Breakthrough?

Quite some time ago we wrote letters to all the various big high street banks.  We were rather thinking what we had said had fallen on deaf ears but this week, in response to one of these, we had a call from the Royal Bank of Scotland office in Edinburgh.

The bank has promised to have a look at the points we made and the location and see if there is anything it can do.

Obviously the bank made the point that it couldn't promise to suddenly give us a free ATM but it is encouraging that someone was in touch after quite a wait.

We'll update if there is more news.

Business survey under way

Businesses in Cressington ward are going to be surveyed to see if they would be willing to take a non - charging ATM.

The question is being asked as part of a short questionnaire which also asks the views of business on a range of local issues.

If you run a business in Cressington, particularly a shop with long opening hours, please watch out for the survey and please have a think about whether you can help with the ATM problem.

If you run a business in Cressington but want to get in touch BEFORE you get your form, please e mail paula.keaveney@liverpool.gov.uk.

Update on lobbying the Council for help

Last year, Councillor Paula Keaveney proposed a motion to a committee meeting.  She wanted to raise the problems of lack of non charging ATMs and to see what the Council would do to help our campaign.

She's now had a response to the motion.  The full response will be published on the Council website with the minutes of the Regeneration and Transport Select Committee.  When its published it'll be here.http://councillors.liverpool.gov.uk/ieListMeetings.aspx?CId=1207&Year=2011

However in summary what the Council has agreed to do includes:


* planning officers to explore how we can use the planning process to increase the number of free (ie non charging) ATMs in the City - this sounds rather procedural but has the potential to make quite a difference over time
* ask Liverpool Vision to see how they can get local businesses to install debit card services and offer cash back (a sort of alternative to an ATM although clearly only useful when the shop is open)
* help with lobbying at various levels


The Council however wasn;t prepared to go with one of Paula's suggestions which is to carry out a mapping exercise to see exactly where the free and non charging ATMs are.

The objection to doing this was to do with cost but also the complexity of this operation.  Paula has said she may want to talk about this as there may be an IT based way of doing this involving communities and individuals inputting information themselves (a bit like the Fix My Street system)

Meeting with HSBC

As part of the campaign, Cressington ward Councillors - Peter Millea, Paula Keaveney and Richard Oglethorpe met senior staff from HSBC today.  The idea was to get across to the bank the loss to the community when the branch at Mersey Road (with its ATM closed) and to talk about whether there's a possibility of a replacement machine anywhere locally.

The Councillors will be following up some leads as a result of the meeting.

If you want to contact them please e mail Paula at paula.keaveney@liverpool.gov.uk

Campaigns against bank closures

As part of the work on this campaign we've been looking for examples of other areas in which people are campaigning against bank branch closures or the removal of ATMs.  Here is an example of a campaign going on over on the Wirral.  We've been in touch to see if there is anything they can help us with or vice versa.

December campaign meeting and next steps

Our December planning meeting took place yesterday (thanks to the IM Marsh campus for the room).

The group agreed some more letter writing and research jobs, and to meet again to move the campaign to the next stage in Spring.

We are still keen to hear from organisations that want to get involved, or have a say.

If you represent a group that wants to help, or to get more information, please let us have your contact details.

You can post them in the comments section of the blog, or drop an e mail to paula.keaveney@liverpool.gov.uk and she will pass them on.

Over the last couple of months we've sent out several lobbying letters to companies and individuals.  As we get responses, we'll keep this blog updated.

Motion to Council Committee on ATMs - 1 Dec

A motion, to enlist some extra help from the City Council, for the campaign is being discussed at a Committee meeting on Wednesday (1st December).  The Council has some resources, including communications channels, that hopefully can be used to help with what we are trying to achieve.

The text of the motion is below

Access to Cash Notice of Motion by Councillors Paula Keaveney, Peter Millea, Ron Gould

Committee notes that in the UK nearly 40 percent of ATMs (cash machines) charge a fee to users who want to draw out money. The fees range from £1 50 to £2 00 per withdrawal.

Committee further notes that there are parts of the City in which, because of the withdrawal of banks or for other reasons, people have to travel long distances to find a cash machine that does not charge.

Committee agrees that this is a particular problem for those on low incomes who may not have their own transport to easily get to a non charging ATM.

Committee notes that there are localised community campaigns, such as one in the Cressington and Mossley Hill area, that are working to lobby for more free ATMs. This campaign is the brainchild of a local resident and currently has active support from the councillors in both wards. The initial problem was caused by the withdrawal of a bank from the Aigburth Road area and Councillors are currently pressing the bank to make good the lack of a cash machine.

Committee believes that no one should be without the means of withdrawing their own money without being penalised.

Committee therfeore calls on the relevant cabinet member to take the following steps to ensure that there is no part of Liverpool that is not served by a non charging ATM.

* organise research to provide a map of ATM provision in Liverpool, thus identifying areas of particular need

* work with district committees to support localised campaigns to ensure more non charging ATMs

* work with other organisations, including those representing retailers, to lobby for more non charging ATM sites

* use existing communications channels including City Magazine and the council's website to seek views on potential sites for ATMs

Committee further calls on the relevant cabinet member to organise a submission to the Commission on Banking about the need for non charging ATMs and the harm that can be caused when there is a lack.

Committee further calls on the Liverpool Poverty Commission to ensure that the provision of non charging ATMs is an item on its work programme

Information about all the Council's committee meetings (including agendas and minutes) can be found at http://www.liverpool.gov.uk/