MD2674 High Street Data Purchase

1.1 COVID-19 has had a catastrophic impact on London’s high streets, with economic activity stalled due to several months of lockdown. In London, this has put tens of thousands of jobs and thousands of businesses at risk.

1.2 High streets are gradually reopening over Summer and Autumn 2020, and many boroughs are making changes to help make public use of high streets safe and successful, such as re-purposing roads and pavements and reallocating road space to walkers and cyclists.

1.3 The patterns of Londoners’ daily lives have changed, affecting the way they work, travel, shop and spend leisure time. This is having a major impact on the economy, the transport network and the health and wellbeing of Londoners. Better data is needed to quickly understand these changes, their impact, how they differ across London’s diverse geography and populations, and where mitigations may be necessary.

1.4 There is an extremely urgent need for local authorities, BIDs and strategic groups, such as the London Transition Board and the London Recovery Board, to have access to relevant data to inform decision making and recovery ‘missions’. Insights and research show that most local authorities and BIDs still lack real-time or recent data about high street footfall, usage and economic activity (see 1.12).

1.5 The London Night Time Commission identified an urgent need for data to support local authorities in producing Night Time Strategies (required by the new London Plan). To address this, the Commission recommended creating a Night Time Data Observatory. As set out in MD2451, the Observatory is being developed as part of the existing London Datastore and will launch in early Autumn 2020.

1.6 The Night Time Data Observatory will be a central hub of data on London at night, providing local authorities with high street level data. It is expected to feature a round-the-clock breakdown of footfall and economic activity that can be used to inform borough policies, decision-making and day-to day operations, and this data purchase will be a key element.

1.7 This data purchase will also inform development of a new High Streets Data Partnership; a coalition of stakeholders, including the GLA, local authorities and BIDs. The creation of such a partnership has been recommended by the Government’s High Street Taskforce, the BID Foundation and the London High Streets Network. It would provide a platform for longer term sharing and group purchase of data and intelligence; at present, individual local authorities and BIDs purchase data on an ad hoc basis which is inefficient.

1.8 This decision seeks approval for expenditure of £186,000 of GLA Recovery Fund budget for 2020-21 to purchase the following:

• data up to the value of £165,000 that will be used to support the re-opening and recovery of London’s highs streets in response to COVID-19, inform longer term recovery planning and the proposed London-wide High Street Data Partnership between the GLA, local authorities, Transport for London and BIDs; and

• consultancy up to the value of £21,000 that will provide training, resources and advice for local authorities and BIDs to maximise their capacity for powerful and effective use of the purchased data and support local decision making.

1.9 Itemisation of the purchase:

1.10 The GLA’s 2020-21 budget-repurposing exercise identified the purchase this data as a beneficial investment in support of London’s post-lockdown recovery. The proposal for this spend was referenced in MD2666 'Repurposing GLA Budget 2020-21’ with detailed information now provided in this Mayoral Decision.

1.11 The purchase of this data will be through the Government Digital Marketplace ‘G-Cloud' procurement framework and will follow a transparent and fair process in line with the terms of the framework and in accordance with the GLA’s Contracts and Funding Code. Appointment of capacity building consultants will be procured in line with the GLA’s Contracts and Funding Code.

Evidence of need

1.12 Research with London boroughs and BIDs during May and June 2020 has been undertaken by Arcola Consulting Ltd through end-user needs analysis workshops. In addition, the GLA has led workshops involving GLA officers, multiple BIDs, local authorities and other interested parties to determine data needs in relation to high street activity. Both pieces of research have evidenced the need for detailed data at a pan-London level to support the re-opening of high streets. The Arcola research also showed that nearly half of local authority officers surveyed were not confident in their data handling skills. They identified their biggest needs to be support in analysing data and using data for strategic planning.

1.13 Both the BID Foundation and the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government’s (MHCLG) High Street Task Force have called for the means to access, share and utilise the type of data that this purchase would provide. Key data requirements include footfall and economic activity, such as consumer spend and business vacancy rates, in as close to real time as possible.

