A health regulator has raised no objections to the proposed merger between Great Western Ambulance Service and South Western Ambulance Service.

The Co-operation and Competition Panel examined the proposal and concluded that the merger was unlikely to lead to a loss of patient choice and competition.

The next stage is for Monitor, the independent regulator of foundation trusts, to consider the merger, which it will do in August.

If no objections are raised it will go to the Department of Health for approval.

The merger was due to take place in October this year but it is now planned for January 2013.

South Western Ambulance Service covers Devon, Cornwall, Dorset and Somerset while GWAS covers Wiltshire, Avon and Gloucestershire.

At a joint scrutiny meeting of councillors held at Swindon Borough Council’s offices last Friday Wiltshire councillor Mike Hewitt asked if the mothballed regional fire control centre in Taunton was being considered as a possible headquarters for the merged organisation.

Jennie Kingston, deputy chief executive of South Western, said: "The headquarters of South Western Ambulance Service are currently Exeter. The name of the combined organisation will be South Western Ambulance Service and it will be based in Exeter."

Proposals for the future of GWAS’s headquarters at Jenner House in Chippenham will be discussed at a board meeting in July.

All staff employed by GWAS will transfer to South Western.

Mrs Kingston said South Western was focussed on providing local ambulances and frontline staff while looking to reduce management costs and consolidate support functions.

It is still not yet known who will commission ambulance services once Primary Care Trusts are abolished in April 2013, the meeting was told.