Over 70% of government software dislocated from vital data, say Postcode Anywhere

Published 27th July 2010

Worcester, UK – 26 July 2010 – Government data needs to be made more widely available to public sector staff in order to achieve better service delivery, according to a new survey polling those who look after it.

The findings have been revealed by address data specialist Postcode Anywhere after conducting a survey of Local Land and Property Gazetteer (LLPG) custodians.

There are hundreds of LLPG datasets across the UK, each containing local address and location data, created and maintained by local authorities. The data is used in a wide variety of critical citizen services, from education to refuse collection.

The LLPG gazetteers form a “patchwork” of amalgamated datasets from across the UK which make up the national, or NLPG, database.

Postcode Anywhere’s sales and marketing director Phil Rothwell said: “100% of the government custodians who responded believe wider access to their LLPG data can bring about better data quality and improved citizen services.

“But we’ve also found that less than one in three local government software applications are enabled to use it.

“There seems to be an unfortunate scenario in the public sector where the data that forms such a fundamental part of effective service delivery is effectively kept under lock and key, siloed away from the staff who need to access it.

“Local authorities in the UK have made a large investment in their LLPG data, and with a series of sweeping public sector cuts inevitable, now’s the time to maximise the return on that investment.

“Over a third of respondents identified data accuracy as a primary objective for government. They also saw the bigger picture when it comes to the breadth of the data. According to our survey, 62% of local authorities require access to data outside the boundaries of their LLPG, with a significant portion needing access to the entire NLPG dataset.

“With traditional solutions, improving access to the LLPG and NLPG data is a tall order – more often than not involving costly custom integrations and consultants. That’s before we consider efforts to meet compliance and regulatory restrictions.”

IT director Jamie Turner added: “We believe proven internet-based technologies can meet these needs for local government. Postcode Anywhere’s solution, NLPG Anywhere, provides easy, secure and centralised access to LLPG and NLPG data, as well as other datasets such as Royal Mail PAF®. Users can even integrate and ‘mash-up’ their own data in a few clicks and visualise it on a map.

“The desktop application automatically integrates with any software in seconds, while the browser-based version can be accessed rapidly through a web browser such as Internet Explorer, safely behind the organisation’s firewall.

“Services like this should drive public sector efficiencies and finally allow LAs to maximise the use of their data entitlement under the Pan Government and Mapping Services Agreements.”

The survey polled 136 LLPG custodians across the UK, of which over 18% responded. A summary of the findings can be found at www.nlpganywhere.co.uk/downloads/LLPG-Custodians-Survey-2010.pdf.

To find out more about NLPG Anywhere, and to arrange a free trial of the service, please visit www.nlpganywhere.co.uk.

ENDS

Media contact for Postcode Anywhere

Jim Williams – PR Executive, Postcode Anywhere
jim@postcodeanywhere.com
+44 (0) 1905 888 570

Notes to Editors:
About Postcode Anywhere

Postcode Anywhere has been providing address services for ten years and is the fastest-growing reseller of Royal Mail’s Postcode Address File (PAF). A multi-award-winning organisation, it has also appeared in successive Deloitte fast-growth European technology company lists.

Postcode Anywhere supplies software and services which improve the day-to-day operations of over 8,000 organisations worldwide. Best known as a provider of address auto-fill and verification software, the company offers a range of data-driven services, including route planning and customer profiling.

For more information about Postcode Anywhere, please visit www.postcodeanywhere.com.

Recent Awards and Recognition for Postcode Anywhere

National eWell-Being Awards (finalist) – 2010
Best Small IT Supplier of the Year - UK IT Industry Awards (finalist) – 2009
One of Europe's fastest-growing IT firms - Deloitte Technology Fast 500 EMEA 2008/9 & 2009/10
Dell Small Business Excellence Award (UK finalist) – 2009
Small-Medium Sized Business of the Year (regional finalist) - National Business Awards 2009
Orange Best Use of Technology (Midlands) - 2008 National Business Awards
Growth Business of the Year - Chamber Awards 2008
Small Business of the Year - Chamber Awards 2008
Customer Service Team of the Year (finalist) - National Customer Services Awards 2008