Nether Alderley Parish Council has very recently heard that BT is proposing to remove the telephone box situated at the junction of Bradford Lane and Congleton Road. The telephone is recorded as having had zero usage over the past 12 months and is one of 48 phone boxes in Cheshire East that BT is looking to remove.

BT explains “over the past seven years there has been a decline of 93% in payphone usage as a result of significant changes in communication in the UK. 94% of all UK adults now own or have regular access to a mobile phone and 85% of all adults in the UK have access to a landline and 96% of those who don’t have a fixed line do have a mobile.

Significantly it is now possible to call emergency service from any mobile phone even when there is no credit or you are not a customer of a particular mobile network………..

…..BT regularly reviews payphone usage, with recent figures confirming that less than 6% of all UK adults claim to have used a payphone within the last year. 71% of payphones in Great Britain no longer cover their costs…….

…..On 14th March 2006 the Office of Communications (Ofcom) published a statement following their 2005 review of universal service in the Telecommunications market, which includes a requirement for payphone provision to meet reasonable needs. Part of that statement amended BT’s obligation with regard the removal of payphone service”

BT has embarked upon a consultation which will end on 29th December 2014. Notices explaining the consultation have been placed by BT in the relevant phone boxes and the Parish Council understands that the notices explain how individuals can respond directly to the consultation.

A similar consultation was launched in 2008 and the Parish Council, at that point, objected to the phone kiosk being removed.

The Parish Council is now seeking the views of local residents as, if it objects to the removal on this occasion and the objection is not sustained, BT has indicated that the telephone kiosk will be removed as soon after the end of the consultation as is feasible.

BT gives Parish Councils an alternative option, to ‘adopt’ kiosks. BT would remove the telephone and the kiosk would no longer operate as a telephone facility. However, ‘adoption’ allows Parish Councils to retain kiosks in their Parishes, where residents want them to remain for their heritage value.

‘Adoption’ would incur a number of costs for the Parish Council – insurance, upkeep and maintenance – the cost of which would need to be covered through the Parish Council’s precept (the money received through Council tax from local residents).

Although the time scale is very limited, the Parish Council would like to give Nether Alderley residents a chance to express their views on whether or not the Parish Council should consider ‘adoption’ of the telephone kiosk, in order that it is retained in the Parish in to the future.

If you would like to express your view to the Parish Council, please send a brief e-mail to the Clerk, stating ‘yes’ or ‘no’ to ‘adoption’ of the telephone kiosk and giving your name and road in Nether Alderley.

E-mail address: clerk.napc@btinternet.com

Response are needed by 18th December 2014

Your information won’t be kept on file but just used to compile figures that the Parish Council will consider in making their decision.

Alternatively, the Clerk can be contacted by telephone on 01625 861942

With many thanks.