What our clients say
The OCSI Needs Measurement study was central to the Bedfordshire and Luton Investing in Communities business case to EEDA, resulting in £5M annual funding being awarded to support programmes across the County
Jon Billington, IiC Coordinator, Bedfordshire and Luton Economic Partnership
The OCSI study has helped the IiC Partnership move a long way forward, and has been highlighted by EEDA as a good example of measuring need. Key partners on the ground have found the research extremely informative, highlighting the deprivation issues facing Bedfordshire and Luton. The higher level recommendations were also very useful, both in initiating and shaping the IiC partnership discussions, and helping the partners develop a consensus on strategic priorities
Kate McFarlane, Senior Executive, East of England Development Agency
Data4nr helps me get a good feel for the kind of information that is available on any given topic. And is fast becoming my place to start whenever I'm asked to supply information.
District Council Information Support Officer
The OCSI input has proved of considerable value, and the OCSI model is increasingly being used across the country.
John Dixon, Chief Executive, Norfolk Rural Community Council
The Social Inclusion Indicators project was set up by Oxfordshire County Council working with partnership organisations. OCSI have been, and continue to be, key players throughout the project, pulling together key indicators and mapping them to the lowest level possible. OCSI researched all sources of data well, kept us informed, and met all deadlines for the project.
Sue Lygo, Public Health Information Team, South West Oxfordshire Primary Care Trust
OCSI produced succinct and targeted analysis to a tight deadline, clarifying the key areas requiring YJB funding. We commissioned this research to help us in our principal aim of preventing offending by children and young people under the age of 18.
Adam Spriggs, Youth Justice Board for England and Wales
Our timescales changed due to the democratic framework within which we work, and our target services changed/became more refined along the way. OCSI quickly understood the reasons behind this and continued to work closely, and flexible with us, until the work resulted in the product which best addressed our (revised) purpose.
Ian Redding, Head of Grants, London Councils
The results have been valuable to a range of partners in highlighting the rural share of deprivation in the South-East, and we are continuing to build on the evidence the study has provided to make the case for more equitable provision of services in rural areas.
Jacinta Thorley, Chief Executive, South-East Rural Community Councils
OCSI provided an invaluable source of robust evidence for the work Oxford City Council and its partners did in tackling social exclusion. OCSI paved the way for the data observatory now being established in the county. The mapping work has led to resources being reprofiled in the local authorities and primary care trust. After OCSI presented their data at a seminar, the city council voted in another £100,000 of resources for this work
Julie Higgs, Children & Families in the Community Officer, Oxford City Council
Extremely pleased with the study, excellent and comprehensive presentations, kept fully informed of progress throughout, willingness to take on additional elements as the project progressed, clear understanding of the project brief and what we were looking for
Michael Hellewell, Chief Executives Office, Rotherham MBC
The OCSI study has provided a robust analysis of the trends and patterns across Rotherham, helping the Rotherham Partnership tailor the revised Local Neighbourhood Renewal Strategy and programme commissioning to the needs of local communities
Michael Hellewell, Chief Executives Office, Rotherham MBC
Working with OCSI allowed Oxfordshire County Council and the Oxfordshire Community Partnership to access someone with bang up-to-date knowledge of his field. This simply would not have been possible if we had tried to do it in-house. The work has underpinned a visioning process for the county-wide local strategic partnership
Dave Waller, Manager, Strategic Policy and Economic Development Unit, Oxfordshire County Council
It's good to know we can be more scientific, as opposed to anecdotal, in our knowledge of deprivation and other factors within the District....We should definitely use Data Tools to focus our future work, both as the Council and in partnership with others.
Elected Member, Lewes District Council
We have found the report and analysis extremely useful in our Accessibility Planning, helping us review and plan services for communities across Hertfordshire
Judy Cameron-Rollo, Environment Department, Hertfordshire County Council
[OCSI's] work has enabled us to focus in excess of £110 million of commissioned services to where it is best understood they are needed.
Ian Redding, Head of Grants, London Councils
I was very impressed by the range and presentation of OCSI's Data Tools. My team will use the package for our Local Development Framework, which sets out the spatial planning strategy for the District Council area
Lindsay Frost, Director of Planning & Environmental Services, Lewes District Council
OCSI produced comprehensive and detailed analysis supported by a well-structured report and evidence base that fulfilled our remit. The research will enable not only Investing in Communities, our long-term funding programme, but will also be used in future by partner organisations across the county.
Debbie Akehurst, Programme Manager, Hertfordshire Prosperity
The analysis and datasets are an invaluable resource which we are sharing widely with partner organisations across the County.
Emily Butterworth, Programme Co-ordinator, Hertfordshire Prosperity
We were really pleased with the OCSI training session on the Data Tools package. Colleagues responded positively and really enjoyed the day. Thank you very much for your time and effort.
Sue Harvey, Corporate Performance, Lewes District Council
[OCSI's] report is very professionally put together and is going to be very useful for all organisations in years to come... a huge step forward in understanding the county's key deprivation datasets
Margaret Melling, Demographics and Social Statistics, Oxfordshire County Council
We were very pleased with the positive approach OCSI took to working with us and the flexibility they demonstrated throughout this project, to fit with our requirements. I would recommend OCSI without any hesitation.
Jacinta Thorley, Chief Executive, South-East Rural Community Councils
