Terms agreed with Vodafone for use of Kennington Police Station as site for non emergency service aerials

Report: 14
Date: 23 October 2003
By: Commissioner

Summary

The Metropolitan Police Authority (MPA) has previously approved the use in principle of the police estate for non-emergency service aerials.

Terms have been agreed with Vodafone plc for the use of space at Kennington police station to locate aerials and generate revenue for the MPA.

This report details the proposed terms and provides a generic risk analysis in relation to the local area. It makes recommendations on this proposal.

A. Recommendation

1. Members are asked to approve the terms agreed, subject to contract, with Vodafone plc for the siting of mobile telecoms aerials and associated equipment at Kennington police station.

B. Supporting information

1. Further to the MPA Finance Committee’s approval of 16 January 2003 for the Director of Property Services to negotiate with interested parties for the use of the MPA estate for non emergency services aerials, terms have been agreed, subject to contract, with Vodafone plc for the use of space at Kennington police station.

2. Vodafone wish to site second and third generation equipment and aerials on the roof of Kennington police station to provide coverage to the area, which they are legally obliged to do under the terms of their operating licences. Vodafone has been looking for sites for some time in this area, and Vodafone believes the police station to be the best location. There are few other buildings with sufficient height and roof space nearby.

3. The agreed Heads of Terms and rent are set out in the Exempt Appendix . The terms agreed have been strictly drafted to ensure that the MPA’s interests are protected as far as possible. There is a wide range of issues that the MPA must deal with, including ensuring no interference with operational policing security, and health and safety. Safeguards are included in the terms to ensure the MPA (and MPS) maintain full control over use of the site. The terms are virtually identical to those approved by the MPA for the Vodafone installation at Chiswick police station, with the exception of the financial details.

Protection of operational policing

4. Ongoing liaison is being undertaken with all relevant departments to ensure there are no problems resulting from this installation. This has included DoI in respect of communications systems and IT, HR in respect of personnel and health and safety, and the Borough in respect of their use of the building. DoI and Property Services must approve all systems before installation can begin.

Health and safety

5. The MPA requires the Director of Property Services to put each case to the Finance Committee for approval with an appropriate risk analysis. This is to be based upon a presumption of ‘remoteness’.

6. As with Chiswick, Kennington police station is not a remote location, but is in an area of high demand for mobile communications. The area is built up and has a range of uses including residential and commercial.

7. Appendix 1 is a map of the area, showing the police station in relation to its surroundings. The blue stars show the approximate position of existing mobile telephone aerials. This information comes from a visual survey and the Radiocommunications Agency. Details of the schools are taken from the Department of Education’s website.

8. Schools are shown by the blue shaded boxes, with health centres and hospital in the yellow shaded boxes. As can be seen there is a high number of existing antennas in the area, and all are a similar or much greater distance to schools or hospitals than the proposed site at Kennington police station. At Waterloo station, St Thomas Hospital and Elephant and Castle there are a number of antenna on these sites, and the white number in the centre of the blue star indicates how many.

9. The nearest educational establishment is Morley College, a further education college for sixth form and adult education. It is located approximately 85 metres to north east of Kennington PS. As all students are aged 16 or over the potential risk, as set out in the Clarification of Issues Discussed in the Stewart Report (Appendix 1, Finance Committee Report 23 October 2003 “Terms Agreed with Vodafone for Use of 3-5 Nightingale Lane as a Site for Non Emergency Service Aerials) is considered to be low. The transmissions will be well within international guidelines. The other known schools are all much further away from the site.

10. Siting of aerials relative to schools and hospitals is dealt with under the planning system, which the operator, if approved to proceed with this site, will deal with under the Traffic Light model incorporated in the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister’s Code of Best Practice. The National Radiological Protection Board deals with health and safety and sets national standards.

11. The presence of aerials on the roof poses no known risk to police officers and staff. Having the mast located on the top of the building means that the emissions are radiated outwards, away from the building. Inside the building the main sources of emissions will be from other aerials at street and roof level, officers’ radios and mobile phone handsets.

12. The roof-mounted aerials are directional, and are normally placed on the edge of the roof to avoid reflection. Power levels are such that emissions within even a short distance of an aerial are within international guidelines. For an officer or other person to be at risk of excessive exposure they would need to climb out onto the edge of the roof and position themselves in front of the aerial. At this point the main danger is falling. The operators take measures under Health and Safety legislation to ensure that personnel cannot enter the proximity of antennas using physical barriers and warnings.

Commercial issues

13. The terms agreed with Vodafone plc are contained in the Exempt Appendix . These are virtually identical to those agreed between the MPA and Vodafone at Chiswick police station. The rental offered for this site compares favourably with the rental achieved at Chiswick and broader market levels.

Consultation

14. Consultation has been undertaken with the relevant operational departments, Lambeth Borough OCU, the MPA link member and the staff unions and Police Federation. The Borough OCU is being consulted on the project and will be involved throughout. Public Affairs have also been advised and are preparing a Media Statement.

C. Equality and diversity implications

1. There are considered to be no equality and diversity implications arising from the issues in this report.

D. Financial implications

1. The Efficiency and Effectiveness target for 2003/04 of £500,000 per annum anticipates half this sum being generated by aerial sites. It was suggested in the Report to the Finance Committee on 16 January 2003 that this be reduced to £100,000.

2. In order to meet either target the MPA needs to rapidly develop the aerial network on its estate, and this agreement forms part of this process.

Legal implications

1. Apart from the contract with Vodafone plc there are not considered to be any other legal implications upon the MPA.

E. Background papers

• Finance Committee – 16 January 2003
• Finance Committee –10 July 2003
• Code of Best Practice on Mobile Phone Network Development: Office of the Deputy Prime Minister, 2002
• Department of Trade & Industry Mobile Phone Base Station Audit – School Results 2002: DTI Press Release 18th February 2003 (P/2003/100)

F. Contact details

Report author: Alan Croney, Director of Property Services, MPS.

For more information contact:

MPA general: 020 7202 0202
Media enquiries: 020 7202 0217/18

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