Plaid Cymru MEP Jill Evans has today announced her support for the Plaid Cymru Assembly group’s motion to revise planning guidelines so that mobile phone masts are more sensitively sited. She has been calling for local councils and mobile phone companies to initiate effective pre-planning consultation with those affected by such masts, as well as campaigning against the erection of TETRA masts.

Jill Evans MEP said:

‘Councils should not give the go ahead for the erection of mobile phone masts until they are sure that it is safe for those in the surrounding area. Labour AM Sue Essex released a Press Notice in 2001, saying that the Labour Government would monitor the masts close to schools and houses so that the field strengths around such installations conform to Government guidelines, but we have no proof that this is happening.’

Jill added:

‘The fact that the Labour Government at Westminster has refused to release an important document on pre- planning guidelines and consultation processes shows that they have something to hide- that they are in the pockets of the mobile phone companies who continue to erect masts without taking in to account local people’s opinions or the opinions of health advisers. This should not be happening.’

Christine Slatter, a campaigner in the Rhondda, added:

‘I fully support this motion put forward at the National Assembly by Plaid Cymru. This means that mobile phone masts must go through normal planning applications and that mobile phone companies cannot just put up a mast wherever they please, and must talk to us as local residents.’

Diwedd/End.