November 2006

Download a copy of the consultation paper either in PDF or in Word format.

The key issue to be decided is whether we should aim for stability with OAs and SOAs through the next Census and beyond.  The consultation paper describes the issues surrounding this decision.  I know that there are many different views held.  Here are a selection of the comments made to me in the last couple of weeks, as I've been trailing the consultation:

• redraw the geography completely using the same algorithm but based on 2011 Census data and 2011 postcodes;
• keep SOAs, but redraw OAs within fixed SOA boundaries using 2011 Census data;
• the fundamental building blocks need to be real not abstract: redraw the whole lot and build it up from street blocks;
• we have to have ward, community, and parish level data too;
• now it's established you must keep it fixed, that's what it's for;
• as long as you've got grid referenced data you can give us any geography we want.  The disclosure risk from overlapping geographies is not so great.

To me, the message that has always come through most consistently, from members of all sectors of our user community, has been the stability one.  

This consultation is a first for ONS as we play our part in developing the concept of 'e-democracy'.  I am delighted that our consultation has been selected for inclusion and thank you for your interest in investigating this far.

The topic of local statistical geographies, for the Census, for Neighbourhood Statistics and for data analysis in general, is one that has generated significant interest and comment in the four years that I have been part of it.  Many times I have wished that I could get all of you with dramatically conflicting views together in the same room.  This blog gives us an opportunity to start to make that happen.  I hope that the following 12 weeks will allow us to see some real benefits in opening up the debate in this way to everyone's desktop.