A PROPOSED new law that would give council's such as Hounslow a stronger say on the location of mobile phone masts has been welcomed by the leader of Hounslow Council's Conservatives, Cllr Peter Thompson.

A Private Members Bill, by Conservative MP Richard Spring, is working it's way through the House of Commons, and if passed, will give greater powers to local authorities in England and Wales to reject inappropriate applications for mobile phone masts, and place the onus on telecommunication companies to prove that there is an essential need for controversial masts.

Cllr Thompson said: "In light of the recent controversy about the masts on Chiswick Police Station I do hope that this bill becomes law. There is a great deal of concern across Hounslow about the erection of mobile phone masts.We all want to be able to use mobile phones, but that doesn't mean we should allow the dumping of poorly-sited mobile phone masts in Hounslow on the cheap."