Wiltshire Council’s leader has reacted with fury to news that the Health Protection Agency (HPA) board of directors favours moving Porton’s Centre for Emergency Preparedness and Response (CEPR) to Essex – six months after the Journal first reported it.

Leader Jane Scott, along with other senior council figures, met with representatives of HPA on Friday and then issued a statement condemning the agency for making a decision to support the move without notifying the council.

But the HPA and Salisbury MP John Glen, have been left mystified, as the HPA board’s decision on its preferred option was widely reported and discussed in the House of Commons in May.

Unconfirmed reports were leaked to the Journal in February.

A spokesman for HPA said it accepts the council should have been officially notified in writing before Friday, but added: “In view of the publicity attracted by the relocation, we are surprised senior figures in Wiltshire Council were apparently unaware of the position. It was debated in the House of Commons and widely reported in the media.”

In her statement, Cllr Scott said: “We were shocked to discover a decision had been made in May to recommend relocation of the HPA site.We are extremely disappointed as this recommendation, if supported, will have a major impact on jobs in our county.”

When the Journal contacted Cllr Scott to clarify her position, she confirmed she and her council colleagues had not been aware the board had definitely decided to support the move prior to Friday’s meeting. “We went to a completely useless meeting,” she said, “because they had already made their decision. They didn’t have the courtesy to write to the local authority.”

HPA has submitted an outline business case arguing for the relocation of research facilities to the GSK New Frontiers Science Park in Harlow, along with the majority of the 800 job roles dependent on it.

The final decision will be made by the Department of Health in October.

Mr Glen met with health minister, Ann Milton, last week to argue the case for keeping the CEPR – the centre for research into bio-terrorism and deadly diseases – at Porton and for it being taken over by scientists and run as a co-operative.

He has welcomed news the Government intends to abolish the HPA and absorb its functions into other bodies as a positive sign the department may decide to upgrade facilities at Porton rather than the more expensive option of new buildings in Harlow.

Cllr Scott said the council will now concentrate its efforts on talks with the Department of Health.