PM promises more money for Slough
Slough council welcomes the promise made by the prime minister, Tony Blair, today for more resources to be made available for Slough’s growing population.
The promise was made this morning in an interview on the Andrew Peach show on BBC Radio Berkshire after Andrew Blake-Herbert, strategic director of finance and property, put the case for Slough town.
The prime minister said: “We have been having a discussion with the council. Slough in particular is keen for us to support them more.
“There’s been quite a lot of cash already, however, we’ll see what more we can do, of course we will.”
Andrew Blake-Herbert said; “It’s excellent news that the prime minister has recognised the council’s case for fair funding for Slough’s growing population.
“The continued underestimates of population means the town has been under funded by approximately £5million since 2001 and could lose up to £15million up to the next census in 2011.
“We will contact the government department responsible for funding councils today to follow up on the PM’s promise.”
The surprise promise comes on the back of the Office of National Statistics’ recent announcement on the ‘improvements’ to Slough’s population estimate.
Although the new numbers now recognise that the town’s population is growing the council warns that the numbers still severely underestimate the true size of its population.
Andrew Blake-Herbert, added: “There is still a long way to go in getting our population numbers right. Official statistics remain a poor estimate of the town’s population and we trust these will not be used to determine how much extra resources are made available after today’s announcement by the prime minister.
“We need to make sure the town is funded appropriately until the official population estimates can catch up with what’s happening on the ground.”
Slough Borough Council