Stockport Council has developed an open access data portal to share information and encourage the re-use of data from a number of organisations in the borough.
Named The Big Stockport Picture, the portal provides access to data under 24 topics including business rates, tree preservation orders, the council contracts register, housing revenue account asset values and grants to voluntary, community and social enterprise organisations.
It is available in several formats, including row level extracts, interactive dashboards with self-service functionality, and signposts to existing open datasets that contain information on Stockport.
The council said it is designed to help with local transparency, aid collaboration and to build products and services that benefit Stockport citizens. It added that it has applied the relevant information governance in making the data available.
A spokesperson said the data is published under the Open Government Licence, except for that held within dashboards and web mapping services, although the council is planning to gradually make these available under the OGL.
Councillor David Sedgwick, cabinet member for citizen focus and engagement, said: “Good data is the key to ensuring the council and our partners can design services that meet the needs of residents.
“We’ve been working in partnership with organisations and other stakeholders across Stockport to develop a borough plan setting out our shared ambitions for the next 10 years. This new data collaboration will ensure that we all have access to real information about Stockport’s population that would not normally be accessible. Information on demographics, health needs, skills and education outcomes, infrastructure and environmental impacts, community engagement and more.
“This will enable decision making based on real evidence and help us all to design inclusive 21st century services and products that meet the needs of the people currently living in Stockport. It will also help us to measure the outcomes and our success in achieving the ambitions of the borough plan, ensuring services remain relevant and fit for the future.”
The Big Stockport Picture is part of the One Stockport initiative, conceived by the council and aimed at connecting communities, promoting health and wellbeing and supporting local businesses.
