Kent police commissioner Ann Barnes has defended spending thousands of pounds on outside PR consultants to give communications advice.

One company was paid nearly £14,000 to provide recommendations on how to improve the
commissioner’s “brand” in ways that better engaged with the public.

It has also emerged £2,400 was spent providing media training for youth commissioner Kerry Boyd, whose year-long appointment ends next month.

Invoices published by the commissioner’s office under transparency regulations show PR firm Finn Communications was paid £11,590 for work in June 2014.

The company had previously been paid £2,146 in January for “briefing and recommendations on communications consultancy project”.

"I believe it was important to get an independent view on the communications being provided..." - Ann Barnes

The commissioner also paid £2,228 to consumer research company The Buzzz for work in October 2014.

A further £1,450 was paid to a company called DWP for “media advice” while £3,370 was spent on providing staff with Freedom of Information advice.

Mrs Barnes said using consultants helped provide an independent insight into communications provided by the force.

In a statement, she said: “I am committed to providing value for money for services that the public pay for.

“I believe it was important to get an independent view on the communications being provided by Kent Police and I was pleased to see recognition for the wealth of information being issued through various channels.”

The commissioner was forced to make a public apology in the aftermath of a fly-on-the-wall Channel 4 documentary broadcast last May.

The cross-party Kent and Medway Crime Panel, which oversees the commissioner, ordered her to change her style and to reconsider her decision to be responsible for the force press office.

In July she agreed that the Chief Constable should assume responsibility for the press office.

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