Home - Advanced and Predictive Analytics Network in Local Government

We are excited to announce we have three openings for Digital Advisers to join our team in delivering our 2024/25 programme for Cyber, Digital and Technology | Local Government Association. These are great opportunities to work in a policy role (one vacancy) or a project delivery role (two vacancies) - each focused on supporting and promoting the work councils do to deliver modern digital public services. It’s a really exciting time to work with us as we enter our seventh year. Loads more details in the job advert. https://lnkd.in/edHJG_Rs

Last month the LGA launched the AI survey to understand the scope and scale of AI readiness in local government. We've extended the deadline for the survey until Thursday 28 March and welcome your organisation's input no matter what stage you’re at with AI.

The invite was sent to a specific individual within your organisation selected as our main contact for AI-related activity. We are sending out final reminders around to boost engagement in the survey ahead of the deadline at the end of the week.

The survey results will inform our future support offerings and advocacy efforts for local governments, as well as ensuring local government has a strong voice in the national discussion on AI. We will also provide respondents with an anonymised results report so you can understand where your council is compared with the broader sector. 

If you would like your organisation to be part of the survey, please email Tom Hindmarch (tom.hindmarch@local.gov.uk) who will be able to highlight who the survey has been sent to within your organisation and support with participation in the survey.

Last month the LGA launched the AI survey to understand the scope and scale of AI readiness in local government. We've extended the deadline for the survey until Thursday 28 March and welcome your organisation's input no matter what stage you’re at with AI.

The invite was sent to a specific individual within your organisation selected as our main contact for AI-related activity. We are sending out final reminders around to boost engagement in the survey ahead of the deadline at the end of the week.

The survey results will inform our future support offerings and advocacy efforts for local governments, as well as ensuring local government has a strong voice in the national discussion on AI. We will also provide respondents with an anonymised results report so you can understand where your council is compared with the broader sector. 

If you would like your organisation to be part of the survey, please email Tom Hindmarch (tom.hindmarch@local.gov.uk) who will be able to highlight who the survey has been sent to within your organisation and support with participation in the survey.

The LGA’s Cyber, Digital and Technology team has been working to develop a draft framework of the cyber, digital, data, and technology skills which are most relevant and important to commissioning, designing, and delivering council services.

I’m pleased to say that a draft framework is now available on the LGA website for consultation, and we would like to invite you to respond.

 Please also feel free to pass the consultation link onto anyone you think might be interested in responding - we are especially interested in hearing views from Heads of Service, Heads of HR/Organisational Development/Heads of ICT, and cyber, digital, data and technology practitioners in councils.

The consultation deadline is 29 March.

Essex + Herts Digital Innovation Zone is holding a seminar on 8 March between 10am and 12pm via Teams, on the topic ‘How Can Data Transform Our Place?’. The seminar is open to all local authorities and you can book your ticket and see the full agenda by visiting the event webpage. 

They have some fantastic speakers who will share their experiences and advice on how to navigate some of the complexities in collecting and sharing data, and the opportunities that exist to use that data to make a positive impact to your communities.   

Essex County Council invites you to join Data Talks - a new showcase for the public sector - 4 to 6 March.

Browse the full programme and secure your place. https://lnkd.in/edVSVwpX

As we strive to address complex social challenges collaboration has become increasingly essential in unlocking insights from our data. Data Talks unites a diverse array of public and private sector expertise, all with a shared passion for converting data into actionable insights to achieve real and positive change. All events are free to attend for members of the public sector.

Each year, the LGA Conference Innovation Zone showcases the outstanding, innovative work of councils across a range of service and policy areas. Applications from councils, and organisations working with councils, to be part of the Innovation Zone at the LGA Conference in Harrogate are now being accepted. 

The Innovation Zone offers a vibrant, creative space and programme within the LGA’s Annual Conference and Exhibition, which will take place from 2 – 4 July 2024 in Harrogate. 

If you wpuld like to showcase any particular innovative data driven or AI projects, this could be the place.

Nesta event: Preparing for devolution: building data capacity in local government 

23 November 18:00-19:30, in-person and online

Nesta want to give local decision-makers and policymakers the right tools to drive positive change. At an in-person and online event, they’re gathering experts across the policy, government and data nexus to explore how we can build better data and skills capacity in local government.

