Harnessing the power of data analytics to drive better services from local government is well-established, and a recent survey of council chief executives revealed a third are already using data analytics to inform decision-making and strategy.
However, the current financial situation for the sector remains challenging and was high on the agenda at July’s Local Government Association’s annual conference. With the funding gap estimated to reach £5.8bn by 2020, data needs to go further and it needs to be smarter if data analytics infrastructure is to deliver better and more tailored services.
Ultimately, smart policy implementation relies on evidence-based decision-making. Data is growing exponentially and its role in guiding decisions, by providing a firm idea of the impact or effects of particular decisions on services, is really only limited by the data that is available.
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