HI ALL - Here’s the ‘open letter’ we have sent to Kiwibank. Thank you for your continued support in trying to keep these services open. PLEASE KEEP SHARING!

The full text of the letter reads as follows:

Dear Steve,

(Note: I intend to seek the full support of the Spreydon-Cashmere Community Board on this matter).

We wish to share our community’s anger and dismay over the announcement that the Kiwibank services at Barrington Mall may shortly discontinue. We respectfully request for your staff to conduct an urgent review of this matter to take into consideration the following factors:
Key issues for consideration:

· The Spreydon-Cashmere Ward (population 48,700) has the oldest age demographic in the city with a high reliance on physical desk services, this is largely due to our considerable number of retirement villages, group care facilities and social housing complexes; these were often purposely located close to Barrington as our Key Activity Centre (KAC);

· The Barrington Mall Kiwibank services are extremely well utilised and serve a wide cross section of our community. I attach one poignant local resident story (there are many more);

· The Christchurch City Council is investing significant capital in improving the accessibility and connectivity to Barrington Mall by active means (i.e. walking and cycling). This includes improvements to the Barrington Street entrance (commencing in the May 2019) along which the establishment of the dedicated Quarryman’s Trail Major Cycle route (MCR) which is now partially complete;

· Barrington is an area of population growth due to significant infill development occurring, additionally greenfield development is occurring in adjacent suburbs (around Halswell) with the SW expected to accommodate over 12,000 new houses over the next 15-20 years;
· Barrington Mall has excellent public transport links including the ‘the city Orbiter’ services;

· Due to the geographical nature of this area (i.e. the Port Hills and Bank Peninsula) this branch is the first point of call for many residents (a far greater catchment of population than you
might imagine); and

· The current Kiwibank alternatives are far less attractive in terms of overall accessibility
(congestion etc.) and transport opportunities. Notably other banks are taking a contrary approach and are investing in the Barrington area.

Locals are actually dumbfounded when trying to provide rationale as to why this closure may be considered a sound decision by Kiwibank.
Should Kiwibank choose to continue to pursue this course of action I fear this may be conceived as Kiwibank effectively abandoning many loyal residents, along with a generation that just isn’t ready.
Finally it would be an extraordinarily sad day if Kiwibank closed its doors in the backyard of the founder of the ‘the Peoples Bank’ Jim Anderton. It simply can’t be the people’s bank if we’re unable to access it.

We would welcome Kiwibank’s response to the concerns raised, alongside the opportunity to meet with you person to discuss the matter as soon as practicable.

Kind regards

Lee Sampson

Community Board Member 

Spreydon-Cashmere Community Board