WM ONS Data Insights Seminar 22nd November

The latest ONS data (2021) provides public policymakers with further evidence of demographic and household changes in the UK. The Office for National Statistics has been releasing various data sets over the last 12 months that will help to inform further policy priorities on a range of social issues at both national, regional, sub-regional and local levels. Many local authorities and public health have been analysing the data with other service data to understand the socio-economic changes at both place and community interest levels and how it might impact on funding policy, resource allocation and service priorities.

Si Chun Lam, Head of Research, Intelligence and Inclusive Growth, West Midlands Combined Authority provided an overview of their work to support and develop a federated research ecosystem for the WM, and mechanisms to share data between different providers that can inform policymaking, as well as the development of tools that support institutions to utilise data as part their inclusive growth agenda, driven by the Doughnut Economic model developed by Kate Raworth. Si provided an overview of the key demographic changes by both communities of interest and place in the WMCA region, data sets that are available to access that funders and the VCSE sector can use in informing funding in the region and service delivery priorities, and information on contacts and links to other LA use of ONS data. Though there is progress within the Combined Authority to join up research data in different directorates, more still needs to be done. A VCSE sector research hub exists and contributes to data sharing within the Combined Authority. A series of West Midlands Insights on Society and Economy (WISE) resources are being developed. The last State of the Sector report was in 2020 and can be found here. A copy of the presentation can be found here.

Richard Smith, Head of ONS Insights, Policy and Strategy, Birmingham City Observatory and Joseph Merriman, Senior Lead on Community Health, Birmingham City Council shared current data available on live dashboards showing the latest data on socio-economic changes by ward and constituency, as well as by different communities of interest. Richard show the level of data of two contrasting wards  - Nechells and Castle Vale as examples of the range of data available and the ability to link up different sets of data on the City’s Observatory to better understand changes. A copy of the presentation can be found here. Joe provided information on the range of community health profiles now available for the City that is based on different ethnic and social groups as well as communities of place. Currently 14 data community health data sets are available with another 11 to follow. A copy of the presentation can be found here.

Key sources:

https://linktr.ee/wmcaresearch

https://birmingham-city-observatory.vercel.app/

https://www.birmingham.gov.uk/info/50305/community_health_profiles

https://www.jrf.org.uk/blog/how-we-approach-missing-data-could-unlock-social-and-economic-injustice

https://www.ons.gov.uk/

https://www.bvsc.org/state-of-the-sector-2021

E.gs from other WM Local Authorities

Sandwell

https://www.sandwelltrends.info/2021-census-overview/

Wolverhampton

https://www.wolverhampton.gov.uk/sites/default/files/pdf/Wolverhampton_City.pdf

Walsall

https://www.walsallintelligence.org.uk/

Coventry

file:///Users/dipalichandra/Downloads/coventryareainformationpack.pdf

Dudley

https://www.allaboutdudley.info/home/key-topics/2021-census/

Warwickshire

https://data.warwickshire.gov.uk/

Worcestershire

https://www.worcestershire.gov.uk/council-services/council-and-democracy/research-reports-and-local-statistics/joint-strategic-0

Staffordshire

https://www.staffordshire.gov.uk/Observatory/Data/Census-2021.aspx

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