WORCESTERSHIRE’S former ambulance control centre has still not been sold almost 11 months after it closed.

The former emergency operations centre (EOC) at Bransford, near Worcester – valued at £650,000 – stands empty and, as a result, is holding back plans to improve West Midlands Ambulance Service’s (WMAS) facilities across the county.

The centre closed last December and all calls for emergencies in Worcestershire and Herefordshire are now handled by the EOC at Brierley Hill, near Dudley, West Midlands.

Bosses said they have had one bid for the Bransford site, which is available either freehold or leasehold, and is described as an “office development opportunity” by estate agent and consultant Colliers CRE. But they rejected the figure, which has not been disclosed, because it fell far below their estimate.

Chief executive Anthony Marsh told Worcestershire County Council’s health over-view and scrutiny committee (HOSC): “Who would have envisaged or thought we would be in the worst recession since records began?

“We are committed to selling Bransford. We had one offer but it was wholly inadequate but when we get one which matches our estimations we will sell.

“We are committed to that and the proceeds will be for investing in Worcestershire.”

He added that money would go towards refurbishing, cleaning or even moving some of the county’s ambulance stations.

He allayed fears by some HOSC members that the trust would be looking to wind down some operations.

Mr Marsh said: “I want to make it very clear we are not seeking to close any stations.

“We are not proposing a reduction in ambulance stations but I am not against moving a station up the road if there is a better facility for staff.”

Meanwhile, concerns have been raised that those holding the purse strings at WMAS are not taking a long-term view on how to improve and sustain its service.

This comes after WMAS was given an extra £10 million by health trusts across the region to recruit more staff and provide more training so it can rapidly improve its operations and deal with increasing 999 calls.

Mr Marsh fielded a number of concerned questions from HOSC members about the ambulance service’s funding and the way it is operating and using its staff at present.

Councillor John Smith, who is the county’s cabinet member for health, said: “People are working overtime and time-and-a-half and that can’t be effective.

“You have got to make the money you have work better for you.”

Mr Marsh said he thought the service did offer value for money.

NHS Worcestershire’s chief executive Paul Bates agreed with Mr Marsh’s sentiment in an e-mail he sent to HOSC members but also called for the ambulance service to overcome its challenges.

Mr Marsh said the reason the service is under such strain is because more people are dialling 999 when they should be seeking help elsewhere.

They were looking to educate people about who they can turn to instead.