LYDNEY Town Council has been criticised for not sending out poll cards for a recent by-election.

But the council says it has run out of money for the cards because a number of councillors have resigned this year.

Fewer than one in 10 of electors eligible to vote in the by-election for the Lydney West ward actually cast their vote.

Mark Stewart of Temple Close contacted the Review said three people at his address did not vote because they did not have cards.

He said: "I checked with the Forest of Dean council if the three people at my address were on the electoral roll, they said we were.

"I then asked why I hadn't received a polling card and was told Lydney Town Council didn't apply for them.

"Unbeknownst to me I didn't need a polling card to vote. I feel that democracy has been cheated. How many more people were unaware of this situation?

"I asked the town council if the by-election had been publicised and I was told a notice had been put on the town hall and at the town council building – how many people are going to view these?"

Town council chief executive Jayne Smailes said: "The sum of £10,000 would ordinarily be sufficient to cover the costs imposed by the Forest of Dean District Council, including the cost of polling cards.

Unfortunately, as a number of Lydney town councillors resigned during the civic year 2013/14 this sum was exhausted.

"The date a by-election is to be held and polling station arrangements are also determined by the Forest of Dean District Council and not the town council.

"The district council was e-mailed and asked to postpone the by-election date in order to allow council to meet and approve the additional sum required to cover the cost of polling cards however we were advised as the date was set this was not possible."

A spokesperson for the district council said: "Once an election is called the timeline is set by legislation, which cannot be varied. 

"Town or parish by-elections are paid for by the town or parish councils and the choice of whether to issue polling cards is theirs."