Fears BT box row will stall fast broadband in Oswestry
Oswestry's mayor fears the town's upgrade to superfast broadband is at risk of stalling – because of a row over where a vital piece of BT equipment should be installed.
The BT broadband cabinet was originally installed in Festival Square in front of the sculpture of a farmer, but it was removed after town councillors complained the green box was detrimental to the town centre conservation area.
Councillors heard on Wednesday that BT says the only other possible location for its cabinet is outside the Nat West Bank, in Church Street.
But the report said Nat West had not agreed to the cabinet being sited there so BT has put it on hold while it carries out the rest of its superfast broadband works programme.
Town mayor Martin Bennett said he was concerned by the decision to defer.
Effect
He asked: "What effect does this have on the introduction of superfast broadband for Oswestry? Which bits of Oswestry are unlikely to get the superfast broadband?"
The mayor said he was worried it could mean having to choose whether to have the BT cabinet in an appropriate place in the town centre or to deny some people the faster connection.
Town councillors agreed to approach Nat West to ask it to consider having the cabinet at its premises and if that failed, to organise a meeting between planners and BT bosses to find a way forward.
A spokesman for Nat West said it would work with BT to find a solution. He added: "We have to consider future property and operational requirements, access, safety and security at all of our branches both inside and out and at all times."
A spokesman for BT said it is working with the council 'to find an alternative location nearby to enable more local businesses and homes to be connected to the new technology'.
