Conservative councillors have voted for greater protections for Post Office branches and want to see more high street banking hubs introduced.
At a meeting of South Gloucestershire Council tonight (Wed 17 Dec), the council’s opposition Conservative Group won a vote calling on the council to act to save local post office and banking services.
The Conservatives tabled a motion that recognised Post Offices as an essential part of the UK’s social and economic infrastructure and drew attention to the fact that many branches in South Gloucestershire have closed in recent years.
The motion, which received unanimous support from all Conservative Group members, also sought to bring more banking hubs to the district’s high streets, following a big reduction of in-person banking services.
The motion highlighted the fact that while banking hubs are now being rolled out nationally, delivery remains inconsistent, and residents in South Gloucestershire, in rural areas in particular, still lack reliable access to cash services.
Cllr Liz Brennan, Leader of the Conservative Group on South Gloucestershire Council, said:
“Post Offices and banking hubs act as a lifeline for those who need them, and we want to ensure that as many residents as possible have easy access to them.
“South Gloucestershire has already seen the effects of widespread Post Office and bank branch closures, and communities across the district have lost facilities that were once taken for granted.
“That’s why it’s so important that we do as much as we possibly can to ensure that current Post Office branches are protected and that new banking hubs are opened on our high streets.
“This shows that the Conservative Group is listening to residents and acting on their concerns. We will continue to do as much as we can to ensure vital banking and postal services are available for everybody.”
The motion asked that the joint Labour/Liberal Democrat administration writes to the government, as well as other providers of banking services, to press the case for better banking access in South Glos. It also asks the administration to accelerate the rollout of new banking hubs in communities most affected by bank closures, and asks the relevant Cabinet member to report back to Council within 12 months on progress.
