Huddersfield Cash Office to close after Cabinet decision

May 13 2009 By Barry Gibson

CONTROVERSIAL changes to Huddersfield Cash Office were approved yesterday.

Kirklees Council’s Cabinet decided to replace the staffed counters at Civic Centre 1 with self-service kiosks next-door.

Trade union Unison have campaigned against the change to the cash office, which was used by 43,000 people last year to pay bills including council tax and water charges.

But the Cabinet unanimously supported the move, which will save more than £200,000 over the next two years.

In July the eight staffed counters at the cash office will be replaced by automated kiosks next door at the Kirklees Information Point.

Kirklees Cabinet member for regeneration Clr Christine Stanfield stressed that people could still pay by cash at the kiosks.

The Lindley Lib Dem said: "This will save the council money while still retaining the ability of local people to pay by cash, because a lot of people don’t want to pay their bills online."

Clr Stanfield added that the kiosks, which have been used at Birstall Library since 2004, were not complicated. She said: "I think even I could manage the machine with ease – and I find a mobile phone difficult."

Clr Stanfield added that the kiosks would save Kirklees money. She said: "Each cash transactions currently costs us nearly £2, but the kiosks will cut this to about 50p."