Fire union fears over new control centre

THE £350m scheme to centralise fire control in the South West has sparked further controversy after a leaked document hinted it may be delayed again.

The Fire Control base of operations in Taunton was supposed to take over from 46 smaller centres in the South West, including one in Exeter, in 2007.

But although the new centre is largely complete — and costing around £5,000 a day to run — it has yet to take a single emergency call because civil servants were forced to push back the opening to this year, then to July 2010.

Now the Fire Brigades Union says it fears the project could be delayed again after the Department of Communities and Local Government (DCLG) sent the Devon & Somerset Fire & Rescue Service a questionnaire, asking firefighters how a further 10-month delay might affect their ability to respond to 999 calls.

The DCLG document is entitled “Exploring the impact of a possible further delay to the project”.

Devon & Somerset FBU Secretary Trevor French said: “The proposed South West regional control room at Taunton has been practically empty since its lease began in August 2007, at a cost of more than £150,000 per month.

“Currently due to open in June 2010, a further 10-month delay would cost another £1.5m, making a total of £6m spent on the leased building before a single 999 call is even answered.”

The union is asking members of the service’s South West Regional Managment Board, which meets today in Clyst St Mary, to voice any concerns they have about the scheme to MPs and central government. “It is surely time to follow Scotland’s example and ditch regional controls before the current farce becomes a disaster and we urge our politicians and Chief Fire Officers to raise their voices further before it is too late,” Mr French said.

Some MPs are concerned the national network of control rooms will not be ready in time for the 2012 Olympics in London.

A DCLG spokeswoman would not say whether the July 2010 date had been pushed back. She said public safety was always of the utmost importance.

She added: “We are confident that the Fire Control system can be delivered and as with any project of this size it is right and proper for there to be contingency plans put in place.

“The department’s focus is making sure the benefits of this project are delivered to the fire and rescue service and the public.”