This year’s Sittingbourne carnival has been postponed because the organisers claim the police piled extra paperwork on them at the last minute.

Pam Griggs, chairman of the carnival association, says she was asked to attend a Safety Advisory Group meeting at Swale House on Friday, June 3, where she was told she needed to come up with an in-depth risk assessment as well as a proposal about how roads would be closed and marshalled on the day.

In previous years, the police have directed the traffic.

In addition Mrs Griggs was also told they needed a new assembly point for the parade as Attlee Way, Kemsley, wasn’t suitable.

With the event due to be held on Saturday, June 25 and less than four weeks to complete all the paperwork, the committee made the decision to move it to September 24 instead.

Mrs Griggs said: “We felt we needed more time to get it right and we didn’t want to run the risk of being told that we couldn’t hold the carnival.

“It seems nobody is allowed to use their common sense any more and you’ve got to account for every possible thing that could arise, things like oil spills and potholes in the roads.

“When you think how many years these carnivals have been going on without any problems – it’s ridiculous.”

Insp Adam Jones, who oversees policing of events in Mid Kent, claimed the police had been in discussion with carnival organisers since last year and had outlined their responsibilities.

He said: “Nothing has changed this year.

“It has long been the responsibility of event organisers to draw up traffic management plans, carry out proper risk assessments and take out public liability insurance.

“Historically the police in Swale have taken on a lot of the planning responsibility for local events but in today’s world our priority has to be the prevention of crime and disorder and the protection of life and property.”