Update 16th June 2008
Saturday 21st June we are having an Awareness Morning in Southwell
As you know we have been campaigning against the siting of O2's mobile phone mast at the Telephone Exchange, Southwell since June 2007. Our community are very unhappy that we were not consulted and scientific doubt remains over the long term safety of mobile phone masts.
On Saturday 21st June we are having an Awareness Morning in Southwell. This is an opportunity to explain to residents why we are still campaigning and what we have achieved so far. We have got permission to set up a stall opposite Gascoine's the Estate Agent, on Queen's St. Mr Patrick Mercer, our local MP and Mr Bruce Laughton, our County Council who have supported the campaign from the beginning will be joining us. Mr Mercer will be at the stall between 10.45 - 11.30 am and Mr Laughton will be there between 10.00 - 11.30 am.
Residents will have the opportunity to chat with both politicians and sign our new petition which will be going to Westminster. Members of the No Masts in Southwell community group will also be able to demonstrate to residents how Southwell's campaign has been linked with other communities who are fighting an O2 mast. Flyers explaining the campaign's objectives and asking for more support will be distributed to passers by.
We do hope you will be able to join us.
If you can't join us please download our awareness pack by clicking here
Update May 28th
Below is an update on the current position with our campaign
We have been busy supporting other communities like ours in the UK by sharing the information we have obtained and researched. Our campaign group is being referred to in news articles across the country.
Having spent hours researching the scientific studies, government reports and recommendations we found that our main conclusion referred to the Mobile Telecommunications Health Research report (published in September 2007) which stated that epidemiological studies are needed to determine whether or not mobile phone masts pose a long term risk to health.
In April 2008 O2 confirmed to our campaign group that no published epidemiological data exists in relation to children and the long term effects of RF emissions on them. Due to this lack of essential data our community asked O2 to move its mast to a more precautionary location, away from the schools and residential housing. In response O2 publicly stated that their mast does not represent a risk to our children.
However, we felt that O2’s response seemed to contradict the position of the experts at the MTHR so in April 2008 we wrote to O2 asking them for clarification:-
“By refusing to move the mast at the Telephone Exchange, Southwell to a more precautionary location, are O2 saying that epidemiological research, in relation to children and RF emissions, is not needed to determine whether or not the O2 mast at the Telephone Exchange, Southwell poses a long term risk to our children's health?”
To date, we are still waiting for an answer to our question from O2 and after a year of campaigning it does seem to us that O2 are very keen to avoid publicly discussing the importance of epidemiological studies, to evaluate the long term effects of RF emissions on children.
We have shared these findings recently with all the MPs in the UK and other campaign groups, in the hope that the government changes policy so a precautionary approach of locating equipment away from schools and homes is adopted until the epidemiological studies are concluded.
To make our campaign clear, we are not against the use of mobile phones or phone masts, we just want the recommended research to be carried out so we can make the right choices about this technology. Children and residents in our community should not be exposed to EMF signals from phone masts for long periods of time until they are in possession of the scientific evidence to say it is not causing them harm.
Letters uploaded
Latest letters to 02 and to the Strategic Director of Children & Young People's Services Click here to view
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Mobile phones and Masts make the headlines again.
Risks to Children highlighted. The action group has copied the article to 02, National Grid Wireless and BT.
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Letter received to reaffirm support from the Southwell Town Council
We have received a letter from the Southwell Town Council reaffirming their support for the No Masts in Southwell Campaign
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Campaign Update 28th January 2008
645 English MPs emailed with our letter - We are already receiving positive responses and support.
75 Nottingham County Councilors emailed with our letter
[BBC NEWS] A medical practice considers moving to new premises amid concerns about the safety of phone masts
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Campaign Update 21st January 2008
Please find time to download and read our letter summarising 6 months of research into this issue and detailing the conclusions we have reached. The letter offers BT, O2 and National Grid Wireless an opportunity to challenge the conclusions, if they so wish.
