Richard Drax, MP for South Dorset, said today how disappointed he is that Mike Penning, Undersecretary of State for Transport, will not consider a proposal to site the new coastguard marine operations centre (MOC) in Weymouth or Portland.
In a speech in Westminster Hall, Drax gave the reasons why the MOC should be located in South Dorset. Presenting a Weymouth and Portland Borough Council proposal, he said that the bid showed that the area had the infrastructure, the expertise and the will to host the new ‘supercentre.’
The proposal was supported by all Dorset MPs, including cabinet minister Oliver Letwin. Dorset Police, Dorset County Council, Dorset Fire and Rescue Service, the Environment Agency and Bournemouth and Poole Unitary Authorities also backed it.
In his speech, Drax also questioned the decision making process which had reduced the country’s 18 coastguard stations to nine, plus a MOC.
“This highly respected service has evolved over 200 years to suit our needs,” he said, “Why reinvent the wheel? The sea is unforgiving. The electorate will be more so.”
He also questioned the new system’s over reliance on new technology. “We are all too aware that technology breaks down,” he said. “After all, the NHS supercomputer is an acknowledged disaster. And the disastrous reorganisation of the Fire and Rescue Services – shelved at a cost of half a billion pounds – is uncomfortably reminiscent of these plans for the coastguard.”
In two, successive consultation exercises held since December 2010, the Portland coastguard was chosen for closure, despite many local submissions to the Minister to save it.
In recognition of a seemingly irreversible decision a 22,000 signature petition was delivered recently to Downing Street supporting the WPBC proposal to site the MOC in South Dorset..
During the debate, Minister Mike Penning made it clear that he was unwilling to consider the proposal because it would mean reopening the consultation for the third time.
He said that land at Lee on Solent already belonged to the Maritime and Coastguard Agency and that the MOC could even be installed within the MCA headquarters.
“I’m afraid that we are determined that the MOC should be in the Solent area,” said the Minister, “And while I respect the work done by the community, it does not form part of the second consultation.”
Richard Drax remains unhappy at this answer.“While I do understand that it might create more work, I cannot understand the reasons for refusing to reopen the consultation. Whatever stage we are at, if a truly worthwhile idea comes along, it should be looked at.”
“However, when I pressed the Minister specifically to give the proposal due consideration, he said that he would not.”
“The jury is still out over what the government is doing and I remain, along with many others, very concerned.”
“However, I would like to congratulate all the campaigners involved with this proposal, including the local paper. The work involved in bringing the issue to Westminster has been huge. Along with all those who did so much, I am deeply disappointed.”
“I believe that the uniform branch in our country – of which the coastguard is an invaluable part - is the gold standard and a wonderful asset to have in any local community.”