Ann Barnes and George Taylor in Gravesend Town Centre

by Lizzie Massey

Police and crime commissioner Ann Barnes paid a visit to Gravesend this morning, but remained tight-lipped over the youth commissioner furore.

Mrs Barnes went for a short stroll along King Street and met with representatives of G-SAFE (Gravesham Safe and Free Environment), a business which works with the retail community in Gravesend to prevent and reduce crime in the town.

Members of the public, including 13-year-old George Taylor of Coldharbour Road, Northfleet, also got the chance to chat to Mrs Barnes.

George is the youth adviser for the Gravesham and Ebbsfleet British Legion branch and the Kent Area Officer for the VC Trust.

He defended Mrs Barnes decision to create a youth police and crime commissioner and she was "very brave to take the steps needed to bridge the gap between police and young people".

He continued: "She asked me if I wanted to go into the police and I do, I’ve wanted to since I was little.

"Although she may hold off for a while, she told me that another youth commissioner would be a appointed and I think it’s a brilliant idea.

"I fully support her."

This afternoon, Mrs Barnes was in Dartford on a similar visit.

Youth commissioner Paris Brown, from Sheppey, stepped down this week after it was revealed the teenager had posted inappropriate comments on Twitter before she was appointed.