Agenda item

(Report of the Scrutiny Review panel) – to agree the conclusions and recommendations of the Review

The Chair of the Review Panel, Councillor Bevan, gave an outline of the key findings and recommendations contained in the report of the Overview and Scrutiny Committee's Review of Mobile phone masts.  On 22 November 2004 the Overview and Scrutiny Committee received a report on mobile phone base stations. Following this the Committee recommended that current planning consultation procedures should be reviewed and subsequently it was decided to make it the subject of a scrutiny review. When commissioning the review, the Overview and Scrutiny Committee was adamant that the Terms of Reference would not cover health issues, in relation to mobile phone base stations. He outlined the methodology used by the Scrutiny Review Panel. Review meetings were well advertised in advance and there was an article in the Journal Group of local newspapers. All local tenant associations and residents groups received invitations to participate.

Councillor Bevan outlined the following Recommendations for the Committee’s approval:

To Government:

(i)                 That the Government be urged to reconsider the recommendations contained in the Stewart Report and adopt in particular the recommendation that full planning permission be required in respect of all new applications for base stations.

To Operators:

(ii)               That operators be requested to supply evidence to Haringey Council in terms of cell coverage, network demand etc sufficient to justify the need for any additional base stations in the borough.

(iii)             That operators be requested to produce maps (TELSTRA plot) showing the area overlaid with the beam and information on the direction and strength of the beam for all mobile phone base stations (present and planned) and such information to be publicly available.

(iv)              That operators be encouraged to develop better visual screening of antennae.

To both the Operators and the Executive:

(v)                That Annual Roll out meetings be held between the operators and the Local Planning Authority at the earliest possible opportunity after the publication of the roll out plans (refer to Para 6.5 for benefits including site sharing)

(vi)              That following the roll out meeting an Annual meeting be held with  interested groups and residents organisations to enable early notification and consultation on potential site locations.

To the Executive:

(vii)            That site notices be put up advertising all applications for Mobile phone  base stations.

(viii)          That a consultation radius of 100m be introduced for all Mobile   phone base station applications.

(ix)              That the Planning Service responses with respect to applications considered under prior approval be delivered to the operators by fax and by post by the 56^th day.

(x)                That the Director of Environment’s views be sought on the need for an “in principle” decision as to whether to approve of ‘lamp-post swap’ types of installation.

(xi)              That the Mast Register be maintained and made available on      the Council’s Website, together with the Certificates of compliance with the ICNIRP guidelines.

(xii)            That the Radiocommunications Agency  be requested to monitor  emissions in the borough in sensitive areas where there are mobile phone base stations in close proximity to each other or/and in areas where local residents have expressed significant concerns regarding emissions in a sensitive area e.g. a local school.

(xiii)          That the District Valuer be requested to ensure that all existing mobile phone base stations and future installations are assessed for Business Rates.

(xiv)          That the appropriate income collection sections in the Finance Service, ensure that all rent and rates, in relation to mobile phone base stations, are collected.

(xv)            That the Council notes the operators’ commitment to fully comply with their ten commitments launched in 2001 to supplement Government planning regulations.

                        RESOLVED:

·                    That the report of the Scrutiny Review Panel: Mobile Phone Masts (February 2006) and the conclusions and recommendations of the review be endorsed; and

·                    that the report be referred to the Executive for its consideration.