It will be business as usual at the May local elections after Winchester City Council decided not to alter how residents cast their votes.

The traditional ballot box got a reprieve as members rejected government suggestions for all-out postal voting, electronic counting and internet polling. The decision was made at the council cabinet meeting held at Winchester Guildhall on Wednesday.

Several members, including Lib Dem, Kelsie Learney, expressed concern at how secure the new voting techniques might be. "Certainly in the future, I will look to more electronic ways of voting, but not this year."

Had the council adopted new voting techniques, it could have transformed next year's election campaign.

If members opted for an all-out postal vote, canvassing would need to take place before electors returned their votes, rendering hectic election days a thing of the past.