A CAMPAIGNER is trying to keep two key town centre offices open.

Mick Ryan of trade union Unison will launch a petition later this week against Kirklees Council’s plans to close the cash office at Civic Centre 1 and the nearby Huddersfield Tourist Information Centre.

He said: “The Labour and Lib Dem councillors who run Kirklees have campaigned to keep post offices open, yet they want to close the cash office and the tourist information centre. It’s time voters realised they are being treated like pawns in a chess game.”

Last month the Examiner revealed Kirklees plans to close the cash office, which has dealt with 43,000 transactions in 20008/09, including payments of council tax and water charges.

The council plans to replace the eight counters with a single kiosk. Kirklees will encourage people to switch to direct debit. The council says the change will save £86,000 in 2009/10 and £100,000 the next year.

But Mr Ryan believes this will affect older people. He said: “Elderly people like my mother want a piece of paper when they pay a bill. Also you get charged £1.60 for every direct debit, some people can’t afford it.”

Mr Ryan added: “The people who use the cash office trust those who serve them. Who trusts the banking system these days? I think these changes would definitely make things worse.”

On Friday Mr Ryan plans to place a petition in the cash office and the tourist information office on Albion Street, which is also earmarked for closure.

The council plan would see ticket bookings moving to the town hall while tourist information would be provided at the library. Some 77,000 people have visited the tourist information office in 2008/09. Kirklees estimates the closure will save £44,000 in 2009/10 and £14,000 the following year.

But Mr Ryan thinks the closure is short-sighted, given the recession. He said: “You would think in the current economic climate that Kirklees would be selling Huddersfield rather than shutting up shop.”

Mr Ryan added that the council closure plans would not lead to job losses. He said: “All our members have been told they will be redeployed elsewhere within the council. This is purely a public service issue.”

A Kirklees spokeswoman confirmed that no jobs would be lost as a result of the changes. She said: “A 37-hour full-time post will transfer from the tourist information centre to the town hall. There are three substantive posts in the tourist information office and a further seven in the cash office. It is not council policy to make anyone redundant.”