Mobile phone operators have been warned their masts will be inspected to ensure they meet health and safety regulations. The warning came from councillors considering banning masts from Birmingham land or buildings following a meeting with anti-mast activists and concerned residents at Stockland Green School in Erdington. City legal teams will also be looking to see if the city can exit or renegotiate leases for the 139 masts on council towers and office blocks. The meeting, attended by more than 40 people, heard that companies self-certify their masts for safety, while residents claimed that others had been upgraded to new video and picture capable networks without the council's knowledge. Chairman of the inquiry Coun Michael Wilkes (Lib Dem, Hall Green) said: "I don't know if we check masts, but it is something we will see is done." Campaigners urged the committee to ban masts and petition the Government for tighter regulation and more research into the feared health effects of the technology. Amanda Wesley, Erdington resident and Mast Sanity member, said: "The Government sets the planning guidelines. But masts on council land is an area we can do something about. "This is the opportunity for Birmingham City Council to lead the way as one of Britain's biggest authorities." And Tim Rhys-Roberts, who fought a battle against a mast in Perry Barr, said: "I would like to see this council take the lead and do some ground-breaking work to try to get some legislation which is common sense." Labour Party activist Rob Pocock, from Sutton Coldfield, urged the council to look at human rights, environmental and public health laws to protect the people of Birmingham from any risks. But one note of caution came from Coun Jon Hunt (Lib Dem, Perry Barr) who said an all out ban might be counter productive. He argued that when battling plans for a mast near a school, the best alternative site would have been in the middle of a park, at a site away from homes and schools. "There is a contradiction here, but the planning authority would not have allowed it on green land." | 