1.14 The City Intelligence Unit has undertaken a thorough assessment of available data sets; no comparable, up-to-date data sources with the correct level of detail can be acquired or built within the required timescale. In the long term, a ‘jigsaw’ of different data sources could be assembled to build up a picture that is comparable to that provided by mobile and credit card data sets. This will be explored as the High Street Data Partnership is developed.

Value for money

1.15 The economies of scale achieved by purchasing this data at a London-wide level result in a unit cost of around £700 per town centre, which represents good value for money compared to individual ad hoc purchases.

1.16 The footfall data market is fragmented with many providers charging large fees and sharing dashboards only, not the actual data. There can also be exaggerated claims of accuracy. There is also concern that suppliers will target the better-funded BIDs and boroughs individually, without providing a consistent pan-London view – a concern reinforced during discussions with boroughs and BIDs.

1.17 Though it is not possible to build a coalition to purchase this data in time to aid the initial recovery phase needed for London’s economy, the High Streets Data Partnership, once established, would be in a position to make joint purchases of future high street data.

1.18 Possible coalition partners include London & Partners, Transport for London, London boroughs and BIDs. Value for money will increase as further partners join.

1.19 To ensure the best value for money, a programme of capacity building support for local authorities and BIDs will be delivered. This will help them build their ability to quickly and effectively analyse the data, draw conclusions and inform local decision making.

2.1 The objectives of this investment are to:

• purchase detailed pan-London high street data on footfall, spend and demography. The most detailed of which, mobile phone data, will be available for four months – a key period in the reopening and recovery of London’s economy. Credit card data will be available for twelve months, enabling ongoing measurement of London’s recovery; and

• provide capacity building support for local authority officers and BID staff through training workshops, guidance, briefings and checklists. This will support end-users in analysing and presenting data, drawing conclusions from data and using data to inform strategic planning.

2.2 The data will also be used by local authorities to develop their new night time strategies and town centre strategies, as required by the new London Plan. Local authorities will be supported to use this data by the GLA during the four months that both the mobile and credit card data is available. This support will be via the Mayor’s Night Time Borough Champions and High Streets Networks.

2.3 During the four months that the mobile phone data is available, the GLA will lead the scoping of a new High Street Data Partnership. Such as partnership could then decide whether to collectively purchase ongoing access to the high street data, or develop other long term solutions to address the gaps in high street data across the capital.

2.4 The outcome of this investment will be to provide resources for the GLA, local authorities, BIDs and strategic groups overseeing COVID-19 Transition and Recovery to enable the following:

• faster, more accurate analysis of data that will support the safe and successful reopening of high streets across London;

• use of data to inform communications messaging, strategic and local planning, economic interventions, regulation and enforcement approach;

• provision of a data-informed baseline from which recovery can be measured and evaluated; and

• relief of pressure and increased capacity through capacity building training and resources for local authorities and BIDs delivering new and additional programmes of COVID-19 reopening and recovery work.

2.5 Detailed outcomes include:

• assessment of demand, footfall, transport usage, congregation points and other pinch points;

• assessment of need for measures to mitigate crowding or increase consumer confidence;

• assessment of whether measures can be relaxed;

• determining appropriate spend to support recovery of high street businesses;

• identifying spending patterns and assess whether specific business support is needed;

• monitoring travel patterns and adjust messaging accordingly, including commuting routes and other journey start and end points;

• identifying additional locations that may also need adaptations such as pavement widening;

• supporting the preparation of locally-tailored strategies to promote the health, vitality and viability of town centres and high streets in line with the Mayor’s new London Plan and ‘Adaptive Strategies’ guidance; and

• measuring the effectiveness of policy and investment and where to direct it most beneficially.

3.1 Under Section 149 of the Equality Act 2010, as a public authority, the Mayor of London must have ‘due regard’ to the need to eliminate unlawful discrimination, harassment and victimisation as well as to advance equality of opportunity and foster good relations between people who have a protected characteristic and those who do not.

3.2 High streets are important gathering places for marginalised and under-represented groups including a significant number of job seekers, elderly people, young people and migrants (High Streets for All report, GLA 2017). As high streets are environments that organically nurture social integration, the value of their reopening will be particularly felt by marginalised communities for whom the challenges of lockdown have been particularly severe.

