Call for Council Action over RBS Closures

As Dundee Labour’s City Development spokesperson, along with my colleague the Labour councillor for the Maryfield Ward Councillor Georgia Cruickshank we have joined forces to raise concerns about the future of Royal Bank of Scotland branches in Dundee.  We're are calling on Dundee City Council to use its position as a customer of RBS to put pressure on the bank to retain services in Dundee.

 

Councillor Richard McCready said, ‘It is a disgrace that the publicly owned RBS is continuing to abandon communities across Dundee as they already have done in the West End.  Dundee City Council banks with the RBS and I think we should be looking to see what leverage there is within that contract to put pressure on RBS to keep their Stobswell branch open.  At the very least I want the council to make sure that when the banking contract is renewed in 2019 there is a robust community benefit section in the contract.  This would call on whichever bank won that contract to undertake to protect services to the community in Dundee and I would hope to include a promise not to close branches within the city.  I would also be looking for the bank to deliver support for organisations like Discovery Credit Union.  I would want to make sure that who ever the council banks with that promoting financial inclusion is an important part of the social benefits promoted through the contact.'

 

'I will be writing to the council's Chief Executive to ask that the council makes its voice heard and joins the local community in saying to RBS that this is not good enough and that they should change their mind about closing the branch in Stobswell.'

 

Councillor Georgia Cruickshank said, ‘I know from the Stobswell Forum and from speaking to local people that they are concerned about the prospect of the RBS branch closing.  The bank branch brings people to the area and this helps other local businesses.  I know that a number of businesses in the Stobswell area are struggling and it is important that we do all that we can to promote the area.  It is disappointing to find out that the council banks with RBS at a time when RBS are planning to close the branch in Stobswell.  I am calling on the council to make its voice heard and tell RBS that as a major customer in the city we are not happy at their plans to close the Stobswell branch.’