A national park will carry out a study on how much of its surface area is a mobile “not spot” in a bid to improve coverage.

The Snowdonia National Park Authority approved a Corporate Plan for 2018/19, setting out some of its objectives for the coming year.

As part of these aims, bosses have agreed to carry out a study to find out how much of the national park receives little or no mobile coverage.

Once this study is complete, the intention is that at least emergency calls can be made across a more widespread area of the park’s 823 square miles.

Emergency calls to 999 numbers can be made by users of any mobile network, as long as they are within range of at least one network operator mast.

As part of the park’s proposals, year-on-year improvement targets will then be set and reviewed on an annual basis.

Last year, the national park rejected proposals for phone masts disguised as trees so that they could blend in with the natural landscape.

However, the authority has already confirmed that it will ask mobile firms to share masts in order to limit the impact on the environment.

“The baseline is yet to be set, but the plan is to establish what the current situation is and to set targets in order that the situation is improved,” said Iwan Jones, the NPA’s director of corporate services.

This morning’s meeting also saw the park authority vote to keep the salaries of its senior members at current levels for another year.

The Independent Remuneration Panel for Wales has imposed a 1.49% payrise for all members over 2018/19, raising their annual salary by £50.

Those sitting on the authority were, however, given a choice if the salaries of senior members should be upgraded to band 1 status.

But proposing that the levels should stay the same, Marian Wyn Jones said: “In light of the current financial situation, it would be difficult for us to justify any pay rises while the climate is as it is.”

Her proposal was approved unanimously.

As a result, the salaries of the authority’s vice chairman and committee chairs will remain on the same level, meaning they will receive £6,075 a year, inclusive of the basic £3,675 salary.