago SAM launched a campaign aimed at safeguarding post offices - and already thousands have signed the petition backing the initiative.

Post master John Layton, of award wining Oldfield Post Office, believes it is the larger post offices that heavily depend on pension payments that are under the greatest threat.

He wrote to Cllr Acton asking for the council to help by accepting council tax and rent payments at post offices, as other councils do.

Mr Layton warns pensioners, the unemployed and disabled people would all be hit by the closure of post offices.

Calling on the council to help, he says: "Unfortunately, unlike our colleagues in other parts of the country the Post Office network here in Trafford receives no business whatsoever from the local authority. Most local authorities have over the years developed a system whereby the public can pay rents, council tax and the cost of home help across the post office counter. In Trafford we are denied this facility."

He adds: "There are costs involved, of course, but these have to be balanced against the benefits to the community. Because of the convenience of payment there would be reduced arrears. There will be savings on the accounting side, especially with pre-payment books and swipe card technology.

"It will prove a boon to, most of all, our senior citizens and a lot of other people as well."

Cllr Acton says he recognises the important role post offices play in their communities and will review the situation: "If the Post Office could demonstrate a cost effective scheme for council tax and rent payment we would consider it.

"It has a been looked at before but the costs then were far too expensive.

"But I am happy to review the costs again. I certainly believe that local post offices are very important to their communities."

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