Place Survey Data:
The latest set of Place Survey data is now available in the PAT web site. The 2008 Place Survey provides information for the following National Indicators:
NI 001, NI 002, NI 003, NI 004, NI 005, NI 006, NI 017, NI 021, NI 022, NI 023, NI 027, NI 037, NI 041, NI 042, NI 119, NI 138, NI 139, NI 140.
Contact Us:
The Places Analysis Tool team are always pleased to receive your feedback or
comments and we are happy to try to answer any queries that you may have.
If you have any queries regarding the Places Analysis Tool or the data that it contains,
or you would like to give feedback and suggestions based on your experiences of
using the web site, please contact us:
What is PAT?
The Places Analysis Tool (PAT) is designed to undertake analysis of published
National Indicator data. It enables ongoing and consistent monitoring of trends
and performance of Local Strategic Partnerships (LSPs) against the National Indicator Set,
including those indicators which have been targeted in Local Area Agreements. Analytical
capabilities include time series charts, comparison charts, tables of values and thematic maps.
The PAT sources all published data from the Data Interchange Hub ('the Hub'), the collation and interchange
system for National Indicator data. PAT is accessible via a web site hosted by Communities and Local Government.
No login or registration is required to use the tool.
Why was PAT developed?
During development of the Data Interchange Hub, Communities
and Local Government made a commitment to produce an analysis tool that would support
all Government Offices (GOs) to monitor performance of Local Strategic Partnerships in achieving
targets established in Local Area Agreements (LAAs). This commitment reflected the fact that the
Hub is a data repository and is not designed to analyse the data contained within it; and furthermore
that the majority of GOs have limited access to analysis tools. It was also decided that PAT should
be made available to and be suitable for Local Strategic Partnerships to monitor their own progress
against targets.
Who is most likely to use PAT?
PAT is primarily for Government Offices and Local Strategic Partnerships. However, as a web-based
tool with unrestricted access, PAT can also be used by anyone with an interest in the performance of
Local Strategic Partnerships against National Indicators.
What types of functions can PAT perform?
- Comparison of NI data across regions and single, upper and lower tiers of Local Authorities for indicators where
data is reported and published at those various levels.
- Comparison of indicators against regional or national averages, calculated unweighted averages (mean), as well as targets
agreed within Local Area Agreements.
- Time series charting of performance against individual indicators.
- Mapping of National Indicators by region or nationally.
PAT is a member of the Places Community. What is the Places Community?
The Places Community brings together a wide range of statistical and geographic evidence around the
concept of 'place'. The Community is an alliance of existing data services, and is a shared resource
for the Department and its external partners/stakeholders to improve delivery of evidence-based policy
and decision making. The Community's main aim is to enable a shared understanding of the 'facts', and so
facilitate stronger and more effective collaboration and partnership working on policies and programmes at
local, regional and national levels.
The community web page aims to raise awareness of all Place Community members by providing access to their
analytical windows and shows you how they complement each other.
Places Community
Why are some indicators not available to compare in my area?
There may be a number of reasons why some indicators are not available for
comparison. The key reasons are as follows:
- The PAT only displays published data. If a National Indicator was
collected for the first time in 2008/2009, a published figure may not be
available as yet. The 2008/09 National Indicator results will be published
by the relevant government departments at various times following a process
of internal validation they are legally required to undertake prior to release.
- In cases where an indicator was collected in previous years, historical data
sets may be available but the latest data point may simply not yet be published.
- Some indicators are not suitable for comparison. For example in the case of
NI 40 which is the number of drug users recorded as being in effective treatment,
the definition and reported figure do not take into account the population of an
area to provide a rate that can be compared across different areas. Furthermore,
representation of a high or low figure provides no basis for determining the success
of a local area in encouraging drug users to access treatment facilities or in
treating patients.
The following NIs (and associated targets) are currently not available for comparison:
- NI 14: Reducing avoidable contact - The Cabinet Office have specified the data is not appropriate for comparison.
- NI 40: Drug users in effective treatment - The result is a number which makes comparison inappropriate.
- NI 44: Ethnic composition of offenders on Youth Justice System disposals - Because of its definition, it can have outcomes of -% and +%.
- NI 47: People killed or seriously injured in road traffic accidents - The result is a percentage change making comparison inappropriate.
- NI 48: Children killed or seriously injured in road traffic accidents - The result is a percentage change making comparison inappropriate.
- NI 53: Prevalence of breastfeeding - Local Authority data is suppressed at each time period and this is not the same for subsequent data points.
- NI 76: Achievement at level 4 or above in both English and Maths at KS2 - The result is a number which makes comparison inappropriate.
- NI 78: Achievement of 5 or more A*-C grades at GCSE and equivalent including GCSEs in English and Maths - The result is a number which makes comparison inappropriate.
- NI 112: Under 18 conception rate - The result is a percentage change making comparison inappropriate.
- NI 154: Net additional homes provided - The result is a number which makes comparison inappropriate.
- NI 155: Number of affordable homes delivered (gross) - The result is a number which makes comparison inappropriate.
- NI 156: Number of households living in Temporary Accommodation - The result is a number which makes comparison inappropriate.
- NI 161: Learners achieving a Level 1 qualification in literacy - The result is a number which makes comparison inappropriate.
- NI 162: Learners achieving an Entry Level 3 qualification in numeracy - The result is a number which makes comparison inappropriate.
- NI 167: Congestion – average journey time per mile during the morning peak - Department for Transport (DfT) have specified the data is not appropriate for comparison.
- NI 175: Access to services and facilities by public transport, walking and cycling - DfT have specified the data is not appropriate for comparison.
- NI 177: Local bus passenger journeys originating in the authority area - The result is a number which makes comparison inappropriate.
- NI 185: CO2 reduction from Local Authority operations - The result is a percentage change making comparison inappropriate.
- NI 194: Level of air quality – reduction in NOx and primary PM10 emissions through Local Authority’s estate and operations - The result is a percentage change making comparison inappropriate.
Why are some Local Area Agreement targets not available for my area?
Each Local Strategic Partnership will have agreed targets based on a select number
of National Indicators. However targets will be absent in some cases because:
- Some partnerships are yet to establish targets for some indicators due to
absence of baseline data.
- Some targets have been set using a format that is different from the actual
definition, making comparison between the target and actual indicator result
meaningless.
For guidance on how to use PAT, please click on the 'Help' link at the top right of the page.