Agenda item

BT proposals to permanently remove the public phone box at Boston Castle Grove, Moorgate and 42 phone boxes across the borough

 

Report of the Strategic Director of Regeneration and Environment Services

 

Recommendations:-

 

1.    That Cabinet notes the final decisions made on the 42 payphones proposed for closure by BT as shown in Appendix 5.

 

2.    That Cabinet notes the final decision consenting to the closure of the telephony service at the payphone on Moorgate Road, at the junction with Boston Castle Grove, Rotherham S60 2BQ.

 

 

 

 

Minutes:

Consideration was given to the report which detailed the final decisions made by BT in relation to the removal of 42 payphones across the Borough and the removal of the telephony service from the phone box on Moorgate Road, at the junction with Boston Castle Grove, Rotherham. The proposals were considered having regard to the guidance published by Ofcom and also assessed against the Council’s locally derived criteria which were outlined in paragraph 2.1 of the report. The final decisions were shown in Appendix 5 to the report.

 

BT had notified the Council of their proposal to remove the phone boxes on 29th June, 2020. The consultation had been extended by 90 days to 30th October, 2020.

 

The decision had been made to remove 16 phone boxes and the local veto was applied to the remaining phones in the consultation. Under the local veto, BT must continue to maintain those public phone boxes and call equipment. It was decided that the telephony equipment would be removed from the phone box on Moorgate Road. This would allow the Start-a-Heart 24:7 charity to apply to BT under the “Adopt a Kiosk” scheme. Start-a-Heart intended to install a defibrillator in the kiosk that would be available to the public 24 hours a day.

 

Both decisions were made in line with Ofcom requirements, and BT and the Secretary of State had been informed.

 

Resolved:-

 

1.    That Cabinet notes the final decisions made on the 42 payphones proposed for closure by BT as shown in Appendix 5. 

 

2.    That Cabinet notes the final decision consenting to the closure of the telephony service at the payphone on Moorgate Road, at the junction with Boston Castle Grove, Rotherham S60 2BQ. 

Supporting documents: