Cornwall Fire & Rescue Service Newsdesk

at 08/11/2004 14:08

The South West Regional Management Board has called on the Government to initiate an urgent independent review into the future provision of Fire and Rescue Control Centres in the region.

At a meeting held in Exeter today (Monday), members unanimously agreed a motion put forward by the Avon Fire Authority. The motion reads:

“The South West Regional Management Board calls on Government to initiate an urgent independent review into the future provision of Fire and Rescue Control Centres in the region.

This Regional Management Board feels that the National Fire Control Project Team have failed to take due account of local stakeholder opinion on this issue. We urge that the independent review considers the unique position of the South West, including the operational tri-service centres, and be encouraged to make recommendations as to how the relevant stakeholders in the region can be better persuaded as to the need and justification for a new Regional Control Centre.”

The South West Regional Management Board is made up of Fire Authority Members from the seven Fire Authorities in the South West – Avon, Cornwall, Devon, Dorset, Gloucestershire, Somerset and Wiltshire.
The Board was established to co-ordinate a number of issues on which fire authorities in the South West could work together on a regional basis, including the future provision of a Regional Control Centre.

Board members expressed concern at today’s meeting that they had not received the Government’s outline business case for the Regional Control Centre and were being asked to make decisions without knowing all the facts.

It was announced last month that the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister had shortlisted three private company bids to build the South West Regional Control Centre. All the internal bids by the individual fire authorities were rejected. The final decision on the location will not be made until next year.

It is proposed that there will be nine Regional Control Rooms across England, which will replace fire authority’s existing individual control rooms. The South West is currently due to move to a Regional Control Room by 2008.

The South West Regional Management Board will send an urgent letter of representation to the Secretary of State informing him of the above motion.

The South West Regional Management Board is attended by Councillor Jill Ferrett, Executive Member Public Protection and Chief Fire Officer Mick Howell, Cornwall County Fire Brigade.