Bank Committee: October 15th 1923

1513 The following reports of the General Purposes Sub-Committee were received:

1505 and 1507 Pershore Road, Stirchley.

Arrangements have been made for the required alterations at the above premises to be carried out through the Public Works Department. Alterations are now proceeding, and it is anticipated that the new branch premises will be ready for opening by October 29th next.

Your Sub-Committee have invited Mr Alderman W A Cadbury to perform the opening ceremony, and the General Manager has been instructed to make the usual arrangements.

Rentals, Stirchley and Harborne Branch Premises.

Your Sub-Committee report that the dwelling accommodation at the above premises has been inspected by Mr F Wilde, Valuer to the Bank, and he is of opinion that a fair rent to be charged in the case of Stirchley Branch would be 12/6 per week inclusive of rates, and in the case of Harborne Branch, £40 per annum plus rates.

Your Sub-Committee have agreed to the rents being fixed as above indicated.

1528 RESOLVED:- That the Report of the General Purposes Sub-Committee be approved.

1529 The following report of the Finance Sub-Committee was received:

Tenders accepted.

During and since the vacation the following tenders have been accepted for work, which is proceeding:

Pearce & Cutler        Leaded Lights for Stirchley Branch - £6. 7. 6d.

R Hunt                      Counters for Stirchley Branch - £53. 15. 0d.

Gas Department       Heating arrangements for Stirchley Branch £79. 0. 0.

Gas Department       Lighting arrangements for the house at Stirchley Branch £12. 0. 6d.

1532 RESOLVED:- That the action taken in accepting Tenders during and since the vacation for the provision of lighting and heating arrangements at various Branches and the supply and fixing of Counters at Stirchley Branch, as indicated in the foregoing Report, be approved and confirmed.

Bank Committee: November 19th 1923

On Minute No 1471 (Alterations to Stirchley Premises) the Committee were informed that the alterations had been completed, and the new Stirchley Branch premises had been opened by Mr Alderman W A Cadbury on the 29th ultimo.

1559 RESOLVED:- That Minute No 1471 be discharged.

Bank Committee: April 28th 1924

1735 The following report of the Finance Sub-Committee was presented:

Charges for Alterations at Stirchley and Ladywood.

Your Sub-Committee report that accounts have been received from the Public Works Department in respect of alterations at the Stirchley Branch, for the sum of £935. 1. 0, and for the provision and erection of a temporary hut at the Ladywood Branch for the sum of £189. 12. 2.

Your Sub-Committee were of the opinion that the Public Works Department should be approached with a view to these charges being reduced, if possible, and as  the result of a conference with that Department, a slight reduction has now been made in the account for alterations at the Stirchley Branch, the figure agreed being £909. 2. 10. It is also understood that an allowance will be made to the Bank on the re-sale of the hut referred to at Ladywood. Instructions have been given to the General Manager to pass such accounts for payment.

1736   RESOLVED:- That the action taken in authorising the payment of the accounts in respect of alterations at the Stirchley Branch at the sum of £909. 2. 10. and the provision and erection of a temporary hut at the Ladywood Branch, at the sum of £189. 12. 2. be confirmed.

Bank Committee: February 16th 1925

The following report of the General Purposes Sub-Committee was presented:

Payment of Wages through the Bank.

In connection with this matter the Bournville Works Council have put forward the suggestion that in placing the scheme before the workers they should be able to say that the Bournville Works, Selly Oak and Stirchley Branches, would be open on Fridays from 12:30 to 8pm. Your Committee have considered this suggestion and think that a trial might be given to opening the three branches named on Fridays from 5pm to 7:30pm in addition to the present fixed hours and that if such additional hours are ultimately agreed to that the depositors at the three Branches be notified accordingly. This experiment would be of value in ascertaining whether Friday evening is more suitable to depositors than Saturday or Monday evenings. Your Sub-Committee recommend accordingly.

1990   RESOLVED:- That, subject to agreement with the Bournville Works Council, the General Manager be authorised to make arrangements for the opening for a trial period of three months of the Stirchley, Selly Oak and Bournville Works Branches on Friday evenings from 5pm to 7:30pm in addition to the present times of opening and to notify all depositors at such branches accordingly.

General Purposes Sub-Committee: April 6th 1925

716 On Minute No 692 (Proposed opening of daily Branches on additional evenings) the General Manager presented the following report:

At the last Meeting of the General Purposes Sub-Committee I was requested to consider whether it would be possible to arrange for the Bank to open on Friday evenings in addition to Saturdays and Mondays, and to so arrange the work by rota that no member of the Staff would be required to work more than two evenings in the week.

