Exclusive: Yorkshire voters warned of local poll fraudsters

While party leaders' debates on TV have helped generate interest in national politics, detectives fear that apathy over local government elections is giving would-be councillors the chance to gather illegal votes.

Electors who speak little or no English are thought to have been tricked into signing for postal and proxy votes, which could then be used to affect poll outcomes.

Already police in West Yorkshire have received more complaints about the coming local election than for the previous two years put together. With polling day still more than a week away, the force has already made two arrests after being called to investigate 15 cases.

Two Tory Calderdale Council candidates remain on police bail after they were detained last Monday.

Although allegations have been made only in West Yorkshire so far, fraud squads at all four of the region's forces have been preparing for complaints.

South Yorkshire Police have also been forced to make extra security plans, as the televised debates have propelled Nick Clegg, seeking re-election in the Sheffield Hallam constituency, to the forefront of British politics.

Det Chief Insp Steve Taylor of West Yorkshire Police said officers had spent weeks preparing to tackle crooks who target council elections to influence planning and licensing decisions.

"Ninety-nine per cent of the complaints we receive are related to local government," he added. "While everyone's heads are turned to look at the General Election, the local election process leaves itself open.

"We have had 15 referrals so far, but we would expect to receive more. Whether we will get 50 or 150, we don't know.

"We haven't received any complaints relating to postal voting yet, although it is probably a bit early for those to come through. They tend to happen just before election day.

"But already we have received more referrals than we had in the last two years. We had none last year and only 12 in 2008."

Det Chief Insp Taylor said that most allegations came from areas of Halifax and Bradford, where immigrants with poor English have been targeted.

He said fraudsters visited sites where many potential voters can be found, such as places of worship or large shared houses.

Det Insp Graham Wragg, of South Yorkshire Police, said officers had attended briefings in Barnsley, Doncaster, Rotherham and Sheffield to remind candidates and agents of their responsibilities.

"We are alive to election fraud and we are prepared to deal with any allegations," he said.

Det Insp Paul Welton, of Humberside Police, said: "Any allegations we receive are taken very seriously and fully investigated.

"It is vitally important that we do this is an effort to uphold the democracy of the country."

North Yorkshire chief constable Grahame Maxwell and returning officers have written to candidates and agents to emphasise that police and councils are working together to combat fraud.

There were 48 cases of electoral malpractice across Britain last year, although more than half of the allegations required no further action.

One case resulted in a prosecution while another ended with a police caution.