CAMPAIGNERS have narrowly won the support of Wellington Town Council in their opposition to new 5G technology amid concerns it could present serious health problems to people.

5G technology is the next generation of wireless communications and fears exist about higher energy radio wave radiation causing cancer.

Campaigners are asking local councils to apply what is known as the ‘precautionary principle’ in order to send a message to Government that research is needed before the technology can be considered safe.

Councillors were told that, put simply, the ‘precautionary principle’ declaration says ‘we don’t want it until you show us it is safe’.

Cllr Andrew Govier said: “Our powers are relatively limited but that doesn’t mean we can’t put our mark in the sand. I don’t know a lot about it but it is obviously an issue of concern to people.

“There seems to be no detailed analysis of this, so I’m happy to support this as it’s looking that we could have this technology imposed on us.”

Cllr Nancy Powell-Brace said: “I think it’s a negative approach to say that small towns can’t make a difference. If enough of these small towns stand up and say ‘no’ – then perhaps the Government will have to take a look at it. I completely support the precautionary principle.”

Cllr Sean Pringle-Kosikowsky said things had happened in the past which he had not always agreed with but now he was a member of the town council he felt he had a ‘little bit of a voice’.

“Our job as councillors is to work for the good of our town,” he said. “There doesn’t seem to be any good news about 5G and there are clearly some issues about this.

“We need to be free of this until it is proven that 5G is fine to use.”

He said that if town and parish councils took on the precautionary principle it ‘shows the world we aren’t going to be walked over’.

But Cllr John Thorne said: “We don’t know how many masts are going to be put up here and I don’t share the concerns that 5G is going to kill us all.”

Although he added: “There is nothing scientifically to say that is nothing wrong with it and there hasn’t been any independent testing.”

Councillors heard that the precautionary principle had been adopted in recent weeks in Glastonbury, Frome, Shepton Mallet, Totnes and Kingsbridge.

The 5G technology works at a higher frequency to allow super-fast internet and greater data downloads but requires very high powers to ensure penetration of short-wave radiation into buildings.

Cllr Mark Lithgow said he was ‘cautious’ about the whole issue because there did not seem to be any independent research into 5G technology.

He said it seemed people ‘didn’t like it without knowing what they actually didn’t like’.

Councillors voted six-five in favour of accepting the precautionary principle but voted unanimously in writing to the Government with their concerns about 5G technology.