Visiting Sittingbourne, police and crime commissioner Ann Barnes called for a “national debate” to address the major shortfall in funding forces are facing nationwide.

She was speaking at a local engagement forum meeting held at the town’s Coniston Hotel.

Figures show the policing budget has been slashed by 20% over the last three years.

Next year, a further £14.5 million in efficiency savings will have to be made county-wide, amounting to a loss of police officers, PCSOs and other staff members.

She said: “When you look at all your efficiency savings and you have done all you can and 80% of your money goes on pay, you are going to have fewer people on your staff to balance the books.

“I think we need a national debate, we really need a sensible debate, all of us, because it’s our police service.”

She argued that one of the ways to address the cash shortfall would be to look at how the police force could be restructured.

Currently operating in Swale is the community safety partnership scheme, in which the emergency services and the local authority work together to tackle anti-social behaviour and crime.

However, while accepting changes may need to be made, councillors have said the local authority would not be in a position to ease the funding burden on the police.

Council leader Cllr Andrew Bowles (Con) said: “We will be reluctant to take on any further responsibilty in the public sector without the funding to go with it.

“The police funding is getting critical [but] local authorities have faced far deeper cuts.

“There needs to be a national debate on all public expenditure. I don’t think you can have a ring-fenced debate on the police without looking at other public services.”

Ahead of a question-and-answer session with Mrs Barnes, Swale district commander, Chief Inspector Tony Henley, gave a presentation on the complexities of accurately recording crime.

The meeting was chaired by Cllr Mike Whiting (Con) and attended by several borough and county councillors, plus parliamentary candidates Keith Nevols (Lib Dem) and Richard Palmer (Ukip).

For more on the cuts to police and councils, see page 19