THE issue of long delays on the Wiltshire Police non-emergency number 101 is to be tackled later this month.

At a police and crime panel meeting in Salisbury on Thursday, commissioner Angus Macpherson told members that while 90 per cent of calls to the 101 number were answered by someone within 30 seconds, the problem was what then happens next.

“Whilst the call is being answered, there is concern over the people then being put on hold and abandoning the calls,” he said.

“The problem is the ‘I’ll put you through’ and it doesn’t go anywhere, that’s the real niggle.

“I recognise the public concern. It’s not satisfactory and we are spending the whole day at the end of this month looking at the problem which I think should give members some indication of how seriously we take it.”