A NUMBERS GAME

An innovative partnership project has dramatically changed the way in which data and insight is used to devise new approaches to delivering play services – and to make smarter decisions

Cambridge City Council (CCC) provides 103 play spaces (including skate parks) for its resident population of circa 150,000 people. It recently launched an innovative Play Space Provision project, which aimed to enhance the city’s play spaces in a more strategic way, using data and insight.

The Play Space Provision project looked to:

n Audit exactly what is currently provided at each location. n Ensure that the play space provision aligns with the local community’s needs. n Confirmed that the play space provision is designed to meet its intended purpose effectively. n Develop a strategic vision for play space provision within the city. n Gain an understanding of the investment and infrastructure requirements necessary to meet the play space facility needs.

Teaming up

To help with the process, the council partnered with SAPCA member, Passport365, following a detailed tender process. During the tender, Passport365 demonstrated its capability to address the council’s three principal objectives: assessing and evaluating play spaces, identifying sites for development or maintenance, and reducing operational costs while maintaining high-quality service delivery.

To align with these objectives, Passport365 constructed a seven-staged process that covered all aspects from raw data collection, site surveys, and strategic assessments, to the creation of the final report.

One of the major outputs of Passport365’s involvement in the project was the creation of a comprehensive Business Intelligence (BI) dashboard. The dashboard contains, summarises, and analyses all the data collected on play spaces across Cambridge, forming the foundation for ongoing research and enabling CCC to continually expand and update their dataset. It serves as a pivotal tool for the council, enabling it to strategically plan for both the maintenance and development of these recreational areas.

Technology

This collaboration established a framework for ongoing evaluation and improvement, benefiting the community for years to come

Assessing and evaluating play spaces

The first objective involved assessing, evaluating, and providing recommendations for future service delivery. The project team collected existing information on play areas and conducted additional research using advanced digital tools, including dynamic reporting forms. Through Passport365’s app interface, CCC staff completed quantitative and qualitative site surveys, assessing the condition of equipment, amenities, and provisions across all parks and play spaces.

After gathering the data, Passport365 created a detailed workbook, categorising play facilities by ward. A four-tier hierarchy was established to provide insights into the current conditions and offerings of each site. This categorisation, coupled with a red-amber-green (RAG) rating system, allowed CCC to classify sites based on their strategic importance and need for investment or maintenance. Red indicated non-strategic sites, amber signified important sites requiring improvements, and green marked strategically important sites.

Identifying sites for development and maintenance

To meet the second objective, Passport365 conducted a strategic review of the collected data, focusing on identifying gaps in provision and potential site rationalisation. The outcome was a thorough assessment that highlighted areas needing development and those suitable for maintenance or decommissioning.

The final insights were compiled into a Passport365 Business Intelligence (BI) Report, drawing in demographic data and census population insights alongside collected data. This interactive, real-time report provides CCC with information on age categories, population density and overlaps in provision, integrated with the RAG rating of play spaces. This helps CCC make informed decisions about where to allocate resources and which sites to prioritise for development or maintenance.

Reducing operational costs

For the third objective, Passport365’s data presentation included an analysis of direct and indirect financial considerations. The team assessed factors such as the size and number of existing sites, their location relative to communities, accessibility, available investment, and future equipment replacement costs.

The BI reporting tool allows CCC to visualise the impact of these factors in real-time, providing a dynamic view of budget allocation. By adjusting budgets using the tool’s slider feature, CCC could see immediate changes in resource apportionment across different tiers of play spaces. This functionality ensured that the Council could make cost-effective decisions without relying onoutdated information, optimising operational costs while maintaining high-quality service delivery.

Similar projects

Passport365 has collaborated with various local authorities, charities, trade bodies and other key partners across the UK, including PlayEngland, to deliver strategic objectives through data-driven solutions. This includes scenario testing dashboards that model the impact of adjustments to provision, pricing, and catchment assumptions on key performance indicators (KPIs), ensuring a modern and fit-for-purpose approach to play space management.

Gary Johnson, Director of Passport365, said: “Through our partnership with Cambridge City Council, we have significantly contributed to the city’s Play Space Provision project. By providing detailed assessments, identifying key sites for development, and helping to reduce operational costs, we have ensured that Cambridge’s play spaces meet high standards of quality and strategic importance.

“This collaboration not only addressed immediate needs but also established a framework for ongoing evaluation and improvement, benefiting the community for years to come. This is because the BI dashboard will allow CCC to easily track and analyse key data points – such as play space usage, condition ratings, and demographic trends – facilitating informed decision-making and strategic planning.”