Making a difference to the people of Medway

Council passes Conservative four-point plan to fight mobile phone mast near school

Press release posted on Friday, 31 July 2009

Cllr Reh Chishti Plans to step up the campaign against a mobile phone mast in Railway Street Gillingham received unanimous support at last night’s meeting of Medway Council (Thursday 30 July 2009).

Despite objections from Medway Council, a new 3G mast has been installed next to St Mary’s RC School in Greenfield Road.

The Council’s Development Control Committee has twice rejected the plans, but has been overruled by the government’s Planning Inspectorate.

At last night’s meeting the Conservative Portfolio Holder for Community Safety and Enforcement Cllr Rehman Chishti proposed the following four-point plan:

  1. Requests that the Chief Executive of Medway Council writes to Vodafone urging them to reconsider, for the safety of children, their decision to place a mast in Railway Street and to request a meeting with them and representatives from Medway Council to discuss the matter, with a view of having this phone mast removed.
  2. To seek the support of the Member of Parliament for Rainham and Gillingham and asks that he table an early day motion to restrict the location of mobile phone masts in the vicinity of schools and densely populated residential areas.
  3. To write to the government expressing the view that planning decisions are best left in the hands of local authorities who have a wide understanding of their area and not to planning inspectors who have scant knowledge of local circumstances.
  4. To call on the Chairman of the Health Overview and Scrutiny Committee to put forward a member’s item looking into the possible health implications associated with phone masts.

Cllr Rehman Chishti said:

"I congratulate the parents, children and teachers for their tireless campaign against this mast. This four point plan puts pressure of the government and the mobile phone companies to take greater consideration of the potential health impact on children and residents when deciding where to place these phone masts and I hope that the local Member of Parliament will take up this cause by putting forward an early day motion to restrict the locations of masts near schools."

ENDS

Note to Editors

  1. Further information on the application to install a 3G phone mast in Railway Street, Gillingham can be found through this link