EMERGENCY fire calls could be answered by staff based outside the county, despite a national plan for regional control centres being axed.

A ‘sub-regional’ centre is one of a list of options being explored by Oxfordshire Fire and Rescue Service as it draws up plans.

For the past decade, the national policy had been to move to a regional system with one control room covering the South East.

But the Labour plan was dogged by delays and the idea was shelved in December by the Coalition Government.

It left a question-mark hanging over how emergency calls would be dealt with in Oxfordshire beyond 2014 when current IT systems will need replacing. However, yesterday, the option to answer local fire calls from outside the county was once again floated.

Deputy chief fire officer Colin Thomas outlined possible options to Oxfordshire County Council's cabinet yesterday, which included outsourcing control services.

It could mean the creation of a sub-regional control room for Oxfordshire, Berkshire and Buckinghamshire.

Mr Thomas said combining services with other counties would enhance the ability to cope with high call demands, such as those experienced during the 2007 floods.

He said: “I would call it a sub-regional approach which we are investigating with project partners from the Thames Valley in Buckinghamshire and Berkshire.”

But he stressed the service was looking at a range of options.

He added: “It is what you would expect a professional management team to do.”

However, senior fire officers are also exploring options for the future of the Kidlington-based control room.

It could also result in an upgrading of existing facilities, which deal with about 10,000 calls per year and employ around 20 people.

But last night, the Fire Brigade Union (FBU) was adamant emergency calls should be answered locally by staff who understood what was happening on the ground.

Rachel Dobson, FBU representative for control staff, said: “At all times we know the capability and reliability of all our resources which enables us to mobilise the correct response to each call.”

She said even if a sub-regional control room was based in Oxfordshire it risked “diluting” the service.

The cabinet agreed the study should go ahead, but cabinet member for safer communities Judith Heathcoat added: “These are only options and they are being explored.”

A report is due back in the autumn before more detailed work is carried out on the preferred options.