We do intend to circulate this letter as widely as possible and will be sending a copy to every MP in England in order to raise the general profile of this issue, as well as pressing agencies and politicians to have O2's mast relocated.
News 9th December 2007
The no masts in Southwell website has had 10,003 visitors since June this year.
Evidence that the community is keeping its eye on whats happening in the campaign.
Campaign Update
The campaign is running strong and gaining in size and speed. Not a day goes by where we are not campaigning on behalf of the community to have the mast better sited.
The campaign group has been busy looking in to many options to develop and continue with the campaign. A number of exciting developments and new contacts offering support will boost the campaign in the near future.
If you would like to be involved in the campaign, we are always looking for support to help with the busy work load. Please get in touch and come along to one of our next meetings.
BREAKING NEWS - Friday 14th September 2007
New weekly updates will be added to this website every Friday afternoon, please be sure to visit us and see how our community’s campaign is progressing.
CAMPAIGN UPDATE
UK MOBILE TELECOMMUNICATIONS & HEALTH RESEARCH PROGRAMME
On Wednesday a major six year research programme by MTHRP concluded that in the short term mobile phones do not pose a health risk. However, programme chairman Professor Lawrie Challis also added “ We cannot rule out the possibility that cancer could appear in a few years’ time. There is no way we can do that, both because the epidemiological evidence we have is not strong enough to rule it out and secondly, because most cancers cannot be detected until ten years after whatever caused them. The research must continue. We can’t reassure people about the long term use.” (source: The Times, Sept 13th 2007)
Is it possible that the same concerns might apply to mobile phone masts in the long term? Emission levels are significantly lower, but exposure can be 24/7.
LOCAL ACTION
NMIS have heard that some residents are changing their mobile phone contracts from O2 to other operators. NMIS would like to thank those residents for actively supporting the campaign. If you decide to follow suit, please be sure to tell O2 why.
NMIS are planning to raise the campaign’s profile in our community. Car bumper stickers are being designed and a poster which will be available to download directly from this website. Please check breaking news for further details. NMIS would also like to thank residents who have offered their help. As the campaign expands additional help will be needed. An update for parents will be handed out at the Lowe’s Wong schools next week.
COMPLAINT ABOUT O2’S APPLICATION
With no regulatory body to ensure that mobile phone operators follow best practice in mast applications, NMIS asked O2 to undertake an internal review. O2 replied this week that they are satisfied community consultation in Southwell was carried out in line with the industry’s Code of Best Practice. However, NMIS are still waiting for O2 to explain why their agent did not want copies of parental objections sent to him and why he didn’t record the number of parental objections or Southwell Town Council’s objections, in the application documentation.
NMIS believe our community has sufficient grounds to request a full review of the consultation process and accordingly have asked to access O2’s complaints procedure.
Our report into the community consultation process can be viewed in full on this website.
NEWARK & SHERWOOD DISTRICT COUNCIL
NMIS are still waiting for a reply from Newark & Sherwood District Council in relation to their complaint about the council’s role in the community consultation process.
NATIONAL GRID WIRELESS
This week Mr Bernard Quinn, Director of Asset Management, NGW replied to our letter.
His response and our earlier letter to NGW can be viewed in full on this website
LETTER WRITING
This week NMIS have written to 6 Members of the European Parliament. They are Robert Kilroy – Silk, Glenis Willmott, Bill Newton Dunn, Christopher Heaton – Harris, Derek Clark, Roger Helmer. NMIS are seeking clarification on the human rights of the children at the Lowe’s Wong schools and children living in Southwell.
Please feel free to send your own letters to any of the above.
END
BREAKING NEWS - Wed 12th September 2007
Mobile Telecommunications and Health Research Programme (MTHRP) released today, see the news links to the right.
BREAKING NEWS - Friday 7th September 2007
New weekly updates will be added to this website every Friday afternoon, please be sure to visit us and see how our community’s campaign is progressing.
