The owners of a local home set up to help disabled children, have criticised comments made by a Pembrokeshire County Councillor at a meeting of the authority's planning and rights of way committee this week.

With the committee discussing a controversial application by Airwave O2 to site a Tetra mast near The Wheelabout in Penally - a home set up by the Harriet Davis Trust - county councillor for Dinas Cross, John Griffiths, claimed on Tuesday that those who had told the Trust that the mast posed any danger to people's health should be "ashamed" of themselves.

"I asked a person who has spent all their working life in electronics about this matter and they said that unless the mast was sited 15 metres away, there would be no danger to life," remarked Clr. Griffiths.

Airwave O2, who wish to install the mast, have appealed to the Planning Inspectorate following the county council's failure to determine the application, with an appeal date pencilled in for sometime in January of next year.

At Tuesday's meeting, a report by director of development, Mr. Roger Barrett-Evans, put forward a recommendation to councillors that had they still been in a position to determine the application, they would have resolved to grant it planning permission.

Members recorded a vote of 15 for and seven against this proposal.

Speaking after the meeting, Mr. John Davis, of the Harriet Davis Trust, said: "Clr. Mrs. Cavill (Penally's county councillor) presented a strong case for the Trust and residents and was well supported by two other councillors on the committee. However, apart from Clr. Griffiths's remarks, the only contributions to the debate centered around the costs that county council had incurred at the Uzmaston Inquiry.

"Should that have been relevant to a discussion and decision on this application?" questioned Mr. Davis, adding that the Trust would be inviting Clr. Griffiths to meet some of the parents and their children who use The Wheelabout as a holiday home.

Addressing the committee before the decision, Clr. Mrs. Carol Cavill labelled the report brought before members as "biased".

"I hope none of you or your families, your children or your grandchildren, ever find yourself in the same situation as these families with severely disabled children and nowhere available to spend a private holiday together. This Trust is unique; you cannot wish to see it fail," she stressed in an impassioned plea.

Among other objections submitted by the Trust are letters from the parents of disabled children, all expressing their concerns about the Tetra mast and their future use of The Wheelabout should it be erected so close to the house.

"These have not been reported in any detail to the committee at any time, nor has the previous planning history of refusals for additional masts in the area been fully rehearsed in committee," claimed Mr. Davis, who was concerned that the decision would now pave the way for a new application by Airwave O2 to be approved by the planning committee.

"It would seem obvious that the way is now free for Airwave O2 to withdraw its appeal and submit a new planning application, confident that it will be passed on the nod," he remarked. "The Trust will then be deprived of the opportunity of presenting its case before an impartial inspector.

"The Welsh Assembly's 'code of good practice' recommends that interested parties should be allowed to address planning committees, but Pembrokeshire County Council have chosen not to adopt this recommendation on the grounds that they have too many applications to deal with," continued Mr. Davis, pointing out that the planning meeting held at County Hall on September 12, commenced at 10 am, dealt with 15 applications and finished at 11.55 am.

The Trust has received backing from local MP, Nick Ainger, who believes that the recommendations members voted in favour of on Tuesday could be subject to a judicial review.

FOOTNOTE: A second application by Airwave O2 to site a mast on another piece of land on The Ridgeway in Penally, 200 metres from The Wheelabout, was turned down by the planning and rights of way committee in September on the grounds of mast proliferation.