The 'go to' organisation for Local Government improvement in Scotland

Phase 2 focuses on setting up the necessary governance arrangements to deliver simplification and streamlining of the reporting landscape, as well as prototyping a technical solution of the future platform.

The key deliverables of phase 2 are:

1. Improved governance and reductions in the reporting landscape through the development and operationalisation of a new governance mechanism.
2. Prototyping the technology required to deliver the Local Government Data Platform and identifying existing solutions and components that a Local Government Data Platform may have to integrate with.
3. Improved data standards to enhance the quality and re-use of data provided via the establishment of a local government data standards board to work across Scottish local government and the wider public sector to identify and curate existing data standards and support the development of new standards.
4. Creation of an Online Data Return Register (ODRR) to improve awareness and use of existing data, identify linkages, and highlight areas of duplication and potential rationalisation.

Completion of these deliverables will help inform the development of the final business case to Solace and COSLA leaders in due course. Regular progress reports are considered by the Oversight Group, who meet quarterly, and an update has been shared with Solace and Leaders in April 2025.

A final phase 2 report on key findings and next steps will be brought back to Solace and COSLA leaders late 2025/early 2026.