ONE of the most hotly contested councils in the country has been forced to re-issue new guidance on 26,000 postal votes for next month's election because the initial mailing included misleading advice.

The mistake in North Lanarkshire has further fuelled what has already been a bruising battle between the controlling Labour Party and SNP opponents seeking gains.

Postal vote packs hit doormats late last week but an illustration on how to vote featured the cross in a box of the old voting system, rather than the preferences marked by numbers of the Single Transferable Voting system now being used.

A claim that none of the cost of reissuing the packs, which are expected to arrive on doormats tomorrow, will fall on taxpayers has been greeted with scorn by the SNP.

Depute Returning Office John Fleming said: "The ballot paper and instructions sent to postal voters are both absolutely correct. However, a production error meant an incorrect illustration of a ballot paper was printed on a guidance note.

"As soon as we became aware of the situation, we immediately took steps to issue new guidance notes with the correct illustration to all postal voters.

"The Returning Officer has provided an assurance that the costs of this communication exercise will not fall on the council tax payers but will be offset against election payment and other remuneration to chief officers."

However, the SNP group's deputy leader, Councillor Michael Coyle, said the damage may already have been done, as it was common for the kind of committed voters who ask for a postal ballot to return them right away and they could now be off on holiday.

Mr Coyle said: "This could affect the outcome of an extremely tight contest. Someone's head must roll."

Of the pledge that taxpayers would not foot the bill for the error, he said: "If you believe that, you'll believe anything. They have been sent out once. Now they are being sent out a second time. If anyone makes an error because of all this confusion, will any have to be sent out a third time?

"This could cost £40,000 to £60,000. I would rather see this money spent on fixing damp homes or repairing lifts rather than on blunders."

Labour kept up the attack on three fronts against the SNP yesterday.

It pointed to the selection of Dr David Cameron as a candidate in Aberdeen and said that, 18 months ago, he had been forced to resign from offices, including the chairmanship of NHS Grampian, for gross misconduct involving a female employee of the Food Standards Agency.

Richard Baker, MSP for North East Scotland, said: "I cannot understand how someone who resigned in disgrace from public life is now considered suitable for public office.

"The SNP has some very serious questions to answer."

Labour also pointed to continuing questions over when the SNP hierarchy knew about the background of domestic abuse of MSP Bill Walker, who is considering an appeal against expulsion from the party.

It also raised questions over the future of the SNP's group leader in Glasgow, Allison Hunter, after she said she may not stand for re-election to the post next month.

The SNP responded by publishing a list of more than 30 Labour councillors elected five years ago who have now quit the party, calling this a "testament to a party that has seriously lost its way in local government, and shows a breakdown in belief among many of its members".