3rd October 2006

The Council's adopted policy to widely consult  on new mobile phone masts was  yesterday re-affirmed at the suggestion of the City's Green Councillors.  Green Cllr Craig Simmons proposed at Full Council this week that the policy be re-affirmed alongside the Council's new Statement on Community Involvement.

This proposal received almost unanimous support.

The Council consults more widely than is required by planning law when mobile phone companies apply to install new masts.

Says Green Cllr Craig Simmons, who sat on the City's Telecoms Working Group: "Ideally we would be allowed to accept or refuse mast applications on a case by case basis. But Labour have decided in their wisdom to allow some masts under 'permitted development'. In most Council's this means that mobile phone company's are able to entirely bypass the planning system and install masts without any public consultation. In Oxford, we are doing what we can in the face of inadequate Government regulations by at least forcing applications to go out to public consultation - though our ability to refuse applications is still very limited."

Cllr Craig Simmons 01865 202257