CAMPAIGN UPDATE
APPEAL TO THE LOCAL EDUCATION AUTHORITY
This week NMIS have called on the LEA to intervene directly with O2 and National Grid Wireless. The campaign group are arguing that in light of concerns being expressed by other communities and schools in the national media there are sufficient grounds for the LEA to insist (until more is known) that O2 agree a mutually acceptable site with our community. NMIS have reminded the LEA that our understanding the Children’s Act 1989 is that the risk of harm does not have to be proven or to have taken place; it is sufficient that it could be a likelihood or perceived risk.
NMIS LOBBY SOUTHWELL TOWN COUNCIL
On Wednesday night members of the NMIS campaign group attended a planning meeting at the town council. A spokesman for the group thanked the council for their significant level of support in this matter. The campaign group then asked town councillors to dig deeper and support their constituents by lobbying central government and opposition parties directly. for a complete review of the planning procedures, relating to telecommunications applications.
Please click here to view the full statement.
The town council voted to support our campaign and agreed to write to government ministers, calling for a change in the planning laws and for a regulatory body to be set up to monitor telecom companies that apply for new masts. They also agreed to support our efforts to have the proposed mast at the Ropewalk resited.
COMPLAINT ABOUT O2’S APPLICATION
NMIS have been informed by the department for Communities and Local Government that no regulatory body exists to ensure that mobile phone operators follow best practice in mobile phone mast applications. We think this is disgraceful. Our community has a complaint to make and there isn’t a regulatory body to review it. The department for Communities and local Government have advised that we ask O2 to undertake an internal review and we have duly done so.
Our report into the community consultation process can be viewed in full on this website.
The department for Communities and Local Government also said “we intend to revise the Code of Best Practice and will take into account your representations in doing so. I have noted your view that the Code of Best Practice should be statutory and that that there should be an independent body that regulates the mobile phone operators in terms of their role in the Planning process.”
Newark & Sherwood District Council confirmed yesterday that our complaint against the council is still being investigated and a response should be with us early next week. If we are not satisfied with the council’s comments then we will contact the ombudsman immediately.
NATIONAL GRID WIRELESS
This week the 'No Masts in Southwell' campaign group have replied to National Grid Wireless’s letter. Our comments can be viewed in full on this website
LETTER WRITING
Letters written this week to National Grid Wireless, owners of the Telephone Exchange, Iain Wright. Parliamentary Under Secretary of State, the Local Education Authority,
Please feel free to send your own letters to any of the above.
RELAUNCH OF WEBSITE
In the next few weeks the group’s website at www.nomastsinsouthwell.co.uk will be relaunched. We hope residents interested in being active in the campaign will get in touch with us, meanwhile other residents can go on the website each week and decide how to support us. Letter writing, displaying a poster in your window, changing your mobile phone contract to a more responsible operator, it all helps to show O2 that this is our community and we don’t want the mast in that location.
END
BREAKING NEWS - Friday 28th August
New weekly updates will be added to this website every Friday afternoon, please be sure to visit us and see how our community’s campaign is progressing.
CAMPAIGN UPDATE
NATIONAL GRID WIRELESS
This week the 'No Masts in Southwell' campaign group have received a reply to their letter to National Grid Wireless. In essence National Grid Wireless disagree with the comments made in the Daily Mail article, they argue (quoting various scientific and health sources) that no risk exists living near a mobile phone mast. On that basis they intend to let O2 build the mast on their land. We have contacted the Daily Mail explaining that National Grid Wireless do not agree with the comments made in their article. We have offered the Daily Mail the opportunity to respond. NMIS will also reply to National Grid wireless next week.
COMPLAINT ABOUT O2’S APPLICATION
Newark & Sherwood District Council have confirmed they will respond to NMIS within the next ten days. If we are not satisfied with the outcome we will contact the ombudsman immediately.
We are also finding out which regulatory body governs complaints against mobile phone operators.