Chaired by Nesta's Chief Practices Officer James Plunkett, the panel will discuss innovative ideas on how to equip local government and bolster devolved power, with speakers such as Stephen Alridge, Director for Analysis and Innovation at the Ministry for Housing, Communities and Local Government, and Cate McLaurin Director at Public Digital. 

This panel event will be held in person at Nesta's central London offices, followed by a networking drinks reception. Can’t make it in person? The event will also be streamed online. Register to attend
 

LGA will soon be beginning discussions with government departments regarding future programmes of support. To help ensure that our support offer meets the needs of councils and addresses key improvement challenges, we have launched our annual sector support survey to get views directly from the sector on their priorities and challenges.

If you have any support needs, specifically in relation to our data programme please do respond to the survey that will be closing on 16 October.

There’s a lot of great research and analysis undertaken in local government, even though there has been a reduction in capacity over the last decade or so. 

To celebrate this, LARIA (Local Area Research and Intelligence Association) has relaunched its awards. This is an opportunity to showcase some of the best research and analytical work from local public sector organisations over the last year, so I hope some of my contacts in councils and other local public sector organisations will submit entries. There are categories for:

* Best use of local area research – sponsored by the Local Government Association (LGA)

* Best use of data – sponsored by CACI Ltd, and offering an additional prize for the winner

* Best use of data or research in a district council

* Most engaging communication of local area research or analysis

* New researcher/analyst of the year

As for the rest of you, why don’t you join us at the LARIA and LGA event in London on 16 November, when we’ll be announcing the winners, as well as hearing from a range of other organisations involved in research or analysis in local areas? More details about the awards and the event are on the LARIA website. We hope to see lots of you there. #localgovernment #research #data #localgov #awards #event

The LGA is hiring! We have a vacancy for a Research and Data Analyst, with applications closing 19 July 2023. This role will be contractually based in London. However, we support flexible working, including home working. Visit the website for more information.

You are invited to a policy roundtable hosted by the LGA on the Government’s white paper: ‘A pro-innovation approach to AI regulation’. The white paper sets out the Government’s plans for a new framework that the Government believes will create the right environment for the UK to harness the benefits of AI and remain at the forefront of technological developments, whilst addressing the risks posed. 

Given the use of AI and the interest in local government, we want to hear your views on these proposals, and assess the implications for councils and write a response in collaboration with Socitm and Solace. 

We are hosting two roundtables: 

•    Wednesday 7 June: 12pm-1.30pm
•    Thursday 8 June: 12pm-1.30pm 

If you’d like to attend, please RSVP to jenny.mceneaney@local.gov.uk with your preferred date. We will be capping each roundtable at 8 participants to enable richer discussion. If you can’t attend the roundtables, please contact Jenny to discuss alternative opportunities to feed in.  

GLA Co-design day - 26th April

In a couple of weeks the Greater London Authority will be holding an in-person co-design day on 26th April in Central London. We’re looking for people to join us in exploring how open data can be used to predict the likelihood of property development in London.

The Challenge was created to help the GLA infrastructure team and their stakeholders, such as utility companies, plan their activities more efficiently. The goal is to create a methodology for predicting which areas in London are likely to be developed that can be incorporated into the workflow of the GLA team. More information is available here: Challenge LDN.

Who we are looking for

We are looking to invite teams of those with data science skills to attend the co-design day, and there is a financial incentive for these teams to participate. We are also interested in highlighting the day to those with specialist knowledge about planning data, or a policy interest in the area, who may be interested in attending to lend their expertise to these teams.

Attending the co-design day

Anyone who would like to attend the co-design day  should get in touch with Juan Pablo Astolfo at juanpablo.astolfo@london.gov.uk by 19th April who will be able to give more information and explain the registration process.

We are pleased to invite you to join us at a forthcoming webinar on Embedding Data Ethics in Local Government: Learning from Amsterdam, New York and London

Register here

The event takes place on 8^th December 8 2022 at  4-5pm

LOTI is the London Office of Technology and Innovation and has recently launched its London Data Ethics Service.  We believe this is the first of its kind

This is one of the first international conversations between leading global cities about data ethics in local government. Cities are often leading the way when it comes to developing standards and approaches that enable them to innovate with data whilst maintaining the standards around privacy, accountability, transparency and fairness that their residents expect of them.

