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Data Standards

The Local Government Data Standards Board (LG DSB) was jointly established by the Digital Office for Scottish Local Government (LGDO) and Improvement Service (IS) to increase the focus of promoting and establishing data standards within local government. Data standardisation and good data standards will provide the necessary foundations for a Local Government Data Platform (LGDP). Phase 1 of the LGDP project highlighted the importance of addressing data quality issues and improving data standards within existing data returns if we are to make greater re-use of data provided. As such, the LGDP Oversight Group works closely with and supports the Local Government Data Standards Board to deliver on the objectives they have set out to achieve this goal.

The Local Government Data Standards Board is co-chaired by LGDO/IS and consists of data and technical leaders from councils and partner organisations. In terms of governance, the Local Government Data Standards Board reports into the Local Government Digital Assurance Board (DAB), which already plays an important assurance role for national digital programmes, and itself reports into the Digital Partnership Board, which is co-chaired by COSLA/Solace.

Progress delivered to date by the Data Standards Board includes the following:

  • agreement on a concise definition for data standards and work to set out the benefits of data standards
  • the development of processes and tools for managing data standards and enabling wider adoption within local government
  • the creation of a prototype data standards catalogue
  • agreement on a process for assessing data standard recommendations
  • agreement to trial the use of a “data standards canvas”, developed by the Open Data Institute to capture the information required to evaluate the cost benefit (and impact) of adopting new data standards
  • a backlog of initial candidate data standards for adoption which includes standards such as SAVVI, FHIR, CHI, SNOMED CT and 360 giving standard.
Joseph Gavart - Project Manager, Data and Intelligence
Emily Lynch - Programme Manager, Performance Management & Benchmarking