Aiming at high-quality statistical information on Urban Europe – Achievements and challenges

1. Aiming at high-quality statistical information on Urban Europe – Achievements and challenges Teodora Brandmuller

2. What is the Urban Audit? The Urban Audit is a joint effort by DG Regio and Eurostat to provide reliable and comparative statistical information on selected urban areas Dimensions of the dataset: • More than 300 variables collected and 260 indicators (derived series) calculated • Reference periods: 1989-1993; 1994-1998 (reduced data set); 1999-2002, 2003-2005 (complete data set) • Four spatial units: core city (complete data set)larger urban zone, kernel, sub-city information (reduced data set) Open Days 2007

3. National Statistical Institutes Cities and local authorities DG Regio Eurostat Main stakeholders of the Urban Audit Cities and local authorities are involved as contributors, providing data to the Statistical Office, and as data users. Cities are encouraged to use the database for benchmarking, policy development and evaluation National Statistical Institutes compile the data from their databases and co-ordinate the collection on national level involving relevant local authorities. DG Regio’s mission is to strengthen economic, social and territorial cohesion. The Community Strategic Guidelines on cohesion specifies several possible actions with a focus on urban areas. The implementation and evaluation of these actions need high-quality statistical information. Eurostat’s mission is to provide the European Union with a high-quality statistical information service, reliable and objective statistics that enable comparisons.

4. Challenges

5. Limit the increased burden on respondents The Urban Audit is a secondary data collection • we are collecting data that was compiled through other surveys and research • we are collecting data from registers • we encourage estimation of data  • limited additional burden on respondents • more work for cities, local authorities and • more work for statistical institutes Open Days 2007

6. Statistics based on sound methodology Sound methodology must underpin quality statistics. This requires adequate tools, procedures and expertise. • Liaise with colleagues at international level in order to learn from the best • The overall methodological framework follows European and international standards and guidelines • The Urban Audit Think Tank creates a forum for discussion • European standards and recommendations are used in the concepts and definitions (ESA95, LFS, NACE etc.) Open Days 2007

7. Relevance • Priority needs are being met and reflected in the work programme • The variable list was revised based on policy need of the Commission (DG Regional Policy and DG Environment), the European Environment Agency. • Several new variables in the domains education, environment, transport. • User satisfaction surveys are undertaken • Last survey was undertaken by DG Regio in 2006. • Feedback is collected at various forums and conferences (Urban Audit Day 2005 – all participating cities invited) • YOUR FEEDBACK IS WELCOME! Open Days 2007

8. Coherence and Comparability • European Statistics should be consistent internally, over time and comparable between regions and countries. • Statistics are compiled on the basis of common standards with respect to scope, definitions, units and classifications in the different surveys and sources. • Comparability of the data is assessed Acceptable ranges of indicator values calculated using descriptive statistics Open Days 2007

9. Accessibility and Clarity in Disseminating Urban Audit data Easy access to data in a clear understandable form • www.urbanaudit.org  • Pre-defined tables on Eurostat homepage http://epp.eurostat.ec.europa.eu/ • New Table – Graph – Map interface  Meta data and guidance • Meta data is presented according to Special Data Dissemination Standards • Urban Audit Reference Guide 2003/2004 data collection Open Days 2007

10. www.urbanaudit.org  Open Days 2007

11. Table – Graph – Map interface 

12. Achievements

13. Continuously increasing geographical coverage • Cities are volunteering to be involved in the project

14. The different spatial levels increase comparability of results

15. Spatial levels in the Urban Audit for London Open Days 2007 Source: www.statistics.gov.uk

16. The data collected for different reference years give possibility for long term analysis Annual average population change rate (%) in European capitals, 1991-2004 Open Days 2007

17. … and for short term analysis Annual average population change rate in European capitals, 2001-2004 Open Days 2007

18. The several domains covered create a wealth of information • Population • Social aspects • Economy • Civic Involvement • Education • Environment • Transport • Tourism & Culture • Information Society

19. … and allow investigating relationships Multimodal accessibility and GDP

20. Challenges for the future • Increase comparability • Decrease the use of deviating definitions • Continue harmonisation of spatial delineations (sub-city districts; larger urban zones) • Improve dissemination • Map based statistical data dissemination • Increase visibility of metadata Open Days 2007

21. Thank you for your attention!

22. Availability of data for the period 2003 - 2005 at the core city level Open Days 2007

23. Availability of data for the period 2003 - 2005 at the core city level per domain

24. Availability of data for the period 1999 - 2003 at the core city level Open Days 2007

25. Key indicators Population • Total resident population • Total population of working age • Total population change over 1 year • Total annual population change over 5 years • Nationals as a proportion of total population • Other EU nationals as a proportion of total population • Non-EU nationals as a proportion of total pop. • Nationals born abroad as a prop. of total pop. • Average size of households • Proportion of households that are 1-person househ. • Proportion of households with children aged 0-17 Open Days 2007

26. Social aspects Key indicators 2 • Average living area in m2 per person • Proportion of households living in owned dwellings • Number of hospital beds per 1000 residents • Number of car thefts per 1000 population • Number of domestic burglary per 1000 population Civic Involvement • Percentage of elected city representat. who are men • Annual expenditure of the munic. authority per resident • Prop. of munic. authority income from local taxation Economy • Unemployment rate • Ratio of employed persons to population of working age • Self-employment rate • Proportion in part-time employment • GDP per head • GDP per employed person • Percent. households with less than half nat.aver.income

27. Education Key indicators 3 • Children 0-2 in day care per 1000 children • Proportion of female students in higher education • Prop. of working age population qualified at level 1 or 2 ISCED – total/male/female • Prop. of working age population qualified at level 5 or 6 ISCED – total/male/female Environment • Summer Smog: No. of days ozone (O3) exceeds 120µg/m3 • Number of days PM10 concentrations exceed 50 µg/m3 • Consumption of water (m3 per annum) per capita • Price of a m3 of domestic water • Collected solid waste per capita per year • Proportion of solid waste processed by landfill • Total land area (km2) - from the cadastral register • Population density: total resident pop. per square km Open Days 2007

28. Transport Key indicators 4 • Proportion of journeys to work by car • Number of registered cars per 1000 population • Road accidents that lead to death per 1000 pop. • Average time of journey to work • Number of stops of public transport per km2 • Cost of a monthly ticket for public transport (for 5-10 km) Tourism • Number of cinema seats per 1000 residents • Annual visitors to museums per resident • Tourist overnight stays in reg. accommodation per year • Tourist overnight stays per resident population Open Days 2007

29. Population • Social aspects • Economy • Civic Involvement • Education • Environment • Transport • Tourism & Culture • Information Society Open Days 2007