Burning questions on banking crisis
Nov 30 2009 by Sue Scott, Evening Gazette
SENIOR figures from Yorkshire Bank are to host a Question Time event on the banking crisis and emerging from recession.
More than 60 guests are being invited to question a panel of senior Yorkshire Bank staff at the two-hour event at Judges Hotel, Yarm, on December 15.
In the hot seat will be Gary Lumby, Yorkshire Bank head of retail and small business; David Monks, Yorkshire Bank East Region head of credit; Chris Ibbotson, Yorkshire Bank Tees Valley Financial Solutions Centre (FSC) managing partner; and Alan Fielder, Yorkshire Bank Tees Valley FSC non-executive chairman. It follows a recent announcement by the bank that it is to lend a further £10bn of new money to business and mortgage customers during the next two years.
Topics expected to be discussed include consolidation in the banking industry, the performance, strength and liquidity of the banks, the appetite of bank credit to back new lending, the availability of cash for business and private lending, and bank bonuses.
Event organiser, Yorkshire Bank Tees Valley FSC senior partner David Filby, says: “Being open for business also means having an open approach to discussing the issues which matter.”
NatWest and RBS today also announce new measures to increase support for their 1.2m business customers with the introduction of a new SME customer charter, including a fees cap of 1.5%. They also softened their approach to overdraft charges and extended free banking.
It coincided with a report which said manufacturers were at last finding it easier to get credit.
A survey of over 400 firms by the Engineering Employers Federation found an easing in credit conditions for the first time in a year, although a third said the cost of finance from banks and other finance providers had increased in recent months.
