Local Economic Forecasting - Mickledore
Mickeldore - Gaining Value from Local Economic Assessment
ESTABLISH THE SCOPE AND PURPOSE OF THE LEA
- Determine the key internal stakeholders and the level of external engagement sought.
- Identify internal project 'champion' both at member and officer level.
- Establish and agree the functional geography (more than just the administrative boundary) and how intra Authority differences will be presented.
- Establish sub-regional/regional dialogue.
- Set out clear parameters for the LEA and gain internal agreement to these parameters.
- Ascertain what data currently available internally and how it's going to be collected. What are the data challenges outside internal and ONS resources?
- Establish the core project team; develop the project plan and timetable.
- What will be the consultation process (eg. Peer review panel, workshops) and how will stakeholders be kept up to date with progress?
ASSESS EXISTING DATA AND GAP ANALYSIS
- What material is already available which will help to describe the impact of other geographies on the assessed locality and its impact on them?
- What is already known that can be justified using the data/evidence available?
- What data is already held that relates to LEA key themes including: demography, employment, skills, enterprise, productivity, housing planning, connectivity and the environment?
- What data is available from other Departments or Divisions that has been gathered for the current LDF, CSC and Local Transport Plan?
- Ascertain the level of information available from external sources including the Regional Observatory, ONS, PCTs, HCA, Job Centre Plus etc.
- Will the evidence help describe what is happening in the assessed locality as well as the global, national, regional and local forces driving it?
- As well as statistical data, what other forms of information and qualitative data is or could be made available. e.g., views from local businesses, cluster studies, business surveys etc?
- Look at economic sub-areas and cross boundary links to develop a plan for how the evidence required might be organised.
- Is there a sound understanding of the sectoral structure across the functional geography and the significance of particular businesses on the economy?
- Once evidence is collected, analysed and checked that it reflects the locality, identify what are the most important gaps and check this with data professionals.
COMMISSIONING NEW DATA
- Where there are gaps that need to be addressed, agree the brief and cost with the project team and key stakeholders. Ensure buy-in for seeking additional data.
- As well as statistical data, identify if qualitative data is required. For example feedback from the existing business community about factors effecting business investment and economic growth, skills gaps etc. Can statistical and qualitative data be supplemented by forecasting information which will show future trends?
- The data commissioned needs to be sufficiently robust to support national benchmarking and comparison.