11th May, Leeds United FC, Leeds Register Here
Learn how to get the most from your data and gazetteers at Everything Happens Somewhere 2017
As public authorities delve deeper into the potential of delivering better outcomes through better use of data, more are paying close attention to what they can do with their inherent base of street and address gazetteers - especially in using them as a key to connecting and unlocking the value in their organisation's data.
It is a big issue, with a lot of possibilities and several challenges along the way, and practitioners in any authority can benefit from hearing the experiences of others and networking with their counterparts.
That opportunity is here with the Everything Happens Somewhere 2017 conference, taking place at Leeds United FC on Thursday 11 May and focused on the theme of connecting data for better outcomes.
Staged by GeoPlace, the limited liability partnership owned by the Local Government Association and national mapping agency Ordnance Survey, this free-to-attend event provides an opportunity to obtain new insights on how location data is, and can, be used.
It supports address and street custodians, street naming and numbering officers, streetworks managers, team colleagues, GIS officers and organisational leaders who want to explore the potential their gazetteers hold in unlocking both data and savings. It is not just about using the data, but dealing with common issues and focusing on the benefits, along with relating it to other developments such as the move to cloud computing and the growth of aerial and satellite data.
Leeds' achievement
Leeds City Council has provided an example of what can be achieved in the field of population estimates. Since 2012 it has developed the use of local data from the National Address Gazetteer – including property classifications and accurate coordinates – in combination with vacant property data from its council tax records as part of the housing unit method for population estimates.
This has provided more accurate figures than the previous reliance on National Census data. The old method incorrectly assumed a uniformed distribution of people across an output area and produced a figure 7% higher.
Service directors in the city now have more accurate data reflecting localised changes, which is a great asset in dealing with planning applications, service planning and for supporting neighbourhood forums. This helps them to improve the outcomes of their services.
Knowledge transfer
This is just one example of the benefits from new uses of location data, and others will be presented at the conference. But the day also focuses on knowledge transfer and promoting best practice not just through presentations, but sessions that address practical issues, round table discussions, demonstrations of software and services, and conversations with members of the GeoPlace team and peers from other authorities.
It also provides accreditation points for continuous professional development, backed by the Association of Geographic Information and Royal Geographical Society, and GeoPlace can provide help in making a business case to attend.
Everything Happens Somewhere 2017 provides an important opportunity not just for the officials working with street and address data, but for their authorities as a whole to maximise its potential.
Everything Happens Somewhere 2017 - Thursday 11 May at Leeds United Football Club, Elland Road, Leeds LS11 0ES.
You can find more information on the conference and registration details here
