Guernsey Airtel’S phone mast issue will be decided at a political level, a public meeting heard last night. Some 150 people attended the event, organised by Deputy Al Brouard, at the Western Community Centre.

Office of Utility Regulation director-general John Curran, deputy chief environmental health officer Tony Rowe, Guernsey Airtel executive director David Watson and anti-mast campaigners Owen Le Tissier and Peter Martel made up the panel.

Chris Coles said Guernsey Airtel had clearly gone to a lot of trouble with its applications. ‘I would just like to be assured that they have not already been given an assurance that they will get planning permission,’ he said.

Mr Curran said it had been quite clear in the tender document that the onus was on the operator to obtain any permission required.

Mr Coles asked if planning officers would consider each mast application in isolation. He believed the whole issue should be ‘called in’ and discussed at political level.

‘I’m just staggered that nobody from the Environment Department is here tonight,’ he said. Deputy Brouard, who chaired the meeting, said member Deputy Mary Lowe was present.

The latter said she was on the side of the majority of her Vale parishioners, who were against the construction of more phone masts. As a result, she was now excluded from her department’s meetings when anything to do with Guernsey Airtel was being discussed but said her understanding was that the matter would be dealt with at political level and would not rest with individual planning officers.

She said she, too, was disappointed that no one else from the department was present.

‘Any opportunity to gain information and to be informed on a subject should be taken,’ she said. ‘It’s no good just shutting yourself away before you discuss something around a table.’

Mr Watson and Mr Curran were given a hard time by many at the meeting who seemed to have decided where they stood on the issue before they got there.

Most ignored an early plea from Deputy Brouard to ask questions only, opting instead to make statements with, in some cases, questions tagged on the end. Others asked questions but did not appear to believe the answers.

Most of the opposition was based on health concerns, with the lesser part revolving around the visual aspect.

Colin Fallaize, from the Vale, asked if it was true that a 3G operator licence cost £250,000. Mr Curran said it was.

‘That would go some way to filling the black hole then, wouldn’t it?’ replied Mr Fallaize, who then asked where that money went.

Mr Curran said it was used to fund the OUR. ‘So the money from the licence goes towards funding the office that grants it,’ said Mr Fallaize.

Mr Curran said that was correct.

Mr Fallaize said people should not underestimate the Guernsey donkey, to applause from the audience.

Deputy Brouard said afterwards that the meeting had been a success.

* A protest march will take place on Sunday 19 August at 2pm, starting at North Beach and finishing at Frossard House, where a petition will be given to Environment minister David de Lisle.

* In Jersey, Airtel Vodafone has agreed to take down two masts from the Washington Hotel in Clarendon Road following a campaign by residents. Mr Watson said the planning department had asked his company to come up with something less visually intrusive. Three antennae will now be fitted on one mast.