Police backed down yesterday and scrapped plans to host a session on style tips for female officers following criticism about its appropriateness.

A visiting fashion expert was due to give a 20-minute talk on “presentational issues” as part of a seven-hour seminar for female Sussex Police officers and staff.

But the move faced opposition from some quarters, including the TaxPayers’ Alliance, which questioned the wisdom of police focusing on style rather than fighting crime. Yesterday, in response to the criticism, the force abandoned the session from the Evolve well-being seminar on November 10 after agreeing its inclusion may have been “misguided”.

Matthew Elliott, chief executive of the TaxPayers’ Alliance, said: “This is a welcome climbdown from Sussex Police, and now the valuable time of these officers can be spent on more important things like the fight against crime.

“The police should never have thought this was an appropriate use of officers’ time, and in future they should focus more on doing the job in hand.

“If we had a more democratically accountable police force, this kind of absurd idea would never get off the drawing board.”

Christine Melsom, chairman of Isitfair, the campaign for the reform of council tax, also welcomed the decision, saying she was glad the force had listened to public opposition.

Sussex Police said the slot would have provided “advice to female staff about how best they can present themselves in a number of different work-place situations”.

A police spokesman said today: “This particular session has received some critical media coverage and led to some expressions of concern from members of the public about the appropriateness of the session and the use of taxpayers’ money.

“Although this brief session in an extensive agenda was to be provided for free, we have carefully reconsidered the agenda for the day in the light of some public disquiet.

“Although well-intentioned, we now believe the inclusion of this session may on reflection have been misguided.