Hundreds respond to closure plan

There are concerns about plans to close the Shrewsbury control room

An ambulance trust considering moving two control centres has received more than 300 responses to the plans during a public consultation.

West Midlands Ambulance Service Trust could close centres in Shrewsbury and Worcester and move staff to the Black Country and Staffordshire.

A smaller site in Warwickshire is also being considered.

Up to 240 responses were in favour and 65 against, but that does not include petitions or views on protest websites.

Two websites have been set up opposing the plans and two petitions have been sent to the trust.

More than 200 people attended public meetings and eight alternative plans were presented during the consultation, a spokesman said.

Staff suspended

A public meeting is to be held on 9 October to discuss the proposals and responses and also hear independent advice. A final decision is due next month.

Sixteen control room staff in Shropshire would have to move to the proposed new locations but paramedics would not be affected.

Up to 28 staff would be affected at Worcester.

Officials have denied the move would be a cost-cutting exercise and said it would make the service more efficient.

They hope to raise £2.5m from the sale of the sites in Shrewsbury, Bransford in Worcester and Stone Road in Stafford.

Money would then be spent on extending the site in Brierley Hill in the Black Country, building a new centre in Tollgate in Stafford and upgrading services in Leamington Spa.

The trust said any money saved would be put back into equipment, increasing staff numbers and response cars.

In August, three workers from the ambulance service were suspended when control room logs were passed to the BBC.

They claimed ambulances were sent from Shropshire to help in Birmingham and the Black Country, reducing the number of emergency vehicles available in the county.