MD3176 High Street Data Service

1.1.    High streets are where Londoners live, work, shop and socialise – and where abundant data is created. The promise and potential of high streets data led to the 2021 launch of the High Streets Data Service (the HSDS), a collaboration between the Mayor of London, London boroughs and business improvement districts (BIDs). Born out of the High Streets for All (HSfA) mission to steward London’s recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic, the HSDS uses high-quality, anonymised datasets from leading companies to guide policy, strategy and investment decision-making. 
1.2.    Following a successful pilot period, this decision moves the HSDS into a three-year continuous improvement phase. 
1.3.    The HSDS has evolved since its original approach. In August 2020, MD2674 allocated funds towards the purchase of London-wide footfall data to support the reopening and recovery of London’s high streets in response to COVID-19. In March 2021, an initial allocation of funds to pilot a new “High Streets Data Service” was approved by MD2805, providing strategic alignment with the Recovery programme, interim staffing resources, and a business model for collectively purchasing data on behalf of London boroughs.
1.4.    In each of the past two years, the HSDS has secured sufficient annual subscription income to fund the purchase of granular London-wide data around footfall and retail spending, and business survey data. It has been widely used by a network of regeneration, planning, economic development, and data professionals in the majority of London boroughs. More recently, Business Improvement Districts (BIDs) have also begun to subscribe. The service has supported various policy areas and served as a demonstrator for an emerging London Data Service standard. This MD sets out the resources required to consolidate the HSDS over the medium term (2024-27). 
1.5.    Since the pilot, HSDS has:
•    achieved a self-sustaining financial model balancing subscription income and expenditure 
•    attracted more than 300 credentialled users across more than 30 organisations, including the majority of London boroughs
•    increased the range of users actively using data in their day-to-day work, with bespoke GLA-developed reporting tools tailored to policy officers, data scientists, BID managers and senior policymakers
•    expanded the range of policy areas supported, moving beyond the initial 24-hour London, regeneration and economic development topics encompassed by the High Streets for All recovery mission to include broadband access, waste and recycling, transportation planning, and climate resilience
•    broadened the scope of data offered, including seven proprietary data assets across mobility and visitor insights, spending and business premises; and a complex suite of products incorporating three unique web tools with more in development
•    expanded its delivery and engagement channels, including an HSDS Data Science Incubator (training for eight boroughs and BIDs; help from partners the Office for National Statistics, the London Office of Technology and Innovation, and the Alan Turing Institute) and in-community engagement such as Data in the High Street, a Shoreditch pop-up. 
 

2.1.    The HSDS requires a new mandate, reflecting lessons learnt to date. Required features of the new mandate include authorisation to continue sustainable funding operations; a reset against emerging policy priorities; and expansion to additional partners. Based on user research and stakeholder discussions on improving the impact and reach of the HSDS for subscribers and London, the following objectives have been agreed: 
•    empower users with more accessible data products, and a more participatory community of practice
•    support the development of a strategic narrative on the state of and opportunities for London high streets through analysis focused on the most relevant questions and with wider dissemination of insights (and published where possible)
•    build in sustainable growth structures to service delivery through more flexible and durable subscription options; alignment with corporate and mayoral strategies; and delivery partnerships with pan-London organisations. 
2.2.    The key outcomes will be that:
•    the majority of London boroughs and BIDs subscribe to the service, providing good value for money, establishing a common data asset for London’s key high-street practitioners, and ensuring viability of the HSDS business model
•    a confident user base is independently using data to answer questions; and is empowered to meaningfully influence decision-making in their organisations
•    there is a routine and rigorous assessment of the impact of high-street policy and investment across various domains, reflecting the GLA’s unique policy insight and strategic expertise across such areas as economic development, spatial planning, regeneration, the 24-hour economy, transportation planning, and culture.
Budget 
2.3.    There is inherent risk to a subscription service. Future expenditure will therefore be prudently managed to ensure financial sustainability of the service. Should income significantly exceed expenditure, additional funds will be reinvested, or discounts and rebates offered, in consultation with subscribers. Future subscriptions campaigns will focus on multi-year subscriptions and discounted membership options for multi-year subscription to help facilitate long-term investment by subscribing organisations. If income should significantly fall below expectations, then the sustainability of the service will be reviewed. 
2.4.    Detailed quotations will be obtained ahead of expenditure. However, estimated costs of expenditure are based on procurement work by GLA in 2022-23. 
2.5.    Any changes to staffing will be subject to future a growth bid if required and all approval for posts will be sought in parallel through Establishment Control processes.

