Councils challenge migrant figures

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Four council leaders have written to the Treasury, saying that the number of migrants in their areas has been under-estimated, meaning that funding levels will be affected.

The councils - Westminster, Slough, Hammersmith & Fulham and Kensington & Chelsea, said the Office for National Statistics' "improvement" to international migration estimates does not reflect the "true nature" of population movements for their areas.

They said they believe there are "significant" flaws in the new methodology, the use of which shows some "perverse" results. The "improved" method of counting suggests that London is haemorrhaging some 60,000 migrants to other parts of the country, they said.

Sir Simon Milton, leader of Westminster City Council, said: "We simply do not believe the official statistics remotely represent the true picture of migration into Westminster.

"The council has anecdotal evidence to suggest that over 2,000 migrants are coming through Victoria Coach Station on a weekly basis and this seems to tally with the Department for Work and Pensions' National Insurance figures, as well as those from Home Office's Worker Registration Scheme.

"We are so concerned about the use of these figures for vital council funding that we are lobbying the Treasury in addition to commissioning our own surveys."

Richard Stokes, leader of Slough Borough Council, described official migration statistics as "not fit for purpose".

He said: "Estimates have failed to keep pace with what is happening on the ground and public services are suffering as a consequence. The migrants that come to Slough are hard-working and bring great benefit to the local economy but the council remains severely under-funded because of these poor statistics.

"We have waited to see the improvements promised by the Office for National Statistics for four years but it is obvious from recent announcements that the new estimates are just not up to the job."