Phone masts victory

nlnews@archant.co.uk

Caron Brooks (left) and supporters at their phone masts protest

PROTEST groups against mobile masts in Muswell Hill received a massive boost when Haringey Council pledged to pressure the Government over the worries faced by residents.

The council is one of a small clutch in the country to take the plight of neighbourhoods plagued by mobile phone masts, to Westminster.

The issue was raised at a meeting of the full council on Monday night as a delegation of Muswell Hill residents protested on the steps of Haringey Civic Centre in Wood Green.

The demonstrators were opposing masts being erected close to their homes.

Campaigner Caron Brooks, who lives near Barrington Court, Colney Hatch Lane - which has a number of antennae on its roof - said: "It has never happened before. We have never managed to get anything like this."

Councillor Wayne Hoban (Liberal Democrat), of Alexandra Ward, urged the council to reject plans for mobile phone masts on the "precautionary principle" of possible health risks linked to the equipment.

This element of Councillor Hoban's motion was rejected in the council chamber, but his calls for pressure being put on the Government received cross-party support.

Ms Brooks added: "We would have liked to see the precautionary principle included - we want all masts and antennae removed from residential areas."

Mother-of-two, Hannah Berryman, who lives in Grand Avenue. Muswell Hill, close to a Vodafone mast, said: "We do not want our kids to have to be the guinea pigs. Children cannot decide whether they are near a mast in their school."

Her three-year-old was at Church Crescent pre-school, Muswell Hill, which had a mast sited nearby.

Councillor Hoban said after the meeting that he was "very disappointed" with the amendment because "the jury is still out regarding health concerns". But he welcomed the council's decision to set up a scrutiny review committee on mobile phone masts.

Councillor Gideon Bull (Labour, White Hart Lane), who is chairing the scrutiny review said: "I agree with all the concerns he [Councillor Hoban] has raised."

He added: "We need to be given more power to turn down mobile phone applications when they threaten our residents."

Councillor Harry Lister (Labour), executive member for enterprise and regeneration, said: "What we need to do together is to concentrate on the third part of this motion: to be part of a campaign that the government will take notice of and to do that in a way that will build up pressure not just from this authority but from every authority in London."

Councillors across the chamber agreed that the issue should not be turned into a "political football".