EIGHT council staff, whose jobs are under threat because of the proposed closure of a cash payments office, have been invited to give evidence to a committee.

The workers will press their case for the council tax and rents payment office at Darlington Town Hall to stay open when they address the council's resources scrutiny committee on Thursday.

The committee, which is the council's watchdog body, will also listen to the views of residents.

Darlington Borough Council intends to switch the collection of cash payments for rents and rates to the Post Office.

But the union Unison, which is representing the threatened workers, believes that the Post Office system will not be as comprehensive as that available at the rates hall.

Staff who work in the rates hall have collected 2,000 names calling on the council to keep it open.

Alan Docherty, Unison branch secretary, said: "Older people and people without bank accounts who like to know they have paid and received updated information on their account will be most affected by this decision."

Unison is urging people to attend the council meeting at 11am.