Slides from Session 2 - Local Government Finance

1. Local Government Finance
Statistics
How can we work better with our users?

2. Aims of the Session
The Local Government Finance Directorate produce and use a
huge number of statistics. To get the most out of these statistics
we need to work effectively with our users
We want the session to be…
1. An open exchange of ideas and views
2. An interesting experience that gives us some fresh
perspective
3. A first step in our attempt to develop closer and more
effective relationships with our key users

3. Structure of the Session
Session will consist of two short presentations which cover two areas
where user engagement is particularly important. After each presentation
we’ve allocated 20mins of time where we can discuss any related issues
or ideas
The two presentations are about;
1. Data Collection Processes
2. Communicating the LGF Settlement

4. Before we start…
Want to thank Local Authorities for the time and effort
they put into completing our returns and helping us
understand what the figures are showing!
Your support is vital in producing these important
statistics which are used by a huge number of
government departments and other users

5. Data and Dissemination
Team
Local Government Finance Directorate

6. Data and Dissemination Team
Objective
To provide accurate, timely and
reliable data, analysis and advice
on local government finance

7. The Data Collection Process
•
•
•
•
•
Deciding the timetable
Designing the forms
Issuing, chasing and loading the forms
Validating and quality assuring the data
Publishing the data

8. Example – CTB1 Form 2013
Timetable
• Started adapting the form in April 2013
• Publication date fixed - data from CTB
form feeds into annual local
government finance settlement

9. What could we do better?
Timetable
• Does it work for you?

10. Example – CTB1 Form 2013
Form Design
• Engaged with policy colleagues to
ensure relevant content
• Invited a selection of LAs to comment
• Engaged with IT suppliers
• Presented to CLIP-F for approval
• Piloted form

11. What could we do better?
Form Design
• Wider consultation?
• Create focus groups to help test
forms?
• Earlier engagement with IT suppliers?

12. Example – CTB1 Form 2013
Issuing, Chasing and Loading Forms
• Issued excel spreadsheet on 27
September with a 2 week deadline
• Followed up queries by email and
phone calls during November
• Forms loaded into in-house software
‘CLASS’ for validation checks

13. What could we do better?
Issuing, Chasing and Loading Forms
• Does the excel format present any
issues?
• Do you prefer to speak to DCLG staff
when DCLG query data or prefer
emails?
• Are there better solutions – online data
collection?

14. Example – CTB1 Form 2013
Validation
• Spreadsheet contained in build
validation checks
• ‘CLASS’
• Comparison to other sources

15. What could we do better?
Validation
• How can we improve data quality?
• Do we need more in-form validation
checks?

16. Example – CTB1 Form 2013
Publication
• Due to be published on 28th November
• Statistical release highlights key points
• Excel tables with a local authority drop
down

17. What could we do better?
Publication
• Can the format be improved e.g. more
visuals and/or comparators
• More or less commentary?

18. What could we do better?
Any other suggestions?

19. Contacts
Mike Young
Mike.young@communities.gsi.gov.uk
Cath Brand
Catherine.brand@communities.gsi.gov.uk

20. Communicating the
2014-15 Local Government
Finance Settlement
Local Government Finance Directorate

21. Context and aims
Context
• The settlement is a key business area for DCLG. Each year the
challenge is to present a large volume of numerical and formulaic data
clearly and helpfully
• Our audience is Local Authority members and officers in England as well
as MPs and representative bodies such as the Local Government
Association and London Councils
Aims
• To set out robust plans for communicating the settlement process provisional and final 2014-15 settlements, and illustrative 2015-16
settlement externally and internally
• To demonstrate how we have taken account of the views expressed last
year and this from the sector.

22. How and what we communicate
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Online publications – the Local Government Finance Report, tables,
guides
Hard copy documents – the Local Government Finance Report and
possibly some supporting tables
Email to councils setting out details for each one with links
Sharing key updates with dept and other departments
Ministerial telecons with councils
Keeping councils informed through Sir Bob Kerslake letters
Meetings, where councils discuss provisional settlement with Ministers
during consultation
Data
• Spending Power figures
• Start up Funding Assessment, Revenue Support Grant, Baseline
Funding Levels etc
• Local Government Finance Report
• Other grants

23. Challenges and gathering views
Challenges for the department
•Providing information at the right time
•Setting a clear and helpful context for data
•Striking a balance on tone between detail and usability
•Identifying most suitable medium and timing of communications on the
settlement
What we have done to gather views
•Survey
•Visits
•Review of documentation
•Website re-think

24. Survey on website
We surveyed all local authorities and asked a range of questions;
•What do you use and how often?
•How useful is it?
Responses were mostly from finance officers who used the website
regularly – they said;
•Keen on lots of data
•Some difficulties around finding info and timing
•Over 90% of users want a single index page and access to archive
•Most reach site using email links or bookmark – only 20% use a search
engine
•Tables and calculation model essential for almost all (documents
essential for fewer)
Also used visits and calls to a sample of authorities
(met/county/district/LB).
‘Would like ‘route map’ and year on year comparisons for each authority
Challenge to government to provide single web destination for all key
government grants.

25. External communications: proposals
and outcomes
2014-15
•
•
•
•
•
Move to gov.uk website
Improved presentation of tables – new titles and brief description of
content
Updated and improved simple guide to LG funding and settlement with
explanation of current settlement
Continue Brandon Lewis’s telecon, caseworker meetings and Sir Bob
Kerslake letters as required
Add to email alerts to set out key stages and next steps for authorities?
2015-16
•
•
•
Close LGF website?
Explore uses by other departments to create a single web destination?
Continue the dialogue.

26. Local Government Finance
Statistics
Looking ahead to 2014

27. Summary of the first break out session
Online forms mixed reviews
Quick wins
Clear revisions what’s changed
Improving our data
processing
Be clearer on
what the
data’s used
for
Wider and
more regular
updates

28. Upcoming Releases / Events
28 November Publication of Council Tax Base Statistics
Publication of Revenue Outturn Statistics
4 December
Publication of Quarter 2 Revenue Collection Statistics
5 December
Autumn Statement
December
Provisional Local Government Settlement
Publication of Audited NNDR3 Statistics
January
New NNDR1 issued
CTR with additional parish validation checks issued

29. Plans to improve user engagement
In 2014 one of the main things we want to achieve is an
improvement in our user engagement.
There are 3 projects we are undertaking to try and help us do this;
1.The Review of Evidence
2.Data visualisation in Local Government Finance
3.Local Authority visits

30. Plans to improve user engagement
Review of Evidence
In the summer the department started a process of reviewing the
way it collects and uses evidence.
The review made a number of recommendations including;
• Develop a network of external key thinkers
• Carry out a review of data collected
• Investigate the potential to use new IT more effectively
To address these recommendations we’re planning to develop
closer relationships with our users.

31. Plans to improve user engagement
data visualisation
Historically Local Government Finance statistics have largely
consisted of large complicated tables of figures about highly
technical topics.
In 2014 we’re going to look into using new tools to help us
communicate our statistics in more interesting ways
We have some ideas but
if you have any
suggestions or particular
statistics you’d like us to
focus on let me know!

32. Plans to improve user engagement
visiting our users
Most importantly though we are planning on making
more of an effort to meet our users and understand
what they want from our statistics