LETTER WRITING
Letters written so far to Peter Erskine , Chairman of O2, Ed Balls, Minister for Schools and Families, Iain Wright. Parliamentary Under Secretary of State, Gordon Brown, Prime Minister, All Party Parliamentary Committee for Telecommunications, National Grid Wireless, Newark & Sherwood District Councillors.
Please feel free to send your own letters to any of the above.
NMIS LAUNCH NATIONAL CAMPAIGN
In response to O2’s decision to site a mobile phone mast at the Ropewalk, Southwell the No Masts in Southwell action group have announced their plans to launch a national campaign. Mrs Awen Little, a member of the group and a governor at Lowe’s Wong Junior school said “ O2 and National Grid Wireless do not appear to be interested in the concerns of our community or in finding a mutually acceptable site for the mast. In order to effect real change we are moving our campaign into the national arena.”
The full press release can be viewed on this website.
LETTERS TO DISTRICT COUNCILLORS
This week No Masts in Southwell have written to all relevant Newark & Sherwood District Councillors, asking them to support their constituents by lobbying central government and opposition parties for a complete review of the planning procedures, relating to telecommunications applications.
RELAUNCH OF WEBSITE
In the next few weeks the group’s website at www.nomastsinsouthwell.co.uk will be relaunched. We hope residents interested in being active in the campaign will get in touch with us, meanwhile other residents can go on the website each week and decide how to support us. Letter writing, displaying a poster in your window, changing your mobile phone contract to a more responsible operator, it all helps to show O2 that this is our community and we don’t want the mast in that location.
BREAKING NEWS - Friday 23rd August
New weekly updates will be added to this website every Friday afternoon, please be sure to visit us and see how our community’s campaign is progressing.
LATEST NATIONAL NEWSPAPER COMMENT ON BASE STATIONS
News of the World, August 12th 2007 “Cancer Alley”
CAMPAIGN UPDATE
This week the 'No Masts in Southwell' campaign group have written again to National Grid Wireless asking them not to allow O2’s mast to be sited on their property.
To date, over 300 residents have already written asking National Grid Wireless not to allow O2 to site their mast on National Grid Wireless property.
A spokesman for the campaign group said – “ we wanted to remind National Grid Wireless that Sir William Stewart, Government adviser and head of the National Radiological Protection Board, has said of masts near schools: "I believe on a precautionary basis it would be better if they were not there. I would prefer them not to be near schools."
An article from the Daily Mail website click here to view has suggested that the signal emitted from base stations is strongest between 50 and 200 metres. The campaign group have reminded National Grid Wireless that the Lowes Wong Schools fall within that distance, approximately 120 metres from the Telephone Exchange, the Ropewalk which is owned by National Grid Wireless.
The article also comments that experts have warned with “so little research it's impossible to predict the long-term health effects” and government experts have warned of “a genuine radiation risk to young brains, particularly in children of primary school age”.
The campaign group asked National grid Wireless to give consideration to the following concerns:-
“We do not disagree with the data indicating that exposure levels from a mast are a 1,000 times lower than using a mobile phone. However we are concerned that because so little research has been undertaken, scientific experts cannot accurately predict the long term effects on health, as a result of living near to a base station.
In the case of many children in Southwell they will be exposed to radiation from O2’s mast 24/7 and it simply is not known whether in the long term their developing bodies and immune systems will be able to cope safely with the continuous exposure to radiation.”
National Grid Wireless are part of the solution to this problem, if they allow O2 to site a mast on their property then they are making a commercial decision which an increasing number of MP’s and communities see as undemocratic and lacking in moral integrity. National Grid Wireless have a choice to support our community, above and beyond commercial gain.
LOCAL OMBUDSMAN
Newark & Sherwood District Council have yet to confirm whether they have referred the campaign group’s concerns to the local ombudsman. NMIS said, “Whilst we are waiting to hear back from N&SDC we are sending out copies of our report which evidences our concerns to as many Ministers and MP’s as possible including The Prime Minister, David Cameron, Iain Wright MP, dept for Communities and Local Government. Our next step will be to contact national media organisations and see if they are interested in our plight.
