WAVERLEY'S ruling executive has agreed to join other local authorities in a bid to see off unwelcome telephone masts, having lost all four of its appeals against masts in the last two years.

Councillors have signed Waverley up to the Local Authorities Telecommunications Group. They have also agreed to set up a workshop for fellow councillors to consider how best to lobby the government.

Waverley's Local Plan, adopted in April 2002, which governs planning policy, states that planning permission for masts will be given if five criteria are met.

The plan stipulates that:

• masts should have no adverse affect on the appearance of the surrounding area;

• ground-based masts will only be permitted if an operator needs to bolster its network coverage and cannot do so by putting additional antennae on, or sharing, an existing or proposed mast;

• masts be located in the "least damaging" position and be appropriately designed;

• trees and hedgerows are protected from any works associated with the erection of a mast;

• new buildings with more than one occupant be provided with total coverage.

In a report to members of the Lib Dem-controlled executive, an officer writes of Waverley's defeats in all four of its last planning appeals: "This situation has caused much concern and the new council has placed the issue high on its list of priorities.

"It might be thought that the policy in the local plan is not strong enough. However, it has been endorsed by the government's own local plan inspector. It is not likely that the borough council would be permitted by government to strengthen the policy any further."

Liberal Democrat member of the executive, and Farnham ward councillor, Vic Scrivens said: "This is an issue that really does affect our green and pleasant land. What we're suggesting here is putting more pressure on the government about people's concerns, not just about health, but their vistas."