Londoners will soon be able to access key information about the state of London’s public services thanks to a new ‘Data Dashboard’ commissioned by Mayor Boris Johnson.
The dashboard will be accessible online and via a bank of screens located at City Hall.
The scheme draws inspiration from a system pioneered by the New York City Police Department and the City Dashboard service launched by the UCL’s Centre for Advanced Spatial Analysis.
It will bring together information from Greater London Authority bodies, allowing Londoners to see “up-to-date” data about crime, transport performance, jobs, health and the environment.
Announcing the scheme Mayor Johnson said: “I have always been committed to make City Hall as open and transparent as possible and I am clear that this level of transparency and accountability is essential.
“The Data Dashboard will serve as an important weathervane, identifying problems, driving performance and building trust and is the clear next stage for the London Datastore, providing Londoners with more readily understandable information on how the GLA Group is meeting its pledges.”
The Mayor has faced repeated criticism about his use of public data and statistics.
London Assembly Members and MPs have raised concerns over his use of “misleading” statistics about re-offending rates at the City Hall backed Heron Unit within Feltham Young Offenders’ Institution.
The Mayor’s claims over current policing numbers have also been repeatedly questioned.
The UK Statistics Authority has previously expressed concern over Johnson’s use of figures and he has faced repeated calls to sign up to the UKSA’s Code of Practice on the use of such information.
In December 2011 Johnson told Labour’s Joanne McCartney “I do not think it appropriate for the GLA to sign up to the Authority’s Code”.
When subsequently asked by other AMs to review his stance Johnson has referred questioners back to that response.
The Mayor has also faced accusations by Assembly Members of making statements designed to be “deliberately misleading by omission”.
AMs have also expressed unhappiness at the refusal of Transport for London, which is chaired by the Mayor, to open its contracts with sponsors and commercial partners to scrutiny.
TfL has repeatedly refused to reveal the true value of its sponsorship agreements with Barclays, Emirates Airlines and the value of its new contract with Virgin Media.
Caroline Pidgeon, Leader of the Liberal Democrat London Assembly Group said: “This is a welcome initiative but if the Mayor is really committed to transparency he must now put an end to TfL’s continual secrecy over so many of its contracts.”
