Press Release from Gloucestershire Fire & Rescue Service
Cabinet restates support for
local fire control
At a meeting of the cabinet today, councillors reluctantly agreed to a recommendation on the governance of any future regional control centre.
The cabinet was asked to approve the next stage of the project, which gives authorisation to the South West Fire Authorities Regional Management Board (RMB) to continue with the plans.
The Government wants to close Gloucestershire’s fire control centre, currently in the Tri-Service Centre at Waterwells, Quedgeley, and replace it with a regional centre in Taunton.
But while the recommendation was approved, cabinet was keen to stress their support for a local base.
The council is, and will continue to be, opposed to this relocation, but today’s decision was necessary to ensure Gloucestershire has a say in what happens.
If the council had refused permission, the plans could have forged ahead anyway without any Gloucestershire input.
Cllr Julie Girling, cabinet member for community safety, said: “Gloucestershire County Council has always opposed plans for a regional fire control centre - and I want to make it very clear that we still do.
“Our local control centre did an excellent job in saving lives during last summer’s flooding - and I remain strongly opposed to any plans to scrap it.
“However, we have to make the best of a bad deal and make sure that if the worst happens and these plans do go ahead, that we have some say in what goes on.
“The Fire Control works well with the other emergency services at the Tri-Service Centre at Waterwells and we will continue to push for the situation to stay as it is - today’s decision does not change that.”
Gloucestershire County Council’s inquiry into the flooding also highlighted the crucial role played by the Tri-Service Centre during the disaster.
The report said the Tri-Service Centre provides a coordinated response, which ultimately helped speed up decision-making and action being taken.
If plans to move the fire control go ahead, the county’s fire control centre will be based in Taunton from 2009
ENDS
12th March 2008
Contact:
Gloucestershire Fire & Rescue Service 01452 753333
Issued by Lisa Bonnell, Gloucestershire County Council Media Team, 01452 425226
lisa.bonnell@gloucestershire.gov.uk
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