Whats api-ning in your local area?

Revealing places with open data

Juliet Whitworth,
Research and Information Manager, LGA
Mike Thacker,
Software Director, Porism Ltd
Date
18 September 2015

@@jwww.local.gov.uk

Agenda

Introduction
Background to the LG Inform API
Technical overview
Chance to ask questions

www.local.gov.uk

Background to the API

Lots of data about local areas exists, but not
necessarily to same standards and formats
Data that is comparable is all over the place
LGA has developed LG Inform and LG Inform
Plus
3,000 metrics available at local authority level,
ward level and below
The API makes this available as a direct feed

www.local.gov.uk
ww.local.gov.uk

What Data is Available?

www.local.gov.uk

What Next?
Still a wealth of data held locally, but not consistent
But substantial activity in local government on
increasing the take-up and re-use of open data
LGA promoting the adoption of common processes
and standards
Find more at http://www.local.gov.uk/localtransparency and LG Inform Plus

www.local.gov.uk

What is the API?

A set of RESTful web methods that feed data to front
feed applications.
See:
http://webservices.esd.org.uk/
http://webservices.esd.org.uk/explain

www.local.gov.uk

What You Get

Everything that drives the LGAs own applications
for benchmarking and small area profiling

Data (see datasets) maintained by Research and

Information team
Sound statistical analysis (see value types)
www.local.gov.uk

Applying a Consistent Framework

Metrics

2,917 metric types with values

49 million metric values available
(+ 85 million

Audit Commission
ChiMat
CIPFA Statistical Information Services
Clinical and Health Outcomes Knowledge Base
Communities and Local Government
Health Profiles
inCommunity
back end)
Department for Education
Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
Department for Transport
Department for Work and Pensions
Department of Energy and Climate Change
Department of Health
Census year
Department of Transport
Calendar year
Health and Social Care Information Centre
Month
HM Revenue & Customs
Financial year
Home Office
Calendar quarter
Local Government Association
Age
band year
Academic
Local Government Ombudsman
Employment
status
Financial quarter
Ministry of Justice
Ethnicity
Three-year winters
National Adult Social Care Intelligence ServiceFatal
(NASCIS)
or non-fatal
Election
year
NeSS data exchange
Fire cause
City districts
Nomis
Gender
Community impact areas
North West Health Observatory
Community networks Location
Ofcom
Survey method
Constituencies
Office for National Statistics
Draft/new wards
Ofsted
Parishes
Public Health England Partnership areas
South West Health Observatory
Regen projects
Sport England
Sub-wards
Tenant Services Authority
Thames corridor
The Elections Centre, Plymouth
University
Town centres
The Insolvency Service Villages
The Planning Inspectorate
Valuation Office Agency
Youth Justice board

many data sources

consistent time periods
consistent breakdowns
large to small official statistical areas
other areas

LSOA
MSOA
Ward
District council
County council
Single tier council
Region
Country

www.local.gov.uk

Official and User-defined Areas

Natural neighbourhoods
Example URI:
http://id.esd.org.uk/neighb
ourhood/NN49
Defined by anyone
Published as open linked
data
Available via the API with
aggregated metrics

www.local.gov.uk

How Metric Values are Defined

Metrics

Areas

All types
Id1 - Population

All types
All counties

Time periods

All types
Calendar year 2014

Population of all counties of England in 2014

www.local.gov.uk

API Keys
Sign in and request a key

Public key is for quick use

Public private key is to sign live calls
OAuth is to recognise individual users (if you need to)
www.local.gov.uk

Further Information
API: www.local.gov.uk/lginformapi
Help: help.esd.org.uk / support@esd.org.uk

juliet.whitworth@local.gov.uk
@Juliet_W

mike.thacker@esd.org.uk

@MikeThacker

www.local.gov.uk