MSPs have stepped up their demand for the Scottish and UK governments to overhaul the system of payments to senior council officers for overseeing elections.

Holyrood’s local government committee said returning officer fees lacked transparency despite previous warnings and “substantial reform is urgently needed”.

In January, the Herald revealed Scotland’s 32 council chiefs pocketed around £1m in the payments in just two years for running elections and referendums.

In June, the committee used freedom of information to ask councils for a breakdown of fees for the 2014 independence and 2016 EU referendums, the 2015 general election, and May’s local election.

Most councils responded by referring to obscure regulations governing fees.

Although some offered figures, but there was little in the way of explanation.

The committee has now written to SNP minister for parliamentary business Joe Fitzpatrick and Scottish Secretary David Mundell to complain about the patchy information.

Committee convener Bob Doris said: "Our Committee was very clear the current payment system for returning officers should end and that substantial reform is urgently needed.

"The FOI responses further demonstrate that the current system is not open or transparent. We believe this could undermine the public's confidence in how elections are run.”