Appendix: Information and monitoring

Collecting and using reliable information

The collection and application of reliable statistics are a prerequisite to effective policy development and the spread of best practice

Various local, regional and national bodies collect data and information, including the district and county councils, the police and health services and many others.

Understanding the current situation, and thus establishing the baseline, enables a better understanding of where the problems are and where to focus resources. It also enables the monitoring and evaluation of interventions.

Much progress has been made through the Understanding Oxfordshire project, led by the Oxfordshire Community Partnership to develop a shared information and evidence-base and form the Oxfordshire Data Observatory. This evidence-base has been developed to inform discussions about the future of the County; to take a wider perspective nationally and internationally and to consider what effects this will have on Oxfordshire's economy and businesses. In turn this will help to inform policy development and associated actions, and help prepare for both future threats and opportunities – for example, the Olympics in 2012, market opportunities in China, and the effects of an ageing population.

There is, however, still much that could be done by making better use of research and information already available from organisations such as Oxfordshire Economic Observatory (OEO) - an independent research centre dedicated to undertaking worldclass research into the knowledgeeconomy, Local Futures and the Institute of Public Policy Research (IPPR). The international links that business and research organisations have, and the agencies such as Government Offices, Regional Assembly, Department of Trade and Industry (DTI), UK Trade and Investment (UKTI) and South East England Development Agency (SEEDA), also need to be utilised effectively.