Localism and a happy Christmas

We have had a big year of change and there are even more challenges in the coming months.  Mainly surrounding the issues of doing more with less in public services, increased open and transparent data, the challenge of the cloud and using geospatial technologies for the streamlining and greater efficiency of services offered. 

However, the biggest challenge for all of us is the transformation of how public services are to be delivered.  Related to this, The Department for Communities and Local Government (CLG) have recently published the Decentralisation and the Localism Bill:an essential guide which is useful, if not essential reading for us in the future.  There are six essential actions listed for turning power over from the centralised state to local communities:
1. Lift the burden of bureaucracy
2. Empower communities to do things their way
3. Increase local control of public finance
4. Diversify the supply of public services
5. Open up government to public scrutiny
6. Strengthen accountability to local people

These actions are all part of the Localism Bill and will be part and parcel of the way that all of us have to respond to delivering services.  From these six actions, we who work with GI data and analysis can easily see what impact our work can have on turning the list into reality.  From provision of local services mapping (Council facilities, GP Clusters), more open data analysis/methods for the identification of resources to the use of social classification tools and socio-demographic information for the better identification of key places for the better targetting of services.  This will assist our local communities and people to be more spatially aware of their local area and what we in public services do.  The challenge awaits and the role of geospatial technologies is key.

Lastly, I would like to wish all of our members a very happy Christmas.  See you in the new year and stay in touch.

Hendrik
Chair - Local Public Services Special Interest Group