Observatory Blog

Visioning Workshop

2010-08-31T16:46:00-00:00

On 26th August, colleagues from agencies and organisations across Bradford attended a workshop to review and update the vision for and the objectives of "Phase II" of the Bradford Observatory project.

The attached presentation informed smallgroup exercises which have produced a wealth of material which will now be collated and analysed to inform future decision making. For futher inforrmation please see the Powerpoint presentation and / or contact Nick Simpson.

Monthly Digest - May 2010

2010-05-17T17:14:00-00:00

1) Prosperity & Regeneration:

We have now added Job Seekers Allowance (JSA) data for December 2009, January and February 2010. These Quick Maps show rates & counts of JSA claimants by Ward and LSOA level up to Feb 2010. JSA Data for March and April 2010 will follow shortly.

Data Source: NOMIS,

Time Period: 2008 - Feb 2010,

Geography: Ward & LSOA Level

2) Children & Young People:

Updated NEETs data has been added for Feb 2010. Data for March 2010 will be following shortly.

Data Source: Careers Bradford

Time Period: Sept 2007 – Feb 2010

3) Improving the Environment:

Place Survey data (2009) has now been added. The 'Place Survey' was designed to capture local peoples' views, experiences and perceptions, to ensure services and solutions reflect local views and preferences:

Place Survey (Bradford District Level): By clicking on to the ‘Data’ tab on the left of the page, you can now look up data on the 18 National Indicators in the Place survey and compare District, National and Regional data.

Data Source: Customer Satisfaction Postal survey, Strategy & Performance (BMDC)

Time Period: 2009

Place Survey (National Level): Data can be viewed and compared by Local Authority.

Data Source: Department of Community & Local Government (CLG)

Time Period: 2009

4) Bradford Observatory Consultation Portal:

The Bradford Observatory Consultation Portal is continuously being updated and is there to publicise and share information on upcoming consultations and events. Recent additions include upcoming Neighbourhood Forum schedules. They can be found on:

http://bradford.limehouse.co.uk/portal/

Monthly Digest - November 2009

2009-11-12T00:00:00-00:00

The Observatory has been finally launched this week. The site will be promoted through the "Chief Executive's and Council Management Team messages" section of the Council portal as well as through ongoing user-awareness sessions.

Data is now available under the following themes:

Population:

Data is provided at various levels including District, Ward and neighbourhood levels.

Categories under this theme include ONS Census and population estimates, Mid-Year population estimates, Ethnicity, GP registration population and IMD 2007

Population data providers include NHS Bradford & Airedale, CLDG,ONS & Yorkshire Futures

Health & Well Being For All:

This theme is broken into sub themes including mortality, births, sexual health, hospital admissions, social care, disability, and physical activity. At the moment, data is available on a district, ward and MSOA level.

Data providers/sources under this theme are NHS Bradford & Airedale, NHS Information Centre, BMDC & ONS

Children & Young People:

This data is broken down into 4 areas - Education, Drug misuse, Social Care & Culture.

This theme includes NEETS, Looked After Children & Young People’s Participation in Positive Activities amongst other datasets. At the moment, data is available on a district and ward level.

Data providers for this theme are Children’s Services, Aspire-I (formally Careers Bradford), DCSF & Tell Us Survey

We have 19 Education datasets, however it should be noted that Education Indicators are under review at the moment. Datasets are at a district, MLSOA and LSOA level.

DCSF is the provider for education data.

Safety & Stronger Communities:

Under this theme, datasets fall into 2 categories- Crime & Culture. Data available includes, Assault with Injury Crime Rate, Perceptions of Anti-Social Behaviour, % of People Who Feel They Can Influence Decisions in Their Locality, Engagement in the Arts. Data is available at District and Area Committee levels

Data sources for this theme at present is the Speakout Survey and West Yorkshire Police.

Prosperity and Regeneration:

This data is broken down into 4 areas: Housing, Economy, Travel & Environment, Census & Population As things stand, we have 19 datasets under this section including Income data. Some datasets are available on a district level and an LSOA level.

