ELECTED politicians paid thousands of pounds’ worth of taxpayers’ money find it too confusing to press a button and speak at the same time.

The voting system for Wirral’s 66 councillors was simplified last night after members requested a system that saw them vote “for” or “against” while pressing a button with the corresponding word was changed.

The procedures were discussed at the authority’s standards and constitutional oversight committee on Tuesday, and followed unrest in the town hall on Monday, when the electronic voting system came under fire.

At an extraordinary full council meeting, a vote on a Conservative motion calling for the Celtic Manor Golf Resort in Hoylake to be scrapped appeared – momentarily – to have been tied.

Each of the councillors in attendance were asked to vote “for” or “against”, both saying their vote and pressing the corresponding button on the desk in front of them.

With an incorrect result showing on the council chamber monitors, minutes of confusion followed, before it was eventually deemed the motion had actually been defeated by a single vote, as a Labour councillor had voted “against”, but failed to press the corresponding button.

On Tuesday, the issue was discussed by members of the council’s standards and oversight committee at Wallasey Town Hall, in which Cllr Chris Blakeley said Monday’s events “clearly [proved] a training need amongst the Labour group”.

Phillip McCourt, the authority’s director for governance and assurance, asked members whether or not they found it confusing to “say things and press a button” at the same time.

He added: “It is within your gift tonight if you choose to do so, to recommend that it’s simply the oral vote that is taken, and you don’t confuse members by asking them to press a button at the same time.”

Committee member Cllr Phil Gilchrist told the meeting he was “not very good at coordinating [himself]”, adding: “There was a confusion in my mind as to whether i turn my microphone on and then press the button or which to do [first].

“I suspect if that same time lag applies to every member… we could spend ages on it.

“I think [choose] the most shortest and convenient way when a roll call is called for, and I think dispense with electronics and speak your mind.”

Cllr Paul Stuart added: “Not that members would be confused by pressing buttons and saying words at the same time, but I think last night did confuse things, and also the technicality on whether members should be pressing the buttons before they are asked.”

Cllr Davies said: “It’s actually three things you’re doing. You’re pressing the button to say what your vote is, pressing the microphone, and also remembering which way to vote as well.”

Mr McCourt told the committee “normal voting” would now be done by the electronic voting system, but that recorded votes or “card votes” – usually taken for the more crucial decisions – shall now be done by a vocal “role call”.

Cllr Davies added: “I think we are in full agreement with that.”

Wirral’s 66 councillors each earn around £8,700 per year for their general allowance – as well as more for any extra responsibilities and committees they sit on.

Cabinet members and group leaders earn up to £11,000 extra, with the leader taking around £23,000 on top of the allowance.

Tuesday’s meeting also heard complaints from the Conservative group over the webcast at Monday’s meeting.

With there being too many members of the public to fit in the chamber – around 250 turned up with the public gallery only able to hold up to 100 – questions were also asked about Wallasey Town Hall’s suitability to hold meetings where a larger turnout is expected.

Mr McCourt said it was a “Wi-fi problem”, and that requests to move the meeting to the building’s larger civic hall were not practical as that room “isn’t designed for council meetings”.

Cllr Gerry Ellis flippantly suggested building a new civic hall and council chamber as “we have wasted enough money on other projects in the last year”.

Mr McCourt said: “If members here want to suggest that to the cabinet that these buildings are sold and a new civic hall built, then obviously members are free to do so.”

Cllr Gilchrist brought up the Vue Cinemas site in Birkenhead, which the council bought for £7m earlier this month.

He said: “We now own a cinema. What is the capacity of the seating area in the cinema that might allow members of the public to be seated there, and to see councillors in action on the floor of the cinema, if a space was available.”

Mr McCourt responded: “The simple answer is that the council owns the freehold of the cinema that is leased out to a cinema provider.

“If Vue Cinemas wish to let us have it, no doubt they would hire it to us.

“We simply own the freehold, not the operation. We do not hold the lease and we don’t have occupation of the centre.”