VOTERS in the borough are set to see the return of polling booths after a report gave the thumbs down to all-postal elections.

The Electoral Commission wants people to be given a choice of voting methods in future elections.

Despite an increased voter turnout, 48 per cent in Bury, June's elections were "marred by problems", according to the report.

The report, Delivering Democracy, has prompted demands for a return to traditional polling booths and called for a new referendum on regional Government.

It stated that public confidence in the system was undermined by difficulties with distribution of ballot papers and reports of fraud in this year's local and European elections.

Although the commission believed that postal voting should be retained, it wants legislation modernised and voting forms simplified.

And as a means of countering fraud, it called for an end to household electoral registration in favour of an individual system.

The commission concluded voters should be given opportunity to use a polling station if they wish.

The findings will be examined by the Department For Constitutional Affairs, which already says it hopes to extend choice in voting methods.

However, council leader John Byrne said that the Electoral Commission had been too quick to dismiss all-postal voting.

He said: "There were some difficulties on this occasion because we had two elections on the same day and so the ballot papers were longer and more complicated than they would ordinarily be.

"However, in Bury there were no real problems and all-postal voting remains the only method we know of that will ensure that we get a decent turnout."

Conservative parliamentary candidate for Bury North David Nuttall welcomed the commission's findings.

He said: " I have no doubt that the voters of Bury will be relieved to hear that, unless Labour ignore the Electoral Commission's advice they will be able to vote if they wish, by the traditional way in the future"

The North West Regional Assembly wants a new referendum on regional government.

A vote planned for November was cancelled after concerns about the all-postal method surfaced.