Agenda item - Formal Public Involvement

This is the part of the meeting when members of the public can formally ask questions of the Board or present a petition.  These need to be notified to the Board in advance of the meeting Contact the Secretary to the Board at penny.jennings@brighton-hove.gov.uk

(a) Petitions - to consider any petitions received by noon on 6 November  2019 – to consider the Petition in respect of “5g” forwarded from Full Council on 24 October 2019 (copy attached);

(b) Written Questions - to consider any written questions received by noon on 6 November 2019;

(c) Deputations - to consider any Deputations received.

32(a)   Written Questions

32.1    There were none.

32(b)   Petition(s) – To Halt the Rollout of 5G Technology

32.2    The Chair referred to the fact that a petition (set out at pages 21-24 on the agenda and below), had been referred from the meeting of Full Council held on 24 October 2019:

“We the undersigned petition Brighton & Hove Council to halt the rollout of 5G technology in Brighton & Hove and invoke the Precautionary Principal adopted by the EU in 2005 which states: “When human activities may lead to morally unacceptable harm that is scientifically plausible but uncertain, actions shall be taken to avoid or diminish that harm.” We, the residents of Brighton & Hove, insist that our City Council invoke the Precautionary Principal regarding 5G technology and all associated infrastructure before deploying it in our city. We (the residents) now call for independent research and for the City Council to prove to its constituents that 5G is SAFE and poses NO risk to human health, animals, wildlife, insects, birds and the ecosystem as a whole. Once 5G is deployed fully, it will expose people 24/7 to mandatory radiation without their informed consent, which constitutes a blatant breach of their Human Rights. WE DO NOT CONSENT UNTIL PROVEN SAFE.” (2,240 signatures)

32.3    The Chair, Councillor Moonan, explained that the Board could respond to the petition either by noting it or by calling for an officer report on the matter. In this instance this matter had been referred from Full Council with the request that the contents of the petition be noted and that a report be prepared for consideration at the next scheduled meeting of the Board, in this instance that would be in January 2020. The Chair indicated that in responding to the petition at Full Council she had accepted a Green Group amendment and indicated her willingness for a report to be brought forward to the meeting of the Board to take place in January 2020. It was suggested that a corporate report be prepared which would include details of the limits of the Council’s powers and would also detail the most up to date guidance issued by Public Health England. The Board were in agreement with the approach suggested by the Chair.

32.3    RESOLVED – That the content of the petition be noted and that a report on this subject be provided to the next scheduled meeting of the Board in January 2020.