Kent's controversial Police and Crime Commissioner Ann Barnes will not be standing for re-election.

Announcing the decision, she said she was proud of her achievements in office and thanked the officers and staff she has worked with for their "magnificent work".

"As election day approaches for the next PCC I have decided that I will not be a candidate," she said in a statement on the Police and Crime Commissioner's website.

"Fifteen years – including, since 2012, service in this intense and all-consuming role – is probably long enough, and I am content that I have delivered what I said I would and Kent Police is in a very strong and sustainable position for the future."

Her term in office finishes on May 11.

Mrs Barnes was elected with a majority of 53,889, but her four-year term has been blighted by controversy.

She was investigated for an alleged insurance offence last year, however, the Independent Police Complaints Commission decided not to take any action against her.

She also struggled to describe exactly what her job was in a behind-the-scenes Channel 4 documentary in 2014 and talked about "the onion" - an approach to policing priorities.

Mrs Barnes added: "I have now spent over 15 years in police accountability and governance and a lot has changed in that time; one thing I can say with absolute confidence though is that the people of Kent now get a better service, victims and witnesses are now at the heart of policing in Kent, and the public has never been better engaged in policing.

"That is not just my view. It is the finding of the independent policing inspectorate, HMIC, who have graded Kent Police as the only ‘outstanding’ force in the country in this regard.

"I’m proud of the officers and staff for what they have achieved, and I’m proud of the chief constable for delivering that change."

Mrs Barnes said she had kept her promise of ensuring victims of crime and witnesses came first and helped prevent the politicisation of her role, describing the county's policing service as "the envy of the world".

She continued: "I have also raised the profile of Police and Crime Commissioners – not always in the way that I intended, it must be said.

"People need to know who they can come to when they have an issue about how policing is delivered, and I want to thank the tens of thousands of people who have written to me over the last four years and engaged in that debate about how we improve policing and address concerns.

"It is important to point out that they are not all complaining either.

"Many ordinary people across the county have felt the need to tell me in person and in writing what a great job our police officers and staff do in Kent.

"They are proud of them, rightly so, and I will never cease to be proud of them either."

Thanking police officers and staff, she said she had seen "incredible bravery, compassion, unshakeable commitment, and a passion to do the right thing in serving the public" during her term.

"The police do not get enough praise for what they do day-in day-out, and when I reflect on my term I think I have been most angry when I have seen politicians abusing the police for their own political purposes and failing to give them the respect and encouragement they deserve," she said.

Picking out her proudest achievements, she referred to the establishment of a dedicated Sexual Assault Referral Centre (SARC) in Maidstone and the work of the crime victim support centre at Compass House in Ashford.

Mrs Barnes also had advice for anyone thinking of putting themselves forward for her role.

"Be prepared to work around the clock. This is not a part-time position. It is an all-consuming role that requires and deserves that attention.

"Listen to the public... when you have to challenge, remember that mistakes can happen and look at the intentions as well as the actions of those involved."