Together Against Masts Burnley Public Meeting

[Mitch]

TOGETHER AGAINST MASTS IN BURNLEY
PUBLIC MEETING

FRIDAY, 20TH JANUARY 2006
AT
CENTRAL METHODISTS,
HARGREAVES STREET, BURNLEY
COMMENCES 7.30PM
TICKET ENTRANCE—£2 PER PERSON
Phone: TAM Admin on 01282 771635 to reserve your ticket



SPEAKERS INCLUDE:
DENNIS CANNON (TAM CHAIR),
KITTY USSHER MP & STUART CADDY
CHAIR: REV. L. LAYCOCK

50 NEW PHONE MASTS IN BURNLEY DUE!
ONE IS LIKELY TO BE CLOSE TO YOU.
FIND OUT MORE AT THIS PUBLIC MEETING

TICKETS £2 EACH (all funds go towards organisational costs of public meeting).

[Mitch]

Yet another example of the Government's detrmination to roll out more 3G masts despite the Public's objections.

As reported in Tuesday's Express, the application for an Orange 3G phone mast in Gannow Lane was approved by 11 votes to 4 by the Development Control Committee. Do you know which way your local Councillor voted ?

Here we have a situation where the resident's of Wilson Fold are having even more microwave radiation IMPOSED upon them to add to the existing mast, already bristling with antennae { around 10 or 11 }, which has caused many of them to suffer a variety of ailments that never happened to them before the phone mast was switched on. One 5 year old is suffering from a form of cancer affecting his eyes. Of course the official repsonse is that the mast cannot be blamed, even though similar reports from all over the country and around the world show similar serious illnesses to people living close to masts. The Council received a petition with in excess of 200 names together with many letters of objection and yet none of this was deemed to be relevant by the Head of Planning, who made out the case to the committee that there were no planning issues that could be used to recommend refusal of this application. She pointed out that if the application was refused, then the Council would be liable to considerable cost after a successful appeal by the operator { current;y around £20,000 }. Like so many things these days the cost always seems to come first, as in the latest situation with the NHS. The Planning Officer said that it was the Government's firm belief that Health was a matter for them and not for the local planners. Indeed the clause does say this, but another clause in the Planning Guidelines also states that Health Concerns can be a material planning consideration. Conveniently, these two clauses are lumped together in the planning report and so the Committee members seem to be given little power to give any weight to such concerns. Clearly the residents of Wilson Fold have REAL concerns considering what they are currently suffering and which they clearly blame the presence of their multiple phone mast.

The Dutch Government laboratory study clearly showed that even short term exposure to 3G signals caused nausea and headaches, exactly what the Wilson Fold residents are claiming. A £10MILLION EU STUDY SHOWED THAT DAMAGE TO THE DNA OF LIVING CELLS OCCURRED WHEN EXPOSED TO THIS SELF SAME RADIATION, MUTATIONS OCCURRED AND CONTINUED EVEN AFTER THE RADIATION WAS STOPPED. What response do our Government Minsiters give me ? They say they are taking these results very seriously, but they need to replicate them here. WHY DO THEY CONTINUE TO ROLL THESE MASTS OUT BEFORE THEIR OWN REPLICATION STUDIES HAVE BEEN COMPLETED ? { They have not even been started }

There will be another 50 mast applications in the Burnley area over the next 12 to 18 months, very few people will NOT be close to one. We need to act NOW and not wait and fight each individual mast one at a time and be limited to the strict controls that Government place on each planning application, making the outcome virtually a foregone conclusion. To this end we have arranged a public meeting at which Kitty Ussher MP has agreed to attend. Stuart Caddy has said that he will be unable to attend, but has agreed to try to find someone from the Council to deputise for him. We have this one opportunity to make our views known to our elected representatives and to seek their support to help us to achieve our aims. The venue is Central Methodist's Church Hall, Hargreaves Street, Burnley on Friday, 20th January 2006 commencing at 7.30pm. Tickets can be obtained through the TAM coordinator, Mitch on 01282 703980.
PLEASE MAKE AN EFFORT TO ATTEND.

