Budget Allocations to the Housing and Local Government Portfolio

Part of 1. Questions to the Minister for Finance and Trefnydd – in the Senedd at 1:54 pm on 30 January 2019.

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Photo of Leanne Wood Leanne Wood Plaid Cymru 1:54, 30 January 2019

In the last month, we've lost three bank branches in the Rhondda. Barclays announced that they're closing their branches in Tonypandy and Ferndale, and more recently, Santander have announced that they are going to close their branch in Tonypandy as well. This now means that there is not a single bank branch in the Rhondda Fach. Now, it's clear to me that in the wake of this callous closure programme from the corporate banks, the post office network is going to take on an extra level of importance. In the past, we had the post office diversification fund. That was a key component of the Plaid Cymru-Labour One Wales Government that awarded grants to post offices to make those businesses more sustainable. If we could protect and strengthen the post office network, it could ensure that people and communities do not become completely cut off from financial services. So, in the light of this, will you consider making funds available to reactivate such a fund?