A blanket ban on mobile phone masts at schools and other council-owned buildings and land in East Sussex has been lifted.

East Sussex County Council's ruling Conservatives ended the ten-month-old ban, saying there was no general risk to health from the masts.

The council said a Government report and an in-house survey both indicated there was no evidence the transmitters were dangerous.

The previous Lib Dem/Labour administration, which lost power last year, voted for the ban on new masts last April because of safety concerns, particularly about transmitters at schools.

The council's Lib-Dem leader, David Rogers, said: "I don't think the situation has changed. It is not clear there are no safety risks so I am concerned the Tories have overturned that position."

But Daphne Bagshawe, Tory deputy leader of the council, said a ban would be wrong unless it was supported by clear evidence. Each new application should be considered on its own merits.

She said: "It is neither a blanket ban, neither is it a blanket permission. It is an each-case-on-its- merits deal."

On siting masts at council-owned schools, she said: "I think our view is very much it should be a matter for individual schools and their governors."

There are currently transmitters at County Hall, Lewes; Hampden Park School, Eastbourne; Helenswood Upper School, Hastings; and Ringmer Community College.

The council receives £50,000 a year for housing the installations.

The Government's Stewart Report, commissioned because of widespread anxiety about mobile phone masts, said there was no firm evidence they were dangerous but refused to rule out any health threat.

The report said there should be new research and recommended a precautionary approach.

Steve Watts, who last year led a successful campaign to stop a mast being erected on county council-owned land near Wallands Primary School, Lewes, said it was a deplorable decision.

Brighton and Hove City Council has banned masts from its buildings and land. East Sussex Fire Authority recently followed suit.