Chairman,
Together Against Masts
(letter forwarded to Burnley Express)

[Mitch]

Masts Public Meeting Update:

Quite a lot of the local press are going to be attending this public meeting in Burnley on Fri, 20th Jan, including the Burnley Express and 2BR - they'll be a radio interview on the morning of the 20th with Radio Lancashire - more details pending.

Plus, Gordon Prentice has been contacted.

This Sat I'll be trooping round Burnley in the morning putting up posters everywhere I can think of.

If anyone would like posters to put up in their windows or in local venues let me know and I'll drop some round. Also if anyone would like to help on the stand on Sat 14th Jan in Central Burnley they're very welcome.

Best Mitch

[Mitch]

Ha Ha, wow, whoop di doop, yowza - yawn - Mr G spoke to me via automated massage - Mr G has a vast collection of automated replies ;D

"Thank you for your e mail. This acknowledgement has been triggered electronically and I have not yet had a chance to read your message. You will receive a reply in due course.

Please e mail me with your home address with postcode if you have not already done so. We do not give priority to e mails over letters, faxes or telephone calls to the office. Each is dealt with in the order received.

Gordon Prentice MP"

[Mitch]

Public meeting - planning update:

Hi all,

We've a few posters up in Burnley now at Burnley Library, Burnley Mechanics, the Art Gallery and one up at Burnley Methodists.

If anyone would like some posters to put up, let me know. I'll be bobbing more up around Nelson this week, plus we've the stand next Saturday in Burnley town centre.

Ring rounds planned for tonight!

All welcome.

Best Mitch

Forgot to mention about 50 residents are coming along so far, plus 20 promised so looking good for high attendance at this public meeting - excellent news!!

[Mitch]

A good ring round last night, with some more residents committing to attend.

THIS PUBLIC MEETING REALLY IS AN OPPORTUNITY TO DEMAND ACTION FROM LOCAL MPs.

There is a Public Members Bill due for 2nd reading coming up in February and if successful would have a significant effect on the current Planning Guidelines which are completely unfair and favour the phone operators. It would also mean that residents would be in a much stronger position to challenge MASTS locally, and health considerations and full planning permission will be required for all masts if this bill is successful!!

THIS PUBLIC MEETING IS A CHANCE TO MAKE SURE OUR MPS SIGN IT. IT'S IMPORTANT TO ATTEND!

50 MORE MASTS ARE TO BE ROLLED OUT IN BURNLEY AND APPROXIMATELY 50 MORE IN PENDLE - THERE WILL BE ONE NEAR YOU.

RESERVE YOUR TICKET TODAY - IT'S BEGINNING TO FILL UP!!

Best wishes.

Mitch
TAM Co-ordinator

[Gordon Prentice Fan]

urr, she meant Private Members Bill! I hate Parlia-mentcontrary legislation - still, this one makes a real difference to Mast campaigns on the ground.

Tara.

Gordon's one and only fan
(I'm against telecommunication masts, but I can't speak for Gordon!)

[Mitch]

Email just received, but knew this anywise from TAM Chair.

Hey Gary if you catch this, well worth chatting with TAM chair as he's getting dates off Gordon for potential Pendle Public Meeting.

Best Mitch


"Dear Ms Simmons,

Thank you for the invitation to the meeting on 20 January. Unfortunately I won’t be able to make it as I have another appointment that evening. However, I am in touch with TAM's Chair, who has proposed a Pendle version of the same meeting at a future date.

Yours sincerely,

GORDON PRENTICE MP"

;D

[prism]

The UK government have allowed unsafe and partially researched technology to be released on communities in return for £billions per annum from mobile phone operators. This public meeting addresses issues of public health concerns and calls for stricter planning control over siting of mobile phone masts...

