Population

Summary

Stoke-on-Trent's population on 29 April 2001 (Census day) is recorded as 240,636 (see note 1). This was a decline of almost 9,000 people, 3.5%, since 1991.

National/Regional Perspective

By comparison the population of England and Wales as a whole increased 2.6% over the same period, while the West Midlands experienced a 0.7% increase.

Notable growth areas were the South-East, South-West and the East of England with 5% increases over the 1991-2001 period.

Comparable Areas

Comparison with a range of similar authorities shows the population of Stoke-on-Trent declined less than Kingston Upon Hull (-7.5%), Salford (-6.4%), and Wolverhampton (-4.8%). However, this decline contrasts with relatively stable populations in places such as Derby, Bolton and Blackburn, and differs markedly from growth areas such as Slough (+13.0), Telford and Wrekin (+12.1%) and Southampton (+6.2%).

Local Context

Locally the neighbouring boroughs of Newcastle-under-Lyme (+1.0%) and Staffordshire Moorlands (-1.3%) experienced nominal growth and decline respectively.

Combining the data for Stoke with Newcastle and Moorlands gives a net decrease in population across the North Staffordshire sub-region of 1.9%, to 457,000, from 1991 to 2001.

If Stoke-on-Trent is excluded from the Staffordshire County data, the county population increased by 1.9% between 1991 and 2001, whilst the neighbouring counties of Cheshire and Derbyshire (excluding the city of Derby) increased by 3%.

A full list of local authorities' population changes between 1991 and 2001 is available at http://www.statistics.gov.uk/census2001/profiles/rank/ewchange1991.asp

Implications

The decline in the population may result in a lower Formula Spending Share, formerly Standard Spending Assessment (SSA), with likely implications for the level of Revenue Support Grant (RSG) in future.   The new figures will impact on the projected need for services and amenities across the city.

Note 1: This figure includes an allowance due to non-returned census forms. In previous censuses this allowance was added to mid-year population estimates, but not to the census figures themselves.