AN OUTRAGED neighbour is demanding council bosses apologise after claiming his name was added to the electoral register without his consent.

Steven Beasley-Fox has lived at his home in Phoebe Court, Katesgrove, since 1988 and was astonished to receive a voting card for the council elections in May - because he has never registered to vote.

The 59-year-old was left even more furious after discovering his name was spelt wrong on the form, and is demanding an apology from Reading Borough Council because he claims he is now receiving junk mail from companies.

He said: “It is kind of worrying if someone in the council has decided to put me on the list. What else have they put my details on?

“I am really angry. I never wanted to be on the electoral list and I have never voted. I want an apology and an explanation.”

But council spokesman Oscar Mortali stressed that filling out the register is required by law and that the returning officer has the power to compare householder details with other departments, such as council tax, when no response is received.

He said: “Every year the council sends out around 67,000 electoral registration forms to all households in Reading.

“Householders have a legal obligation to complete the form every year and residents need to register even if their details are the same in previous years.

“When the original registration forms are sent out by the council, there is a section people can sign if they do not want their name to appear on the electoral register.”