Getting the Most out of Local Authority Data

When data comes together, it can be powerful. Local Authorities sit in a privileged position, at the cross-hairs of multiple data streams from a variety of sources including police, social care and demographics to name a few.

Yet so much of our local authority data is siloed within these individual departments, hindering the value it can provide. A solution is needed that can cleanse these streams and unite them in real time to provide actionable insight.

The move to an “Intelligent Council”, an authority that utilises the data it collects to better inform strategy and policies (as well as improving customer experience) is a key activity highlighted by the Local Government Association (LGA).

This push is further bolstered through the Government Transformation Strategy 2017-2020.  Through this initiative, Central Government departments are looking for ways to share their data/make records more accessible and convenient for those that use them. We’re already seeing these registers come to fruition, with the 2015 INSPIRE drive as well as the upcoming Local Land Charges Program. You can find the full list of proposed registries here.

While the above initiatives are a great way to get more value from local authority data, implementing them also highlights areas of improvement in the way that data is collected, stored and governed.

The initial implementation of this infrastructure can be resource heavy, but once implemented the value that can be gleaned from this data surely outweighs the initial investment.

Miso have 25 years of experience in solving complex data challenges. From simple data cleansing and process automation to more complicated data plumbing issues, our consultants have been on hand for over 200 local authorities.

If you’re looking for help with an upcoming data project, contact a member of the team on 0121 232 8000.