More than 150 people were unable to vote in Bromley’s local elections due to a controversial ID scheme.

Bromley, along with Gosport, Swindon, Watford and Woking, ran an trial scheme during the elections earlier this month that came under fire from critics for potentially stopping people casting their vote.

In Bromley, voters were required to bring one form of photo ID, or two forms of non-photo ID, in a Government bid to stop electoral fraud.

New figures show that of the 70,328 people who turned out, 99.78 per cent provided the correct ID – but 569 people did not.

Of those 569 people who were turned away, only 415 returned with ID, meaning that 154 people were unable to vote.

A total of 338 people in the five trial areas were turned away from voting because of the pilot schemes.

Bromley’s chief executive and returning officer Doug Patterson said: “Though we have no reported voter fraud in the borough at present, I am proud that the council and the people of Bromley have helped the Cabinet Office look at how the integrity of our voting system can be maintained into the future.

“It is now for the Electoral Commission to produce their independent report on the way forward, using the data Bromley and the other four pilot areas have provided to the Cabinet Office.”

There were reports on election day of queues and of people being turned away, but more people in Bromley returned with ID than any of the other trial areas.

Despite turnout comparing favourably to previous elections, opposition leader Angela WIlkins said the scheme was not justified.

Cllr Wilkins said: “Of course, many other countries do require ID, but an awful lot of these have a track record of voter impersonation fraud; the UK has one of the longest histories of democratic elections and no major instances of this problem in recent times.

“And when you need to show ID to collect a parcel, you are receiving something valuable. When you vote, you are giving away your ballot and receive nothing in return. It’s your right to vote, and if there’s no fraud, why make it more difficult for people?

“Given falling voter turnout and political apathy, this pilot simply makes no sense.”

The Electoral Reform Society said the process risked denying people their “democratic right.”

The turnout in Bromley was 40 per cent, compared to 45 per cent in 2016 for the combined election with the GLA and 41 per cent in 2014.