French deal turns tide in Alderney

PLANS to speed up Alderney's tidal power project have been given the green light.

A disagreement between the Alderney Commission for Renewable Energy and developer Alderney Renewable Energy had threatened to derail the latest proposals.

However, the two bodies put pen to paper on a new deal - which includes the scrapping of next year's pilot project - just minutes before last night's States meeting.

Six of the island's 10 States members voted in favour of the scheme, which should lead to electricity being generated in Alderney waters two years earlier than planned. Richard Willmott, Colin Williams, Liz Bennett, Ian Tugby, Tony Llewellyn and Bill Walden all voted in favour, while Barbara Benfield, Lin Maurice and Barry Pengilley abstained.

Frank Dean (pictured) was the only member to vote against the proposal and he resigned immediately after the meeting. He said the matter had not been introduced properly.

'My resignation is not because I oppose tidal energy - I emphatically do not. An opportunity to promote any project of value to the economy should be evaluated and introduced via a normal and thorough political process. It is clearly demonstrated that this has not been the case and for a project of such magnitude and importance, the lack of information and the flow of ever-changing information at this late date offers us no credit.'