CALL TO FORM A MOBILE PHONE MAST ACTION GROUP IN TAMWORTH
Tamworth Herald
10:30 - 17 August 2006
Almost every month, controversial phone mast applications are submitted to the council.
These applications are ignoring Tamworth's 100m IPG policy. My own surveys indicate that over 97 per cent of Tamworth's residents support this policy and the signs/indications are that the applicants are seeking to undermine its importance.
The problem is not unique to Tamworth and in Telford there are now over 400 masts; 'the people do not want these close to their homes'.
Over on the east coast, residential groups have been set up who work with the applicants and the local authority to identify and assist in identifying appropriate locations that satisfy the applicants' views and also respect the views of the community. To date, the applicants are not showing respect for the local views.
I propose that the residents of Tamworth form a similar group. These will not go away and we need to accept that these phone masts are required. I have talked with a few councillors and a few residents and the idea has received support.
I therefore ask the residents of Tamworth to communicate with me if they are willing to consider working to set up such a group and to move forward constructively.
The intention is, once a group is set up, to register with the local authority as a non statutory consultee purely on this single issue.
To be successful, residents who are members of other groups all over Tamworth or are active in the community and know their area are required. The success of such a group will depend on its community input.
Anyone interested in helping to move this forward should contact me. All responses will be answered and an evening weekday meeting will be arranged. Please give in your response, evenings that suit you.
To date, I understand that the council has rejected all those that do not comply with the 100m policy and consequently, eight appeals have been registered. Time is short for local action.
Please do not leave this to others because we are all likely to be affected.
Any councillor who is not on the planning committee will also be welcomed/invited to respond.
Ken Forest
Although I am not a resident in Tamworth, I am pleased to see that more and more people are waking up to the human rights abuse of the insensitive placing of mobile phone masts. I am a Parish Councillor in a village where we are being placed "under siege" by mobile operators who are now installing and upgrading at will. I would urge anyone who feels that their rights are being abused to contact their MP - or the Government direct if your MP is unwilling to take up this cause - and demand that planning laws are tightened to restore democracy. OFCOM - who are supposed to be the Government Body who oversees this Industry are, I am afraid, very heavily committed to rolling out the networks and, therefore, would appear to be operating with a serious conflict of interest. I wish this new group every success.
Cllr Sylvia Wright,
Essington,
Staffordshire
10:30 - 17 August 2006
Almost every month, controversial phone mast applications are submitted to the council.
These applications are ignoring Tamworth's 100m IPG policy. My own surveys indicate that over 97 per cent of Tamworth's residents support this policy and the signs/indications are that the applicants are seeking to undermine its importance.
The problem is not unique to Tamworth and in Telford there are now over 400 masts; 'the people do not want these close to their homes'.
Over on the east coast, residential groups have been set up who work with the applicants and the local authority to identify and assist in identifying appropriate locations that satisfy the applicants' views and also respect the views of the community. To date, the applicants are not showing respect for the local views.
I propose that the residents of Tamworth form a similar group. These will not go away and we need to accept that these phone masts are required. I have talked with a few councillors and a few residents and the idea has received support.
I therefore ask the residents of Tamworth to communicate with me if they are willing to consider working to set up such a group and to move forward constructively.
The intention is, once a group is set up, to register with the local authority as a non statutory consultee purely on this single issue.
To be successful, residents who are members of other groups all over Tamworth or are active in the community and know their area are required. The success of such a group will depend on its community input.
Anyone interested in helping to move this forward should contact me. All responses will be answered and an evening weekday meeting will be arranged. Please give in your response, evenings that suit you.
To date, I understand that the council has rejected all those that do not comply with the 100m policy and consequently, eight appeals have been registered. Time is short for local action.
Please do not leave this to others because we are all likely to be affected.
Any councillor who is not on the planning committee will also be welcomed/invited to respond.
Ken Forest
Although I am not a resident in Tamworth, I am pleased to see that more and more people are waking up to the human rights abuse of the insensitive placing of mobile phone masts. I am a Parish Councillor in a village where we are being placed "under siege" by mobile operators who are now installing and upgrading at will. I would urge anyone who feels that their rights are being abused to contact their MP - or the Government direct if your MP is unwilling to take up this cause - and demand that planning laws are tightened to restore democracy. OFCOM - who are supposed to be the Government Body who oversees this Industry are, I am afraid, very heavily committed to rolling out the networks and, therefore, would appear to be operating with a serious conflict of interest. I wish this new group every success.
Cllr Sylvia Wright,
Essington,
Staffordshire
rudkla - 22. Aug, 19:36
