MP left 'deeply disappointed' after Bank of Scotland meeting on mobile banking move
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MORAY MP Douglas Ross has branded the lack of consultation over moves to remove a mobile banking service from the region as "disgraceful".
The MP had demanded a meeting with the Bank of Scotland following their announcement at the end of November last year that the mobile service would no longer visit Keith, Lossiemouth, Cullen, Fochabers, Aberlour and Burghead as of the end of May 2024.
Mr Ross was joined in the meeting by councillors from across Moray, including Councillors James Allan (Heldon and Laich), Donald Gatt (Keith and Cullen), council leader Kathleen Robertson (Forres), Marc Macrae (Fochabers-Lhanbryde) and Tracy Colyer (Keith and Cullen).
Neil Moore and Robert Cooper from the bank’s corporate affairs represented them in the meeting.
After being pressed by Mr Ross several time, the bank finally conceded that they could have consulted the communities ahead of the closures, but chose not to.
The MP also hit out at the bank representatives for trying to claim they were meeting a “moral obligation” by writing to those affected by the decision and outlining the alternatives available.
Councillor Allan went on to lambast the decision to remove the service for Lossiemouth as the Post Office is open at set times and days and the owner is looking to sell, while the town used to have four banks and now it has none.
Councillor Gatt also pointed out that the alternatives of online banking are simply not viable to many people across Moray as internet connections are simply not good enough.
Mr Ross stated that he left the meeting “hugely frustrated” and "deeply disappointed", saying it was clear that the Bank of Scotland are “no longer interested” in providing any sort of banking service to rural and remote communities across Moray.
He said: “While I was pleased the Bank of Scotland accepted my request for a meeting, I left it feeling hugely frustrated.
“Those representing the bank simply had no understanding about the importance of these mobile banking services to rural and remote communities across Moray and how damaging the removal of them will be.
“Frankly, it was clear that they are no longer interested in providing banking services to the community. That is despite being repeatedly warned that alternatives such as a full switch to online banking are simply not available to everyone.
“It is disgraceful that they didn’t even bother consulting with the communities affected over these plans which shows they are running scared from their actions.
“In light of banks shutting down, mobile banking services visiting these communities was a lifeline for many elderly and vulnerable people but our pleas to have these decisions reversed, sadly fell on deaf ears with the Bank of Scotland which is deeply disappointing.”
Councillor Allan added: “Lossiemouth has been let down by the big banks for far too long and this meeting was another prime example.
“We used to have access to four banks in the town, now we have zero. That has now been compounded by the imminent loss of the mobile banking service, but the Bank of Scotland simply did not take that on board.
“It was like they had a pre-prepared script no matter how hard we tried to point out how this would impact communities like Lossiemouth.
“I also left the meeting with a great sense of frustration at how banks continue to be dismissive of the needs of their rural customers who continue to bear the brunt of cuts to services.”
