Kent’s Police and Crime Commissioner Ann Barnes organised a meeting for the county’s prospective Parliamentary candidates - but very few turned up.

Mrs Barnes had arranged the briefing at the police headquarters in Maidstone last Friday so that the election hopefuls could hear first-hand from the Chief Constable Alan Pughsley and other leading figures about the challenges being faced by the constabulary and the criminal justice system.

Fifteen would-be MPs attended and were addressed by Mr Pughsley; by the chairman of the Kent Criminal Justice Board Nick Wilkinson and by Cllrs Mike Hill and Stuart Beaumont representing the Kent Community Safety Partnership.

Mrs Barnes said: “I would like to thank those candidates who took up the invitation to find out more about how policing is delivered in the county.

“From the feedback I received and the variety of questions asked I think that those who came along found it helped their understanding.”

But Mrs Barnes was upset that more of the candidates from Kent’s 17 constituencies did not attend. The deadline for candidates to register for the general election has not yet been reached, but already around 75 people have declared their intention of standing.

Mrs Barnes said: “I am disappointed that more of those planning to stand for election in May were not able to attend.

“It is a shame, in my view, as the presentations gave an excellent overview of what those responsible for policing and community safety are able to do within the constraints of the funding available.”

Lynne Beaumont, the Lib Dem candidate for Folkestone and Hythe, said: “It was interesting and quite reassuring to hear how the police were coping with the £20m cuts they’ve had to endure.

“The Chief Constable was very positive and there are plans to provide officers with their own iPads, so that they don’t have to keep returning to the station to do their paperwork. That should help increase police presence on the streets.”

Tim Valentine, the Green candidate for Faversham and Mid Kent, said: “It was a very interesting and informative meeting and we learnt first-hand about the effects the cuts in their budgets were having on the police.”