Local Economic Assessments
The proposed introduction of a duty to undertake local economic assessments provides a number of challenges for those charged with undertaking the assessment, and those who will have regard to the findings.
In the Northwest, 4NW are preparing a Regional Framework in conjunction with partners including the NWDA, RIU, NW Regional Statisticians and the North West Improvement & Efficiency Partnership to guide how the Northwest will implement the duty to undertake local economic assessments on local authorities.
Until this Regional Framework is finalised it is difficult to say exactly what involvement each regional partner will have. With regards to the Regional Intelligence Unit there are a number of areas in which the RIU could help to deliver outcomes in support of the duty. For example the RIU could:
- Support and facilitate networks of sub-regional partners with regards to the preparation of local economic assessments.
- Offer its expertise and advice with regards to data availability and robustness for the indicators chosen and put LAs in contact with the relevant regional partners or data providers.
Further information about the Regional Framework to guide how the Northwest will implement the duty to undertake local economic assessments on local authorities will appear here in due course.
In addition to what is happening in the Northwest, the Office for National Statistics (ONS) have prepared an updated 'offer' outlining what the Centre for Regional and Local Statistics (CRLS), including Regional Statisticians, proposes to do to support partners with the Local Economic Assessment process including deliverables ONS intends to make available the 'offer'provides more detail on products as well as delivery dates. The paper covers ONS' current involvement with partners on Local Economic Assessments and defines a suggested role for CRLS and Regional Statisticians. Please click here to download this paper.
One of the key deliverables will be Local Profiles which will be data-driven profiles at Local Authority level which automatically generate tables, charts, maps and analysis on a number of themes including demography, skills and the labour market and enterprise. These profiles are being developed by the ONS Area Based Analysis team and additional detail can be found in the briefing sheet.
These documents are also available for comment on the IDeA LEA Community of Practice website under latest Library items.
Further information on the Office for National Statistics Regional Team in the Northwest can be found here.