I GAIN the distinct impression that Worcestershire's firefighters are less than happy with this idea for a new fire and rescue regional control centre at Wolverhampton.

The very title reeks of bureaucracy. And that never bodes well, does it? However, I'm more worried by the fact that none other than Jim Fitzpatrick MP has felt obliged to leap to its defence on the page opposite.

Jim who? Yes, quite. He's the parliamentary under secretary of state, Office of the Deputy Prime Minister.

Let me tell you something. Never trust anything that ends in "deliver the best possible service, one that can meet the demands of the 21st Century". In other words, prepare for the piquant aroma of decayed rat to tickle your olfactory tackle.

It's all about imposing regionalisation on the British public. The idea is to get us used to regions, not counties, towns, cities or boroughs.

The same process is going on in the armed services. Famous old county regiments are being dismantled in favour of regional groupings. Units with 250 years of history have been stripped of all their county connotations.

Whenever regionalisation is proposed, its advocates technology, greater efficiency and improved safety as reasons why change must come about.

I don't swallow a word of it. It is my belief that the British Government is merely following the diktats from Brussels that this country must conform to the ultimate dream of a Europe of the Regions.

This is not conjecture. It is stated aim. By centralising the fire services, the British Government is following a secret agenda.

Far-fetched, paranoid speculation? I think not. Within a very short time, the full extent of this process will become apparent as everything - from local democracy to public services - falls prey to the ever-tightening grip of a creeping Eurocracy.