Communities and Local Government

• Communities and neighbourhoods
• Neighbourhood renewal
• Supporting Evidence for Local Delivery

Communities and neighbourhoods

Supporting Evidence for Local Delivery

What is SELD?

The SELD pilot programme was introduced in 2005 to promote better use of data, research and evidence in neighbourhood renewal through the provision of technical assistance to Local Strategic Partnerships (LSPs) and neighbourhood renewal partnerships. Such support was regarded as key to improving planning, evaluation and decision-making, leading to greater gains in closing the gap on outcomes for disadvantaged neighbourhoods.

Why is it important?

The findings from SELD emphasised the need for effective use of evidence, especially in partnerships by identifying steps to be taken, mobilising support and demonstrating not only success in delivering better services but also in achieving shared outcomes. This requires investment in information resources and in the skills of accessing, analysing and interpreting data which are skill needs that exist amongst managers, decision-makers as well as analysts.

Who benefits from the research?

The research will be of interest to key stakeholders such as Regional Improvement and Efficiency Partnerships, Local Authorities, Local Strategic Partnerships and Government Offices; others include NDCs and neighbourhood level organisations, neighbourhood renewal advisers, those preparing Local Area Agreements (LAAs) and to regional intelligence organisations.

A programme of work has been taking forward the Local Government White Paper 2006 to bring together neighbourhood renewal and analysis, local government performance, and ICT workstreams. The SELD findings are timely given the new performance framework and LAAs which encourage local partners to strengthen their evidence base in order to better understand local priorities.

The SELD 'model' was observed in terms of its utility and fit with the corporate objectives of the Department and of the Government Offices and its relevance at regional and sub-regional level. Furthermore, the evaluation reviewed the types of analytical skills required for supporting neighbourhood renewal and Local Area Agreements (LAAs), in particular, seeking to clarify the nature and extent of skill gaps and reviewing analytical resources available to partnerships.

How will it be delivered?

It is envisaged that through the capacity building agenda, Regional Improvement and Efficiency Partnerships (RIEPs) could be responsible for identifying and meeting analytical improvement needs in their region relating to the delivery of LAAs and the new performance framework. The findings of SELD should be used to support the development of their regional support strategies. For further reading, refer to the National Improvement and Efficiency Strategy which sets out how central and local government will provide the support that local partnerships need to deliver excellent Local Area Agreements.

Related publications

• Summary: Supporting Evidence for Local Delivery

  • Published: 5 March 2008
  • Site: Communities and neighbourhoods

• Supporting Evidence for Local Delivery

  • Published: 5 March 2008
  • Site: Communities and neighbourhoods

• National Improvement and Efficiency Strategy

  • Published: 15 January 2008
  • Site: Local government

• Local Information Systems: A review of their role, characteristics and benefits

  • Published: 15 March 2007
  • Site: Communities and neighbourhoods