What’s on Open Barnet?

Open Barnet hosts hundreds of unique datasets. Here we take a snapshot sample of some of the data and information that’s available. We’ll feature more in upcoming blogs.

Featured datasets:

  • Spend Data
  • Barnet Information Dashboard
  • Barnet Traffic Penalty Charge Notices

Spend Data

What is it?

The Local Government Transparency Code 2015 requires all local authorities to publish, on a quarterly basis, each item of expenditure that exceeds £500. Barnet have gone one step further, and we now publish all our expenditure down to the nearest penny. This data is refreshed every month.

Why publish?

  • Residents and the wider public have a right to see where their money goes and what it delivers. Publishing our itemised total spend allows for complete transparency and accountability in these matters.
  • Publication encourages greater innovation from developers and analysts who want to map government spending on a local and national level, and widens access to working with the council to other sectors.

Why not…

Enrich and add value to the dataset by combining the data with other open data (e.g. the Companies House Free Company Data Product), with the aid of a free tool like OpenRefine.

Barnet Information Dashboard

What is it?

The Barnet Information Dashboard is an interactive tool that gives you a snapshot of ward level information about Barnet Council services and residents.

Why publish?

The dashboard contains a wide range of insight into demographics and council performance at borough and ward level. Using the dashboard you can understand the breakdown of Barnet residents in terms of factors such as household composition, ethnicity and age. It also allows you to compare ward level information about key council services and track improvements over time.

Why not…

If you’re a Barnet resident, or looking to start a business in the area, check out the demographics and services in your ward.

Barnet Traffic Penalty Charge Notices

What is it?

The council have published a raft of dashboards which contain data on all Penalty Charge Notices issued to vehicles in the borough since 2015. The detailed dashboards allow users to filter and analyse the data based on a number of factors such as date issued and geographical area. We have also published all the raw data that sits behind the dashboards for those who wish to conduct more in-depth analysis.

Why publish?

Traffic and parking are important issues, especially in Greater London boroughs like Barnet. This public interest is reflected in the number of Freedom of Information requests the council receives on this subject. The dashboard is designed to ensure that the answers to the more frequently asked questions can be found at the click of a button. The publication of the raw data also provides a resource for more detailed analysis of parking patterns within the borough. Keep an eye on Open Barnet for upcoming parking-related datasets on charges and appeals.

Why not…

Interrogate the dashboards to find out the number of PCNs issued on your street, or analyse the data to find out the streets where most Penalty Charges have been issued.