Cllr Zaffar Van Kalwala warns that Brent is losing out on vital Government funding because its population is under counted

A councillor is urging residents to fill in the census as he warns that Brent is losing out on an estimated �20milion a year in Government grants because its population has been underestimated.

Cllr Zaffar Van Kalwala (Lab: Stonebridge), says that in the current climate of deep public spending cuts, it is more important than ever fore residents to complete the form, which calculates the number of people living in each borough.

He said: “It is really important that all residents complete their census forms. We all use public services such as schools, roads and health services.

“If people living in Brent are not counted in the census, Brent Council will have less money to pay for these services.”

The Office of National Statistics, which is used by the Government to calculate public spending grants, records Brent’s population as 255,500.

However, an independent review put it at it at 289,000 suggesting that the borough misses out on millions of pounds because of many residents aren’t filling it in.

The census form has been dropped off at peoples’ home from last week and should be filled out on March 27. It is illegal not to fill it out.

More than 190 collectors will be visit households in Brent to help people complete their forms.