Ten Commitments to best siting practice

The mobile phone operators have introduced their ten best practice commitments to help address concerns relating to the development of base stations.

Launched in 2001, the aim of the Ten Commitments is to ensure transparency in building mobile phone networks, to provide more information to the public and local planners and to boost the community's role in the siting of radio base stations.

1	IMPROVED CONSULTATIONS WITH COMMUNITIES Develop, with other stakeholders, clear standards and procedures to deliver significantly improved consultation with local communities. Traffic Light Model (pdf 12KB) Site Selection and Planning Model (pdf 12KB)
2	DETAILED CONSULTATION WITH PLANNERS Participate in obligatory pre-rollout and pre-application consultation with local planning authorities.
3	SITE SHARING Publish clear, transparent and accountable criteria and cross-industry agreement on site sharing, against which progress will be published regularly. More information on site sharing
4	WORKSHOPS FOR COUNCILS Establish professional development workshops on technological developments within telecommunications for local authority officers and elected members. See the Mobile phone mast briefings section for details of briefings held across the country for councillors and planners - For any local authority interested in a presentation the section also contains contact details.
5	DATABASE OF BASE STATION SITES Deliver, with the Government, a database of information available to the public on radio base stations. Further information can be obtained from www.ofcom.org.uk
6	COMPLIANCE WITH ICNIRP PUBLIC EXPOSURE LEVELS GUIDANCE Assess all radio base stations for international (ICNIRP) compliance for public exposure, and produce a programme for ICNIRP compliance for all radio base stations as recommended by the Independent Expert Group on Mobile Phones (IEGMP). Further information can be obtained from www.ofcom.org.uk
7	ICNIRP CERTIFICATION Provide, as part of planning applications for radio base stations, a certification of compliance with ICNIRP public exposure guidelines.
8	PROMPT RESPONSES TO ENQUIRIES Provide specific staff resources to respond to complaints and enquiries about radio base stations, within ten working days.
9	SUPPORT RESEARCH INTO HEALTH AND MOBILE PHONES Begin financially supporting the Government's independent scientific research programme on mobile communications health issues.
10	STANDARD DOCUMENTATION FOR PLANNING SUBMISSIONS Develop standard supporting documentation for all planning submissions whether for full planning or prior approval.

Ten Commitments leaflet (pdf 1.7MB)

The operators are using the four documents below to assess what kind of community consultation may be needed in relation to a potential mast location. The approach taken by the operator would ideally be discussed in advance with the local planning authority.

Guide to using the Traffic Light Model (TLM) (pdf 29KB)

TLM for Public Consultation (pdf 12KB)

Consultation strategy, England, Scotland and Wales (pdf 7KB)

Consultation strategy, Northern Ireland (pdf 7KB)

Site Selection and Planning Model (pdf 12KB)

The operators are using the template below to ensure local planning authorities have clear information about an operator's application for planning permission for a mast.

Supplementary Information Template (pdf 22KB)

The operators are ensuring that every application for planning permission for a base station is accompanied by one of the following certificates. This declares that the equipment and installation is designed to be compliant with ICNIRP exposure guidelines.

ICNIRP Certificate - England (pdf 6KB)

ICNIRP Certificate - Northern Ireland (pdf 6KB)

ICNIRP Certificate - Scotland (pdf 6KB)

ICNIRP Certificate - Wales (pdf 7KB)

The operators actively seek feedback on the documentation to ensure they are as effective as possible in helping to address public concerns and in assisting local planning officers in the execution of their duties. Please email MOA at info@ukmoa.org should you want to register any comments.

The Ten Commitments: background and rationale

The initiative has three aims: improved transparency of the process of building mobile networks; providing more information to the public; and increasing the role of the public in the siting of base stations. The commitments are being put into practice in consultation with key local government and community stakeholders to ensure they are fully workable.

The operators believe this initiative is a better way to address public concerns than restrictive regulation, as the planning system is not equipped to assess health concerns. Indeed, tighter planning rules could aggravate concerns by raising false expectations of a public veto on base station siting.

More regulation would certainly make it harder for the industry to respond to the demand for service being provided to nearly 77 million mobile connections in the UK, while placing an added administrative burden on local planning authorities. It would also undermine the competitive edge the UK has gained in Europe through the swift uptake and development of mobile technology.

Mobile services are hugely popular, and bring immense benefits to the people that use them, as well as making a significant contribution to the well-being of the UK economy. To work effectively, they need sufficient infrastructure. This initiative will ensure the right balance is struck between safeguarding development of and access to mobile services in the UK and the need for greater environmental responsibility.

For more information about the Ten Commitments, contact MOA direct on +44 (0)20 7331 2015.

Independent Implementation Review of the Ten Commitments

Second Deloitte Review on the Implementation of the Ten Commitments (pdf 748KB)

The MOA and Operators have accepted the recommendations for continued improvement made by Deloitte. View their response.

Review of the Implementation of the Ten Commitments - Terms of Reference for Deloitte & Touche (pdf 15KB)

Deloitte and Touche Report on the Implementation of the Ten Commitments (pdf 340KB)

The Operators accepted the 47 recommendations made by Deloitte and Touche in July 2003 and have since provided further guidance and clarification to site acquisition agents and planning consultants. As part of this process a series of five seminars were held in Belfast, Manchester, Birmingham, London and Edinburgh in January and February 2004. A copy of the presentation delivered at the seminars is below.

Regional Site Acquisition Agent Seminar (pdf 1726KB)

The Report below details the progress made by the operators' and the MOA in acting upon the recommendations made in the 2003 Deloitte and Touche independent review of the operators' Ten Committments.

Mobile Operators’ progress on the Deloitte & Touche Implementation Review Recommendations (pdf 196KB)

Ipsos MORI Planners' Research

Ipsos MORI Report - 'Good Reception - continuing to address the needs of planners'. This report represents the findings of research carried out over the past six years with local authority planners. Research carried out on behalf of the operators by Ipsos MORI to better understand planners' views of base station planning.

Ipsos MORI report: 'Good Reception - continuing to address the needs of planners' (pdf 713KB)'

Operators Annual Rollout Plans 2008/2009

Under the "Ten Commitments to best siting practice", the mobile operators have undertaken to provide local planning authorities on an annual basis with plans showing their existing sites and network proposals for the following twelve months. The report below sets out the process followed for the issuing of the rollout plans in October 2008 and the response rate from the planning authorities.

Operators Annual Rollout Plans 2008-2009 (pdf 20KB)

To view the summary reports of the 2007/8, 2006/7 and 2005/6 Annual Rollout Plans please select any of the links below.

Operators Annual Rollout Plans 2007-2008 (pdf 27KB)

Operators Annual Rollout Plans 2006-2007 (pdf 48KB)

Operators Annual Rollout Plans 2005-2006 (pdf 24KB)

Stakeholder Roundtable 2004

MOA held a stakeholder roundtable on 9 December 2004 to allow key stakeholders in the mobile phone health issue to share their views and opinions in an open forum and to promote continuing dialogue as part of public policy development. The meeting was chaired by Dr Ray Kemp, an independent facilitator.

Stakeholder Roundtable Report (pdf 101KB)

Planning Policy

Best Practice

Risk Communication Handbook

Mast Briefing Information

MOA. Russell Square House, 10-12 Russell Square, London WC1B 5EE, UK
T +44 (0)20 7331 2015 F +44 (0)20 7331 2047 E info@ukmoa.org