3.1.    Under section 149 of the Equality Act 2010, the Mayor and GLA are subject to the public sector equality duty and must have due regard to the need to: eliminate unlawful discrimination, harassment and victimisation; advance equality of opportunity between people who share a relevant protected characteristic and those who do not; and foster good relations between people who share a relevant protected characteristic and those who do not. The “protected characteristics” are age, disability, gender re-assignment, pregnancy and maternity, race, religion or belief, sex, sexual orientation, and marriage/civil partnership status. 
3.2.    The duty involves having appropriate regard to these matters as they apply in the circumstances, including having regard to the need to: remove or minimise any disadvantage suffered by those who share or is connected to a protected; take steps to meet the different needs of such people; encourage them to participate in public life or in any other activity where their participation is disproportionately low. This can involve treating people with a protected characteristic more favourably than those without one.
3.3.    The data service will enable a better understanding of how disadvantaged and minority groups and communities use our high streets and town centres; and will underpin strategies to meet their needs.
3.4.    The data service will support and build the capacity for local communities to participate in area-based regeneration – particularly the most disadvantaged. All partner boroughs and high street partnerships will be supported to identify community need through analysis of data. 
3.5.    Furthermore, the data service will underpin the development of new planning/licensing tools; and support borough efforts to work with others to acquire and manage assets, experiment, and seed new uses to shape town centres and support London’s diverse communities.
3.6.    Recruitment and/or extension of staff resources will follow the GLA’s policy on equality, diversity and inclusion in recruitment.

Risks
4.1.    The table below outlines the key risks and mitigations. 

4.2    The table below captures links to relevant Mayoral Strategies and Priorities'.

Conflicts of interest
4.3    No conflicts of interest have been identified for any officers involved in the development of this proposal or drafting or clearance of this decision form.

This decision seeks approval for the collection of income through a subscription service to purchase data on behalf of London Boroughs, business improvement districts and pan-London organisations. It also seeks approval for up to expenditure of up to £400,000 per year on data purchase, staffing costs and consultancy services, funded from subscription income.
5.2.    Historically any income received in excess of expenditure requirements in a financial year due to timing differences between data purchased and income collected, was carried forward into the next financial year. It was used for example to fund future years’ requirements, or to offer subscriber discounted rates, subject to review and negotiation. Partners will be consulted to ensure they agree with the continuation of this process.
5.3.    The income and expenditure associated to this service is within the planned budgets for future years and will be reviewed as part of the budget setting process. 
 

The foregoing sections of this report indicate that the decisions requested of the Mayor fall within the statutory powers of the Authority to promote and/or to do anything which is facilitative of or conducive or incidental to economic development and wealth creation within Greater London and in formulating the proposals in respect of which a decision is sought officers have complied with the Authority’s related statutory duties to:
•    pay due regard to the principle that there should be equality of opportunity for all people
•    consider how the proposals will promote the improvement of health of persons, health inequalities between persons and to contribute towards the achievement of sustainable development in the United Kingdom
•    consult with appropriate bodies.
6.2.    In taking the decisions requested of him, the Mayor must have due regard to the Public Sector Equality Duty; namely the need to eliminate discrimination, harassment, victimisation and any other conduct prohibited by the Equality Act 2010, and to advance equality of opportunity between persons who share a relevant protected characteristic (race, disability, gender, age, sexual orientation, religion or belief, pregnancy and maternity and gender reassignment) and persons who do not share it and foster good relations between persons who share a relevant protected characteristic and persons who do not share it (section 149 of the Equality Act 2010). To this end, the Mayor should have particular regard to section 3 (above) of this report.
6.3.    Part of this Decision above requests approval for the seeking and receipt of income by way of subscriptions to the High Streets Data Service. Pursuant to section 93 of the Local Government Act 2003, the Authority has the power to charge for discretionary services. However, the officers should note that this power is subject to a duty to ensure that, taking one financial year with another, the income from the charges (in this case the subscriptions paid by the subscribers to the High Streets Data Service) must not exceed the costs associated with the provision of the services.
6.4.    Officers must ensure that: 
•    services or supplies required for the High Streets Data Service are procured in accordance with the requirements of the Authority’s Contracts and Funding Code and with the assistance of Transport for London’s procurement and commercial team 
•    appropriate contracts are but in place between and executed by the Authority and the relevant contractors, before the relevant services or supplies commence.
6.5.    The creation or amendment of any posts must be undertaken in accordance with the Authority’s HR protocols including the Head of Paid Service Staffing Protocol (as applicable).
6.6.    The Mayor may delegate the exercise of the GLA’s functions to the Executive Director - Good Growth as proposed should he wish.