NEWPORT city council will continue to review its telecommunications masts policy, after a scrutiny report concluded there was no evidence either way they posed a risk.

Cabinet members met to discuss a report from the council’s overview and scrutiny forum of the current policy earlier this week.

In April 2002, the council decided in principle not to agree to renewals or new leases for mobile telephone equipment on council-owned land or premises unless it could be proved that the general public was not put at risk.

The overview and scrutiny forum was asked to review the policy in April this year, but the forum concluded there was no evidence either way as to whether masts posed a risk.

Cllr David Hando said: “I think we have got ourselves into a difficult situation here. We are forcing mobile phone masts away from suitable council premises and on to unsuitable private premises.”

Council leader, Matthew Evans, said: “If you take the current situation, there may well be a site on council property that is suitable and would stop developers putting a mast on a site near a school.

“There are a lot of questions that we need to look at and I think we need to see what other councils do. It’s not an easy one because people are going to have different views on it.”

The cabinet decided to send the matter back to the overview and scrutiny forum for further consideration.