Residents urged to help fill £50m black hole
Published 20 January 2011
Southwark has missed out on more than £50m in funding after the last census in 2001 failed to count vast numbers of the population. Southwark has urged residents to make sure they are counted.
Southwark lost out to a total of £50.6m, following a population undercount of 9,300 people.
The leader of Southwark Council, Cllr Peter John, said: "Our residents have lost out to the tune of £50m as a result of undercounting. There is so much at stake, and we cannot allow the mistakes of the past to be repeated and condemn Southwark to another decade of even greater underfunding, particularly at a such critical time given the increased pressures we now face.
"It is now more important than ever for local people to stand up and be counted, so in these difficult times we are able to continue as many of the services as possible."
The 2001 Census counted Southwark's population at 256,700. But one in four failed to respond. Given the large number of people who didn't respond the ONS made its own estimates to try and work out what the missing numbers would have been. But the council insists this still missed around 9,300 people costing the council £50.6m over the decade.
The census will take place on 27 March 2011. The way councils understand their population, design their services and the amount of funding the council, the NHS, police and other public services receive depends on the population counted during the census.
All details are kept confidential, and personal details will not be made public for 100 years under current rules.
The census will primarily be returned by post or online, with a team of field staff following up on some of the addresses where there may be difficulties. Engaging with hard to reach groups is crucial to making sure as many people as possible take part in 2011.
