So what do Gordon Brown, Nigel Shadbolt, Martha Lane Fox and me all have in common? We’ve made it into this issue of DataSource!
Initially our newsletter remit was to promote the achievements of the Places Community members, this then expanded to include the whole of Geographical and Statistical Evidence (GSE), then grew to include Analytical Services and now, in this issue Central Government. This is because the role we have in GSE has a much wider remit than CLG and it’s the sourcing of all CLG data that will provide the content to CLG’s contribution to the new Smarter Government initiative (see pages 4 and 5).
Closer to home, our Data Collection team in Bristol has again scored 100% in their collections (see page 3), and follow the story through to the value of its use in Government (see page 6). We have the first of a two-page feature on the ICT team in GSE profiling a behind the scene look into the data world. More on the ICT team to follow in the spring issue.
We have an informative and colourful editorial about the Pan Government Agreement this time with a focus on mapping products on Points of Interest and Post Code Data, and find out how you can use these maps on your own PC (see pages 8 and 9). The Places environment has had another data update , and coming soon in the New Year for the first time we are planning to include DCMS swimming data (see page 11).
The autumn PAT workshops provided excellent feedback for our plans for PAT 2 in 2010; take a look at some of the ideas put forward (see page 12) and if you have any more then let us know.
In the New Year, the Hub data will be made available through the new open-platform Local Data Exchange (see page 14).
All that is left for me to do is challenge you to complete our ‘Jig-a-Link’ on page 17; have a wonderful festive season and on behalf of us all at GSE wish you much success for 2010. Oh and peace, love and goodwill to all and if any readers want to donate chocolate to a good cause my address is at the bottom of page 17!
Best wishes
Louise Day
Programme Manager, Places Community