Click below for more details.....


homepage.ntlworld.com/cad-designs/prism/news/publicmeeting_200106.htm

[Mitch]

prism said:

The UK government have allowed unsafe and partially researched technology to be released on communities in return for £billions per annum from mobile phone operators. This public meeting addresses issues of public health concerns and calls for stricter planning control over siting of mobile phone masts...

Click below for more details.....


homepage.ntlworld.com/cad-designs/prism/news/publicmeeting_200106.htm

Superb stuff, Cheers Prism Team.

Best

Mitch(TAM)

[michele cryer]

Mitch and the others who have posted here about Mobile Phone masts and the difficulties surrounding them...thanks very, very much. I know I don't contribute much to your posts, however they really are appreciated!

Mitch I am happy to help you in whatever way you need with regard to the meeting on 20th Jan. and anything else surrounding this and other issues!!

Keep up the good work everybody

[Mitch]

Cheers sweetie,

Hey up, clock this letter I sent to the Leader for tomorrow, in the hope they can fit it in, if not it'll fit in here nicely.

Thanks for your encouragement, probs speak later.

tara Mitch

This time last year (Jan 2005) residents in Walverden came together to challenge a telecommunications mast planned near beautiful Walverden Reservoir. Residents were successful in this case and the mast was NOT erected.

Back then various councillors in Pendle Borough Council showed their support for residents, and made commitments to challenge central government planning policy on Masts, which is clearly unfair and full of loopholes such as sticking masts on tall buildings to get round height restrictions or alongside roads where planning permission is not required. Phone operators callously exploit all these planning loopholes to bypass any challenge.

Since last year I’m sorry to say that masts are still being erected across Pendle at a rapid pace, most often without proper consultation with residents, and still without any consideration of increasing evidence, including studies commissioned by the European Union, which point to the hazardous health effects these masts are causing when in residential areas such as headaches, nausea and cancers!

Central Government planning policy on Masts serves the phone operators, not Residents and their concerns over health, the devaluation of property situated near masts and the lack of consultation over mast sitings.

We’ve had enough, and members of ‘Together Against Masts (TAM) and Pendle Residents against Insensitive Siting of Masts (PRISM) are working together to challenge both the phone operators and central government planning policy.

A public meeting is planned for Friday, 20th January 2006 at Central Methodists, Hargreaves Street, Burnley (just opposite Blockbuster Videos/adjacent to Burnley Town Hall). The meeting commences at 7.30pm, lasting approximately until 9pm. Speakers include Dennis Cannon (TAM Chair), Kitty Ussher MP and Andy Davidson (Researcher for Tetra Watch). 50 new masts are expected to be erected in Burnley, and approximately 50 more in Pendle so the chances that one of these telecommunication masts will be located near you is strong. Come and find out more at this public meeting.

We also hope to shortly hold a similar public meeting in Pendle.
To reserve your ticket for the public meeting on the 20th January, please phone TAM Admin on 01282 703 980. Entrance £2, all monies towards campaign and meeting costs.

Mitch
Together Against Masts (TAM) Co-ordinator ;D ;D

PS. Gary, if it does get in hope you don't mind me referencing the hard work of PRISM etc. Wanted to emphasise our unity on the issue.

More later.

[gary]

Hi Mitch

I've only today received Gordon Prentice's reply requesting he attend meeting on 20th Jan and as mentioned he states he has another appointment on that evening.

As far as a similar meeting in Pendle, good idea but since time is short finding a date to meet with Pendle MP could be difficult but we do need a meeting to ask MP if he will support the Bill in Feb and get his agreement to commit in writing.

This should be straightforward since we're in process of asking ward councillor to arrange the meeting (probably at the constituency itself on Carr Rd).

Also, on our request, as with last years support, councillors are preparing a motion of support for the Bill to be lodged at next month's full council meeting (Town Hall - 6th Feb 2006). The chief executive will write to MP requesting, on behalf of elected members (and hence all pendle residents), that he appears in the house on the day and votes for the bill in Feb. We'll make sure the request is followed up using the media and that the chief exec sends us a copy.

