Police investigating three allegations of malpractice

Police are now investigating three allegations of electoral malpractice surrounding the Peterborough council elections held last week.

The Peterborough Telegraph revealed one allegation was being investigated by the police and the council in April.

No details have been confirmed about the allegation.

Cambridgeshire Police has said two more allegations had been made, which are also being investigated.

A spokesman for the force said: “There have been two other allegations of electoral malpractice, one pertaining to an event held during the pre-election period and another around an incident at a polling station.”

No details have been given about either of the two events.

Speaking before the election Matt Gladstone, Chief Executive Officer and the Returning Officer for Peterborough City Council told residents that they could ‘vote with confidence’ in Thursday’s elections.

He said: “People are entitled to use their vote in elections freely without fear or intimidation. That is why we work closely with the police for every election that we hold and go above and beyond our legal responsibility to ensure that the process is run as fairly as possible.”

Also speaking before the election, Det Insp Tom Rowe, from Cambridgeshire Constabulary, said: "People can be rest assured that any suspected corrupt practices will be treated very seriously and action will be taken if any offences come to light. The electorate must have complete confidence in the integrity of the system and our operation will seek to ensure that's the case."