Alderney’s senior politician has clarified that there is no proposal for a data centre in the island.

The mythical plans have been at the centre of a recent political storm in the island culminating in one elected Member being suspended for the next three States Meetings.

Alex Snowdon has also been told he has to apologise for sharing confidential information around a potential data centre, but he has said he won’t say sorry.

The Chair of Alderney’s Policy and Finance Committee has now confirmed that “there is no proposal for a data centre”.

Jeannie Cameron told Express that the States of Guernsey’s procurement team are dealing with the matter and that any information currently in the public domain on the topic “is all speculative”.

A woman with shoulder length brown hair in a business suit looks at the camera, surrounded by corporate glass.
Jeannie Cameron is the first leader of Policy and Finance this century.

“Guernsey Procurement is handling an Expressions of Interest process, and the States of Alderney has not yet had any feedback from that process,” explained Ms Cameron. 

“When and if there is a proposal for a datacentre then it would of course have to go through a public consultation, an environmental impact assessment, and a heritage impact assessment and any other required assessments.  Until that time, it is all speculative.”

Ms Cameron published a statement after the Commissioner for Standards, Dr Melissa McCullough issued two judgments, based on two separate complaints against Alex Snowdon.

Her decision to suspend him for three days means he will miss all of the the scheduled States meetings in Alderney for the rest of this year – on Wednesday 16 September, 14 October, and 9 December – but he will be allowed to continue representing the island in Guernsey, including at a meeting starting at the end of September where Tax Reform proposals affecting Guernsey and Alderney are due to be voted on. 

Mr Snowdon told Express that the Code of Conduct complaints process is being used to “gag” him for “raising concerns about this vast project on Alderney”.

He also said that he does not intend to apologise and said he maintains serious concerns around the plans for a data centre in Alderney and that he is doing his public duty by raising those concerns.

Alderney Rep. Alex Snowdon
Pictured: Alex Snowdon.

In a statement published in full by Express, Ms Cameron has said the matter has “raised issues extending well beyond the conduct of one elected representative”.

“At their heart is a fundamental question for Alderney: can businesses, advisers and potential investors provide sensitive information to the States with confidence that it will be handled responsibly?,” she writes.

As well as being concerned over Mr Snowdon’s reluctance to apologise for sharing confidential information, Ms Cameron has said “the Commissioner’s findings should therefore prompt more than discussion about sanctions against one Member.

“They should encourage the States to reinforce its confidentiality arrangements, clarify the consequences of unauthorised disclosure and establish an effective mechanism for securing compliance with standards decisions.”

Pictured: Dr Melissa McCullough is Standards Commission for Alderney, Sark, and Jersey – but not Guernsey.

Ms Cameron believes that “Alderney’s economic future depends partly on attracting organisations prepared to invest their expertise, time and money in the island“.

“Those organisations must know that exploratory information will be protected, proposals will be described accurately, and decisions will be taken through reliable institutions,” she writes.

“Confidentiality, accountability and independent oversight are not bureaucratic obstacles to development. Properly observed, they are among its essential foundations.”