| Candidates for the coming Council elections should be pressed to back a commitment to suspend all
mobile phone mast applications on Council property, Labour’s Sutton Coldfield campaigner Dr Rob Pocock
told the recent inaugural meeting of ‘Birmingham Residents Against Masts’ (BRAM).
He was speaking at the meeting held in the BVSC centre, Digbeth, called to unite the growing number of
campaigns around Birmingham against mobile phone and Tetra communications masts. The meeting agreed to set up a new cross-city alliance of campaigns against the possible health threat from the transmission masts. The constitution of BRAM calls for all election candidates to support the campaign, but Dr Pocock pressed for a clearer and sharper campaign commitment. Commenting on the meeting, he said, “It’s not enough to ask candidates for a vague gesture of support. What really matters is that they pledge themselves to a firm and deliverable commitment. I have said for some time now, that the Council should follow the Government’s call for a ‘precautionary principle’ to be applied. Since the health effects are still the subject of serious research, it seems only reasonable that the Council should agree to a ‘moratorium’ suspending all new proposals to put masts on its property while the matter is investigated. The Council is a vast landowner, from schools, council flats, leisure centres and social service buildings. I know the Council can’t stop private land owners bidding to have masts but it should take a firm line against any intention to use its own land for this purpose until such time as the present doubts over the health risks are removed. This is lawful, responsible and fair – it’s a policy all candidates should be asked to support”. Details of BRAM can be found from Martin Tolman, Birmingham Neighbourhood Forums Unit, 0121 303 4854. ENDS Dr. Pocock is Labour’s Campaign Manager for the Sutton Coldfield Labour Party. |