23rd August 2007
302+ letters have been written and sent off so far. If you haven't already downloaded yours, please click here to get yours now. We now have 1600 signatures on petitions.
10th August 2007
Despite overwhelming local opposition, O2 refuse to resite phone mast.
The mobile telecommunications company O2 today announced that they intend to go ahead with their plans to erect a mobile phone mast at the Ropewalk, Southwell. In spite of overwhelming opposition from more than 1,300 residents in Southwell, together with governors and staff at both Lowe’s Wong Schools, Southwell Town Council, Ward Councillor Brendan Haigh, County Councillor Bruce Laughton and Patrick Mercer, MP for Newark & Sherwood, O2 today notified the No Masts in Southwell action group of their intention to “progress this particular site through to completion” considering it to be a “suitable and appropriate location for a mobile phone installation.”
In recent weeks the No Masts in Southwell Action Group, on behalf of 1,300 concerned residents/workers in Southwell and the surrounding villages who signed a petition objecting to the proposed mobile phone mast, have led a campaign asking for O2 to resite the mast away from 2 schools, a community preschool, a medical centre and many residential homes.
A spokeman for the Group, Mr Fraser McNish said, “On behalf of concerned residents and workers in Southwell, we strongly disagree with O2’s decision and we are still asking them to consider alternative sites for this mast, away from schools and homes and in location which is satisfactory to the community in Southwell. If O2 continue with the current location then we will have no option but to continue to voice our community’s objections and lobby for the mast to be taken down – in Parliament, in the media and within our community.
Patrick Mercer MP for Newark & Sherwood has already told O2 that they must find an alternative site for the proposed mast: “These are my constituents. They do not want this mast. They want it re-siting so we’re not having it”. He also warned O2 that if they ignored his request to find an alternative site, then he would have no choice but to involve Ministers and Government at the highest level.
Mrs Catherine Harriss, a member of the action group said “O2’s decision marks the beginning of a new and sustained campaign to have the mast taken down. Just this week another article about cancer clusters around a mast appeared in a National newspaper, can anyone really be 100% certain that in the long term residents in Southwell won’t suffer adverse health effects?” (see below link)
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9th August 2007
See shocking story in the Dialy Mail Orange to remove mobile mast from 'tower of doom', where cancer rate has soared Click here to see the full story Or Download the story to your computer here
O2 to give a decision on mobile phone mast on Friday 10th August.
O2 telecommunications have informed the No Masts in Southwell Action Group that they will make a final decision on Friday 10th August, whether or not to go ahead with the proposed mobile phone mast at the Ropewalk, Southwell. The No Masts in Southwell action group represent 1300 plus concerned residents and workers who are against O2 siting their mast in this location because of it’s close proximity to an infant school, a junior school, a medical centre, a pre-school and residential homes and businesses.
The No Masts in Southwell Action Group are waiting to hear if O2 have heeded the warning given by Patrick Mercer MP for Newark and Sherwood who told O2 that they must find an alternative site for the proposed mast: “These are my constituents. They do not want this mast. They want it re-siting, so we’re not having it”. He also warned O2 that if they ignored his request to find an alternative location, then he would have no choice but to involve Ministers and Government at the highest level.
Mrs Catherine Harriss, a member of the action group said “We are hoping O2 will elect to strike a balance between commercial gain and social responsibility towards our community, this can be achieved if they resite the mast in a more appropriate location. If however O2 decide to go ahead with the mast, in the face of significant local opposition, then we will have no choice but to begin a new and sustained campaign to have the mast taken down”
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Breaking News 6th August 2007
The 'No Masts in Southwell' action group have heard today that O2 will finally announce their decision whether or not to go ahead with the proposed mast on Friday 10th August.
A spokesman for the action group commented "If O2 and National grid Wireless had undertaken a proper consultation exercise with our community back in November 2006 they would have known then, that a substantial proportion of our community do not consider the Ropewalk an appropriate location for O2's mast. A further delay by O2 does not concern us, provided they intend to follow their own industry's guidance and give due consideration to the concerns expressed by our community.