Data providers/sources include DCSF, DIUS, Research and Statistics Gateway, Job Centre Plus/Nomis, Department of Transport & SEA/DEFRA.

Observatory Project Plan

2009-02-09T14:37:00-00:00

The Observatory Project Plan has been updated to show the latest timetable.

Click Here to view the Project Plan.

Data Sharing and Exchange Agreements

2009-02-02T00:00:00-00:00

The Bradford Observatory Data Sharing Agreement and Data Exchange Agreement has been drawn up.

This is to assist in the smooth supply and management of data.

It ensures all parties understand there roles in providing, using and representing data.

Please click the agreements below:

Data Sharing Agreement

Data Exchange Agreement

Consultation software: Demo of U-engage

2008-10-22T13:42:00-00:00

Demonstration of Limehouse ‘Uengage’ Consultation software. TPCT already have this solution for online consultations, investigating opportunity to expand this to an Observatory-wide solution

Joint Observatory Steering Group, Tag Meeting

2008-09-30T09:56:00-00:00

Joint Observatory Steering Group / TAG meeting

- Updated Project Plan with milestones presented (see attached)

SB: See email project plan)

- Approved purchase of Instant Atlas server software to improve the existing capability to produce map, table and diagrammatic ‘dashboards’ as well as providing capability for users to create online composite reports.

‘Release 1’ of the Observatory in January 2009 will include a ‘Report-Writer’ tool for partnership analysts. This will enable them to combine content from the Observatory with other materials and most importantly, to add their specialist interpretation and written commentary. These analysts will then be able to save their reports within the Observatory. In this way the Observatory will become much more than a self-service store of raw data but will begin to capture specific the knowledge and understanding of specialists across partnerships and to share this in an open and accessible way. It is intended that making online summary reports available in this way will reduce the burden on analyst of ad-hoc requests and thereby free up more of their time for more in-depth work and progress. The underlying data will of course remain be available to users of the Observatory for users who wish to explore it further and where necessary, download it for more in-depth analysis or to combine it with locally held data of their own.

Analysts time will also be saved by automating data transfer and where possible, automating calculation of performance indicators by the system itself.

Design options feedback

2008-03-12T09:56:00-00:00

Design Options present draft report to PDT

Observatory re-skin

2008-03-04T17:21:00-00:00

Welcome to the new and improved Observatory Site.

In the old site, their were a number of issues. Primarily based around cross-browser compatibility and sizing, when pages where resized.

The new site fixes all of these issues.

The Observatory is still in its infancy, and its knowledge bank is still slowly being filled as raw data comes through, is processed by the Observatory Team and published.

If anyone has any comments on its design or encounters any issues on the site please do not hesitate to contact the team via the web-form in the about us page.

Breadcrumb Trail

2008-02-28T12:46:00-00:00

Breadcrumb trails are an important feature of any site.

They allow site users to see where they are within the site, and navigate back to any place where they have been.

The Observatory Team have now applied breadcrumb trails to the Observatory Site.

These will become more and more important as further pages are added to the site.

We hope you find them useful.

Admin

Working with neighbourhoods

2008-02-21T09:36:00-00:00

Meeting (Chair Steve Hartley AD Neighbourhoods): Neighbourhood Ward/Area Data - how we measure gaps and present information

Whats new?

2008-02-20T09:33:00-00:00

Do you know whats new on the Observatory?

The Observatory Team have great plans for the site. We intend to add many features to help the site users effectively utilise the site.

To help you find all the new exciting features we are adding a scroller on the main home page of the site.

It will contain a rotating list of the latest features of the site. If you see anything that interests you hover over the scroller, it will stop moving for you, then click the link.

Admin

Themes easy!

2008-02-05T10:55:00-00:00

To help you find you find the data and information you need we have identified a number of Themes.

These themes are split up by logical groups, and contain all the information within that group.

To help you navigate these easily we have produced a easy to use menu.

On the Themes page you will see a large box’s, all these are buttons leading to themed pages. Simply identify the theme you want. Click on it and Bradford is at your fingertips.

The Blue buttons are the basic themes. These will contain information and data on specific topics.

