NatWest is planning to close two Carmarthenshire branches in what has been described as ‘another kick in the teeth’ for rural Wales.

The bank will close its branches in Ammanford and Llandeilo next year.

It comes less than a year since Lloyds closed its branch in Llandovery, with the firm having also announced its intention to close the part-time branch in Llandeilo next year.

Jonathan Edwards MP and Adam Price AM have asked the chief executives of Lloyds and NatWest for a meeting to discuss the way in which the banks are abandoning rural communities.

“Quite frankly, Adam and I are fed up of being asked to comment on yet another bank closure only for Government Ministers in Cardiff and Westminster to seemingly wash their hands of the very real concerns communities have with the loss of their services,” he said.

“Bank closures are more profound than customers losing the counter service in the community - it fundamentally undermines the financial underpinning of the entire local economy. Meanwhile the Governor of the Bank of England has the cheek to tell us this week that leaving the European Union brings with it an opportunity to lift the cap on bankers’ bonuses.

“I have today written to the chief executives of Lloyds and NatWest banks requesting that they personally meet with Adam and me. We want to discuss why the banks are continually abandoning rural communities, and to tell them about the national campaign for the creation of a Welsh Public Bank to compete with the London banks which have treated customers with disdain.

“In the meantime, Adam and I offer our full support to all of the staff at these branches and let them know that our door is open for any assistance we can provide.”

The closure of the Lloyds Llandeilo branch, where the bank’s own figures state that 51% of its customers are over the age of 55, is proposed for May 23, 2018.

It follows a series of Lloyds branch closures during 2017 in Burry Port, Fishguard, Milford Haven, Swansea University and Pontypridd.

It is understood NatWest will close the Ammanford branch on May 24 and Llandeilo branch on June 18.

Earlier this year Adam Price AM led a debate in the National Assembly where the Cabinet Secretary for the Economy confirmed he had commissioned work by the Public Policy Institute for Wales into establishing a Public Bank.

That work has been completed and published.

Mr Price has called on the Welsh Government to bring forward its action plan “so that communities know what their government is doing to realise a genuine system of community banking”.

He added: “It’s groundhog day in rural Wales as more big banks decide to abandon more rural communities.

“This is a kick in the teeth to residents who again face another loss of service.

“Residents are not only being failed by the banks, they’re being failed by both Welsh and British Governments which don’t stand up for consumers. We can’t go on like this.

“Earlier this year I obtained a commitment from the Welsh Government’s Economy Secretary that he would commission work on establishing a Public Bank in Wales.

“That report has been on his desk for more than two months.

“I want to see an action plan published so that communities know what their government is doing to realise a genuine system of community banking.

“As banking services get more and more remote, business investment and borrowing can start to decline.

“We urgently need a new model, such as those in Germany and the United States, which are purposely established to support communities, local businesses and local consumers.

“The decisions of commercial banks are regrettably out of our control. We can and will campaign with local residents, but we have no power to compel banks to keep a branch open.

“I promise, though, that Jonathan Edwards and I will do all we can to ensure the banking model of the future is rooted in our communities.”

A NatWest spokesman said: “We provide our customers with more ways to bank than ever before – customers can choose from a range of digital, face-to-face and local options.

“The way people bank with us has changed radically over the last few years: since 2014, the number of customers using our branches across the UK has fallen by 40%.

“During the same period mobile transactions have increased by 73%; and in the first half of 2017, there were 1.1 billion mobile and online transactions carried out by our customers: an increase of 41% since 2014.

“Since 2012 we have seen the way in which people use our branches change dramatically.

“In Ammanford: 87% of customers are already banking in other ways locally, transactions have reduced by 31% since 2012, with now only 51 customers visiting the branch on a weekly basis and 63% of customers are now choosing to bank digitally with us on a regular basis instead.

“In Llandeilo 83% of customers are already banking in other ways locally, transactions have reduced by 26% since 2012 with now only 27 customers visiting the branch on a weekly basis and 56% of customers are now choosing to bank digitally with us on a regular basis instead.

“We are communicating with our customers affected by the closures and pro-actively contacting vulnerable customers and regular branch users.

“We know that not all of our customers are comfortable or familiar with using online or mobile banking, so we have created a new specialist taskforce of NatWest TechXperts who will be dedicated to supporting our customers with training and support with digital skills until the branches close.

“We are following the Access to Banking Standard and we have made our decision after careful consideration of a wide range of factors including changes in customer usage of the branch over a long period of time; how often customers are using the branch and the types of transactions they undertake; the number of customers who only bank via the branch; and the other ways our customers can bank locally. ”

A Lloyds Bank spokesman said: “Lloyds Bank is introducing a new mobile branch service to the Llandeilo area which will provide a vital service by giving customers access to everyday banking services such as making deposits, withdrawing cash and paying bills.

“Our mobile branch colleagues will also be on hand to help customers access online banking and answer any general account or product enquiries. We have made the difficult decision to close the Lloyds Bank Llandeilo branch in May next year due to the changing ways customers choose to bank with us, which has resulted in the branch being used less often.

“We apologise for any inconvenience that this may cause and will be speaking to customers about the new mobile branch service, which will be operational prior to the branch closing, as well as their nearest alternative branch, which is Ammanford.”