I have given considerable thought to this matter, but I cannot recommend the adoption of any system which will divide the control and responsibility at a Branch.

There are many difficulties in the way of working a rota staff for the purpose of the Bank. In the first place, it would mean continual change at the same Branch if the officers were to be treated fairly as between Friday, Saturday or Monday evening duties, and depositors would continually have to deal with first one Branch Manager and then another. The same thing would apply to all the Branch Assistants.

It would also mean that the incoming Branch Manager would have to attend at the Branch to take over the cash and accept the responsibility for the premises, and on the same day he would have to make similar arrangements at the Branch he was leaving. Assistants who hold keys of a Branch would have to make similar arrangements with another officer. Such a system would, I am afraid, tend to looseness, and would weaken our present position of being able to fix responsibility.

There is a further objection to working by rota, in that it would mean increased work and supervision in making necessary arrangements, the liability of confusion during the holiday period (which extends over at least six months of the year), and during temporary absence on sick leave.

I strongly feel that in the interests of the Bank the Committee should maintain the present days and hours of business; and I am quite satisfied that if the practice of providing adequate counter accommodation at Branches is followed, the depositors can be dealt with quickly and to their satisfaction. I would repeat that no demand has been made for any change, and I think the policy of adhering to the fixed hours of business instead of again disturbing the arrangements is the best.

It is difficult to estimate the extra cost which a rota staff would entail; but as 98 officers would have to be relieved for one night in the week, it will be seen that additional staff would be required.

After consideration of the foregoing report, the Sub-Committee decided to defer further consideration of the matter until the result is known of the experiment which may be tried at Selly Oak and Stirchley Branches in connection with payment of wages.

General Purposes Sub-Committee: July 13th 1925

766 The General Manager stated that he was of the opinion that it would be well, in addition to having the Branch at the Dogpool Lane Corner of Pershore Road for the use of the Selly Park and Stirchley people, to arrange for another branch at the Cotteridge to serve the residents of the Cotteridge and Kings Norton. He pointed out that the present Stirchley Branch lay between these two points, and did not attract either the Selly Park or Cotteridge people to any appropriate extent.

In the event of these two Branches being set up, it is not anticipated that much difficulty would be experienced in disposing of the present Stirchley premises.

Bank Committee: January 18th 1926

2232 The following report of the General Purposes Sub-Committee was presented:

Bournville Scheme - Payment of Wages.

An intimation has now been received from the Bournville Works Council to the effect that the circularising of employees of Messrs Cadbury Bros on the question of payment of wages through Branches of the Bank has resulted in 109 employees having intimated their desire to join the Scheme, and 80 of these persons desire to be dealt with at the Bournville Works Branch. It was originally contemplated that two of the Branches (Selly Oak and Stirchley) should be specially opened on Friday evenings for 2½ hours to deal with transactions under the Scheme, but in view of the small response which has, up to the present, been received to the proposals, your Sub-Committee were of opinion that for the time being no such special openings should be arranged, but that the transactions should be dealt with during the ordinary hours of business. They have accordingly instructed the General Manager to take the necessary steps to carry out the Scheme on these lines.

2237   RESOLVED:- That the foregoing report of the General Purposes Sub-Committee be approved.

Bank Committee: July 5th 1926

The General Manager called attention to an offer which had been received to let premises No 1841 Pershore Road, Stirchley, to the Bank at the sum of £200 per annum. The Committee being of opinion that the proposed terms were excessive it was:

2408   RESOLVED:- That the above-mentioned offer be declined, and that the General Manager be instructed to direct Mr F Wilde to revive negotiations in regard to premises at the corner of Pershore Road and Midland Road, reporting thereon to the General Purposes Sub-Committee in due course.

General Purposes Sub-Committee: January 9th 1928

Extract from the General Manager's Annual Report for the year ending December 31st 1927:

The position in the Selly Park, Stirchley, and Cotteridge area should be carefully considered. To cover this area, I expressed the view in 1919 that we should provide facilities at Cotteridge and Selly Park, leaving Stirchley out of our arrangements, as the Bournville Works Branch would cater largely for Stirchley people. The Committee, however, elected to open at Stirchley, and buildings are being erected at Selly Park. Neither of these branches will cater for Cotteridge and Kings Norton, where facilities are called for, and yet I do not consider four branches in the Selly Park-Stirchley-Cotteridge area will pay their way.

1217   RESOLVED:- That the question of the branch bank facilities in the area of Selly Park - Stirchley - Cotteridge, be considered at a later date.