Michael Clark in his letter Silly Census, (Oxford Mail, October 27) urges people to throw “their census forms in their nice blue wheelie bin” rather than completing them and sending them back to the authorities.

Not filling in the census form is against the law and could result in a fine of up to £1,000 following prosecution.

He also thinks there won’t be anyone to deliver the forms, but overlooks the fact the census is creating 400 temporary jobs in the Oxfordshire area alone – mostly for census collectors to visit households and collect the questionnaires.

Gathering data on the population is not a pointless exercise.

Census intelligence helps the council to decide how many school places to provide in future and to understand where roads, leisure centres and health facilities are most needed.

It helps businesses work out their potential customer profiles in the area to meet their particular needs, and planners to decide whether new houses are required.

Our children, and theirs, will be a lot worse off in the future and living in neighbourhoods without essential services if people just throw their census forms in the bin.

It takes just 10 minutes per person to complete, so be responsible and think of it as a means to a better world and a better future.

We don’t want more deprived neighbourhoods in future, do we?

John Clapton, Census Area Manager for Oxford