FEW of those who read the Channel Islands Co-operative Society Ltd’s message on pages 12 and 13 of today’s Guernsey Press will believe that it has had a fair crack of the whip over its application to redevelop Leale’s Yard off St Sampson’s Bridge.

Yes, it is a subjective narrative but it comes across as factual, balanced – and full of frustration. But the disturbing aspect, and that which gives rise to the fair play concerns, is the role played in the ‘make the development smaller’ decision by the politicians on Environment.

At least two of them appear to have conflicts in favour of Town over St Sampson’s: Deputy Jenny Tasker, as senior St Peter Port Constable, and Deputy Jack Honeybill, the paid chief executive of the Town Centre Partnership, which exists to promote its interests.

If the Co-op is correct and he played a role in the board discussions and decisions – which appear to have overturned the previous step-by-step advance towards the application that has now been knocked back – it was an error of judgement.

It would also have been wrong for the Environment board to allow him to take part. No matter how impartially he discharged his responsibilities, his part in a negative result for the Co-op could never pass what might crudely be termed the ‘smell test’ of objectivity.

That, and possibly Mrs Tasker’s involvement, becomes more of an issue given the way the Chamber of Commerce has allegedly acted in putting up a hostile – and potentially misleading – report behind the back of one of its senior members, the Co-op itself, and the fact that Commerce and Employment’s retail strategy report was pieced together without reference to the Co-op.

How much weight was placed by Environment on the chamber report and, if it was a narrow vote, which way did Deputy Honeybill go and why?

If the supermarket’s claim that there was an 11th-hour moving of the goalposts is correct then there is an urgent need for Environment to explain why that was necessary – and on what evidence.

Getting the right development is a complex matter and vital to the future wellbeing of the Bridge and St Peter Port.

The last thing that process needs is to be is handicapped by claims of bias.