FIFE Council is “legally committed” to staying with the Royal Bank of Scotland despite slamming them over a reduced service to Kingdom customers.

But the local authority has hinted that could change, indicating a switch of supplier when the contract expires in two years.

In a report that went before councillors last week, the council’s co-leaders, David Ross and David Alexander, expressed disappointment that the bank had announced “further bad news” with the closure of more branches and a reduction in its mobile banking services.

They are now planning to approach RBS to discuss services in Fife, given that they provide banking services for the council.

However, the possibility of ceasing this relationship has been ruled out for the near future.

Asked by the Press if they had considered leaving the bank, the council’s head of Revenue and Commercial Services, Les Robertson, said they were under contract with RBS until March 31, 2020.

“As such, we are legally committed to the fulfilment of that contract,” he explained.

“As always we will start a new tendering exercise in 2019 to put in place a new contract from 1st April 2020 and will, to the extent it is legally permissible to do so, take on board policy decisions reached by our councillors as part of the tendering process.”

In a motion raised at the full council meeting, Conservative councillor Linda Holt called on members to condemn RBS’ latest closure of branches and ATMs and its reduction in mobile banking services.

“These cuts have a disproportionate impact on the local cash economy, on local businesses and on vulnerable residents such as the old and poor who rely on local banking services,” said the motion.

“This council calls on RBS to work with Fife Council to preserve existing services and to reverse recent cuts, and it commits to approaching RBS to begin this work.

“This council agrees that it is difficult to reconcile the retention of a contractual relationship with a bank which reneges on its service to Fifers. The council further agrees that it will review its contractual relationship with RBS if that service does not improve.”

Last week, RBS was accused of a “further betrayal of West Fife communities” after cutting mobile services that were supposed to offset a wave of branch closures.

The bank issued a new timetable due to start this month that will include shorter visits as services are spread more thinly. In Cowdenbeath, customers have gone from 90 minutes’ banking time on a Monday to just 40 minutes.

Others hit include Kelty, where the van time will go from 45 to 30 minutes and Dalgety Bay from 90 to 75 minutes.

The company said they welcomed feedback on the revised services and had committed to reviewing their timetables every month.