Changes to population calculations have been described as ‘putting a sticking plaster on the Titanic' by the deputy leader of Westminster City Council. Cllr Colin Barrow, who is also the council's cabinet member for finance, said: ‘It is simply not good enough to replace one poor method of assessing migration with another.' His comments came after the Office of National Statistics (ONS) announced it was improving its method of collecting statistics on immigration. Under the new figures, the ONS claims the number of migrants in the capital has dropped by 60,000. The ONS was forced to make the changes in an embarrassing climb-down after councils, including Westminster and Slough Council, campaigned against the findings of the last census results. Under the new plans, the ONS will use data from the Labour Force Survey, as well as the current International Passenger survey which counts immigrants on entry into the country. Cllr Barrow said: ‘It is simply not good enough to replace one poor method of assessing migration with yet another. The ONS should delay introducing this new methodology until it is confident it can get it right and fit for purpose.' Slough Council, on the other hand, was celebrating after the prime minister accepted its need for extra cash last week. Slough suffered from a loss of grant when the census cut its population statistics. But speaking in response to the council's finance director on a local radio show, Tony Blair said he would ‘see what more we can do' over the cash crisis. Finance director, Andrew Blake-Herbert, said the prime minister's comments were ‘excellent news'. ‘The continued underestimates of population means the town has been under-funded by at least £5m since 2001, and could lose up to £15m up to the next census in 2011.'
