The 2011 Census; help tomorrow take shape
Every ten years a census takes place to count the population. The 2011 census was run by the Office for National Statistics and the results from it, will estimate the population at national, regional and local level, and be to share out funding and resources for all sorts of services and facilities. Many local facilities have been built because of census results highlighting the need for change. Visit the Office for National Statistics website for further information on the 2011 census programme.
The census results also track society's changes over time, and are a powerful tool for looking at the area we live in to see if, for example, we need to think about encouraging building of more care homes for the elderly or more starter homes for first time buyers. We can see whether we need more access routes for commuters, or more public transport provision. We can check that we have the right facilities in place for those whose first language might not be English and that we have worked out how many hospital beds are going to be needed in the future. It's all about our population, right here in St Edmundsbury and the fabric that our society is built from. The successful location of leisure centres, cinemas, schools, hospitals, retail outlets and even motorway service stations look to the census results.
More than that, census results are a national treasure, with genealogists – family historians – able to search back through time to discover how their ancestors lived when the confidential answers that people give are released after 100 years. Find out more about genealogy at:
St Edmundsbury Borough Council worked closely with the Office for National Statistics to help make sure that the census was a success. Because census results are vitally important to make sure St Edmundsbury Borough Council gets its fair share of funding from government - to help give you the facilities and services you deserve - we all need to be counted. If you want to find out more, check out some of the sites listed below:
- Schools may be interested to know about relevant census projects. Visit www.censusatschool.org.uk. You can play with the statistics from previous censuses.
- Find out how St Edmundsbury Borough Council or other places in England and Wales have changed over the years by visiting the Neighbourhood Statistics website. Use the neighbourhood summary box to see how your area shapes up.
- Look at trends (like families, gender and health) on the UK Snapshot.
- Have fun with the interactive population pyramid which lets you see the changing age structure of the population of England and Wales.
- View some historical census returns including ones from Charlotte Bronte, Sir Winston Churchill and Karl Marx on the Census Hall of Fame website.
- The Office for National Statistics produces a multitude of other statistics and surveys as well. You can have a look at all the work that is being done to accurately describe all aspects of the society we live in.