We have also identified some themes that cross more than one theme. These are Cross-Cutting Themes. These are the Orange squares in the menu square.

We hope this feature makes your experience simpler.

Admin

Welcome to the Blog

2008-01-31T16:00:00-00:00

Welcome to the Observatory Blog.

This will be a routine update of any major changes that take place on the observatory site.

We hope you enjoy your experience.

The Observatory Team.

Geowise Data Server implementation

2008-01-13T11:42:00-00:00

Analysts time will also be saved by automating data transfer and where possible, automating calculation of performance indicators by the system itself.

Consultants assigned to Obserbatory project

2008-01-07T00:00:00-00:00

The PCT commission consultants Design Options to review requirements for the best approach to providing an Observatory for the District.

Index of Deprivation added to the Observatory

2007-12-21T14:05:00-00:00

In-depth analysis and report on Index of Deprivation 2007. Work is added to the Observatory site.

Strategic Needs Assessment

2007-12-01T13:48:00-00:00

Bradford MDC and the tPCT work in partnership on Joint Strategic Needs Assessment

Omnidata Training

2007-10-31T09:21:00-00:00

Some time ago we purchases Omnidata software. This software is specialist software helping cleanse the data. R&C have allocated a specialist individual who will become the expert on data cleanisng.

Purchase of Geowise Instant Atlas

2007-10-30T13:29:00-00:00

Ordered Geowise ‘Instant Atlas’ software. This software will provide a intuitive ‘dashboard’ presentation of data to complement Maps and Stats GIS work within the emerging Observatory.

bradfordobservatory domain names

2007-10-22T17:23:00-00:00

After much deliberation, on the interim name for the Observatory it has been decided to purchase the internet domain name “Bradfordobservatory”. This will become the primary URL that people will use to access the Observatory

Small Area Population Requirements

2007-10-12T10:47:00-00:00

Workshops: Small Area Population Requirements for the Observatory (consultant, Ludi Simpson, University of Manchester). It is recognised that more work is needed to develop an approved and reliable set of small-area population figures to share with partners via the Observatory. This work is added to the data requirements ‘shopping list’ for the Observatory once it is formally in place

Observatory Developer Recruitment

2007-04-25T16:45:00-00:00

Interviews for Observatory developers (successful candidates start work May/June)

Presentation to CSDG

2007-04-03T09:46:00-00:00

Presentation to Community Strategy Delivery Group: An Intelligence-led Sustainable Community Strategy: Demonstration of Maps and Stats

- Main action is to deliver a working prototype system by the autumn.

Establishing a Performance and Intelligence Hub

2007-02-18T13:42:00-00:00

Paper to Community Strategy Delivery Group: Establishing a “Performance and Intelligence Hub” to support the SCS/ LAA.

- Secures agreement in principle from CSDG including interim funding (NRF) towards additional staff resource requirements

Research & Consultation helping Neighbourhood Services

2006-12-13T12:54:00-00:00

Paper to CSDG on Neighbourhood Profiling. Research and Consultation Service have supported Neighbourhood Service in workshops which have been distilled into a set of priority datasets which officers believe can be made available at neighbourhood level. These datasets form the basis for early work on core data for the Observatory

Observatory Blog

Visioning Workshop

Monthly Digest - May 2010

Monthly Digest - November 2009

Observatory Project Plan

Data Sharing and Exchange Agreements

Consultation software: Demo of U-engage

Joint Observatory Steering Group, Tag Meeting

Design options feedback

Observatory re-skin

Breadcrumb Trail

Working with neighbourhoods

Whats new?

Themes easy!

Welcome to the Blog

Geowise Data Server implementation

Consultants assigned to Obserbatory project

Index of Deprivation added to the Observatory

Strategic Needs Assessment

Omnidata Training

Purchase of Geowise Instant Atlas

bradfordobservatory domain names

Small Area Population Requirements

Observatory Developer Recruitment

Presentation to CSDG

Establishing a Performance and Intelligence Hub

Research & Consultation helping Neighbourhood Services

Establishing a Performance and Intelligence Hub