A CASH machine used by staff and members of the public at a council headquarters will not be replaced after the authority deemed it too expensive.

Durham County Council explored replacing the Co-operative Bank machine at County Hall, Durham, as part of a new banking contract it has signed with Lloyds Bank.

But it decided the costs were too excessive at a time of austerity. The current machine is expected to remain where it is until next summer.

Members were recently told that after a procurement process the council had formally awarded a contract to Lloyds Bank to provide banking services.

It is expected that all banking services will be transferred from the Co-op to Lloyds by October 2015.