Community bank for Wales aims to open 30 branches, says minister

The idea is a response to the closure of hundreds of bank branches across Wales

Wales could see 30 branches of a new community bank open across the country within the next decade, according to the Welsh government.

Social Justice Minister Jane Hutt told Senedd members that Banc Cambria would aim to address the "devastation" of branch closures across Wales.

It would be owned by its members and would be the first bank of its kind in the UK, she added.

Tory members asked how decisions would be made on where to open branches.

An action group came up with the proposal in 2016 and is developing it with the support of the Welsh government.

First Minister Mark Drakeford pledged to create a community bank for Wales in his successful campaign for the Welsh Labour leadership in 2018.

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"It's going to be a mutual owned by and run for the benefit of its members," Ms Hutt told the Senedd on Wednesday.

"It will improve access to banking services and access to cash, with multilingual and multi-channel bilingual banking services for people and businesses, and also collaborating with the Welsh financial ecosystem, for example, credit unions.

"No community banks operate in the UK but we will be the first community bank to operate, and Banc Cambria aims to provide everyday retail banking across the whole of Wales."

Towns such as Llandysul, Ceredigion, have seen all their banks close in recent years

Sam Rowlands, a Conservative member of the Senedd (MS) for north Wales, asked how it would be decided which towns and communities would have community banking.

Ms Hutt said that one of the considerations would be "where it is most appropriate and needed to have a high street bank access point", with the "rollout and timing" currently under consideration by Banc Cambria.

Plaid Cymru MS Luke Fletcher, who represents South Wales West, said: "With bank closures in our towns and villages across Wales being all too common, the vision presented by the team at Banc Cambria is an exciting one."

However, Russell George, the Conservative MS for Montgomeryshire, said the question for people in Wales would be about timescales, "and when we'll see that first physical bank appear in a town".

Ms Hutt said the launch of the bank was still dependent on "regulatory approval and investment decisions", but it aimed to open up to 30 branches over the next decade.