TRI-SERVICE CONTROL - GOVERNMENT FAILS TO LISTEN:MORE SIGNATURES NEEDED!

3.54.00pm BST (GMT +0100) Tue 4th Sep 2007

The Government has submitted an initial response to the petition to save Gloucestershire's unique TriService Control.

850 people have pledged their support to the campaign with signatories still rising. However, the Government has today announced it will not reconsider its plans to move Fire Control staff 70 miles away to Taunton.

Cllr Jeremy Hilton, the County Council Lib Dem group leader and former cabinet member for Fire, posted the petition on the Downing Street website.

Cllr Hilton said:

"So far nearly 900 of us have joined this direct appeal to the Prime Minister to change his Government's plans, but so far it has been like talking to a brick wall. This response fails to acknowledge the importance of local knowledge, the importance of enabling all three emergency services to work together, the potential dangers of depending upon sattelite navigation equipment, and the incredible risks associated with separating the Chief Fire Officer from his Control Staff - by 70 miles.

I appeal to those who have yet to sign the petition to now do so. It is obvious that the Government needs further convincing of this County's depth of feeling on this issue. Residents, local politicians and local emergency services staff have all signed. But if we want anything more than meaningless spin from this Government then we will need more support."

The Government's response acknowledges the high performance of Gloucestershire's emergency services during the recent flooding. However, it insists that it knows better than the many Fire Service staff who have signed the petition and that a move to Taunton is in Gloucestershire's best interests. The Government's response today is in advance of the petition's closing date, and it is hoped a more satisfactory response will be received in February when the petition comes offline.

Cllr Bill Crowther, Liberal Democrat spokesperson for Community Safety, said:

"This is an extremely disappointing sign. The Government has simply repeated the tired old rhetoric in favour of Regional Call Centres without listening to the arguments in favour of the TriService Control. The Government has said it wants to invest in Gloucestershire's safety. Why not simply improve the technology in the TriService Control? There is no indication here that the Government has listened, understood or seriously considered our concerns."