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Easier data-sharing, interpretation and management at Totton and Eling

Local councils: Planning and delivery

Easier data-sharing, interpretation and management at Totton and Eling
 Creating our own up-to-date maps for contractors has saved on photocopying costs as well as the amount of time staff have to spend preparing information. We now benefit from more accessible data that can be easily shared with other public services.
Sonia Emslie, Planning Administrator Totton and Eling Town Council

At a glance

Totton and Eling Town CouncilSince Totton and Eling Town Council has been using a geographical information system (GIS) to record the land it owns, the management and interpretation of its data and assets has been much easier and more accurate.

Printable version: download PDFVisit the Totton and Eling Town Council website

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The council wanted to replace other paper-based filing systems by incorporating more information into its GIS. With work such as the maintenance of hedges and green spaces carried out by contractors, incorporating this data would enable more effective management of contracts and records. The council also wanted to be able to easily share this information with other public services.

Totton and Eling Town Council signed up to the Public Sector Mapping Agreement (PSMA), which provides access to core Ordnance Survey geographic datasets, including OS MasterMap®. These are free at the point-of-use for all eligible public-sector bodies and provide a common geographic framework to enable data-sharing between organisations.

The council extended the information in its GIS to include records on building extents, footpaths, bus shelters, green routes and tree preservation orders, and uses OS MasterMap to provide a geographic context for its data, which is particularly useful when sharing it with others. OS MasterMap is a continually-updated database containing a variety of information in different product layers. Every feature within the database has a unique common reference, which enables the layers to be used together as well as with the users’ own information.

Enhancing its GIS has enabled the council’s Planning Committee to review specific applications and feed back its comments to the local planning authority using common, unambiguous mapping. The council can also provide Traffic Management Officers and Hampshire County Council with accurate reports on the conditions of local roads so that repairs can be carried out more efficiently; and, by sharing relevant information with other public-sector organisations, it is further improving the way in which services are delivered to residents.

This image shows the green routes and paths that walkers and cyclists are encouraged to use.Example of grass, hedges and trees; the maintenance of which is contracted out to third parties.

  • Improved data accuracy for council records.
  • Information is quicker to find and easier to maintain.
  • Data is easily shared with Hampshire County Council, community safety teams, police and other public bodies.

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