THE chief executive of the Welsh Ambulance Service, Don Page, has pledged to examine the shortfalls in Blaenau Gwent's ambulance cover.

Mr Page met concerned members of the social services committee of Blaenau Gwent county borough council, and promised to review the structure of ambulance cover in Wales in terms of evenly distributing resources.

He will report to the council on his findings.

A report by the Specialised Health Service Commission for Wales into tackling heart disease revealed only 42 per cent of emergency calls are answered within eight minutes in Blaenau Gwent compared to an average of more than 52 per cent in the rest of the county.

The Argus revealed how on one occasion an ambulance attending a call in Blaenau Gwent came from Ystradgynlais in the Swansea valley.

Several councillors voiced disapproval at the centralisation of the ambulance service, saying it had hit response to emergencies in North Gwent.

Council leader John Hopkins told Mr Page: "Lives are being put at risk."

John Rodgers, chairman of social services in Blaenau Gwent county borough council, said: "We believe that it is the responsibility of the trust to manage their funds equitably so every area is treated the same."

He added: "We just want the same service that everybody else is getting because, at the moment, Blaenau Gwent is getting short-changed compared to other areas in Wales."

Assembly member Peter Law also attended the meeting and said: "We do not want to reduce services in other areas to our level - we want to be brought up to their level."

After the meeting Mr Page said: "It was very useful because it allowed us to listen to their concerns and gave us an opportunity to explain what we are doing to improve the situation.

"I explained to members that the Trust has put in a bid to the National Assembly for extra resources to help ambulance presence in the area but that there was no guarantee of the money being awarded.

"Members were made aware of a recent report which recognised that a much higher level of investment is needed if we are to achieve equity across Wales.

"The trust was pleased to note that Blaenau Gwent Council was supportive of the ambulance service in its bid for extra resources."