Perth Road RBS - Council Speaks Out Against Closure

I've called for Dundee City Council to voice its opposition to the closure of the Royal Bank of Scotland branch on the Perth Road. The council renewed its contract for banking services with the Royal Bank of Scotland on Monday evening. I raised concerns about how this fits in with the council's Community Benefits from Procurement Policy. The council is committed to securing 'maximum economic and social benefit from procurement activity.' I want to see the council give greater prominence to these Community Benefit policies.  I put forward a motion which called on the council to write to RBS setting out the council's objections to the closure plan and which asked RBS to reconsider its decision.

 

 

I am disappointed that the Royal Bank of Scotland has decided to close its Perth Road branch. Dundee City Council banks with RBS and renewed its contract with them on Monday evening. I am calling for the council at the very least to write to RBS and call for them to reconsider their proposals to close the Perth Road branch of RBS. The City Council has a very well thought out policy on Community Benefit from Procurement but the impact of the closure of the Perth Road branch was not been included in the report for Monday evening.

 

 

I am pleased that the council unanimously backed my plan to object to the closure of RBS on the Perth Road.

 

The closure of the RBS branch on the Perth Road will have a negative impact on local people who are customers of RBS as well as local businesses who bank there. I am also concerned about the wider impact on the Perth Road shopping area with the closure of this bank.

 

 

I have met with RBS and raised my concerns, along with Jenny Marra MSP, I want them to reconsider their decision. If they are not prepared to do this then I have called on them to give a commitment to retaining a cashline machine in the Perth Road for at least ten years. I am clear that RBS has a wider social responsibility to the community particularly as they are owned by the public at this time. I want to see the decision to close the Perth Road branch changed.

 

 

I am very concerned that this is RBS's third closure in the West End ward since 2011 with the University and Ninewells branches closing then at the same time the Lochee High Street branch closed. Does RBS have a commitment to the benefit of the wider community in Dundee?