3.3 Footfall data, which will be split by age group and gender, helps to address equalities in relation to access, inclusion, community safety and healthy town centre environments and to promote inclusive access to the night-time economy.

3.4 The provision of this data will help the London Transition Board, the London Recovery Board, the GLA, Transport for London, local authorities, BIDs and local communities to promote successful, vibrant, inclusive and accessible town centres and high streets and support their recovery.

Mayoral strategies and priorities

4.1 The purchase and application of data outlined in this decision links to the following Mayoral strategies and priorities:

• delivers on the London Recovery Board Objectives 1 & 3: Restoring confidence and rebuilding London's economy and society;

• provides support to the London Transition Board, the London Recovery Board and the High Street Reopening Task and Finish Group;

• helps deliver the Mayor’s commitment to set up a Night Time Data Observatory, as recommended by the London Night Time Commission;

• furthers the Mayor’s Vision for London as a 24-Hour City;

• underpins the formation of the High Streets Data Partnership;

• advances the aspiration set out in Good Growth by Design – High streets ‘Adaptive Strategies’ guidance to explore how an inclusive, technologically-enabled high street can benefit local communities and businesses, utilising data insight as part of an evidence base for public decision making and policy;

• contributes to the implementation of the Mayor’s new London Plan:

o to promote the health, vitality and viability of town centres and high streets;

o to support the preparation of a London-wide Town Centre Health Check;

o to support town centre partnerships, town centre management and the development of locally-tailored town centre strategies; and

• advances the aspiration set out in Good Growth by Design – High streets ‘Adaptive Strategies’ guidance to explore how an inclusive, technologically-enabled high street can benefit local communities and businesses, utilising data insight as part of an evidence base for public decision making and policy.

Risks

4.2 Risks and issues related to this decision are set out below:

5.1 Approval is being sought for COVID-19 recovery related expenditure on the following:

• £165,000 to purchase data to be used to support the reopening and recovery of London’s high streets in response to COVID-19, inform longer term recovery planning and support the launch for the Night-Time Data Observatory; and

• £21,000 to purchase consultancy that will provide capacity building resources for local authorities and BIDs, ensuring powerful and effective use of the purchased data in support of local decision-making.

5.2 As part of the repurposed GLA budget for 2020-21, an allocation of £186,000 has been earmarked for this initiative as noted within MD2666 and forms part of London’s response to post lock down recovery. The GLA’s City Intelligence Unit will lead on the procurement and management of the initiative with the budget held within the City Intelligence Unit. They will work closely with the Good Growth Directorate to deliver this initiative.

6.1 The foregoing sections of this report indicate that:

(a) the decisions requested of the Mayor concern the exercise of the GLA’s general powers, falling within the GLA’s statutory powers to do such things considered to further or which are facilitative of, conducive or incidental to the promotion of economic development and wealth creation, social development or the promotion of the improvement of the environment in Greater London; and

(b) in formulating the proposals in respect of which a decision is sought officers have complied with the Authority’s related statutory duties to:

- pay due regard to the principle that there should be equality of opportunity for all people;

- 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

- consult with appropriate bodies.

6.2 In taking the decisions requested, the Mayor 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 and foster good relations between persons who share a relevant protected characteristic (race, disability, sex, age, sexual orientation, religion or belief, pregnancy and maternity and gender reassignment) and persons who do not share it (section 149 of the Equality Act 2010). To this end, the Mayor should have particular regard to section 3 of this report.

6.3 Officers have indicated in section 3.5 of this report that the:

(a) G-cloud framework under which it is proposed the supplies and services required are to be “called-off” can be used by the GLA by virtue of its procurement by Central Government in accordance with relevant procurement law; and

(b) the supplies and services required will be procured fully in accordance with the requirements of that framework.

6.4 The supply of consultancy services required must be procured by Transport for London Commercial who will determine the detail of the procurement strategy to be adopted in accordance with the GLA’s Contracts and Funding Code.

6.5 Officers must ensure that appropriate “call-off” documentation is put in place and executed by the successful bidder(s) and the GLA before the purchase of the supply of data and the commencement of the services.