Cops cut back 999 target... due to NON-urgent calls; NEW NUMBER WILL STRAIN CONTROL CENTRE WALES.

Byline: By OWEN HUGHES 

POLICE have had to revise target figures for answering 999 calls due to the launch of a new non-emergency number this year.

North Wales Police are set to introduce a simple three digit number - likely to be 101 - in 2009 for the public wanting to make non-emergency calls to the force.

It will replace the 0845 607 1001/2 numbers, which chief officers say are hard for the public to remember easily.

But the new service is expected to increase calls by 10% - adding up to 50,000 extra calls to the control centre at St Asaph,which police sharewith the fire service.

Police said that extra staff were being recruited to meet the demand.

But they had been forced to revise hopes of increasing the percentage of 999 calls answered in 10 seconds to 95% during the next financial year.

This is expected to affect around 3,000 calls.

But they have still set a target of 92%, a 2% increase on the target for the current financial year.

The target for non-emergency calls for next year is being reduced from92%in 30 seconds to 91% in 40 seconds because of the expected increase in the volume of calls.

A police report for the Performance Review committee stated: "The target was modified downwards from 95% to 92% since the Single Non-Emergency Number planned for April 2009 will result in a greater volume of calls (potentially a 10% increase) and the emphasis on quality of service will un-doubtedly impact on the ability to answer calls within 10 seconds."

The call centre,which up to December 31 had handled 84,380 emergency and 360,916 non-emergency calls, is currently on course to beat the existing target for the year with 92.2% of emergency calls answered in 10 seconds.

Deputy chief constable Clive Wolfendale said: "The new number will replace the existing numbers which are not easy for the public to remember.

"Because of this change we expect the volume of calls to increase by around 10%.

"The extra calls are a good thing because we want to be accessible to the public and people to call us.

"This new service will make it much easier for this to happen.

"The servicewas due to be launched in April but the date has now been put back.

"We are still increasing our targets for answering 999 calls in 10 seconds from 90% to 92%."

A police spokeswoman said additional staff had already been recruited with further appointments in the future. to mitigate the affect of the expected extra demands.

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CAPTION(S):

Deputy chief constable Clive Wolfendale; The fire and police control room at St Asaph is expected to field an extra 50,000 calls when a simpler non-urgent call number launches - slowing 999 responses