GOOD news could be on the way for the Fylde's 1,500 National Savings staff.

For Siemens Business Services (SBS), which took over the running of National Savings from the civil service on April 1, has promised not only no redundancies but prospects of future business contracts to bring more work to the Fylde.

The Marton-based workforce - which handles Premium Bonds and a host of other National Savings products - had feared job losses after a civil service study projected serious staff cuts in the wake of new technology and working-systems.

But Salli Randi, spokeswoman for SBS, said: "We won a 15-year lease to administer National Savings and this will give us the opportunity to bring in new contracts in any business field to take up those staff who will eventually be no longer needed on National Savings work.

"We have some excellent, very experienced, customer-focused staff."

Fylde MP Michael Jack, due to meet SBS executives on April 23, believes the Fylde is ideal for any information technology-based business.

"We're building up a very IT-literate community, with not only National Savings, but the Benefits Agency, Information Technology Services Agency, British Aerospace and Guardian Royal Exchange based here," he said.

He also wants to explore the possibility of SBS developing new hi-tech training opportunities with local colleges.

Andy Meredith, of the Public and Commercial Services Union, said: "SBS has so far been fair with us and if we take what they say on face value then there are some good opportunities for the people who work here.

"The staff here have felt pretty battered during the past couple of years, but people are now looking forward to good news."

Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.