OFFICERS at north Kent police station have to fill in paperwork just to change a lightbulb, a cop has been reported as saying.

An officer based at the station reportedly told industry magazine Police Review a series of forms have to be completed to replace essentials such as toilet paper and choose where to place bins.

He said these forms are then sent on to private contractors who carry out the jobs, as the day-to-day running of the station in Thames Way, Northfleet, is organised by private companies.

This is because the £31m eco-friendly station was built by a private company as part of the government’s Private Finance Initiative (PFI) and the police lease it from that company.

The officer, who did not want to be named, reportedly said: “If you run out of toilet roll you have to fill in forms to let someone who works for the private contractor know they need to order more.

“It is absolutely ridiculous. You waste so much time mucking around ordering stuff when it would obviously be a better use of time if we were out their arresting people.”

Speaking to Police Review, Kent Police Federation's chairman Ian Pointon is quoted as calling the situation "crazy".

He reportedly said: “With PFI you don't own the building, so whatever you want to do you have to go through the contractor.

"But officers see this as yet more red tape and bureaucracy gone mad.

“Officers don't want to be sitting there in the dark ringing a 24 hour emergency helpline asking for the bulb to be changed.”

A spokeswoman for Kent police said the claims officers had to fill in paperwork for lightbulbs and toilet rolls are "not true".

Kent police Assistant Chief Constable Gary Beautridge said: "By using a contractor to undertake the routine service work we free up staff to concentrate on the matters that concern the public.

“We are absolutely delighted with the equipping and quality of the new police station and look forward to working from there for many years to come. Our relationship with the contractor is excellent."

Simon Redman, director of finance for Kent police, says he is surprised by the comments reportedly made by an officer.

He said: “The contractors are responsible for the upkeep of the buildings and have to adhere to strict supply agreements.

“That means if something goes wrong they need to address the issue within an agreed time frame or face a penalty fee.

“They have set up round the clock helpdesks that allow staff to report any issues by phone or email. The helpdesk is no more bureaucratic than previous processes.

“We have to remember the supplier is responsible for maintaining the building including anything that is placed on the walls.

“They hold the risk and will pick up any financial cost if something goes wrong which is why we advise staff not to take on maintenance jobs themselves.”