A NEW code of conduct designed to prevent election fraud at this year's all-postal European and council elections has "no teeth" claims a leading councillor.

A draft code of conduct for political parties, candidates and canvassers on the handling of postal voting applications and postal ballot papers has been issued by the Electoral Commission.

The move follows a long-running battle between the House of Lords and the House of Commons over postal voting and a recommendation by the Electoral Commission that the North West should not be included in an all-postal voting trial.

But Colin Rigby, Conservative group leader at Blackburn with Darwen Council claims it will do little to prevent malpractice or fraud.

"The Commission hopes that its code, which is voluntary, could prevent fraud. They are living in cloud cuckoo land because it has no teeth," Coun Rigby said.

Peers in the House of Lords, led by Pendle Liberal Democrat Lord Tony Greaves, repeatedly tried to block postal voting in the North West because of fears over election fraud.

Eventually the legislation was passed and for the first time every voter in East Lancashire will be spared a trip to a polling station on June 10.

Postal voting pilots are part of a government plan to tackle election apathy and improve turnout, but the plan has met with local opposition.

Blackburn and Darwen opposition councillors asked for the postal pilot to be suspended until a police investigation into an alleged fraud at the last council elections had been completed.

Mohammed Hussain, a Bastwell labour councillor, was arrested after being elected with a massive majority in 2002. A file on the case has been passed to the Crown Prosecution Service who are still to make a decision about whether a prosecution is to be brought.

Coun Rigby added: "There is nothing in the code to say how this will be enforced. The idea is laudable but not very practical."

The Electoral Commission said it hoped politicians and parties would use its voluntary code to help retain the integrity of the postal voting process.

Candidates and canvassers are advised not to handle postal ballot papers, not to volunteer to act as witness to a declaration of identity, not to volunteer to return completed ballot papers, and to return any they are given to the Returning Officer immediately and to ensure that voters complete ballot papers in secret and seal them personally.

Political parties are advised to use postal voting application forms produced by the local Electoral Registration Officer (ERO) or the Commission if they produce their own forms, to ensure they conform with electoral law and to return any application forms directly to the ERO, not an intermediary address.

Kate Sullivan, deputy policy director at the Commission, said: "Candidates, agents and local party workers can play a crucial role in improving turnout at elections by encouraging postal voting. The Code aims to ensure that this is done in a way that supports the integrity of the democratic process."