Huhne says Government is wrong about regional fire control (Eastleigh Liberal Democrats)

Eastleigh Liberal Democrats <enquiries@eastleighlibdems.org.uk>

Huhne says Government is wrong about regional fire control

October 11, 2005 12:00 AM

Commenting on the Government's announcement that the new regional fire control centre will be based at Fareham, Eastleigh MP Chris Huhne said that the decision to centralise all fire control for a region of more than 8 million people in the South East was a big mistake.

"Closing down the county fire control centres - including the Hampshire control room at Eastleigh - simply makes for a bigger and far more devastating terrorist target. Terrorists will be able to create havoc on a far greater scale with one attack" said Mr Huhne.

The decision to centralise all fire control for a region of more than 8 million people was a big mistake

Mr Huhne pointed out that the plans have been opposed by fire fighters' leaders who fear that regional control rooms will not have the same level of local knowledge as county control rooms, and there was nothing to stop small counties from co-operating if they want to do so.

"The ODPM's one-size fits all approach to Fire Control Rooms is a mistake. Many areas have already modernised, and others have tied in with ambulance and police control rooms. If this goes wrong, it goes wrong on a massive and disastrous scale".

Mr Huhne pointed out that the announcement linked the Fire Control project, which has been in the pipeline for years, to the bombings of 7th July. "This is shameful political opportunism, and must not blind us to the fact that the regional system could undermine, rather than reinforce, public safety" said Mr Huhne.