I don't normally put press releases on here, but this has all just happened, so forgive me...
This afternoon North Norfolk District Council issued a STOP Notice to O2 and ordered them to stop transmitting from the mast on North Walsham Police Station within three days. North Norfolk Conservative Candidate Iain Dale, who attended the Planning Committee meeting supporting North Walsham residents welcomed Committee's decision, calling it "principled and a justified response to real public anxiety about the health effects of the TETRA mast."
Iain Dale comments:
"This decision should restore people's faith in local democracy. The Council have taken a brave and courageous decision which ought to receive the backing of the whole population of North Norfolk. They have issued a STOP notice in the knowledge that O2 may react by taking the Council to court. They have stood up to a giant company which has tried to ride roughshod over local people. O2 say that there is no other site for the mast. I find it very odd, and a great coincidence, that the only site which they find suitable happens to be on the police station. In the end we must adopt the precautionary principle outlined by Sir William Stewart in his report. We cannot play with people's health or people's lives. I strongly urge O2 to act responsibly and find an alternative site for the TETRA mast and to follow proper planning procedures in future.
"This issue has brought local politicians of all colours together, united in one cause. I pay tribute to the effort of the CATS (Campaign Against Tetra Siting) campaign and in particular the indefatigable work carried out by Matthew Pennington. CATS know that the story probably doesn't end here and everyone will need to carry on the campaign until O2 have finally agreed that another site can be found."
Editor's Note
The Conservative Party recently launched a new policy on the siting of telephone masts under the slogan of "YOU DECIDE WHERE THEY GO". Further details can be found at http://www.conservatives.com/tile.do?def=campaigns.display.page&obj_id=115870
What's a "politics station"?
ReplyDeleteDamn. And I proof read that three times...
ReplyDeleteIain, what health effects? Helping promote scaremongering is more a Lib Dem tactic and doesn't reflect well on your credibility. I work within 100 metres of 4 mobile phone masts and am completely not bothered by it. A responsible politician should be listening to people, explain the research and help them understand that there are no ill effects of living and working near mobile phone sites. Mobile Phone Masts do not make people ill, the fear that they have ill effects make people ill. By adding your name to the campaign, you are helping make people sick.
ReplyDeleteYou will be more trusted in the long term if you don't jump on every bandwagon for electoral gain, like I said, you're behaving like a Lib Dem.
Andy, believe me I thought long and hard about this and have done my research. I have not jumped on a bandwagon. The TETRA mast is not like a normal mobile phone mast and is far more powerful. The precautionary principle must apply and I do think O2 have behaved disgracefully. I've never been accused of behaving like a LibDem before and I genuinely don't think that's a fair accusation to make.
ReplyDeleteMy apologies for that, Iain, I'd assumed that you'd done no research as I'd been involved in a similar issue about 18 months ago (with the ones at work) and hadn't found anything that convinced me there was anything more than a reverse placebo effect. However I haven't heard of these new masts, if you could point me in the direction of your research so I can be informed if any are erected in this neck of the woods I would be grateful.
ReplyDeleteThat said I don't condone any underhand business O2 might have made, if they operate secretively, then it's no surprise that residents think there's something dangerous about these masts.
The signal from new masts is "stronger" (to carry video images etc) but, as I understand it from friends who have scientific backgrounds, the type of signal is the same. That is ultimately what matters. If something isn't harmful it really isn't at all relevant how "strong" the dose is.
ReplyDeleteRecent research (this week) suggests that there may be damage caused by proximity to mobile phone masts. If there is any doubt regarding the possibility that the radio waves used to transmit to and from mobile phones may cause harm to people, this should be an urgent research priority. The proximity of mobile phone transmitter masts and, in particular, TETRA masts should be considered so as to minimise any potential risks - and this should include NOT using school buildings/land.
ReplyDeleteAgain, I've heard comment about recent research but nobody seems able or willing to even point me in the right direction for it. Even the name of the organisation that's done the research or the name of a news organisation that's reported it would help, I don't mind doing the Googling myself.
ReplyDeleteI've posted a fisking of an anti 3G campaigner on my own blog and invited him to reply, it might be interesting.
What's a fisking?
ReplyDeletefisking: n.
ReplyDelete[blogosphere; very common] A point-by-point refutation of a blog entry or (especially) news story. A really stylish fisking is witty, logical, sarcastic and ruthlessly factual; flaming or handwaving is considered poor form. Named after Robert Fisk, a British journalist who was a frequent (and deserving) early target of such treatment. See also MiSTing, anti-idiotarianism
http://catb.org/~esr/jargon/html/F/fisking.html
DM Andy - try looking on that little known news organ, the BBC website. As for fisking and whatever, perhaps you should get out more...
ReplyDeleteThat's a fair point, anonymous (shame about the insulting way you put it)
ReplyDeleteI did indeed go to the BBC News site and found the report about the TNO study. As you should know as it's on my site, I have already looked at the TNO site and not found details of the research. The BBC article is a bit vague on the actual findings.
I am of course openminded on the issue and if the data supports the suggestion that there is a health risk to 3G masts then I will change my opinion. But at the moment I am perfectly happy working under them and would be just as happy were there one on the top of my flat.