A mail delivery firm was accused today of “endangering” local and European elections after polling cards were dumped or delivered to the wrong London addresses.
TNT Post has sent residents in Barnet the wrong cards notifying them of next month’s polls. Other mail has been discovered discarded on top of bins.
Residents say they have spotted postal staff leaving sacks of mail, including polling cards, unlocked on bikes unattended for up to an hour.
Candidates fear it could influence the outcome of the borough election, with Barnet said to be “on a knife-edge” as Labour bids to seize control from the Tories. Dutch company TNT Post has contracts with 11 London councils.
Shadow business secretary Chuka Umunna said: “Voters and officials need to have complete confidence that polling cards are being sent out correctly. If mistakes are being made by TNT, endangering the elections, this is hugely concerning and needs to be looked at immediately.”
Andrew Dismore, Labour member for Barnet and Camden on the London Assembly, added: “It’s really worrying when you‘ve got a tight council election coming up that TNT may be responsible for changing the result if they don’t get these things out properly.
Barnet resident Ruth Montague, 83, of Kenilworth Road, told how she applied for a postal vote only to receive polling cards for two households in neighbouring Fairmead Crescent.
“It’s a complete shambles,” she said. “I’ve seen errors with house numbers before but to get the road wrong suggests the TNT postmen can’t read. I phoned the council to find out where my card is but they’re not sure if it’s been delivered elsewhere or is on its way. I know a lot of people with postal votes. They don’t know what to do.”
Paul Dempsey, 33, also got polling cards meant for people who live at the same number as him in Fairmead Crescent. He said: “We delivered them to them ourselves.” Malgorzata Tylki, 34, added: “I’m receiving mail wrongly for Fairmead Crescent all the time.”
A Standard reporter delivered three bank statements she had been wrongly sent to the correct address in Fairmead Crescent.
If residents are registered to vote, they can cast a ballot in person without a polling card on election day, May 22. But there are fears the polls could be thrown into chaos.
TNT claimed its work for Barnet only involved collecting and sorting mail, with Royal Mail responsible for delivering polling cards.
However, Barnet council said TNT delivered about 10 per cent them. Photo evidence also revealed stickers on the cards reading “TNT Post”. Royal Mail confirmed it had not delivered all polling cards in Barnet.
Barnet council said it was “not aware of any problems relating to any TNT- delivered election material”.
