Organisation name: Bangor University
Submitted: 21/02/2009 by abs211@bangor.ac.uk
- Organisation core business: Research, Education, Knowledge and Technology Transfer
- What will the project do?: North Wales Observatory. The project aims to establish a major data resource programme linked to the sustainable economic and social progress of North Wales. The Observatory will provide a dedicated, consistent, reliable and comprehensive range of data services to support sustainable development and community participation across North Wales. It is intended that data profiles generated by the Observatory will also provide the basis for a Forecasting & Economic 'Visualising Futures' function for the sub-region. The Observatory will act as a catalyst for closer stakeholder collaboration, and support 'demand-led' decision-making across North Wales. It is proposed that the Observatory will offer an arms length, consistent, reliable and comprehensive range of data services to support the collective aspirations of the North Wales economic community. Those responsible for planning and delivering policies need to know where best to target their resources, what can be achieved by that investment and whether broad policy objectives are being realised. It follows that accurate and timely intelligence about local and regional economies within the context of external economic parameters must be available to policy makers. It is proposed that the Observatory will enable the authorities, individually and collectively, to identify, prioritise and plot key areas for attention and improvement across all centres, measure changes over time, and inform their long-term programme of works across the region. Currently, there is no central record of these works, and the Observatory would act as a central repository for such activities. The Observatory idea reflects plans and priorities emerging from the All-Wales Spatial Planning Consultation Process - March 2008. Given the issues outlined, improving the evidence base is where the Observatory can make a substantial impact, that is, to inform local policy debates and improve the quality of decision making. For example, the provision of detailed sectoral datasets and analyses of the scale and nature of the problem of migration flows would be of significant value in helping to target interventions. Sectoral, and where appropriate, sub-sectoral data collection and analyses are an essential precondition for the accurate identification of the incidence and causes of market failure. They are also vital to the design of appropriate and specifically targeted policy interventions. Conversely, data on demand for skills can underpin infrastructure investment decision and policy intervention. The Observatory will integrate and interpret information produced by a range of data producers, for example, the Welsh Index of Multiple Deprivation, Wales Rural and Entrepreneurship Observatories, WAG commissioned Labour Market data.
- Regional area(s) to be covered by the project: North Wales
- Who will be the end beneficiaries?: Public sector service deliverers with the indirect beneficiaries including local communities, SMEs etc that will benefit due to improved targeting of available funds to meet identified needs leading also to improved service delivery.
- Who will be involved in delivering the project?: Gwynedd Council, North Wales Economic Forum, Glyndwr University.
- What might be the outputs (activity measures) of the project?: dissemination initiatives, initiatives to support Local Service Board development.
- What might be the results of the project?: collaborative agreements between public sector bodies, sub regional workforce planning and development strategies.
- What would the project's impact be?: The Observatory will enable the public sector organisations, individually and collectively, to identify, prioritise and target key areas for attention and improvement, measure improvements over time, and inform their long-term economic development programme across the region.
- What is the project estimated cost?: