1. Urban Audit The 2006 data collection
Teodora Brandmuller
June 1997 Amsterdam Treaty

2. Content of my talk Choice of spatial units The variables
Perception survey
Contractual assistance
Planned timetable
Funding

3. Choice of spatial units
The basic philosophy = depart as little as possible from 2003/2004
Core city and sub-city districts (SCD): stick as closely as possible to the definitions of the last exercise
Delimitation of the Larger Urban Zones (LUZ) could be improved in some cases – bilateral discussions are foreseen

4. The reference year
The reference year for the data collected next year shall be 2004
Neighbouring years will again be accepted as well
Move to a 3-year-cycle: hence the next reference years will be 2007 and 2010

5. The 2006 variables (1)
Variables with low policy relevance and low response rates of the 2003/2004 exercise will be dropped
Some variables, regarded as important and policy relevant by the Think Tank members, will be added
The Commission will try to make better use of centralised information systems to compile data

6. The 2006 variables (2)

7. Perception survey
There is great interest in repeating the perception survey
The survey will be carried out centrally in the EuroBarometer Flash series, as was the case with the 2004 survey
This time the perception survey is to be conducted for 50 cities in all 25 Member States
Considering the results of last year’s questionnaire (just 17 out 27 countries would prefer to conduct the perception survey themselves), the difficulties in interpreting results (comparing data collected with different methods from different samples) and also the administrative burden of the exercise, the Commission has decided that the next perception survey should once again be carried out centrally in the EuroBarometer Flash series, as was the case with the 2004 survey. This time the perception survey is to be conducted for 50 cities (February 2004: 31 cities, only in the 15 old Member States).

8. Contractual assistance
Writing a Reference Guide that sums up the experiences of the last data collection
Writing a second version of the Methodological Manual
Offering an on-line help desk for methodological and definition problems
Considering the results of last year’s questionnaire (just 17 out 27 countries would prefer to conduct the perception survey themselves), the difficulties in interpreting results (comparing data collected with different methods from different samples) and also the administrative burden of the exercise, the Commission has decided that the next perception survey should once again be carried out centrally in the EuroBarometer Flash series, as was the case with the 2004 survey. This time the perception survey is to be conducted for 50 cities (February 2004: 31 cities, only in the 15 old Member States).

9. Indicative timetable Action When
Produce an Urban Audit Reference Guide
January 2006
Start grant agreements with 25 Member States
February 2006
Start the data collection
March 2006
Perception Survey
May 2006
Finalise data collection
September 2006
Quality check of the 2006 results
November 2006
Publication of results
December 2006
Produce a Methodological Manual version 2
March 2007

10. Funding
The budget for the 2006 Urban Audit data collection is still in preparation
Main principles remain: Grant = fixed costs + variable costs (depending on the number of UA cities)
Both elements (fixed and variable) will be lowered
Additional funding for the 48 new UA cities will be discussed bilaterally

11. Thanks for listening !
Any Questions ?