CONTROVERSIAL plans to have Worcestershire's 999 fire calls answered at a regional control centre in Wolverhamtpon have taken a significant step forward.

Hereford and Worcester Fire and Rescue Authority (FRA) yesterday agreed to sign an agreement between the five authorities that will use the new control centre.

The centre will receive emergency calls from Worcestershire, Herefordshire, Shropshire, Staffordshire, Warwickshire and West Midlands and is part of a government plan to replace England's 46 control centres with nine regional sites.

The five authorities have created a company, the Local Authority Controlled Company, that will run the centre.

The members' agreement sets out the details of voting provisions, membership and financial arrangements.

Hereford and Worcester FRA sought legal advice before taking the decision to sign the agreement.

"We needed expert advice on setting up a company and company law," said chairman Brigadier Peter Jones.

And Chief Fire Officer Paul Hayden added: "There are enormous amounts of money involved in this and the risks are enormous so we wanted to ensure everything was right before going ahead and signing."

After a short discussion members voted unanimously to sign the agreement.

Once the new centre is up and running, in September 2010, all 999 calls from the five authority areas will be answered there.

But Hereford and Worcester's brigade union secretary Steve Laugher has claimed it could lower standards in the two counties.

A petition against regionalisation has been signed by more than 10,000 people.