A COUNCILLOR is urging residents to makes themselves count in the national census.

Harrow Council and the Office for National Statistics (ONS) are reminding residents there is still time to complete and send off questionnaires or to fill out the form online.

Census officials are now visiting homes around the borough helping residents complete the forms, which are sent to all households once every ten years.

The census takes an accurate measurement of the borough’s population and its needs.

The data is used by central government to calculate how much money it gives to boroughs to pay for health, council services and the police.

It is a legal requirement to take part in the census and if residents fail to do so they may be fined up to £1,000.

Councillor Keith Ferry, the council’s portfolio holder for planning and economic development, said: “While most Harrow residents will have posted off their forms or completed the census online, if it is still on your to do list, don’t delay any longer.

“It takes just 15 minutes to fill in and helps give the council, health service and other public bodies an accurate picture of Harrow’s population so we can plan services that our residents need.

“You will also make sure we win our fair share of funding from Government to pay for those services.”

You can get help and information at www.census.gov.uk or call the census helpline on 0300 0201 101. There are also helplines available in 56 other languages.