Preparation for next year's Census in now in its final stages.

The Office for National Statistics (ONS), which organises the once-a-decade questionnaire, is now recruiting locally for field staff for a wide range of both part time and full time jobs.

Opportunities range from managerial positions to roles in the field such as special enumerators and census collectors.

The temporary field staff will ensure that the estimated 25 million questionnaires delivered across the country for Sunday, March 27, 2011, are returned and that all local problems are resolved.

The county council is supporting ONS by promoting 2011 Census jobs in the Pembrokeshire area.

"The census is important because, like all local authorities in England and Wales, Pembrokeshire relies on the census population statistics to get the government funding it needs for public services," said the leader of Pembrokeshire County Council, Clr. John Davies.

"How much we receive is directly related to how many and what kind of people the census says live in our area. So even if the census were to end up just a few households short, it could make a very real difference to people's lives," he said.

"The census needs to include everyone, everywhere - and that's why we urge everyone to take part."

Carried out every 10 years, the census aims to find out more about the people who live in England and Wales, and about the make-up of local neighbourhoods.

It will ask questions about work, health, national identity, citizenship, ethnic background, education, second homes, language, religion, marital status and household composition.

In order to ensure that every household in the area is contacted the county council has been assisting ONS, via its Local land and Property Gazetteer, in creating a definitive address list of all residential properties and communal establishments in Pembrokeshire.

You can find out more about the planning and preparation process for the 2011 Census from the 2001 Census website - http://www.2011.census.gov.uk">www.2011.census.gov.uk

Details of current 2011 census job opportunities in Pembrokeshire and the surrounding area can be found on the website of the ONS recruiting agents Capita Resourcing - http://www.censusjobs.co.uk">www.censusjobs.co.uk or phone 0845 304 0960.