Using open data to redesign public services - GovTech Leaders

"The challenge of redesigning public services is a difficult one. Local authorities recognise the need to deliver improved services across multiple channels, yet they are having to do more against the backdrop of budget cuts and austerity. In an attempt to answer this problem, four councils have turned to open data to redesign key public services in order to improve the lives of local residents, offering them targeted help, advice and opportunities. The projects, funded by Innovate UK through the Open Data Institute (ODI), were run by Doncaster Council, Kent County Council, the London Borough of Waltham Forest and North Lanarkshire Council, worked on tackling fuel poverty, increasing visitor numbers at cultural centres, helping young people make better career and education choices and reducing Freedom of Information requests. The work forms part of a three-year innovation programme being run by the ODI which aims to build data infrastructure, stimulate data innovation and build trust in the use of data. As part of the project, the ODI awarded funding to collaborations between four local government organisations and external partners to redesign a public service with open data, making it more efficient and citizen focused. The four projects are as follows, along with the lessons learned during the project: Doncaster Council and Uscreates Doncaster Council teamed up with Uscreates to explore the careers information, advice and guidance services available to young people aged 11 to 18 across the borough. The team used data from across Doncaster – as well as speaking to learners and careers advisors – to create a tool that helps young people access comprehensive information about their options for training, education and employment. David Ayre, Head of Strategy & Performance at Doncaster Council said: “We felt that by developing a tool that made sense of the overwhelming amount of information available, we were not only investing in the students of today but also the future. The use of open data has enabled us to be able to provide a careers advice tool which gives students the confidence and information to go ahead and make positive, informed choices about their future.” The Social Mobility Opportunity Area Board in Doncaster has now signed off £100k of funding to develop a functional prototype over the next 6 months with the intention that it is ready to go live in January 2019...."