Montgomeryshire AM Mick Bates urges residents to join the campaign and sign the petition against the programme of service cuts proposed for Natwest branches in Llanfair Caereinion, Montgomery and Llanidloes, so that Montgomeryshire residents do not pay double for the financial crisis which lead to the banking bail-out.
Welsh Liberal Democrat AM Mick Bates states:
“I am deeply concerned by the drastic cuts that have been proposed to the service hours of Natwest in Llanfair Caereinion, Llanidloes and Montgomery. Many local residents are worried about the effect this will have on these towns. The service cuts will force people to use banking facilities elsewhere, taking custom out of these towns and could lead to the eventual closure of these branches.
“Customers are being encouraged to use online facilities, but a reliable and secure internet connection is simply not available in many areas. Customers are being encouraged to use alternative services in Welshpool and Newtown, but this will put the most vulnerable, least mobile members of our community at severe disadvantage if they are unable to travel to these towns.
“It is deplorable that after taking such huge sums of money from the taxpayer, many banks are failing to provide essential services for local people, failing to loan the money needed to stimulate our economy and now closing branches in rural areas. Montgomeryshire taxpayers have already contributed to bailing out the banks, now they are paying again for the banking blunders with the ultimate price of losing their local service.
“I have written to the Chief Executive of Natwest to express my concern and I urge local residents to sign the petition circulating locally, calling on Natwest to reconsider the proposed programme of service cuts in Montgomeryshire.
“We need radical reform of the banking system so that the same mistakes with the banks are not repeated, but closing local branches is not the way forward. The Liberal Democrats believe we must split up our banks, so that investment banks are separate to everyday ‘utility’ banking and the British taxpayer can be totally disengaged from the risks involved in global investment banking.”
