City Hall in census funding fears - More than half of London households may be missed off 2011 register
Published: 09 July 2010
by JAMIE WELHAM
SUSPICION of government officials could mean more than half of London households are missed out from next year’s census, depriving local authorities of millions of pounds of funding, according to a study commissioned by Westminster Council.
Only a quarter of residents were prepared to answer a census-style questionnaire sent out to Westminster homes last month, and the number fell as low as 10 per cent around Edgware Road and 3 per cent in Soho.
The study found that people from Chinese and South Asian communities were less likely to speak to officials, communal blocks with buzzer systems were near impossible to reach, and in some cases children were sent to the door to answer questions.
City Hall leader Colin Barrow said: “Next year’s census is just nine months away,” he added.
“It will set the population baseline for the next 10 years and so any miscalculations will result in a loss of funding for councils for a decade.”