Branch closures disappoint mayors
TThe problem is that the moral responsibility to look after the needs of those customers of theirs will fall on other people in the community like council, like library staff, like welfare staff. Iwould like BNZ to understand they are creating a cost for communities by laying their obligations on us and that’s not fair.
Central Hawke’s Bay mayor Alex Walke
he Bank of New Zealand’s decision to close 38 banks over the course of the year, including branches in Wairoa, Waipukurau and Dannevirke, has “disappointed” local mayors.
Central Hawke’s Baymayor Alex Walker said the removal of frontline services from banks was not new, but would still hurt impacted communities.
“Our BNZ in Waipukurau was already on shortened hours. The idea of banks closing their frontline wasn’t a surprise, but that doesn’t mean it’s not still disappointing.”
Although she understood the move as a “business decision”, she worried about the impact of the closure on the community’s “most needy”, including elderly and retirees who might struggle to navigate digital platforms.
“But the problem is that the moral responsibility to look after the needs of those customers of theirs will fall on other people in the community like council, like library staff, like welfare staff. Iwould like BNZ to understand they are creating a cost for communities by laying their obligations on us and that’s not fair.”
She said community groups would have to help with practical things around setting up phone accounts, online accounts and access to internet.
BNZ bank users in Wairoa, Waipukurau and Dannevirke will all still have access to Smart ATMs in 24/7 lobby with note and coin deposit services, but would have to travel to larger centres for frontline services.
The BNZ closure will leave Wairoa residents with only one bank— a Westpac— said mayor Craig Little.
“People haven’t brought it on the banks to close. The banks have brought it on themselves. They’ve created this.”
Although he understood the economics of it, he said BNZ had “jumped the gun” as many people still used the frontline services.
Jan Pentecost, president of the Grey Power Federation, said the organisation was “disappointed” at the news. “We have lobbied relevant agencies since 2016 to ensure, to the best of our ability, that older people are not disadvantaged by bank closures and the transfer of banking business to digital technology because numerous older people do not or cannot use the internet.”
BNZ said the decision followed increased customer demand for digital services and its people opting for increased flexibility and remote working.