KENT Police has announced the first stage of a programme of review and change designed to ensure it is a force fit for the future.

The 18-month review will look at every aspect of how it conducts its business.

Initial plans include reducing the number of policing areas in the county from nine to six to help cut the time spent on administration and get more officers on to Kent’s streets.

The aim is to put the force in the strongest possible position to tackle the challenges of the next 10 years.

These include growing demands on its budget, the commitment to neighbourhood policing, changing policing methods and the need to work even more closely with local organisations such as councils, partners in the criminal justice system and the health service to tackle local problems.

At the same time the force wants to maintain and improve its service to the people of Kent to ensure the county remains one of the safest in the country.

Chief Constable Mike Fuller said: "As you would expect of any effective business, we are looking at how we work so we are ready to face the challenges of the next decade and continue to improve our service to the public.

"We will be looking closely at everything we do to build on what we do well and see whether and how we can do other things better.

"The decision to reduce the number of policing areas follows consultation with a wide range of local agencies. It will allow us to police Kent more efficiently and effectively and maintain and increase a visible policing presence at local level.

"I would stress that this decision has been made to allow us to put more officers on the front line to improve our service to the people of Kent.

"The initial changes proposed are largely administrative and will allow us to continue to focus on local need. For the public it will be business as usual, but with more officers on the streets and service that reflects our Kent Standard.

"Colleagues in the organisations with which we work most closely have told us they support the proposal."

Of the six new policing areas, three existing ones remain unchanged: Medway, North Kent and West Kent. The three new areas bring together Swale, Maidstone and Malling; Canterbury and Thanet; South East Kent and Ashford.

The six policing areas will each be headed by a chief superintendent, rather than a superintendent as now, supported by an area management team. Recruitment for the top jobs will start this autumn, with the transition to the new structure beginning in April next year.

The force will provide regular updates to the public at local meetings, on its website, via newsletters and through the news media.