Statistics & the CHMA (+ - % = ) Charles Brown Assistant Statistician Communities Analytical Services 1

Overview  Biography  Statistical remit of the Centre  Statistics training programme  Statistics guidance & advice  Statistics on the Centre’s new website  Contacting the Centre  Question time 2

A Bit About Me! Quick Biography Graduated Edinburgh University Psychology (25% applied statistics) Joined Scottish Government in1999 Held posts in Health, Justice, OCEA and OCS Joined CHMA in August 2008 – new to housing! Government Statistical Service (GSS) I am also a member of the GSS 100+ statisticians in SG, with 1,000+ statistics collections I can tap into this pool of statistics expertise to help you 3

Why have a Statistician in the CHMA? Housing Need & Demand Assessments (HNDAs) need a robust evidence-base using many & diverse statistics The HNDA Guidance requires LAs to collect & analyse statistics – pretty technical in parts! LAs have differing levels of analytical resource available – some more that others The Centre to provide extra statistical resource if needed – to help LAs with analytical work for HNDAs 4

Function 1: Guidance & Advice Run statistics training on relevant datasets – starting now! Help LAs apply the HNDA Guidance and share best practice Improve access to datasets via the Centre’s website – our ‘statistics portal’ Advise on statistical methods & techniques to help maximise the quality of HNDAs Provide market context material eg research on housing, regeneration, equalities etc to complement HNDAs 5

Function 2: Our Formal Role Responsible for “considering” if the process used to produce HNDAs is ROBUST & CREDIBLE My role - to see if the PROCESS by which HNDA statistics are derived is robust & credible - not the numbers per se A quality assurance process to; - help LAs avoid HNDAs being challenged at Enquiry by Reporters - help you maximise the statistical rigour of your HNDAs HNDAs will use local information and progress at different speeds - Centre is flexible here not prescriptive. About partnership working, in the spirit of the new Concordat to achieve the best HNDAs * Ongoing guidance and advice = robust and credible HNDAs * 6

Training Programme Some statistics training planned & some finalised. Key sessions; - 2 housing statistics events; today & 29 January HNDA Guidance (2008) step-by-step application - Equality statistics Training back up by web-based materials eg presentations, information packs, podcasts (maybe)……. Run regionally where possible – we’ll be on the road! Training is not set in stone so please tell us what you’d like 7

Guidance & Advice We can give statistical guidance on; - application of the HNDA Guidance (2008) - methodology eg sampling, confidence intervals etc - sourcing secondary data & selecting the best data - commissioning primary data eg local surveys - analysing and report statistics - ……..so please get in touch! CHMA website will list Q&As – a problem shared is a problem halved 8

Statistics on CHMA Website CHMA website is under construction. Goes live soon at; To include; - ‘Statistics Portal’ with links to relevant HNDA statistics - Best practice to share local knowledge & expertise - Training materials & calendar - Market context materials - Guidance inc; HNDA Guidance & its application, statistics guide - Business plan - Stakeholder engagement inc. Steering group To be a source of practical, usable information. Simple & easy to use Will develop over time. This is your resource so tell us what you think? 9

Contacting Us Can contact the Centre directly Preferred route is through local HID teams A single response from the Centre and HID together On receipt of queries will agree timescales for response Ways to make contact: Mailbox: Tel: If statistics queries are HNDA-related, contact the Centre first and we will notify the relevant statistician 10

Your Views? To help us help you, we are seeking your views on; - the statistics training you need most - the statistics guidance you need - content you would like on the website - how best to contact & feedback to you So let us know your thoughts 11

The Centre is your resource – so please use us! We’re about partnership working to help achieve the best HNDAs possible – based on sound evidence Keep in touch as you progress your HNDAs and lets all progress gradually to ‘robust’ and ‘credible’ Your the local experts & we need to learn from you – tell us about best practice, difficulties, your issues Lets share our knowledge and expertise across the board – we’re all in this together. So in Summary… 12

Thank You ANY QUESTIONS? 13