A letter is to be sent to bank bosses calling for a reversal of proposed closures of two Aberdeen branches next year.
Councillors voted to send the correspondence from Aberdeen City Council chief executive, Angela Scott, to the Royal Bank of Scotland (RBS) over the threatened facilities in Bridge of Don and Dyce following a debate yesterday.
SNP Dyce, Bucksburn and Danestone member Gill Samarai raised a motion calling for a letter to be sent to the UK government, which owns 72% after a £45billion bail-out in 2008, over the “abhorrent plans” to slash 63 branches across the country.
Fellow SNP Bridge of Don councillor Alison Alphonse said that the suburb already contained around 28,000 residents and just one bank still operating.
She added: “I find it totally disgusting.”
But the ruling Conservative, Aberdeen Labour and independent coalition put forward their own amendment seeking instead to write to bank bosses rather than the government.
Conservative Ryan Houghton said: “The purpose of the amendment is to write a letter to RBS because they are the ones in operational control. We agree largely with the sentiment.”
Councillors were tied at 22 votes each with Lord Provost Barney Crockett using his casting vote to ensure the letter went to RBS.