A call has been made for better access to face-to-face banking services across Wales, amid continued concerns about the loss of bank branches in towns and rural communities.

Welsh Conservative leader Darren Millar MS has urged the Welsh Government to press for changes which would recognise the importance of access to wider banking services, rather than focusing solely on people's ability to withdraw and deposit cash.

Speaking in the Senedd, the Clwyd MS said banking services were particularly important in communities where the last local bank branch had closed.

He pointed to Abergele and Prestatyn, which have banking hubs serving local customers, but said other communities, including Llangollen, had lost their last bank and faced longer journeys for face-to-face services.

Banking is not a devolved responsibility, with financial services reserved to the UK Government. However, the Welsh Government has previously said financial inclusion is an important priority and has been involved in efforts to maintain access to banking and cash services across Wales.

The Financial Conduct Authority currently has powers focused on access to cash. Its rules require banks and building societies to assess local cash provision when services such as branches or ATMs close or change, and to provide additional cash services where significant gaps are identified. The FCA says its powers do not extend to wider banking services.

That distinction means that while a community can potentially secure an alternative facility for withdrawing or depositing cash, this does not necessarily provide the full range of face-to-face banking services available from a traditional branch.

Darren Millar said: "Banking services really matter to people across Wales, particularly in communities that have lost access to the services that they once had.

"I have been fortunate to have two banking hubs in my constituency, serving communities in Abergele and Prestatyn, but there are other communities like Llangollen that have lost their last bank.

"At the moment, the Financial Conduct Authority is focused on access to cash. This is important, but access to banking services is about more than that. It is important that people have somewhere they can go and speak to their bank face-to-face and deal with more complicated financial matters."

The issue was raised by Mr Millar during a Senedd session on September 22, when he asked whether the Welsh Government had made a submission to the UK Government's independent review of access to banking services, particularly highlighting the challenges created by Wales's rural geography.

The review is expected to report in October 2026. The FCA has said it has paused its planned evaluation of its access-to-cash regime while the independent banking review is carried out, because the two reviews cover closely related issues.

The Welsh Government has previously highlighted the impact of bank closures, particularly on people who cannot or choose not to use online banking. In October 2025, it said there were then 12 shared banking hubs open in Wales, with three more being established in Chepstow, Gorseinon and Holyhead.

Since then, further hubs have opened, including Ystradgynlais in January 2026. That facility provides everyday cash services and allows customers to arrange appointments with specialists from their own banks for more complex matters.

Mr Millar said the Welsh Government should work with the UK Government to ensure the particular needs of Welsh communities are reflected in the review.

He said: "I want to know whether the Welsh Government has made a submission that sets out the particular challenges facing Wales.

"If the Government has not, there is still an opportunity for the Welsh Government to make its position clear and it must work with the UK Government to ensure that Wales is properly represented as the review reaches its conclusions.

"I am calling on the Welsh Government to press for legislation that recognises the importance of access to banking services in Wales."

The debate comes as banking services continue to move away from traditional high street branches, while banking hubs, post offices and other alternatives are increasingly being used to maintain some level of physical access in communities.

The Welsh Government has previously pointed to the importance of post offices, credit unions, banking hubs and other community-based services in maintaining financial inclusion as the banking landscape changes.