QUICKER responses to emergency police calls could soon be on the cards for residents in Warrington if a new scheme to merge the control room with Halton is a success.

In 12 months' time, Warrington's control room will handle calls from both boroughs, and hundreds of thousands of pounds will be invested on new equipment and training to ensure that staff can answer calls as quickly as they can.

The facility is the brainchild of Warrington's divisional commander, Supt Kevin Mayhew, who has secured funding from the Home Office and Cheshire Police, and will see the two divisions joining forces to answer calls and send patrols out to jobs in Runcorn, Widnes and Warrington.

Speaking at a meeting on Tuesday night, Supt Mayhew explained that callers were often kept waiting because a lack of operators meant they were left ringing out, then passed to the headquarters switchboard in Chester, putting them back at the bottom of the queue.

Responses will be split into two categories. Emergency calls, requiring an immediate response, will be handled through the new and improved Warrington control room.

And a separate Call Handling Suite will be built in Warrington where slower calls, which could be dealt with through an appointment with officers or a slower response will be handled.

Supt Mayhew said: "The project has started and the money has been secured and some of the technology is starting now. Staff are being trained and it will involve the transfer of staff from Halton to Warrington.

"A project team is working in Warrington looking at the staff we need and extra posts will be created at Warrington. Some of these will be filled by existing staff at both divisions and some will be new appointments.

"Eventually, once it has all settled down, calls will be handled more quickly and in a more structured way."

Cash has been invested in new computers and telephone technology and, instead of staff answering all calls, they will be streamlined according to the urgency of the response.

The Warrington facility will also be supported by a control room at the force's new headquarters which is expected to be built and up and running in four years' time.