THE closure of a bank branch in Flint feels like the company is “cutting and running” from the town, say concerned councillors.

Members of Flint Town Council have expressed their disappointment at Barclays’ decision to close its branch on Church Street in April and have hit out at how the company has engaged with the community over the closure.

Discussing the issue at the town council’s February meeting, members expressed concern that residents and customers were not given the opportunity to propose a future for the branch and slammed correspondence from Barclays which had been perceived as “contemptuous of the town.”

Concern was also raised about the potential inconvenience that customers may face who have an issue which requires a visit to a branch and who will now have to travel to either Mold or Chester as their nearest branches.

Councillors conceded that while there may have been a reduction in the amount of usage of the branch, using the bank’s own figures it appeared that a counter transaction took place on average more than once every three minutes.

Barclays representatives, in correspondence with Flint’s Mayor and Deputy Mayor, said it would adhere to “agreed government protocol to work with local communities to establish the impact of the branch closure and for us to find suitable provision for our customers and the community post closure of the branch.”

Though the bank stated that they are in the process of contacting those customers deemed vulnerable and are to set up events for customers detailing alternative methods of banking, councillors voiced concerns at Barclays’ ability to persuade those who have never used phone or internet banking due to lack of technological equipment or knowledge or just have a plain fear of the technology and any potential security risk.

Members welcomed that the bank’s closure would not lead to redundancies and staff will be redeployed elsewhere in the organisation.