Plans for new hi-tech police call centres have been given the go-ahead.

At a special meeting, members of Thames Valley Police Authority agreed that two new 24-hour centres for all non-emergency calls, will be created at Spires Business Park, Kidlington, and Windsor police station. No job losses are expected.

Earlier this month, recommendations were also made to replace the force's seven control rooms with two new, larger control rooms equipped with latest technology to handle 999 calls. Police authority members agreed to this proposal, paving the way for the new control rooms at Abingdon police station and at Milton Keynes police station.

The new control rooms and call centres will open in the middle of 2002 to meet deadlines for the new police national radio system.

Police authority chairman Glenn Maybury said: "Last year, Thames Valley Police operators dealt with around five million enquiries from the public a call every six-and-a-half seconds, so it is hardly surprising that our current systems are under severe pressure."