ADD2057 The London Data Exchange

1.1 The City Data Strategy was written and published with the goal of cementing the role of data in improving public services and the broader management of the city. To do this, it argued that city data of all forms needed to be better organised, and the issues around its usage better understood. Public awareness of this field – how data that circulates on the internet today is used – is low.

1.2 Technology, social media and mobile devices are changing the way we communicate and navigate everyday life. Providers of digital platforms and creators of digital services and products are increasingly reliant on data. Securing the reliable supply of quality assured data, and exploring associated issues like monetisation therefore become critical.

1.3 A large proportion of this data will be generated through citizens’ everyday interactions with services, social media, mobile devices, vehicles and smart cards. As the range of potential data generating technologies (e.g. wearables and Internet of Things) expands, and citizens and their households generate large amounts of the data collected and used in the city, it is important that we take the debate on how this data is used, and to what ends.

1.4 Further, emerging sectors like the circular economy have the potential to generate new forms of data to which we must try to give structure, organisation and form, if they are to function properly.

1.5 The London Data Exchange starts to create the means of exchange for city data and will also provide members of the public with personal datastores – secure environments in which they can control use of their personal data and test their reaction to its use in a range of use cases from both the public and private sector. It will give people digital tools so they can request and store data held about them. These tools will also provide easy interfaces to enable the individual to share their data with organisations of their choice, and indeed revoke their permissions if they no longer want to share data with a particular organisation.

1.6 At the completion of scoping and prior to development of a London Data Exchange tool, a Privacy Impact Assessment will be required and content of this nature is to be kept on a secure server with any personal information only collected for justifiable reasons.

1.7 The GLA has worked with SynapS Digital to undertake initial research for the London Data Exchange road map, providing an outline of the necessary infrastructure, investigating and illustrating potential use cases, and identifying private sector partners, to help meet the vision of the City Data Strategy. SynapS Digital is a strategic digital advisory firm focusing on the creation of commercial and social value from the interdisciplinary challenges of innovation in data creation and exchange, and the building of trusted customer relationships. SynapS Digital are the tech arm of The Fourth Foundry, an organisation launched by Digital Catapult and are unique in their work as an organisation with technical experience and knowledge of business models for Personal Data sharing systems, the consumer impact of such systems and monetisation mechanisms.

1.8 As this is a relatively new and niche field there is no existing framework for this subject area. However, the procurement process will utilise the Market Research framework to seek quotes. The estimated fees are based on a quote provided by SynapsDigital and are comparable with known fees for services in the field of market research, which are considered to provide value for money.

1.9 The project will ultimately be creating the road-map and foundations for the London Data Exchange, which will in turn be providing members of the public with their own personal data stores, giving people digital tools so they can request and store data held about them. This will grant citizens more power over their data, but also improve equity of services.

2.1 To research, design and deliver a trial of the London Data Exchange, which will enable the full implementation of infrastructure if the case is proven, in line with the aims of the City Data Strategy.

2.2 The project will enable improved service delivery for the relevant use cases. The data infrastructure improvements, leveraged by both public and private sectors, will yield innovations which will help to secure London’s role as a tech hub of Europe.

2.3 Improving service delivery through technological innovation and the globally leading data sharing capability will help meet the Mayor’s priority to “support innovative tech solutions which enable Londoners to access and use public services and information more easily and efficiently”.

3.1 Research undertaken as part of the project will aim to be representative, ensuring those with protected characteristics are involved in all stages.

3.2 The project has the capacity to increase fairness and minimise disadvantage due to its ability to enable services to be improved, and empower people with data.

4.1 A key risk that may emerge in this project is a lack of appetite from other service providers and/or the public. This risk will be managed through good project development, methodological considerations and an effective communications strategy.

4.2 Where required for project development, this work will engage a range of Londoners to ensure the tool works for a wide cross section of society, and sets the basis for putting the City Data Strategy into action.

5.1 Approval is being sought for expenditure of up to £30,000 for the London Data Exchange project research and development

5.2 The project is expected to run until June 2017. It should be noted, however, that future costs may arise should further development and infrastructure expansion take place.

5.3 The funding for this project will be made available from the Minor Programmes budget, within the C&I Directorate. Additional funding for build-out costs is to be contained within the available provision in the Minor Programme budget. All cost will be allocated to WBS GG.0220.001.

5.4 Any changes to this proposal, including budgetary implications will be subject to the Authority’s decision-making process.

6.1 The foregoing sections of this report indicate that:
6.1.1 the decisions requested of the Assistant Director involve the exercise of the GLA’s general powers falling within the statutory powers of the GLA to do such things as may be considered to further, and or be facilitative of or conducive or incidental its principal purposes; and
6.1.2 in formulating the proposals in respect of which a decision is sought officers have complied with the GLA’s related statutory duties to:

a) pay due regard to the principle that there should be equality of opportunity for all people;
b) consider how the proposals will promote the improvement of health of persons, health inequalities between persons and to contribute towards the achievement of sustainable development in the United Kingdom; and
c) consult with appropriate bodies.

6.2 In taking the decisions requested, the Assistant Director must have due regard to the Public Sector Equality Duty; namely the need to eliminate discrimination, harassment, victimisation and any other conduct prohibited by the Equality Act 2010, and to advance equality of opportunity between persons who share a relevant protected characteristic (race, disability, gender, age, sexual orientation, religion or belief, pregnancy and maternity and gender reassignment) and persons who do not share it and foster good relations between persons who share a relevant protected characteristic and persons who do not share it (section 149 of the Equality Act 2010). To this end, the Assistant Director should have particular regard to section 3 (above) of this report.

6.3 Section 4.1 the GLA’s Contracts and Funding Code (“Code”) requires that the proposed services be procured via competitive tender or by calling off services from an accessible framework. Section 5 of the Code however, provides that exemptions from that requirement maybe approved where a supplier has had previous involvement in specific current project or a where there it involves continuation of existing work which cannot be separated from the new project.

6.4 Should the Assistant Director approve the recommendations of this report officers must ensure that appropriate contract documentation is put in place between and executed by the GLA before commencement of the services.