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Digital transformation in community engagement Communication and collaboration help government organisations enhance community inclusion and overcome complacency. Claire Inkpen, local government specialist at Esri UK, highlights some examples of how geospatial technology is helping to add transparency, build trust and shape the future of citizen engagement Digital transformation in community engagement takes on many guises, from improving the accessibility of the planning processes to enabling the public to find their nearest services. But one thing the majority of these initiatives have in common is location – geospatial data often provides the common language to join data together and make it meaningful and useful. Location intelligence solutions including maps, apps and dashboards are allowing local authorities to better understand a community’s needs, create innovative answers to problems and keep the public informed. Developing easy to use engagement tools is a key foundation to rebuilding trust and having constructive conversations about local change. Digital planning One example is Watford Borough Council, which has recently started an innovative project to transform how it engages with the public over planning information. One of only 13 local authorities to win up to £100,000 from the Department of Levelling Up, Housing and Communities’ (DLUHC) PropTech Engagement Fund, Watford has focused its grant on dramatically improving the way it uses digital tools to consult the public on planning applications. The Planning Publicity pilot project aims to improve how residents interact directly with planning applications from their smartphone, replacing the traditional and inaccessible planning notices attached to lamp posts. Watford residents will be able to see and comment on the purpose and design of major planning applications on a map and sign-up for email status updates for a specific area of their choice. Overall, the objective is to find new ways to engage with the local community and build far higher levels of trust in both the public and private sector developers. Reducing any mistrust is vital to reduce resistance to any proposal and re-connect with local people who have become disengaged with their local environment.
is an information sharing, mapping and reporting website that can be used by anyone, providing access to data and information all about Croydon. Information on the website can be used by local government services, community and voluntary sector organisations, partnership members, businesses, students and the public too. Providing timely access to authoritative data, it contains thousands of open statistical indicators across themes including population, economy, health and social care, housing, crime and safety, deprivation and environment, in a series of easy-to-use maps and attractive and engaging reports. Managing and keeping a local information website like this up-todate involves a significant amount of time and expertise but Esri UK’s InstantAtlas Data Observatory removes the burden. Story maps Geospatial technologies are also helping councils interact with their communities using engaging ‘story maps’. When communicating with communities, it’s common for citizens to want to understand information specific to their immediate locality. Glasgow City Council, for example, has a public gallery featuring over 30 story maps to date, dealing with topics such as winter gritting, displaying city development plans or determining a school’s catchment area. Designed to enable the public to find the location of council facilities, services and other information displayed on maps, with further information attached, they are accessible from
Local observatories Another area where geospatial technology is delivering value is in various types of community information systems and local observatories. These huge data repositories give communities reports and map dashboards about their area, offering a one-stop-shop for all kinds of data – the same datasets that are used for internal decision-making are also available for members of the public to view online. The Croydon Observatory, for example,
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the council’s homepage. The mapping provided by the service gives users an easy route to find answers – via PC, tablet or smartphone – on a wide range of topics, specifically to understand more about what happens where in Glasgow. Users can see any location within the city by specifying an address or postcode and view data at a glance, zoom in, zoom out and move around the map, or see the city as a whole. The range of city information available to explore is impressive, from parking, statutory information (e.g. listed buildings, adopted roads), grounds maintenance, parking, cycling, sports facilities, council buildings and community facilities to recycling sites. Overall, local authorities aim to provide openness and transparency to the communities they serve and by engaging with the public more effectively, can build trust and deliver democracy. Communities are geographical in nature – location and a sense of place are at the heart of community identity – and this is where the power of location Intelligence solutions are realised, transforming how councils engage with and meet their communities’ needs. L Esri UK is holding a webinar on Thursday 31 March 2022, at 11:00am-12:00pm examining Citizens and Engagement. Speakers will include Watford Borough Council and Glasgow City Council. For more information and registration please click here. FURTHER INFORMATION www.esriuk.com