Charges for police attendance at public events are to be reviewed because the issue threatens to damage the relationship between police and public.

Kent Police Authority pledged to look again at the controversial charging guidelines after chief constable Mike Fuller highlighted the major impact the issue was having on the public’s trust in the Force.

Maidstone River Festival has blamed cancellation of the event on the additional police costs.

KPA chairman Ann Barnes told the authority on Wednesday that no one wanted the police to bill small church fairs or charity drives for the extra officers deployed, but that fair guidelines had to be established to prevent people from abusing the system.

She said: “It is very difficult to charge for community events, as it causes lot of aggravation between the community, the police and our partners.

“But you can get something billed as charity where the organisers give a certain small percentage to charity and pocket the rest - that is not a charity event.

“It is certainly an important issue and we will be having a good long look at this issue because want to be fair to everyone.”

Kent police is entitled to bill any commercial or community event which requires additional police security for the some or all of the cost of deploying extra officers for the day.

Guidance from the Association of Chief Police Officers in 2005 suggests the force charge commercial events 100 per cent of the costs and smaller events – such as charity fundraisers – anything from nothing to 50 per cent of the costs.

Mr Fuller cited the river festival, which is comemrcially and community sponsored, as an exampe of the dilemma the Force was facing.

The festival was cancelled last month as policing the event would have cost - according to the recent ACPO guidelines - more than £21,700.

Mr Fuller said: “The event required 153 officers to police it and last year there were 40 arrests – policing was at the right level.

“Providing 150 free officers still means overtime for people on their day off, and taking officers off their normal duties, and then we get criticised if there aren’t enough police responding to calls.”

He added: “This issue is the biggest threat at the moment in regards to undermining the ties the police have with the community.”

The KPA agreed to discuss the issue in depth at the June meeting, including whether or not they will continue to go along with the ACPO guidelines.

Ms Barnes said people uncertain of the costs of policing for public events should contact their local area commander for guidance.