Views sought for next round of consultation on removal of 61 payphones across Shropshire

The formal 90-day process is underway and is at the end of the first stage, meaning Shropshire Council will issue a provisional view on whether each payphone is needed and send it to the Government.

In two cases, at Hodnet and at Grafton, the council said it would support removing the phones, which have not hosted any calls for more than a year.

Cecilia Motley, Shropshire Council’s Cabinet member for communities, place, tourism and transport, said: “The council is issuing what is very much an interim view at this stage, as we absolutely appreciate that parish councils and town councils have not all had chance to get back to us as yet. We are very grateful to those who have done so, and to the additional information people have been able to give about mobile phone coverage at the payphone locations. This is not least due to our concerns with regard to the continued need for payphones in isolated locations, and indeed for people who may not have mobile phones themselves.

“We were particularly pleased to get a response from a Whitchurch resident, making the point that many people do not have mobile phones or might have need to use a public callbox in an emergency. We would welcome other views from the public as well as from local Shropshire Councillors, local policing teams, town councils and parish councils. A full list of the payphones and commentary has been published on our website, and views are now invited to reach us by 4pm on Friday July 30.”

Shropshire Council has not specified what was contained in its initial response, but said its standard starting position was to object to the removal of each payphone unless it was clear they were not needed.

The authority is now canvassing further views up to 4pm on July 30. A final decision will then be issued by the deadline of August 5.

Town councils and parish councils were made aware that this consultation was starting after the Shropshire Council local elections so that as many people as possible could have their say, including newly-elected councillors. They are being sent a copy of the spreadsheet for their ease of access.

During the 90-day period, the job of the council as the Local Planning Authority is to seek views from local town councils and parish councils, and to include any views from local Shropshire Councillors, residents, and interested parties in order to help it 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.

Online resources, including the full listing, are available on the council website under shropshire.gov.uk/shropshire-council/bt-payphones

Feedback can be given by contacting the lead co-ordinating officer, Lois Dale, via lois.dale@shropshire.gov.uk