Local Economic Assessments

A new duty on county councils and unitary district councils to prepare an assessment of local economic conditions came into force on 1st April 2010. AMION's knowledge and experience in economic analysis, economic strategy, economic forecasting, and economic monitoring and evaluation enables us to support authorities in preparing LEAs at each stage of the process.

Step 1: Vision, purpose and scope - AMION can assist in facilitating authorities in setting up and establishing LEA processes, including:

  • Identifying key stakeholders
  • Developing a map of interdependent policy areas within the local authority that the LEA can inform
  • Helping to establish core project teams and develop a project plan and timetable
  • Identifying resource requirements and support available
  • Assisting generally in supporting an internal assessment 'champion', liaison in relation to two-tier authorities and engagement with neighbouring authorities

Step 2: Collecting initial data and evidence - AMION can assist in data collection and assembling an evidence base:

  • Scoping data requirements against the core data set requirements
  • Identifying data that is already available
  • Using a data matrix format to pull data sources together and identify any gaps
  • Identifying the level at which data is held and whether this is at a sufficiently small scale

The key data themes - Business and Enterprise; People and Communities; Environment; Land, Buildings, and Infrastructure; and Economic and Spatial Trends - are all areas with which AMION is familiar with utilising on a day-to-day basis.

Step 3: Analysing the data - AMION can assist with detailed analysis of economic data:

  • Confirming gaps and identifying ways to close or fill them
  • Providing a systematic data review
  • Analysing small area data down to Lower Super Output Area (LSOA) level
  • Benchmarking against other areas
  • Using evidence to 'tell a story' about local economic conditions
  • Identifying issues and questions at key stages of the assessment
  • Structuring the LEA to make it easy to apply evidence to each section and providing a checklist of information sources and reference by subject area so that any gaps are easy to identify
  • Mapping information in a way that enables data to be combined in a number of ways, including the use of GIS
  • Testing the findings with others to explore anomalies, including consulting actively with for example the local strategic partnership (LSP)
  • Preparing clear conclusions on the gaps that need to be filled and recommendations on how that will be done

AMION has undertaken many assessments, including contributions to the Manchester Independent Economic Review (MIER)

Step 4: Commissioning and accessing additional data or evidence - AMION can assist with accessing additional data:

  • Sourcing and assessing additional data and or evidence, including, for example, special ONS datasets and local survey information

Step 5: Drafting the local economic assessment - AMION can assist in preparing reports and written evidence:

  • Supporting the drafting team
  • Setting out the process for producing the draft in a clear project plan with milestones and timelines
  • Ensuring clear objectives for the LEA and ensuring that the draft is addressing them
  • Working with internal and external stakeholders on feedback on the drafting
  • Working towards formal sign-off of the LEA
  • Planning and undertaking public consultation and consultation with other organisations, including workshops

Step 6: Testing the assessment - AMION can assist with gaining the views of stakeholders:

  • Gathering feedback from stakeholders on the draft LEA
  • 'Piloting' the draft with selected stakeholders in how they would use the LEA in their own areas of work
  • Engaging with RDAs in testing the extent to which the LEA fits in with and 'talks to' the regional economic and spatial strategies, and integrated regional strategy (IRS)

Step 7: Dissemination and integration of the assessment - AMION can assist with gaining agreement of a wider audience:

  • Building ownership and integration of the LEA with internal and external stakeholders
  • Agreeing linkages with RDA intelligence and evidence bases
  • Preparing a dissemination strategy that identifies the stakeholders to be targeted, how this will be done and the expected outcomes

Step 8: Reviewing and revising the assessment - AMION can assist with the monitoring and reviewing of LEAs:

  • Identifying timelines and processes for revising and updating the LEA
  • Devising a process and set of measures that enable the impacts that the LEA has had to be captured and maximised
  • Providing guidance on how comments and insights gathered during reviews will be considered and fed back to stakeholders
  • Devising a communications plan for any changes flowing from the annual and three-yearly reviews to stakeholders