1. Is there something I should know
SOCITM Conference
October 2009
Andrew Ball & Natalie Penrose
Audit Commission

2. Is there something I should know
Part 1
The principles of good information

3. Relevance Quality and Presentation
In The Know (Feb 08)
• relevant for the
decision at hand
• good information
depends on good
quality data
• well presented for
accurate interpretation

4. Culture People and Standards
Councils need:
• culture that exploits the
value and power of
information
• expert, professional, well
trained people working in
effective ways
• good standards - good
quality data and information
shared effectively with
partners

5. And combined this means …
6...relevant to the needs
of the business.
5…presented in a clear, concise
and understandable way and is…
4…data quality that is appropriate to the
business requirement as a basis for
information that is…
3…standards that provide a governance structure
for the effective use of data and information
leading to…
2…people that have the competence,
capability and capacity to make it happen working to…
1. An organisation with a culture that says ‘information
matters’ and with information managed as a
corporate asset employing…

6. Most councils are starting their
improvement journey
Culture
2
13% 47%
7 6
40%
People
7
47% 3
20% 5
33%
Standards
7
47% 3
20% 33% 5
Overall improvement journey made by the 15 councils visited in fieldwork
Under developed
Developing
Well developed
Source: Audit Commission Fieldwork, Is there something I should know? (2009)

7. Two-thirds of decision makers struggle to
understand the information they receive
Interpretative skills of
29% 63% 3% 4%
members
Interpretative skills of
48% 49% 1% 2%
senior officers
Extent to which lack of interpretative skills prevent good information use (% of councils)
Does not Prevents good Totally prevents
prevent good Don't know
information use to a good information use
information use great/some extent
Source: Audit Commission Survey, Is there something I should know? (2009)

8. Resources are not used effectively
Routine performance monitoring and reporting 36%
Tasks not directly related to analytical activity 27%
Research and analysis work 15%
Short ad hoc information requests 10%
Providing information for communication material 6%
Other 3%
Consultation (including surveys and focus groups) 2%
Support for funding bids 2%
0% 5% 10% 15% 20% 25% 30% 35% 40%
Average per cent of analyst tim e by activity
Source: Audit Commission analyst diaries, Is there something I should know?
(2009)

9. Is there something I should know
Part 2
What does this mean for my Council?

10. The workshop
• Groups explore each of the six core principles in your
councils
• A person in each group will take one principle:
• Culture • People • Standards
• Relevance • Quality • Presentation
• Each person will briefly outline to the rest of the
group how well a principle works in their organisation
• The group will agree on whether this is under
developed, developing or developing well and record
the results of the discussion in the grid provided
• There is a guide on each table to help you assess
your own Council

11. A reminder of the principles
• Culture
• People
• Standards
• Relevance
• Quality
• Presentation

12. For more information…
visit:
www.audit-commission.gov.uk/istheresomething
Or visit our stand (63) for materials or
to talk to us about what you have
heard today