Bradford's Yorkshire Building Society tonight puts a plan to members to make it more difficult to convert to a bank.

The annual meeting, at its Rooley Lane base, will get results of a vote among its 1.2 million members on a resolution to increase the vote margin on a bid to convert to a bank.

David Anderson, chief executive, said: "We are very hopeful that the action we have taken for our members, on both savings and mortgage fronts in recent weeks, will encourage them to support the proposals the board are making at our annual meeting."

Voting papers have been sent out urging members to agree the rule change following a failed bid to force a conversion vote by former Royal butler Michael Hardern.

Mr Hardern, who has decided to put an end to his conversion campaign, targeted a total of seven building societies for pro-conversion votes.

Currently a vote for conversion can be won at the YBS on a simple majority of more than 50 per cent from an ordinary resolution to the meeting, with the support of 50 members.

Yorkshire bosses want to make it a rule that future conversion resolutions will need to gain a 75 per cent majority.

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