NLPG & NSG Win Prestigious European Award

The National Land and Property Gazetteer (NLPG) and the National Street Gazetteer (NSG) have received a Best Practice Award at a European Spatial Data Infrastructure Conference. Twelve finalists, including the NLPG/NSG managed to reach the last stage of the competition process, out of 130 original submissions from across Europe. All twelve finalists received the Award and the NLPG NSG were the only entries from England and Wales to do so.

In a nutshell a Spatial Data Infrastructure (SDI) provides the means for sharing information more effectively in order to deliver higher quality services to citizens. As the world becomes more complicated managing change and the problems that arise from it, such as pollution, security and climate change also requires better information for decision and policy making. Since everything happens somewhere an understanding of location and geography is vital.

The event, organised by e-SDI net plus on behalf of the European Union, attracted an international audience engaged in Spatial Data Infrastructures and related geospatial related activities at European, national, regional and local levels.

The two gazetteers have implemented the information management principles of collecting definitive data once, at source. This involves all the 348 local authorities for the NLPG and 172 for the NSG, who are continually improving the quality of the data. They are also providing regular updates to the two central data hubs from which the data can be accessed by any organisation needing the data to support the provision of services. It is the most successful initiative of its kind involving local government in England and Wales.

'We are delighted that the NLPG/NSG has won this award. It is further confirmation of the value of our data infrastructure model. The process uses standards and collects information on addresses and streets locally from source, and then compiles it centrally into an online national data hub. This process is both accurate and efficient' said Steve Brandwood, Programme Manager, LGIH. 'The judges in particular noted the collaborative effort involved with the ten year long programme. They also noted the importance of the rigorous standards and legislative drivers behind the gazetteers,' continued Brandwood.