I concur wholeheartedly with the Newham Chief Executive’s letter in the Local Government Chronicle that highlights the fact that the Office for National Statistics has underestimated the population of Newham by at least 20,000 and that it continues to have the highest rate of population decline in the country , this is simply an incredible position to adopt and so far from the reality
Those of us on the front line have now seen the fomula for the funding services reduced by £5.8m, previously the former Supporting People budget was woefully underfunded by at least £10m pa and the Borough that has Inner London characteristics is designated as an Outer London Borough.
Whilst we all recognise the need for economy, the front line services in Newham have been hit by the statisticians scalpel, this is not the way forward. Did they ask the NHS how many patients are registered in the Borough? Did they ask DWP how many people are registered for employment in the Borough? I understand that the birth and death statistics point in another direction!
I would like to invite the Office of National Statistics to come and meet with some of us working in the Third Sector, my phone number is 0207 476 6062
Tags: Anchor House, Homelessness, Newham, Office for National Statistics, population
Good shout.
FYI, The charitable giving arm of the Draper’s Livery Company considers Newham to be an Inner London borough. It is money and the historic associations of the River Lea thta prevent Whitehall from dong the same.