Consultation begins over removal of BT payphones in Shropshire
A consultation has begun over 56 payphones which BT proposes to permanently remove from service in the Shropshire Council area.
BT has an obligation to consult with Shropshire Council with regard to the proposed removal. A formal 90 day consultation has commenced with the Council, as set out by Ofcom, which concludes on 11 November 2020.
During the 90 day period, the job of the Council as the Local Planning Authority is to seek views from local town and parish councils and to include any views from local councillors, residents, and so forth, in order to help Shropshire Council reach a decision in each case as to whether to Consent to removal of the service and kiosk; Object in order to keep the service operational, or Consent to removal of the telephony and retention of the kiosk itself where the local parish or town council wish to adopt.
Shropshire Council would like to hear from people by 4pm on Tuesday 29 September, after which a provisional view has to be issued and sent to Government referencing the comments and views received by that date and time. There is then a further one month in which any further views are encouraged, until 4pm on Monday 9 November. A final decision will then be issued by the deadline of 11 November 2020.
Councillor Gwilym Butler, Portfolio Holder said:
“Many of these BT kiosks were on the large scale consultation in autumn 2019 and have reappeared on this list. Whilst this consultation presents a real opportunity for local communities to think about the usage of their payphones, we absolutely appreciate that local communities are focussed at this time upon seeking to deal with the pandemic and its consequences across our area.
“Officers have therefore drawn up a listing that includes all the comments made last time around, in order to assist in saving everyone some time, and in so doing helping us to reach a collective up-to-date decision on behalf of the local communities in each case.
“Could I please ask people to have a think about whether they consider that the kiosks on the list need to remain operational to serve residents and visitors, perhaps because they are in an isolated rural area or an area with poor mobile coverage, or whether the local community may perhaps find benefit from their removal or from adopting them for a community use such as defibrillator storage."
The necessary arrangements are being made with local town and parish councils and elected Shropshire Council councillors accordingly, in order to seek views on behalf of the local community in each area affected. These include publicising the details so that any members of the public who wish to comment will be able to do so.
For feedback on your views, contact the lead coordinating officer, Mrs Lois Dale, via email lois.dale@shropshire.gov.uk.
Online resources, including the full listing, are available on the Shropshire Council website.
