[Neal]

Thousands more international immigrants may have made their home in Lancashire over the last few years than previously thought, it has been revealed.


The Office for National Statistics has a new formula which increases the number of migrants believed to have moved to the county between 2001 and 2005 by 5,600.

The biggest jump is recorded in Lancaster with the adjusted figures showing an extra 3,600 migrants in the city.

Crucially, it could mean councils like Lancaster will receive more cash from the Government to help provide services for its larger population.

The new formula estimates that an extra 200 migrants moved to Preston over the four years, but an extra 200 also departed, resulting in no overall change to the immigrant population.

An extra 600 are believed to have moved to the Ribble Valley and an additional 100 made a home in Wyre.

However, some Lancashire boroughs also saw falls under the new formula. About 400 were cut off Fylde's figures, 300 off the estimate in Chorley and there was a 200 reduction in West Lancashire.

The ONS previously based its estimates on a combination of the Census and the International Passenger Survey – based on interviews with those arriving at ports or airports.

Now experts use the Labour Force Survey (LFS), which examines how many immigrants have moved into the job markets of any given area.

http://www.lep.co.uk/news?articleid=2880539

Do you think this will benefit Lancashire and Lancaster or cause more problems to an already booming population?