This event is also intended to spark an ongoing conversation around this important topic between experts, local government data practitioners and other stakeholders like national level policymakers, so we warmly encourage you to share the invitation with colleagues and anyone else who may be interested.
 

In association with UK Authority, GeoPlace is running two webinars in December 2022 to explore how data can target the most vulnerable members of society. The webinars will look at useful examples that show how the public sector is using open standard Unique Property Reference Numbers (UPRNs) and bringing together the experts who can answer questions on sharing data safety and securely, under the appropriate information governance frameworks.

• UKA Live: Harnessing data to support vulnerable people on 2^nd December. The event will focus on how local authorities, health and other local public services can link and share their safely and efficiently for the coming Winter months’ needs.
• UKA Live: Data, IG and supporting the vulnerable on 9^th December. This session will examine the data protection and information governance (IG) frameworks that help local services to identify and support the vulnerable in our communities. Speakers include; Dawn Monaghan, Interim Director of IG Policy, Ethics and Head of Profession, NHS England and Dr Susheel Varma, Head of AI & Data Science, ICO

The next event in the APAN series will take place on MS Teams on Monday 5^th December 2022 - 2.00-3.15pm.  Open to APAN members, reserve your free place here: https://research.local.gov.uk/jfe/form/SV_3y2uI7Jii6QzHj8

The webinar is looking at support initiatives being developed to build skills and awareness for data teams working in local government analytics.  It is free and open to all members of the Advanced and Predictive Analytics Network for local government practitioners.

Join the LGA Research and Information Team and speakers from both the Office of National Statistics Data Science Campus (ONS DSC) and from the Equality and Human Right Commission (EHRC) to hear about support initiatives being developed to build skills and awareness for data teams working in local government analytics.

Senior compliance officers from the EHRC will guide us through new guidance material published recently by the Commission on how to consider the Public Sector Equality Duty when commissioning and using artificial intelligence and algorithmic supported analytics in data projects, as well as further monitoring work the Commission is doing in this area.

The second part of the session will hear from members of the ONS DSC, who will describe the various support initiatives available to public sector data teams (including local government) to build capacity and skills in the rapidly changing use of data. 

Alison Adams, Head of Data Science Capability will be presenting the wide offering of capability building programmes that the Data Science Campus offers. These are awareness level to expert level learning opportunities. Our programmes provide analysts across the Office for National Statistics (ONS), the UK public sector and international partners with a developmental framework to build capacity and enhance analytical capability.

Tom White, Data Science Lecturer, will present the learning offering available on the Learning Hub, their current catalogue makes use of e-learning and self-learning formats. Learning journeys (or suggested pathways) of comprehensive training programmes provide a clear route for you to develop skills from beginner through to advanced practitioner level. Each journey presents a clear approach for you to become competent within the chosen data science specialism.

Consider building your skills in a wide range of subjects including the use of Python, R, Power BI, data cleansing, matching, linking and validation.  There are courses on ethical use, reporting, data interpretation and evidencing.

The LGA and ONS DSC have been working together to open up the Learning Hub to local government.  We will be launching this after Christmas with the offer of up to 400 licence keys to APAN members to begin their self-paced training.  Come and start preparing!

The event will be a combination of presentations, demonstrations, and practical examples of their benefits.  There will be time for discussion and further questions and answers at the end.

The LGA is currently recruiting for a new research and data analyst. We are looking for someone with both research and data analysis skills, who can write and communicate well. You can find out more here: https://www.jobtrain.co.uk/lga/displayjob.aspx?jobid=1721

Time and date: Monday 7^th November 2022 - 2.00-3.15pm

Joining instructions: MS Teams - link and joining details will be emailed to you once you have registered your place.

Speakers:     Alistair Herbert (Data to Insight), Tambe Tabitha (Social Finance),

Alastair Lee (East Sussex County Council and the Children’s Services’ National Performance and Information Management Group)

Book your free place here  https://research.local.gov.uk/jfe/form/SV_71W8nVSEjmZJD0O 

Join the LGA Research and Information Team and speakers from Data to Insight to listen to examples of data-related projects currently underway in their organisation using advanced and predictive analytics.   See https://www.datatoinsight.org/ 

At this event we will hear about some of the data activities and data projects underway via Data to Insight, a service led by local authorities working nationally to improve data work and collaboration in children’s safeguarding.

