Delivering Q-FAIR spatial data puts Lambeth London Borough Council on the map
Delivering Q-FAIR spatial data puts Lambeth London Borough Council on the map for efficiencies and cost savings without cutting data services
Lambeth London Borough Council have increased the number of people that have access to better spatial data. They have improved the Council’s technical efficiency, by carrying out spatial data management activities faster, to a higher standard and with fewer resources. The Council have enabled a self-serve, automated approach to accessing spatial data, achieving their open data and other statutory information targets, improving efficiencies and saving money without cutting data services.
There’s nothing like a map for helping you make decisions – and in the case of Lambeth London Borough Council, it’s at the forefront of delivering public sector efficiencies, using spatial tools to share Findable, Accessible, Interoperable, Reusable (FAIR) and Quality data.
“We’re really proud to have released more open spatial data than any other council in the country, and in terms of capabilities VertiGIS Studio is better than any other public-facing web mapping tools for local authorities committed to opening up, and providing easy access, to their spatial data,” says Tom Brown, Spatial Information Manager, Lambeth London Borough Council.
“1Spatial has enabled us to deliver an amazing tool to the public, so we are now again ahead of every other council in terms of our mapping tool, as well as for open data.”
A spatial toolbox to unlock the value of location data
Lambeth’s ‘spatial toolbox’ enables employees and the public alike to access datasets for analysis and decision-making purposes, including information published under an open data licence. By using VertiGIS technology, the Council has increased the number of people that have access to better spatial data to improve efficiency, whilst also achieving its open data and other statutory information targets.
Users can find, access, link and download data using a familiar map base which can be shared via a URL with options for viewing historical data, aerial photography and digital surface models with users simply selecting the dataset of interest. Minimal self-training is required as a fully accessible user guide is provided to help navigate through the easy-to-use application.
To date, more than 150 datasets have been released under an open government licence, including the open data equivalent of the Council’s internal planning information. Although it does not go into the same level of mapping detail, it has the same functionality, and provides value for money as it has been built in-house rather than by an external supplier. The Application Programming Interface (API) links to data.gov.uk and the London Datastore.
Delivering FAIR and Quality data in partnership with 1Spatial
Used as Lambeth’s primary online spatial data solution since 2012, VertiGIS technology was implemented, and is now sustained, in partnership with 1Spatial.
As a framework for designing, developing, and operating spatial data applications, the VertiGIS technology provides Findable, Accessible, Interoperable, Reusable (FAIR) and Quality data – delivering Council efficiencies and effectively extending the value of the Council’s Esri ArcGIS platform by extending its capabilities to non-technical users.
To ensure the quality of the data, processes and workflows are automated and metadata records are maintained by a network of owners to ensure it meets recognised open standards. Specific configurations to the solution are carried out by 1Spatial which provides resilience for the Council by preventing any loss of specialist knowledge due to staff turnover.
In addition to the Council-wide tools to which all staff have access, 1Spatial developed automated data workflows to deliver specific sites for individual teams, such as those in Social Care, Children’s Services and Emergency Response. The Local Land and Property Gazetteer (LLPG) for searching on specific addresses and linking data using the Unique Property Reference Number (UPRN) is one of the most frequently used functions – indeed, due to its speed, the planning department prefers to use this over its own bespoke database front-end.
Focusing on project delivery to enhance efficiency and build trust
Delivering a self-serve, automated approach to accessing spatial data has improved the reliability and evolution of the Council’s Spatial Data Infrastructure, by enabling the in-house team to focus on project delivery rather than fulfilling specific requests for spatial data. It has also improved the Council’s technical efficiency by carrying out spatial data management activities faster, to a higher standard and with fewer resources which saves money without cutting data services.
The use of automated data management workflows and processes is promoting greater trust in the spatial data provided by the Council. And, as a result of the online solution provided by 1Spatial through VertiGIS technology, more people than ever before can now access a wealth of spatial data about Lambeth that can be shared internally and externally to ensure efficient and effective delivery of public services.
Read the case study to find out more