THE leader of Oxfordshire County Council has suffered some backlash following comments he made about bank closures.

Ian Hudspeth, who is also the county councillor for Woodstock - which as of last month has no banks at all - appeared on BBC Radio Oxford on Wednesday morning to discuss the issue.

He said that the need for physical high street banks was rapidly disappearing - a view that some have taken objection to.

Mr Hudspeth conceded that it was 'sad' losing banks but suggested this was a result of their growing irrelevance in the modern age.

He added: "If you think about it, with contactless cards and Apple Pay, why do we need to go into a bank?

"If I owe you money I don't need to pay you cash. I can put your telephone number into an app."

He continued: "They are a business and they have to pay rent, rates and staff. If we're not using them they've got to make alternative arrangements."

Many residents of Woodstock, which is bank-free after it's Barclays left the high street last month, disagreed with Mr Hudspeth.

Town councillor Sharone Parnes insisted it was the duty of banks to adapt as well as customers.

He said: "Closing branches is not innovation or adaptation. It’s abandonment of customers and communities. And its harmful to local economies."

Mr Hudspeth's appearance on the radio followed the recent announcement that six branches of NatWest in Oxfordshire would close.