Alistair Herbert (Data to Insight) will discuss the necessary conditions and barriers to be overcome for collaborative data work – how to unlock economies of scale for local children’s services teams

Tambe Tabitha (Social Finance) will consider the organisation’s use of Python for data analysis.  How the different teams within the community work together to learn and share new approaches to data work.

Alastair Lee (East Sussex County Council and the Children’s Services’ National Performance and Information Management Group) will look at their demand modelling and forecasting. What they have learned from developing a new approach to placement demand modelling for looked after children.

The event will be a combination of presentations, demonstrations of their work, practical examples of their benefits, use, lessons learned and a wider discussion with the audience on their views and examples of similar projects. 

We hope that the strategies being deployed in this forward-looking data analytics community will enthuse and encourage you to consider how you might develop similar techniques and use of data within your organisations

APAN members may be interested in several sessions at DataConnect22. This takes place from 26 - 30 September, with the aim of celebrating and connecting teams working with UK Government, local government and other public sector data. The programme includes virtual show and tells, skill share sessions, case studies and more.

We have launched a very quick poll to help us get a sense of the extent to which APAN members are working on predictive analytics or artificial intelligence projects. This is to help us tailor our activities and support to best suit your needs. If you are currently working on or have recently worked on a predictive analytics or artificial intelligence project, please let us know. Thanks!

Join the LGA Research and Information Team and speakers from the GAD and a selection of local authorities to learn about the support services and examples where the Government Actuary’s Department is assisting local authorities run effective data projects.

As an advocate for the use of data science and predictive analytics across the public sector, the case studies to be shared by GAD will help to encourage local authorities on the possibilities that advanced analytics can bring to evidencing and decision making.  The session will discuss the challenges currently being faced by local government and consider how predictive analytics could help. 

GAD provides actuarial analysis, modelling and advice to support the UK public sector. In this webinar we will explore examples of how teams have used data science, insurance mechanisms and qualitive assurance processes as part of projects and will consider how this work could be relevant to the current challenges being faced by local government. The session will include case studies on:

•    Data science: A recent data science project modelling potential drought outcomes in sub-Saharan Africa
•    Insurance: A discussion GAD’s work supporting departments in identifying and resolving gaps in insurance cover
•    Contingent liabilities: Covering a recent project supporting a local authority with a contingent liability
•    Quality assurance: Covering a recent project providing model QA for DHSC
•    COVID-19: Covering GAD’s work with DHSC to identify and prioritise vulnerable people during the pandemic

Book your place here:  https://research.local.gov.uk/jfe/form/SV_01lrUKRtun5MYGq 

This will take place on MS Teams on Monday 20th June 2022 at 2:00-3:15pm

Join the LGA Research and Information Team and speakers from Bristol, Cheshire West & Chester, and Warwickshire to listen to examples of data-related projects currently underway in local authorities using advanced and predictive analytics.

Dr Elisa Covato will discuss some of the machine learning solutions that she has developed, including one about detecting and counting different types of vehicles crossing junctions, and one about human activity recognition to identify people in need of help.

Simone Thomas will share examples of the work she is progressing and their approach experiences.  The council is a keen advocate to work together across local government as a strong and connected network.

Tom Foster ran a sequence of python courses for APAN members last year and articulated the types of projects he is progressing within his authority.  This webinar will take a closer look at some of the examples, successes and challenges in his projects.

The event will be a combination of presentations, demonstrations of their work, practical examples of their benefits, use, lessons learned and a wider discussion with the audience on their views and examples of similar projects.  

We hope that the strategies being deployed in these forward looking councils will enthuse and encourage you to consider how you might develop similar techniques and use of data within your organisations.

Book your place here
 

We have been hearing from APAN members that they would really like to hear some practical examples of where other councils have been using predictive analytics. These don’t necessarily have to be complicated or advanced. Rather, members would like to hear about where the opportunities for using these sorts of techniques lie, and the practicalities involved in running such a project. If you are currently using predictive analytics in your council and would be willing to share what you are doing in one of our upcoming webinars then we would be really keen to hear from you. Please post a short comment in the discussion forum and we will be in contact to discuss further. 

Advanced and Predictive Analytics Webinar

Tuesday 10th August 2021, 2.00pm - 3.15pm

The event is free to APAN members. 

