VOTERS were deprived of their democratic right to vote, according to a review of General Election procedures in the Cheshire West and Chester Council area.

The Labour and Tory parties were furious on the night of the election because voters who registered close to the deadline were left off the electoral roll supplied to polling stations.

These voters had to wait while polling staff rang through to the central office to verify their entitlement to vote but some didn’t have time to hang around at busy times when the phone line was engaged.

A review highlighted this and other problems affecting a small number of voters.

Returning officer Steve Robinson, chief executive of Cheshire West and Chester Council, revealed the authority is in discussion with printers, Royal Mail and a software company, to prevent a repeat in next May’s local elections.

The review also found 157 voters missed out when their postal votes were not processed in time. Some postal votes were dispatched to electors later than planned but it is impossible to know if this was a factor in the receipt of 293 late votes which did not count.

Some voters received polling cards later than planned while some did not receive them at all. The public was advised via the media once the problem became known.

A total of 46,790 people (67.9% of the electorate) voted – higher than both the national average and the turnout at the last two General Elections. Postal votes registered an extremely high 90%.

Mr Robinson said: “While some problems were identified, our voting figures speak for themselves and they certainly could not have affected the overall result of the election.”