DUDLEY Council's returning officer has apologised after a data blunder on letters sent out reminding people to register to vote.

Kevin O’Keefe, chief executive and electoral returning officer at Dudley Council, admitted outdated data about voters registered at properties across the borough was mailed out accidentally after residents contacted the News to highlight the error.

One resident, who asked not to be named, told the News: "I had one and my info was missing but the long dead previous occupants were on there.

"I rang them up as I want to vote and they said thousands of these letters have gone out with the wrong information on.

"I was told they'd had hundreds of people ringing up bewildered because, like me, they have voted loads from their current address but now seem to have been taken off the electoral register.

"The lady on the phone blamed the printers who had printed previous information from years ago.

"But printers only print out information you send them - don’t they."

Dudley Council has not confirmed exactly how the blunder came to occur or how many letters have been sent out with inaccurate, out-of-date voter information on ahead of the May 6 elections for the local council and to select the West Midlands Mayor and West Midlands Police and Crime Commissioner.

Kevin O’Keefe, chief executive and electoral returning officer at Dudley Council, did, however, say: “We were made aware that some residents have received letters addressed to previous occupants, when we accidentally used data from a previous year.

“We have been able to reassure those residents who have been in touch that the information we hold on the current electoral register itself is up to date, and we apologise for any inconvenience this may cause.

“We would encourage all of our residents to make sure that their details are up to date in any case, which is why we write to our residents each year reminding them of the importance of registering to vote and checking their details on an annual basis."

He said details on how to update any changes at a particular address can be found on the letter or people can go online at dudley.gov.uk and search 'elections'.

Anyone who has received a letter with incorrect voter details should call 01384 814740 or email elections.cexec@dudley.gov.uk.