Phone Masts On The Horizon

Anger is growing at official behaviour over dealings with unpopular planning applications for phone masts.

BBC Berkshire and Reading Evening Post both swallow an official explanation that administrative delays were pure oversight which meant a council objection for a 10m tall microwave transmitter in Caversham's Westdene Close was received one day after the 56-day period closed.

BBC South Today offers more sceptical line in response to Council spokesperson, Oscar Mortali explanation. "Records show the council sent first class a notice to Vodafone in 2006 refusing the application before the 56 days had expired," he said, adding that there would be an internal investigation.

Community representatives and activists must be left wondering if this pattern of behaviour will be repeated as the same company attempts to build a 12m mast in Lower Elmstone Way, Tilehurst.

Oranjepan asks:
RBC can either discover that they have made a cock-up (admit incompetence), that someone deliberately prevented the legal objection being lodged in time (which means there is a conspiracy) or that Vodafone is lying about when they received the objection - what should be done to ensure it doesn't happen again?

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Update: Howard Thomas suggests RBC use recorded delivery next time.