In the next of the APAN series of webinars the Centre for Data Ethics and Innovation (CDEI) will be presenting its work so far, on draft ethical guidance for the development of data analytics in children’s services. The guidance has been commissioned by the Department for Education, and aims to support local authorities to make the best use of data, and innovate in a way which improves outcomes for children and families. The guidance will identify key ethical issues that should be addressed throughout the design, development and use of data analytics. The guidance will provide information and advice on things like: improving data quality, robust testing and evaluation, identifying and mitigating bias, and good practice around data sharing.

It's important that the guidance has feedback and input from data analysts, and CDEI wants to hear from you about how the guidance can be most useful. In the webinar, CDEI will present its work and approach, and there will be opportunities for participants to ask questions, make suggestions and discuss the guidance. Your responses and input will help to inform the development of guidance.

This is a virtual Zoom webinar.

Click here to book now 

Advanced and Predictive Analytics Webinar

Monday 5^th July 2021, 2.00pm - 3.15pm

The event is free to APAN members. 

In the third of our series of webinars, we welcome Paul Waller, former Cabinet Office Deputy Director and now researcher at the University of Bradford and independent advisor who has a background in artificial intelligence and data analytics. In this webinar we will be discussing the new guidance document published by the government on Ethics, Transparency and Accountability Framework for Automated Decision-Making . The guidance, by the Office for Artificial Intelligence, has been written for civil servants but contains useful advice and ideas on how to use automated or algorithmic decision-making systems safely. Paul will present and summarise the framework, sharing his views on its strengths and weaknesses, and there will be the opportunity for attendees to discuss collective views and ideas about the resource and how it translates for use in local government. We ask those in attendance to consider the principles of the framework (the content, concepts and language and accountability) and how they envisage using the framework in practice.  

This is a virtual Zoom webinar.

Click here to book now   

Time and date: Monday 24th May 2021 - 2.00-3.15pm

Hosts: Aleyna Prokudina, Consultant and Ben Lee, Director at Shared Intelligence

This is a virtual Zoom webinar. 

Click here to book now

In the second of our series of webinars, we welcome hosts Ben Lee, Director, and Aleyna Prokudina, Consultant at Shared Intelligence. The event is free to APAN members. The session will be drawing on findings from Shared Intelligence’s previous LGA commissioned research into the use of predictive analytics in local government, which identified several case studies where councils were deploying predictive analytics in ground-breaking applications. Shared Intelligence will be hosting a knowledge-sharing session by involving some of the councils originally featured in the research to share their learning and progress to date. There will be a Q&A session at the end of the event.  

Webinar: Advanced and predictive analytics in local government

Date and time: Monday 26 ^th April 2021, 2.00pm - 3.15pm 

Cost: Free to APAN members

Booking link: click here to book now 

This is a virtual Zoom webinar.   

Event description

In t he first of our series of webinars, we welcome Tom Lymn, Senior Policy Advisor at the Centre of Data, Ethics and Innovation and Pye Nyunt, Head of Insight and Innovation at the London Borough of Barking and Dagenham.

The speakers will highlight the bene fits, challenges and opportunities of using advanced and predictive analytics in local government and will shine a light on examples of good practice discussing how data projects within the sector have been approached in recent years, including during the current pandemic. The webinar will inform those who are looking to deliver impactful data-driven insight projects to create better outcomes for residents and there will be an opportunity for your questions to be answered.   

The Local Data Accelerator Fund is a £7.9m fund to support data projects that improve outcomes for children and families. Local authorities and other local organisations are asked to work together in partnerships to share and or link data. Each partnership can bid for up to £1m. In addition to the data project, applicants are asked to share skills and good practice on data within their partnership. MHCLG is inviting full bids now with a submission deadline of 30th April 2021.

See: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/local-data-accelerator-fund-for-children-and-families 

The Government Actuary's Department (GAD) has a job vacancy for a data scientist.  This is a new position created within GAD, and would be ideal for someone interested in a leadership/strategic role, shaping thinking around how it takes forward data science related work at GAD. The position is available at either a G6 or G7 level depending on experience.

Applications by 26th April 2021.

See more details here

The LARIA (Local Area Research and Intelligence Association) Spring webinar series is now open for bookings. The webinars are on the theme of ‘Battling Covid-19 using research, analysis and insight’, and showcase some of the amazing analytical work that has happened in councils this year. You can find further details and book here: https://laria.org.uk/2021/01/spring-webinar-series-2021-call-for-papers/