LIVERPOOL Council again apologised to voters who were turned away from polling stations at this month’s elections after an official report blamed poor planning and “inadequate” staffing levels for the ballot chaos.

Voters at five polling stations in the constituencies of Liverpool Wavertree and Garston and Halewood were left furious after being unable to vote before polls closed at 10pm.

Liverpool Council was the only local authority in the country which was unable to tell an official investigation into the debacle how many voters missed out.

Officials said if the council had provided a figure, it would only be a guess.

They claimed the figure was believed to be low because only 15 complaints were received.

Council chief executive Colin Hilton, who was the returning officer on the night, has come under pressure to forfeit the £14,000 fee he is paid for managing the poll.

The local authority was last night unable to say whether Mr Hilton would be claiming full payment or not.

The Electoral Commission yesterday demanded “urgent changes” as a result of its investigation.

At least 1,200 people were left queuing in 16 Parliamentary constituencies when the polls officially closed at 10pm, according to an interim report from the watchdog.