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Dismay as phone mast challenge is dropped
Monday 24th November 2008, 11:17AM GMT.
A bid to force a telecommunications giant to remove a mast has failed after Telford & Wrekin Council decided it could have faced “significant costs and damages” if the firm appealed.
The council has admitted defeat in attempts to challenge its lease agreement with Vodafone for the mast in Malinslee.
People nearby were told of the decision in a letter from Councillor Stephen Bentley, cabinet member for environment and regeneration.
In it Councillor Bentley said he had “explored and exhausted all avenues” to challenge the agreement.
“While I have heard the arguments presented to myself and to officers of the authority, that the council could terminate the lease before it expires in 2016, I am advised the grounds on which the decision may be taken are inadequate,” he said.
“It has to be said Vodafone has breached a provision of the lease, which required the giving of 48-hours’ notice of intention to commence the installation.
“However, I am advised that, if the council tried to rely on this breach to treat the lease as terminated, this could be successfully challenged by Vodafone.
“Barrister’s advice provided to the council has indicated Vodafone’s challenge would have been upheld and, as a consequence, the council would have been vulnerable to a significant costs and damages award.”
Campaigner John Minshall said today he felt “let down” by the council.
Members of the Telford Residents Against Masts group now plan to meet to discuss their next move.
Mr Minshall, of St Leonard’s Place, Malinslee, said: “The council seems to have thrown the towel in.”
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I would suggest that everyone in Malinslee who is opposed to this mast should organise a sit in at the local Vodafone shop!
If the council are not prepared to do anything perhaps Vodafone will listen to people power?
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I agree with Persona Non Grata, i know the shops don’t like that sort of thing and as long as it’s done peacefully then there’s no problem.
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I agree with that move. Unfortunately when it comes to the Council this excuse is a cop out that has been used many times even when businesses saw their properties sold from under their feet.
Direct action at a vodafone store, done peacefully is a good idea.
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Why did Cllr Eade promise something he could not do – ?!
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And likewise, all those Vodafone Customers whom now benefit from the stronger signal strength, turn up at the shop to congratulate the Vodafone people.
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i believe that all objectors to mobile phone installations should throw out their mobile phones, disconnect themselves from technology and use carrier pigeon as a means of communication – if they do that then i would consider it acceptable for someone to object
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if people power does not work, take an axe to it
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Me, what about just having these masted placed away from homes? The extra masts are for the 3G phones generally, why can’t we just stick to what we have. It’s mainly nonsense messages and photos being sent for no real reason and we are expected to pay for this with our health. Why can’t we just have a bit of reason where masts are concerned. I travel all over Shropshire and you can get signals in most places. WHY do we need more masts?
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Ade – I am sure the mobile phone companies do not put up their antennae to annoy people… they do it because there is a demand for the services that they provide – whether that is nonsense messages and photos or emergency phone calls. Such an installation costs many thousands of pounds to build, it is not a decision that is taken lightly. 3G technology is different to 2G in that its ‘coverage area’ is reduced therefore there is a need for more installations to provide coverage to the same areas that 2G covers at present, hence more masts. if the masts were away from homes (i.e. in a field which is where i imagine you want them to be) they could not provide the coverage to the residential/commercial/industrial areas. As i say, the installations cost a lot of money, they are not built for no reason. For all you objectors out there, real people power would be to throw away your phones, then masts would not be needed.
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Malinslee is in the fallout zone of Ironbridge power station & the health of residents will be impaired without ant additional hazards.
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me, i understand what you are saying, but i think the reports into the health issues associated with masts, should not be ignored. There is a demand, but from kids using phones for nonsense texts. Most people i know with a 3G phone are under the age of 18 and i think this is unnecassary. Why can’t we just use landlines while at home, mobiles should be just that, for mobile use only. Surely our health is more important.
The big companies do not have our interests at heart. When a mast nearly went up near my home, i asked O2 if they were safe. They refused to answer my question, which i asked repeatedly.
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ADE said:”The big companies do not have our interests at heart. ..i asked O2 if they were safe. They refused to answer my question, which i asked repeatedly.”
The big companies DO care about the health of their users – they have a legal and moral obligation. Mobile companies will point you at the numerous studies that showe NO harmful effects from mobile phone masts. They would also point out (correctly) that you can never prove ANYTHING is totally safe.
Patrick (works for mobile phone company in UK)
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Actually look into who makes the pay outs when masts cause ill effects to those living near by. Look at the Vatican case. It wasn’t the company that built and installed their mast that got prosecuted and found guilty, it was two Vatican priests responsible for it’s installation.
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I cant find anything about a Vatican mobile phone mast case – have you got more details ?
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Why not put your own flag and mast up outside the Vodafone shop?
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