Cost of saving a red phone box (From Craven Herald)

Cost of saving a red phone box

7:21am Wednesday 3rd September 2008 in

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Residents in Salterforth may have to pay extra council tax if they are to save their traditional red phone kiosk.

BT had planned to remove the old-style box, but the parish council objected and applied for a conservation order to protect it.

Now BT has agreed to review its policy and allow the local authority to adopt or sponsor the kiosk as part of a new scheme.

But the parish council will have to come up with an annual fee of £500 to sponsor the kiosk and retain the full payphone service.

If it pays the fee - which represents one sixth of the parish council's annual budget - BT will continue to maintain the box and service.

Salterforth Parish Council chairman Jeff Haydock has said that the phone box was a "needed facility" in the community.

Now he believes that the only way to raise the £500 will be to increase residents' council tax by around 75p a year.

Coun Haydock said: "It's outrageous and we just can't afford to pay it. Our budget is very meagre as it's only £3,000 and we have to use that to pay for things like having the grass cut and painting railings, they might not sound like much, but these things cost money.

"We can't afford the sponsorship fee, but it is something that we would be interested in if we could raise the money.

"One of the things we're looking at is precepting, which would mean council tax payers in the village pay a small additional amount to fund the sponsorship.

"But it isn't my decision and will have to be discussed by the full parish council."

Alternatively, BT is offering the chance to adopt the kiosk, meaning the council would gain full ownership of the box, but the telephone equipment would be removed.

But Coun Haydock said: "We want to keep the phone service and that is our primary aim."

A BT spokesman said: "During the consultation process around moving unprofitable payphones, a number of suggestions have been voiced by local people and local government.

"We have listened to these suggestions and can now confirm that local authorities that wish to maintain red telephone boxes, minus the telephone equipment, for aesthetic or heritage reasons will be able to do so.

"In addition, local authorities that have requested to contribute to maintenance costs to retain a red telephone box with a working telephone will also be accommodated."

BT will not be removing and red kiosks until October 1, which is the deadline for local authorities to submit their application to adopt or sponsor a kiosk.