Agenda item

The Business Improvement Manager – Business Transformation presented the Data Strategy (including Data Standards Policy) for Members’ consideration.

In doing so, it was highlighted that the Data Standards Policy would provide a foundation and guidance to help safeguard the Council’s data assets. This was essential in order to maintain consistency, quality and compliance within legal and regulatory requirements. In addition, it would provide a framework in which to adhere to data security measures, collaboration across services resulting in greater trust and transparency amongst stakeholders.

Members were advised of the governance structure contained within the Data Standards Policy and it was reported that there was a Systems and Data (SAD) Governance Board along with a SAD Governance Group which reported to the Board. There were several projects due to be undertaken which included Systems Procurement, Data Standards and Data Stewards projects.

A group of fourth tier managers within the organisation had carried out an assessment of the Council’s’ Data Maturity against a Local Government Association (LGA) Assessment Tool. The results of this assessment had indicated that the Council currently had a Data Maturity score of 2.7 which equated to Level Three within the LGA’s scoring matrix. This meant that Redditch Borough Council was ‘developing’ it’s ‘capacity and capabilities in terms of data’. It was noted that although this was satisfactory in terms of where the Council should be at the start of this process it eventually needed to be at Level Four. This would require a review of six or seven systems across the organisation which focussed on key identifier fields across all Council data systems, for example Unique Property Reference Number (UPRN), address, postcode, name and customer ID.

An outline of the Data Standards, Data Stewards and Systems Procurement projects were provided to Members along with the timelines of these projects. This would not be an easy task and would take at least two years to complete. However, the result would be that the Council could collect, use and appropriately share accurate data providing a standard to support a ‘single source of truth’ or ‘golden record’ for Council customers.

It was reported that an estimated £10,000 per system was needed to start to address data cleansing issues within core Systems, which held almost 90 per cent of Council data.

Following the presentation of the report, Members expressed that they were pleased that this policy had been developed and that it was important that the Council held accurate records for its residents.

Members were also pleased that the Council had assessed itself realistically in terms of where they currently were in terms of Data Maturity and queried how the levels would be monitored. Officers stated that this information would be included in the Quarterly reports considered regularly by Members.

In terms of Local Government reorganisation, it was noted that this project was very timely as whatever the outcome was for Local Authorities in the future it would be necessary for all Councils to have accurate data. It was noted that some neighbouring Authorities had the same systems as Redditch Borough Council so it would be possible to integrate with other Councils as necessary.

RESOLVED that

that the proposed Data Standards Policy be agreed and the guidance policy be implemented for all employees.