11 July 2007
10 July 2007 16:48
O2 have refused to meet with the action group and have confirmed that the mast construction is to go ahead August.
10th July 2007
With the imminent build of the O2 mast in August, we urgently need your help again this week. Please read the how can you help section of the website
4th July 2007
Members of the No Masts in Southwell Action Group met representatives from
National Grid Wireless and T-Mobile yesterday (Tuesday 3rd July) to discuss
residents' concerns about the proposed installation of a new mobile phone
mast on The Ropewalk Southwell.
4th July 2007
Nottinghamshire Local
Education Authority was unanimously sympathetic to our position in trying
to have the mast sited elsewhere and that they are preparing a written
statement of support due 20th July
1st July 2007
Signatures just keep coming. Thank you for the many signatures on the petitions in the town.
26th June 07
New press release issued. Click here to view
23rd June 07
Nearly 4000 website hits since the 6th June 2007.
22nd June 07
Front page on the Newark advertiser for the 3rd week running. See the latest report here
21st June 07
The petition was handed formally to the District Council today, by Brendan Haigh.
20th June 07
Media attention yesterday was great. Exposure in Nottingham Evening Post,
BBC East Midlands Today, BBC Radio Nottingham news. See the reports here
19th June 07
18th June 07
Thank You!
More than 1,000 signatures on petition objecting to phone mast
Many thanks to all of you who signed the petition objecting to the proposed installation of a mobile 'phone mast on The Ropewalk.
We have over 1,085 signatures so far and these will be handed to a representative from the Town Council today - Tuesday 19 June.
We have invited the local press to take photos of this under the banner No Masts In Southwell.
Please come to support the campaign - we need you!
3.45pm, The Court House, The Burgage
Please bring as many people as possible for inclusion in the photo.
16th June 07
District Councillor Brendan Haigh's letter,
published in The Southwell Advertiser, June 15th 2007. You can view here
15th June 07
Front page press coverage for the 2nd week in the Newark Advertiser. Picture of Lowes Wong children spelling out the word "NO"
14th June 07
Door to door flyer is distributed to all homes in Southwell to raise awareness
14th June 07
Our website had 362 NEW visitors yesterday. These are unique hits, so these people have not seen the sight before.
13th June 07
A closed meeting between Ian Hewitt and Assocs, The action Group and the two schools are meeting Tuesday Evening. This unfortunatly will not be a public meeting, so please make your comments on the site and they will be taken to the meeting for reading.
12 June 07
A meeting is currently being arranged for next week, between the Town Council, Ian Hewitt and Assoc's, the mobile phone operators, the schools and the action group. We understand that this will not be a public meeting, so sending your letters, signing petitions and adding comments to this website is a must to have your voice heard.
11 June 07
Town Council has provided us with a copy of their response to Ian Hewitt Click here to view
11 June 07
Radio Interview is a sucess. A good argument has been aired on the breakfast show this morning.
10 June 07
BBC Radio Nottingham are interviewing parents and National Grid on the breakfast show at 07.40
9th June 07
3 full sheets of petitions collected from the coop this morning. More petitions are being distrubuted around Southwell. Download your own here
8th June 07
Our website has been added to facebook
8th June 07
Do you have professional expertise and could help us? Click here for more information
8th June 07
Send your emails to O2 and T-Mobile directly. See the bottom of the How you can help section
8th June 07 10.30AM
BBC East Midlands Today at School 3.30pm
8th June 07
We have to hand in all petitions to the County Councillors (Brendon Haigh or Peter Harris) before the next council meeting on June 19th
7th June 07
Action group set up to work with the Town Council and the School. Petitions being distributed throughout the town. Website launched to spread the word.
6th June 07
Many worried parents attend the Town Council Planning meeting and share their concerns. The Town Council are in full support of the parents and are actively seeking to find out more information to help us.