Plans to merge Warwickshire's ambulance service could go to court

Warwickshire County Council opposed the merger plans which mean one new body will cover five million people.

Council leader Alan Farnell said it would be "reckless" to back the new body, which is set to be larger than any other merged service in England.

He said Warwickshire councillors were considering a legal challenge through a judicial review.

He said: "We are deeply disappointed by the news and feel that this proves that consultation means nothing."

The new service would cover after Birmingham, the Black Country, Hereford and Worcester, Shropshire, Coventry and Warwickshire from next year.

Three stars

Staffordshire has been told it can stay independent for up to two years, but will eventually have to merge into the wider West Midlands service.

Ministers said the larger body would save millions a year to be spent on frontline services.

But Mr Farnell said: "Coventry and Warwickshire Ambulance Trust, along with Staffordshire, are the only two trusts to have three stars for performance.

"Yet Staffordshire has been given a stay of execution, which we welcome, and Coventry and Warwickshire's voice has not been listened to.

"Halving over �6m management costs to around �3m and doubling the workload is reckless. There is a limit in terms of people's human capability to manage such a large complex organisation."

'Far larger'

Jerry Roodhouse, the council's Lib Dem leader, claimed the new body would save money but lose lives.

He said: "It's the sheer scale of the area we would have to cover that is worrying.

"So far the largest ambulance trust mergers have involved three counties, such as the East Anglia and East Midlands Trusts.