Kent Police’s non-urgent 101 phone line must radically improve, says the county's crime commissioner, after a huge drop in demand for the service.

There were 14,500 fewer calls to the number in the 2021/22 financial year compared to the previous one - a drop of about 3% from 374,689 to 360,181.

It comes as the volume of 999 emergency calls has dramatically risen over the last six months, alongside major staff shortages faced in the 101 control room.

Kent Police and Crime Commissioner Matthew Scott said: “We are desperately trying to change it. 101 has got to improve.”

The non-emergency phone number is for situations which do not require immediate police responses while 999 is for reserved for incidents where a crime is in progress, there is risk of violence or there is a danger to life.

Latest figures from the Kent Police and Crime Commissioner's office show the total number of 101 calls received by the county force declined from 30,979 in June 2022 to 28,524 in August 2022.

Meanwhile, the average answering time for 101 calls was four minutes, from April 2021 to March 2022, compared to just 16 seconds for 999 calls over the same period.

Councillors were united in their calls for swift action to improve the 101 service during Kent and Medway's Police and Crime Panel at County Hall, Maidstone, yesterday (Sep 27).

Gravesham borough councillor Shane Mochrie-Cox said one resident had queried the point of the phone line at his council surgery last week.

Cllr Mochrie-Cox, who is Gravesham council's cabinet member for community and leisure, said: "I got a two word answer from a resident who said 'why bother?' because there is no point getting through."

He added: "If residents do not feel they can get through or be listened to, there does not seem to be any point to it."

Folkestone and Hythe district councillor Jennifer Hollingsbee (Con), who is the council's deputy leader and cabinet member for communities, added: "We are constantly telling our residents to report to 101 to help build up a picture.

"They are not doing because they have to wait too long. It does not help us or help the police."

Kent county councillor Ian Chittenden (Lib Dem), said he has received "regular complaints" from Maidstone residents, some "hanging on" for a call handler.

Cllr Chittenden said: "I am afraid it just gets left unreported in the end."

He added: "It is absolutely essential that we bring 101 up-to-date because at the moment there are levels, within the system, where it is not working."

In response, Mr Scott revealed Kent Police is "protecting" its emergency 999 service as a priority. This comes as the demand has increased significantly for 999 call handlers over the last six months, up by 32%.

The number of 999 calls received by Kent Police has jumped from 26,840 to 35,634 between February 2022 and August 2022.

At today's crime panel, Mr Scott says he is lobbying Kent Police "on an almost daily" basis to enhance the service.

He added: "101 is not a good service at the moment because of the sheer volume of vacancies.

"We are trying to fix our vacancy problem, and, deal with the volumes by encouraging those who do not need to phone to use the online services.

"The priority of the force has been to protect 999, which has seen an increase of 300 calls a day."