BRADFORD Council has been accused of incompetence after a printing error was made in a postal vote package for the election of a councillor to Ilkley Town Council.

An election to fill the vacancy of a Town Councillor for Ilkley (West) will take place on Thursday, May 2, 2024.

Jane Sellers is contesting the seat for the Conservative Party and Ros Brown is standing for election for the Green Party.

Residents who had requested a postal vote were informed in a letter which arrived on Monday a printing error had occurred and a replacement package would be sent out.

The letter, seen by the Ilkley Gazette and dated April 19, from Returning Officer Dr Lorraine O'Donnell said: "Your postal vote pack for the Ilkley Town Council (West ward) by-election on Thursday 2 May 2024 has been issued containing an error on the Postal Vote Statement. This is due to a printing error, whereby the signature box contains text.

"You will be sent a replacement postal vote pack for the election for Ilkley Town Council (West ward). Your new postal vote pack is scheduled to be handed to Royal Mail on Monday 22 April 2024 for 1st Class delivery.

"This will include a blank signature box with space for you to provide your signature.

"When you, receive your replacement pack, please complete and return it as soon as possible.

"You can destroy the original postal vote pack for the Ilkley Town Council election, which contains the error in the signature box. Only the reissued pack will be accepted for the election; any original packs that are returned containing the error, will be rejected."

One Ilkley resident said: "It is unforgivable that some people will be disenfranchised by this error. The letter also stated that any of the original packs which had already been returned would be disallowed. I know four people who are on holiday this week when the substitute form will be sent and it is unlikely that they will be home in time for the new form to be filled in and dispatched before 2nd May.

"It is a pity that whoever was responsible for submitting the document to the printer did not think to check it first.

"Another example of the incompetence of the Bradford Metropolitan District Council."

Ilkley resident Mike Ridgway, who had already submitted his postal vote said: "This raises a number of management control questions. Who proof read the original letter? Who issued the instruction to send out the incorrect information? Who will take responsibility for such an important communication error? Will disciplinary action be taken as would occur in any commercial organisation? Will the internal management controls be reviewed? Lastly who will pay for the additional work? Hopefully not Ilkley residents."

The error does not affect the postal vote pack for the Ilkley ward of Bradford Council election or the Combined Authority Mayoral election.

A Bradford Council spokesperson said:  “The postal vote pack issued for the Ilkley Town Council (West Ward) election contained a printing error. Rules governing local parish elections mean that the Returning Officer must issue postal ballot papers and postal voting statements in the appropriate form. Therefore,  the postal voting packs have been replaced and new correct packs have been despatched on Monday 22nd April to all electors in the Ilkley West Ward for the Town Council election.  We have also sent a letter to all those affected explaining the matter.

“Voters have been advised that they should complete and return the reissued pack; any original packs that are returned containing the printing error, will be rejected to prevent any double voting. Measures have been put in place to ensure that all postal votes received will be verified and counted to ensure that voters are not disenfranchised. However, if anyone is unclear what to do or is not in a position to return their replacement pack now they should contact the Electoral Services office on 01274 432287 or by email at electoralservices@bradford.gov.uk . We have already been made aware of a couple of cases where residents have gone on holiday and procedures have been put in place to ensure their votes will be counted.”