§ Mr. GowTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what is the resident population of the borough of Eastbourne for the purpose of calculating its standard spending assessment; how he arrived at the size of the resident population; to what extent and at what date the figure for the size of the resident population is accurate; whether he and the Eastbourne borough council 69W agree on the size of the resident population; and what representations he has received on this subject from the borough council.
§ Mr. ChopeThe resident population of the borough of Eastbourne used for the purpose of calculating its standard spending assessment is 80,353. This figure is arrived at in accordance with the provisions of the Revenue Support Grant Distribution Report (England) and is the estimate of the registrar general for England and Wales of the resident population at 30 June 1988. I believe that this is the best information available for this purpose, being compiled on a consistent and impartial basis and providing the necessary breakdown between age groups. The community charges registration officer for Eastbourne has reported a figure of 67,903 as being the number of persons registered as subject to pay the personal community charge, with an adjustment for students, and estimated to pay collective community charge contributions at 1 December 1989. Eastbourne borough council has made representations that the figures from its community charges register should be used for the purpose of calculating its standard spending assessment in place of the registrar general's estimate. My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State considered these representations before he made the distribution report but decided not to make the change suggested.
§ Mr. GowTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what procedures exist for altering the standard spending assessment of a borough council for the year ending 31 March 1991 where it is discovered that the figure taken as the size of the resident population turns out to be misleading.
§ Mr. ChopeThe standard spending assessment for each borough council, as for other councils, has been calculated in accordance with the Revenue Support Grant Distribution Report (England). The use of resident population figures calculated on a different basis from that specified in that report would require the making of an amendment report. If representations were made to that effect, my right hon. Friend would take them into account in considering whether to make an amendment report.