Main results of the Urban Audit pilot phase Mireille Grubert EUROPEAN COMMISSION DIRECTORATE-GENERAL FOR REGIONAL POLICY Urban Actions and URBAN Community initiative Main results of the Urban Audit pilot phase Mireille Grubert g/mireillegrubert/exposés/Luxembourg What AU MGr 19 11 01

Summary 1. What is the Urban Audit? 2. Cities and indicators 3. Outputs 4. Main results

What is the Urban Audit? A pilot exercise In the context of cohesion policy Collection of indicators of quality of life in 58 of the biggest European cities

Organization A core team under the ERECO consortium A network of 14 national correspondents May 1998 - September 1999 Published in May 2000

2. Cities and indicators The cities The biggest cities, except London and Paris About 15% of national population

Four spatial levels Administrative city Conurbation Wider territorial unit (WTU) Sub-city level

The indicators Socio-economic aspects Environment Education and training Citizenship Culture and leisure

21 domains

Methodology Local data sources if possible Time series Comparing with national level

Quality check on data sources on comparability

3. Outputs The yearbook The Urban Audit manual Overview Summary individual city audit per city Comparative section per indicator The Urban Audit manual The web site http://www.inforegio.cec.eu.int/urban/audit

The overview

Time series and spatial comparisons

Summary city Audit

Infrastructure

Population density

Land use

Comparative section

Sub-city level

Other outputs The database The surveys of perception storage of information should be improved The surveys of perception comparison with “objective” results perception of main factors The surveys of cities constraints on participating resource commitment preferences for the future

The Audit Day In Paris-Créteil, last September 400 representatives of Cities Commissioner Barnier and Ministers took part Strong support to go further

4. Main results The aim of the Urban Audit is to allow all stakeholders in urban policy to use the information. This pilot phase already allows a few analysis and comments.

Employment In order for the EU to adjust to the employment level in Leeds, an additional 80 million jobs would be required

Proportion of population of working age There are large differences in the proportion of the population of working age in employment. Urban Audit cities are key sources of employment in their regions.

Activity rate female and total Differences in the proportion of the population in employment reflect more or less variation in female activity rates.

Unemployment rate A better situation in cities than at regional level in most cases of objective 1 regions

GDP per capita (euro) There are major disparities in GDP per capita between cities overall and within some countries, with a range of about €5 to €51 among the 44 cities with available data.

Population density (inhabitants per km2) If increasing densities continue in combination with higher living standards, increasing demand for space may create severe land use pressures.

Participation in municipal elections and municipal expenses There is only a poor correspondence between the municipal budget per capita and the tendency of the electorate to vote.

Cars registered per 1000 population at city and national level Rates of ownership are no longer a direct function of income, as demonstrated by Sweden and Italy. If car ownership across the EU reached the level it is in Rome, 117 million more cars would be required.

Disparities within cities Often more important than disparities between cities. Example of unemployment: up to 10 times higher in the worst affected parts compared to the least affected ones.