The pressures on bank profits as a result of the banking crisis and government intervention, coupled with a General Election only months away, made us focus in our year just ended on getting our message right, underpinned by hard facts and conveyed to those inside and outside the industry who could make it happen for us and for the vulnerable individuals, small businesses and communities we care about.

We were helped in this by the temporary absence of significant branch closure programmes as the banks’ priority became their own survival.  The last thing they needed was public anger over branch closures and the associated damaging media coverage CCBS works hard to achieve.

The USA Visit
The objective of the visit, in February, was to witness and question the operational feasibility of shared branching in order to add credence to the UK academic validation of our model as “operationally feasible and financially viable”.  The visit, a huge success, was to the nerve centre of very successful shared branching operations across 45 States and never again can the UK banks argue that it won’t work in practice!

Financial Viability
Our updated and validated figures suggest that moving all remaining ‘last banks’ to shared branching would be cost neutral for the four banks concerned – a zero sum game – and provide the banks with valuable practical experience leading to much needed cost savings of £1billion a year if the concept is rolled out to larger secondary communities.

General Election
A Manifesto Briefing, linking the benefits of shared branching to the political agendas of access to banking, sustainability of communities, carbon reduction, financial inclusion and re-privatising RBS and LBG, has been sent to the political parties, selected influencers and supporting organisations.  Available on www.communitybanking.org.uk/reports.htm

Additionally …………………………
During the year CCBS has:

• Ensured the protection of 12 weeks notice of branch closure is maintained in the FSA/BCOBS successor to the Banking Code.
• Made submissions to relevant consultations on banking reform and the post office network and to the EU Competition Directorate on disposals by  RBS and LBG.
• Met with potential outsourcers and briefed banking consultants.
• Met with UKFI and Financial Inclusion Taskforce at HM Treasury.
• Participated in the Financial Services Research Forum and other gatherings of banking and financial services professionals and consumer bodies

and maintained a dialogue with our supporting organisations, banks and their trade bodies, local communities, national and local journalists, academics, government departments, ministers, shadow ministers and parliamentarians.

The Year Ahead
The year ahead is a crucial one of opportunity on both the political and business fronts.  CCBS will pursue every route to secure implementation of the neutral shared branching alternative to branch closures in order to secure the sustainibility of communities, help the disadvantaged and reduce harmful carbon emissions.    

CCBS will continue to support individual communities facing branch closure, reduced opening hours and removal of free ATMs.

Support
22 national organisations support and fund the Campaign, representing the interests of the elderly, disabled people, small businesses, consumers, bank employees, credit unions, rural and urban communities, the environment, ethnic minorities and the poverty lobby.  The Campaign’s policy is governed by an active and involved steering group of 6, drawn from these sectors.

Website
The Campaign website www.communitybanking.org.uk continues to be popular with journalists, researchers, government agencies as well as communities facing closure threats who are offered specific advice.

Services

• Supporting organisations receive a monthly media monitoring report.
• Input is available to supporting organisations’ discussions, conferences and research where relevant.
• Tailored articles for house journals can be made available.

Enquiries
The Campaign’s regularly updated website is at www.communitybanking.org.uk

1 October 2009