A copy of the all-party request for support will be sent to David Curry, Conservative MP for Skipton and Ripon. *As we're aware MP Curry is promoting the second reading of the Telecommunications (Planning Control) Bill.

regards,

Gary [PRISM]

[Mitch]

Excellent news Gary, cheers for that.

On Nelson Leader letter, too late for this week, but spoke to them this morning and they're going to run it next Friday, together with a spread on Masts in general.

[e-mail]
Andrew is my contact at the Nelson Leader Gary, so this other news above I'm sure they'd be interested in, and further news on PRISM's activities and pending Pendle Public meeting if you fancy contacting him before next Friday.

Best wishes, and catch you at the Burnley Public Meeting if not before. You're most welcome to bob down to the retail kiosk Saturday from 11am-2pm if you're about.

Cheers, Mitch

[gary]

Tx Mitch

Until now, MP prentice has been involved in two campaigns against insensitive siting of mobile phone masts.

However, here at PRISM we're still unsure as to the MP's own stance on this issue. I say this because in his reply to my request for his opinion he onl stated that 'Pendle borough council have a legitimate right to apply for greater control over siting of mobile phone masts'.

I have written several times to MP Prentice yet he has not on any occasion given his overall view on this issue.

We have now arranged a meeting with MP Prentice where we will request his support for the Bill in Feb.

Today I spoke to TAM chair, and in our alliance we need to work more closely with Burnley telecoms applications ( I was born in Burnley).

Burnley is a higher user/target area for mobile coverage.

We had a meeting tonight with deputy mayor of Pendle who has now suported the inclusion of 'telecommunications development' as this years overview & scrutiny commitee work program.

This is a step forward for Pendle and it's expected it will be accepted as part of this years programme.

We're preparing a health questionnairre to be forwarded from TAM to residents of wilson fold. I'll let you know before and will post on website..
homepage.ntlworld.com/cad-designs/prism/



Gary

[michele cryer]

Hi all,

Really enjoyed leafleting on Saturday with you, learned tons!!...looking forward to attending my first meeting on Friday nite.

Good luck,
Michele

[Mitch]

admin said:

Hi all,

Really enjoyed leafleting on Saturday with you, learned tons!!...looking forward to attending my first meeting on Friday nite.

Good luck,
Michele

Thanks for your help as ever, I took a couple of photos and will bob them up later.

Tara for now.

Mitch x

[michele cryer]

I took a couple of photos and will bob them up later.

Tara for now.

Mitch x

Eeeek!! I forgot about the pix!!! Oh well, hope you got my good side..teehee ;D

[Mitch]

Hi All,

Progressing well towards public meeting, another ring round tonight,

and tomorrow - Thursday 19th Jan - tune in all Day to 2BR local Lancs radio - 99.75FM frequency.

Regular interviews about Phone masts, and the public meeting will be played on the hourly news - have a listen.

Also forthcoming for Friday, large spreads in both the Burnley Express and the Nelson Leader (both of whom are also sending journalists to the meeting).

Cotty is doing the Microphones (god 'elp us), and who know headless might even pull his finger out on the night.

Hey ho, see you for tea tomoz night (Thurs) Michele for more chats.

tara Mitch

PS. ALL ARE WELCOME TO THE PUBLIC MEETING - WE SHOULD HAVE A FEW SPARE TICKETS SO IF IT OCCURS TO YOU LAST MINUTE TO COME, THEN DO!!!

[PRISM]

A brief word from PRISM's vice-chairman

First and foremost, I was born in Burnley, and I am disgusted at the rate mobile phone masts are being erected there.

As we know, Pendle is the next borough north of Burnley and crosses boundaries. Although Pendle has a larger geographical area than Burnley, it is not as densely populated and as such has not been targeted heavily by mobile operators, as has Burnley.

Not to be complacent, PRISM have recently recommended a 'Telecommunication Mast Review' be put before the overview & scrutiny committee for 2006. The request was forwarded (on our behalf) by the deputy mayor who is also a ward councillor.

