Comparison across cities – the example of German co-operation KOSIS-Verbund – established in 1981 – is an open association of more than 100 European, mainly German municipalities and public institutions promoting the municipal statistical information system. Most large German cities have their own department for statistics and urban research to support urban planning. Cities and other public institutions co-operate in self-governing sub- groups to develop statistical tools and organise urban data collections. The KOSIS association for the Urban Audit is one of them. Organising co-operation

Comparison across cities – the example of German co-operation Urban Audit data collection In Germany, half the city data to be collected and all sub-city data are provided by the cities or estimated by them from state statistics. The Urban Audit is organised by the KOSIS association of UA cities, in co-operation with Federal and State statistics.

Comparison across cities – the example of German co-operation Co-operative analysis of the UA with Dashboard *) *) European Statistical Laboratory of the Commissions Joint Research Centre JRC Comparison between cities

Comparison across cities – the example of German co-operation Co-operative analysis of the UA with Dashboard *) -2- *) European Statistical Laboratory of the Commissions Joint Research Centre JRC Comparing aspects of one city

Comparison across cities – the example of German co-operation German cities long tradition in perception surveys Number of German UA-cities recently asking citizens about their perception of Source: Difu – German Institute for Urban Affairs

Comparison across cities – the example of German co-operation Coordinated perception survey on the quality of life in DE cities Initiated by the KOSIS association of Urban Audit cities Managed by a sub-group of VDSt, the association of German municipal statisticians, chair of the sub-group: Ulrike Schoenfeld-Nastoll, Oberhausen Involving 15 cities not included in the EU sample Conducted by IFAK institute at the same time (Nov.-Dec.2006) as the survey of the EU, with the same questions, same method (telephone interviews), sample size per city DG Regio and the German cities group agreed to exchange the data for combined comparisons. Repeated attempts to encourage similar projects in other countries remained without success, so far. The cities can make their own analyses, in addition to common evaluations.

Comparison across cities – the example of German co-operation Cleanliness & satisfaction to live in this city – Co-ordinated perception survey Koblenz Stuttgart Wiesbaden Darmstadt Freiburg Heidelberg N ü rnberg Dresden K ö ln Bremen Konstanz Braunschweig Oberhausen Frankfurt am Main Saarbr ü cken (mean) quality of lifeFitted values r=.664 Strongly disagree Satisfaction to live in this city (mean) Strongly agree This is a clean city (mean)Strongly disagree Source: Stefanie Neurauter, Anke Schöb, Ulrike Schönfeld-Nastoll – presentation in Gera 2007

Comparison across cities – the example of German co-operation Green space area per capita and citizens satisfaction – UA data and Co-ordinated perception survey Green space area per capitaProportion very satisfied Source: Stefanie Neurauter, Anke Schöb, Ulrike Schönfeld-Nastoll – presentation in Gera 2007

Comparison across cities – the example of German co-operation ,2 31,3 40,8 29,5 31,9 49,4 34,7 41,8 37,0 60,2 45,8 35,5 60,3 49,0 45,5 0%25%50%75% Konstanz Koblenz Darmstadt Heidelberg Saarbruecken Freiburg Oberhausen Braunschweig Wiesbaden Dresden Nuernberg Bremen Stuttgart Frankfurt Koeln Anteil sehr zufrieden Satisfaction with cultural facilities – Coordinated perception survey Size of city % very satisfied Source: Stefanie Neurauter, Anke Schöb, Ulrike Schönfeld-Nastoll – presentation in Gera 2007

Comparison across cities – the example of German co-operation Conclusions Nothing can generate awareness for necessary actions better than a demonstration of strengths and weaknesses by comparison. Co-operation creates comparability and can lead to even more effective surveys. I feel safe / rather safe Source: Bureau for Statistics and Urban Research Living in Nuremberg 2005

Comparison across cities – the example of German co-operation Thank you for listening! …any questions? For further information please visit the German Urban Audit cities website: or send an to Klaus Trutzel via