Local Geographic Information Strategies and the MADAME Project Massimo Craglia Sheffield Centre for Geographic Information and Spatial Analysis

Overview Background to local geographic data infrastructures Recent policy developments at European and UK Level Case-studies of local data infrastructures in the UK Why projects like INFO2000-MADAME are important

Background to local geographic data infrastructures Debates on GI infrastructures focused mainly on national and trans-national level Information Society in Europe requires access to public sector data held by LAs Necessity to develop strategies at the local level for sharing this information

Recent policy developments at European and UK Level GI 2000 Green Paper on Public Sector Information “Joined-up government” policies 1998 Crime and Disorder Act Bringing Britain Together, New Deal for Communities, Action zones for Health, Education and Employment

Common Features of the UK policy initiatives Managerial approach Audit the problem Target policy interventions Develop performance indicators Develop outcome measures Assess effectiveness BUT No new legislation nor guidance on how to share data Arrangements established at local level

Case Studies of Data Sharing Sheffield Liverpool (MIS) Brent Forth Valley GIS Edinburgh City Council

Summary of main features of case studies Reasons for data sharing Participants Nature of GI relationship Formalization Share data among agencies AND with the outside world

Key Findings Technology-driven context e.g. Internet National projects and legislation increase demand and opportunities for data sharing Voluntary mechanisms not always adequate Strategic intervention needed Need to share experience and learn from best practice

MADAME: Methods for Access to Data and Metadata in Europe Share good practice at European and national level with local level Move from data producer to data user perspectives when documenting and disseminating data Focus on institutional, organisational, legal, and economic issues to open access to public sector data

MADAME: Outcomes Systematic evaluation of policy frameworks Evaluation of service by providers and users (focus groups) Strategic forums of economic, organisational, and legal issues Manual of best practice Web site on methodologies

MADAME: Partners University of Sheffield, (Co-ordinator) CNIG (Portugal) NLS (Finland) R.cade (UK-Europe) IDELUX January 1999-December