THE date for a recount of votes cast in the contested High Street ward election has been confirmed.

Ballot boxes will be re-opened on Friday, July 30, following a successful application to the High Court by the Liberal Democrats.

Nigel Louth, a member of the public who works for the Office of National Statistics, spotted the potential error while checking the results of the May poll online.

It is believed an extra 1,000 block votes were given to Labour candidates in error.

If proven, this meant Labour candidate Steve Terry was wrongly elected at the expense of Liberal Democrat nominee Mahmood Hussain.

The votes for elected Labour councillors were recorded as follows: Liaquat Ali (3,322), Clare Coghill (3,185) and Steve Terry (2,932). But their actual votes could have been 1,000 less each, meaning votes cast for Liberal Democrat Mahmood Hussain (2,043) would have exceeded Steve Terry's by 111 votes.

The status of the elected councillors remains the same until a mistake is found to have been made.

Waltham Forest Council’s returning officer at the time, former chief executive Andrew Kilburn, said tiredness could have been to blame for the alleged error.

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