A WORCESTER councillor has spoken out against plans to create a regional fire control centre that would see 999 calls from Worcester taken in Wolverhampton.
Councillor Mary Drinkwater was the only member of Hereford and Worcester Fire and Rescue Authority to object to the signing of a members' agreement between the five authorities that will use the new control centre at its recent meeting.
Mrs Drinkwater, who represents Worcester's St Stephen's ward on Worcestershire County Council, said the plans would spell disaster for the county.
She said: "I have always spoken out against the plans for a regional fire control centre. It's the thin end of the wedge and as well as costing an awful lot of money it will not benefit this area."
The centre, which is expected to be up and running by September 2010, will receive emergency calls from Worcestershire, Herefordshire, Shropshire, Staffordshire, Warwickshire and West Midlands and is part of a Government plan to replace England's 46 control centres with nine regional sites.
The five authorities have created a company that will run the centre. Last week Hereford and Worcester FRA agreed to sign a members' agreement which sets out the details of voting provisions, membership and financial arrangements.
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