All three political parties on Harlow Council have backed an independent inquiry into an administrative blunder that resulted in more than 3,000 postal votes being rejected at the district council election.

Councillors voted unanimously in support of a Labour motion to investigate how the ballot papers were printed without an official perforation mark.

The inquiry will look into how the decision to contract out the postal vote administration was taken, what checks were carried out on the contractors, and the actions of officers once the error was identified.

Councillors also want all electors registered for a postal vote to receive a personal apology and explanation as to why their vote was discounted. There is also a call for the council to take action to address the public's lack of confidence in the electoral process.

Labour leader Kevin Brooks said the blunder was a "calamity" for the town and the council.

He said: "This year in Harlow over 3,000 residents were denied the chance to choose their political representation. I'm dismayed when I hear people say it doesn't really matter as it wouldn't have affected the outcome of the election.

"The real issue is that those people have lost one of the most fundamental rights in this country. The right to vote was hard won. Harlow lost that right because of administrative incompetence and it is a tragedy for our town."

Mr Brooks was backed by councillor Jean Clark who said the decision to "privatise democracy" was a scandal, while councillor Roy Collyer called for the dismissal of those officers involved in the fiasco.

He said the leaders of the ruling coalition should take responsibility for the incident, adding: "I wonder what their reaction would've been had they not been in control that evening bearing in mind the lambasting my party has taken in previous years?"

In support of the inquiry, Tory leader Andrew Johnson said he was "insulted" by the suggestion the political leaders should be held responsible.

He said: "We had nothing to do with the running of the election. It's the responsibility of the returning officer and the officers under him. It was a fiasco and we need to be demanding answers from the returning officer."

Liberal Democrat leader Lorna Spenceley added: "All members of the council are equally concerned. Residents were unable to register their postal votes.

"Once the inquiry has reached a conclusion we need to consider the findings and put in procedures to prevent this happening again."