Local authorities capitalise on intrinsic value of location data

The value of location data to local authorities

In 2020, a mandate was announced by the Government Digital Service (GDS) declaring that UPRNs and USRNs should be used by government in referencing and sharing information about properties and streets. Since this directive, the wider use of UPRNs and USRNs has shown that many councils are already making vast savings while also driving innovation and delivering more tailored services.  

A report commissioned by GeoPlace shows that the widespread use of address and street data, complete with UPRNs and USRNs that underpin every location and street, could generate £384m savings over the timeframe 2022 – 2026, with an improved ROI of 6:1.

Widespread use of address and street data, complete with UPRNs and USRNs that underpin every location and street, could generate £384m savings, with an improved ROI of 6:1.

Leading the way through connecting datasets across council departments

Facing greater pressures than ever, councils are increasingly turning to their vast banks of rich data to identify where they can further increase efficiency, detect fraud and recoup lost income, while also improving services.

Advances in technology and the wider use of APIs have made connecting data easier. Pre-Covid, many councils were already integrating their systems, but relied on access to back-end data, i.e. files pushed out from the LLPG / LSG to other systems. This not only slowed the process, it also created a time lag, therefore jeopardising data accuracy. 

The rapid implementation of cloud solutions and APIs, fuelled in part by the pandemic, has not only enabled the trend of remote and hybrid working to continue, but has also allowed greater data connectivity, facilitating deeper analysis, and quicker and better-informed decision-making. 

The increasing ease and ability of local authorities to link and analyse their data means they are empowered to maximise efficiency, eliminate duplication and optimise the services they deliver according to priority and specifically targeted areas. 

Innovation through data connectivity in action 

Idox (previously as Aligned Assets) has been working with local authorities for over thirty years, helping them to create, manage and maintain their LLPGs / LSGs using its Gazetteer Management System (GMS), iManage. As this technology has advanced, so too has the utilisation of the address data held within the GMS. 

Adur and Worthing Councils’ Chief Executive, Dr Catherine Howe, is a driven data advocate and is using their data to deliver innovative projects across the Councils. Using the UPRNs to link data, the Councils have pursued ground-breaking work with the policy and practice departments. This has focused on data relating to inequalities so the Councils could make proactive interventions around households they see as shifting from ‘coping’ to ‘not coping’ financially. The Councils then matched that with other location-based inequality data to find correlations that helped gain a better picture of inequality based on locations. It used this analysis to see how it could start targeting support for a community-led safety net where there was a high incidence of individuals moving into the ‘not coping’ category.

Charnwood Borough Council has been using UPRNs to drive efficiency in the management of its council-owned property. Previously, pulling this data together in a format that allowed the relevant teams to manage their tasks efficiently – such as chasing arrears, progressing maintenance or clearing fly-tipping hotspots – was challenging and time-consuming. Underpinning all the Council’s housing data with the UPRNs from the LLPG has enabled greater efficiency and cohesion for the housing teams. Housing officers and managers can interrogate data and respond more effectively to needs within their property portfolios. Charnwood has also found it quicker to gather information about council-owned property, as well as ownership and/or maintenance of any property, land and street lighting in the vicinity. 

Getting started with linking your data

While local authorities are well aware of the wealth of insightful data within their reach, starting this interconnectivity path may feel like a daunting task – but it needn’t be. GeoPlace is encouraging councils in the early stages of this journey to follow their three-step process to get them started:

1. Identify who your local address/street Custodian is and talk to them about matching your data to the LLPG so you can get the UPRNs/USRNs allocated. If you do not know who that is, use the LGA’s tool to find out.
2. Use GeoPlace’s free UPRN integration assessment tool to see how well-integrated your council’s systems are with UPRNs.
3. Ensure procurement of all new systems supports UPRN integration by using GeoPlace’s tool for the commissioning and purchase of new local authority systems’ software.

Collaborative development driving connectivity