Phone firm under attack over mast

The leader of Telford & Wrekin Council has launched a scathing attack on communications giant Vodafone, accusing it of reneging on an agreement and pulling the rug from under a group of residents.

Councillor Andrew Eade hit out at a meeting of the full council yesterday, which was lobbied by a dozen placard-waving protesters angry at the erection overnight of a Vodafone mobile phone mast in Malinslee.

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People in the area had been in the process of arranging a meeting with Vodafone to see if there were any alternative sites for the mast.

They wanted to air their concerns about its proposed location near playing fields.

But, they discovered yesterday morning the mast, which has planning permission, had already been put up.

Vodafone said yesterday it had not given any commitment to residents or councillors that work to put up the mast would be delayed until after the meeting had been arranged - although Councillor Eade claimed the firm had.

Councillor Eade told the meeting: "I find it very difficult to hide my derision for this decision to erect this mast in the face of promises made at a meeting with colleagues.

"During this crunch meeting, quite clear undertakings were given by the company that, prior to erecting the mast, it would take comments from 250 residents and follow that by holding a public forum."

Councillor Eade said Councillor Stephen Bentley, the council's cabinet member for environment, had also been involved in talks with Vodafone about finding a possible alternative location for the mast.

He added: "Now this agreement, and it was a very clear agreement, was subsequently reneged on."

Councillor Eade said he would be meeting Telford MP David Wright and Wrekin MP Mark Pritchard today, to urge them to fight on behalf of both the council and the residents.

By Simon Hardy