Kent County Council has pulled out of exhibiting at this summer’s Kent County Show as it cannot afford the stand.

The authority usually fields a large display but will not appear at all this year.

It has recently been reported that the council spent £4.5 million on consultants in a year and £2,080 on a new logo.

The cost of the council’s large stand last year for Explore Kent, part of its leisure division, was £10,000.

The show’s 2013 brochure reveals that a basic trade stand starts from £570 plus VAT.

A KCC spokesman said: “In these tough financial times we need to make sure that our expenditure gives the best value for money for the council so we have looked carefully at where we can make savings.

“This has been a difficult decision and is based on a review of our presence at public events during the coming year. We wish the Agricultural Society every success with the show.”

In these tough financial times we need to make sure that our expenditure gives the best value for money.

County show manager Lucy Hegarty said “We are quite sad that they are unable to support their local show. But we do hope that in the future they are able to come back.”

She added that contingency plans were already in place to ensure wet weather would not lead to a repeat of last year, when the ground had to be closed to traffic.

The show runs at the Kent Showground, Detling, from July 12-14. Details from kentshowground.co.uk