Tanworth-in-Arden Parish Council to 'adopt' BT phone kiosk

Tanworth-in-Arden Parish Council is interested in taking ownership of a phone box as part of BT's 'Adopt a Kiosk' initiative.

The initiative provides local communities with the opportunity to adopt a traditional red 'heritage' phone box and make them an asset that local people can enjoy. It's really simple to do and costs just £1.

Tanworth-in-Arden Parish Council is seeking to adopt the phone box on The Green (B94 5AL). 

However, before the Parish Council can adopt the kiosk, BT are obliged under Ofcom regulations to consult with relevant public bodies on the permanent removal of the telephone service.

As part of the consultation process it is a requirement that Stratford-on-Avon District Council consults with the local community to obtain their view.

The consultation is now open and finishes on Thursday 23 December 2021 - https://online1.snapsurveys.com/thegreen

BT's Adopt a Kiosk Scheme - www.bt.com/adopt

• BT is offering communities across England the opportunity to adopt their local phone box for just £1 to turn them into something inspirational for their local area.
  
  
• BT is encouraging community groups to seize the opportunity to do something wonderful with phone boxes that have little or no usage. Already, more than 5,800 payphones have been adopted by communities since 2008.
  
  
• BT will continue to provide electricity (if already in place) to power the light for adopted kiosks, free of charge to communities. Where electricity is available, adopted boxes can be used as housings for defibrillators - an increasingly popular and potentially life-saving conversion. Other exciting new ventures include conversions to mini-libraries, miniature art museums, cake shops and information centres.
  
  
• The scheme is open to parish, community, town councils, or the equivalent, or a registered charity.
  
  
• Most people now have a mobile phone and calls made from our public telephones have fallen by around 90 per cent in the past decade.
  
  
• With at least 98% of the UK having either 3G or 4G coverage the need to provide payphones to use in emergency situations has decreased significantly. As long as there is network coverage, it's now possible to call the emergency services, even when there is no credit or no coverage from your own mobile provider
  
  
• Phone boxes are not being removed where there is no network coverage, in accident black spots, and a number of other locations which meet criteria.
  
  
• BT is also replacing more than 1,000 payphones in major cities across the UK, with new digital hubs called InLinks as part of a joint venture with InLinkUK. Each InLink provides ultrafast, free public Wi-Fi, phone calls, device charging and a tablet for access to city services, maps and directions.