Maria Miller has been attacked by the Local Government Association (LGA) for allowing broadband providers to deploy street cabinets without local council consultation.

Maria Miller has said in the past that it is essential to sweep “away the red tape that is a barrier to economic recovery.” However the decision to remove control from local councils and give power instead to private companies has been attacked by the LGA.

The association said in a statement: “Decisions on where to place broadband infrastructure must consider the impact on local environments rather than simply suit the convenience of companies and their engineers.”