Published May 11, 2021 at 14:47
Rossendale Borough Council is saying a big thank you to all its residents for their outstanding response to this year’s census, which was held on March 21.
Despite the many challenges in delivering a census during a global pandemic, the response rate in Rossendale has exceeded the council’s target response rate. Overall, the census – delivered by the Office of National Statistics (ONS) once every ten years and supported by councils in England and Wales – has been a huge success nationally with 97 per cent of households responding.
Neil Shaw, chief executive for Rossendale Borough Council said: “It was difficult to predict how the response to the census would go this year with the numerous challenges that the pandemic presented in organising a national survey of this scale.
“I can only give my sincerest thanks to our residents for taking the time to complete the census. The responses that have been given will go a long way to shaping the services that we provide and the way that we deliver them.”
A very small selection of households nationwide will also receive a visit from a field officer from the ONS in May, who will go through a census coverage survey with them. This is not a compulsory survey, however, the answers given by residents that respond to this request will help us check the accuracy of the census.
Although Census Day has been and gone it is not too late to respond online. It only takes around 10 minutes per person. If you have lost the letter or have a second address you have not visited, go to www.census.gov.uk to request an online completion code for your address via SMS text message.
After 17 May, only paper questionnaires will be available. If people refuse to take part, they could be taken to court and issued with a £1,000 fine and criminal record. The census non-compliance operation will begin on 25 May.