The problem in Burnley (and in some other boroughs) is that councillors are persuaded by planning officers that of costs on appeal of refusing a mast application on health grounds. Clearly, elected members in Burnley need reminding of their duties towards protecting the people who elected them. I feel that the last decision from councillors accepting a mast in Rosegrove, an already controversial area, was disgraceful.

This same 'stranglehold' by central government on Pendle council didn't wear well, particularly after elected members were well informed of the risks from scientific reports of bringing into communities pulsed microwave radiation.

Here in Pendle we are fortunate to have full support of all councillors for stricter control on mast siting. PRISM are now working very close with TAM to gain the same sort of support from councillors in Burnley.

I see the meeting on Friday as a turning point for the people of Burnley. The chairman of TAM has been campaigning now for years yet the councillors seem to have constantly fobbed him off and cowered behind delegated officers recommendations.

Not any longer. From now on, every proposal in Burnley will be met by opposition from both TAM and PRISM, and moreover, will be subject to much more scrutiny. That's the least we can do until MP's and government understand that corporate and political abuse of human rights will not be tolerated.

The latest news article in the Lancashire Evening telegraph newspaper titled 'Quiz your MP over phone masts' is an insult to those who have struggled to emphasise the reports of the effects of low-level radiation from masts.

Mobile operators have been given until December 2007 to reach 80 per cent of the population with their microwave radiation. This population in Burnley and Pendle are more astute, and certainly more capable of distinguishing the difference bewteen a radio-wave and a microwave.

See you all at the meeting Friday..

Gary (PRISM)

ps. hopefully PRISM website works now,,,, (see below)

homepage.ntlworld.com/cad-designs/prism/

[Mitch]

Thanks PRISM guest, well said all round!! Thoroughly agree with all your comments.

Looking forward to seeing you Friday evening.

Very best wishes.


Mitch

PS. A few more residents signed up last night to come to the public meeting on the ring round. The public meeting is looking excellent for a good turnout - fantastic stuff. Special thanks to all those Burnley residents who have been handing out leaflets/posters and selling tickets.

[Mitch]

Hi all,

Quick update on this public meeting which was a resounding success - well attended by approximately 100 residents and Burnley Methodists Hall was full to capacity.

I have a few photos to put up anon. Kitty Ussher will be signing the forthcoming Private Members Bill, and residents' anger over Masts was forcefully expressed during the meeting.

Many thanks to all who came on a rainy Friday evening.

Best Mitch

[Mitch]

Here's a couple of photos, TAM Chair also did a follow up interview with 2BR.

At the next TAM meeting on February 8th we'll be looking at our next steps and how to move forward in the campaign.

ALL WELCOME.

PADIHAM TOWN HALL, 7.30PM, WED 8TH FEB 2006 FOR NEXT TOGETHER AGAINST MASTS MEETINGS.

Thanks Michele and Reg for your help on the night also, and to Cotty for doing the mics!! ;D

[gary]

- News Article -

MP's phone mast fears

BURNLEY'S MP Mrs Kitty Ussher has sworn to battle against plans to build more mobile phone masts in neighbourhoods across the borough.

full article...
www.burnleytoday.co.uk/ViewArticle2.aspx?SectionID=12&ArticleID=1324356

[Mitch]

gary said:

- News Article -

MP's phone mast fears

BURNLEY'S MP Mrs Kitty Ussher has sworn to battle against plans to build more mobile phone masts in neighbourhoods across the borough.

full article...
www.burnleytoday.co.uk/ViewArticle2.aspx?SectionID=12&ArticleID=1324356

Cheers for this Gary - it's a good article.

Your questions were superb at the meeting by the way! Look forward to seeing you on the 8th Feb if not before, and nice bumping into you in Nelson on Saturday.

tara for now, Mitch

[michele cryer]

Hi Gary! Yes your questions were superb on Friday, as Mitch mentioned...I think the atmosphere in the meeting was really something! Those councillors really had their work cut out answering most of the questions...

Thanks for the pix Mitch!