The Electoral Commission has expressed confidence in the running of this year's English local elections.

In a report published on Monday the elections watchdog released the results of research into voters' perceptions of the polls.

The elections have been subject to allegations of postal vote fraud, but the report found that 55 per cent of the public did not think that malpractice was a problem.

Of those who felt fraud had been a concern, 51 per cent admitted they had been influenced by media coverage, while four per cent said they had first hand experience.

The report also found that the majority of allegations of breaches of electoral law related to campaign issues rather than voting fraud.

It said there were reports of increasingly large groups of supporters gathering near polling stations, potentially intimidating voters, although 84 per cent of respondents were satisfied with the process for voting at a polling station.

The watchdog promised to issue fresh guidelines on conduct ahead of the next council polls in 2007.

Commission chief executive Peter Wardle said: "We are encouraged by the progress in efforts to tackle electoral fraud and malpractice.

"Voters need confidence that any attempt to interfere with the electoral process will be dealt with swiftly and firmly, and whilst there is still work to be done to make sure all methods of voting are secure and accessible, we are pleased the police are providing a robust response during elections.

"We are continuing to press for individual voter registration to give us a more accurate and secure electoral system."

However the Conservatives said the public's increasing concern over fraud needs to be dealt with in order to restore confidence in elections.

"The collapse of confidence in the integrity of the electoral system undermines the foundation of British democracy," shadow constitutional affairs secretary Oliver Heald said.

"No government can claim a public mandate if the public do not trust the accuracy of an election result.

"The case for tougher safeguards against electoral fraud by individual registration, as successfully used in Northern Ireland, has never been stronger."