By TANIA PHILLIPS
A PLAN for a community bank at Stanthorpe is ahead of schedule with a strong show of the support from the community.
Bank committee member Don Gaske said the campaign was launched in March and needed a pledge of $700,000 and 300 members and in just over six months had attracted $680,000 and 262 members.
He said this support would ensure that the process would progress to the next level – a survey to closely examine the level of community support for the bank in Stanthorpe.
He said with numbers so pleasing, the steering committee behind the Stanthorpe Regional Community Bank Branch campaign met late last month to consider which independent consultant it would appoint to undertake the survey.
Committee chairman Nev Winter said residents, traders and business owners had already come out strongly in support of establishing the bank branch.
“In this next stage, we will be asking people a range of questions to get a full understanding of their support and commitment towards a community bank branch,” Mr Winter said.
“Potential customers and investors will also have the opportunity to meet with the consultant face-to-face to discuss their individual needs and interest in supporting a locally-owned branch.”
He said it was important that the consultant and Bendigo Bank were provided with sufficient evidence that the Stanthorpe Regional Community Bank branch would attract the required support from the community, including banking with the proposed branch to make it profitable.
“More than $650,000 in pledges of support is a good indication that a community bank branch in Stanthorpe would be viable,” Mr Winter said.
He said the survey was confidential and neither Bendigo Bank nor committee members had access to the individual survey responses.
“All of the surveys will be sent directly to the consultant who will collate the information and present it to us via a formal report,” he said.
“The results of the survey will provide our committee with the information required to make a decision about whether a community bank branch in Stanthorpe would be supported and viable.
“Thus, it’s crucial we have as many local residents, business people, traders and community groups as possible take part in the survey.”
