A brand new report [PDF, 6MB] on the “State of the City” has been published, which provides a unique opportunity to view what life is like in Cambridge, through social, environmental and economic lenses.
Underpinned by evidence-based insights and fuelled by the latest data, interested parties will be able to engage with the information contained in the report through an innovative and accessible dashboard, created alongside it.
The report is intended to help the council, other organisations, businesses and residents in the city develop a shared understanding of what Cambridge is like when viewed in the round.
This should help everyone with an interest in making Cambridge better to have a shared evidence base, and a more informed discussion about what’s great, what’s not, and how we can work together to improve things. An online dashboard showing the data is available on the city council website for everyone to see, use and delve deeper into the data.
The report has been produced by consultants Cambridge Econometrics, using funding secured by the city council from the Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Combined Authority. It includes data that can be compared with other places, and includes a set of metrics that has been chosen with the input of a broad range of stakeholders across the city.
This data-led State of the City report is a companion piece to the Cambridge Together community engagement report, which captures feedback from residents and stakeholders on what they value about their neighbourhood and what they would like Cambridge to be like.
Cllr Mike Davey, Leader of Cambridge City Council said: “I’m pleased that this new State of the City report has been considered by our committee and is now publicly available. We all have our own ideas about our city, and making sure that they are based on the evidence will help us think carefully together with our partners and our communities about where the real issues are. It will also enable us to have richer conversations about where we need to work together differently to tackle our shared priorities.
“The report and accompanying dashboard shine a light on some of the nuances and complexities of life in Cambridge. Many people won’t be surprised to hear further evidence of a thriving and vibrant economy, with a highly skilled workforce delivering exceptional levels of growth and innovation. But it’s important to understand that some parts of the economy have had a much harder time than others, and for us to work together to ensure they can thrive too, as part of our ambitions for inclusive growth.
“Similarly, the report provides a detailed picture of inequality in the city, including very stark differences in life expectancy between wards. The council and its partners will continue to work to address the immediate pressures on people’s lives from the cost of living, as well as taking an increasingly pro-active approach to the longer term causes of poverty and inequality.
“Finally I was struck by the evidence of environmental stress on the city, including in terms of air and water quality.
“It is vital that we all work together to address the challenges of climate change and biodiversity emergencies, and ensure that the growth the city is experiencing is truly sustainable.”
Alex Frost, Senior Economist at Cambridge Econometrics, commented: “The dashboard equips people with answers to some of the most complex and pressing questions facing Cambridge in 2023. We hope this innovative approach to unpacking and visualising the latest data will inform local decision-making, ensuring all dimensions of an issue are taken into account.”
The report [PDF, 6MB] is available on the city council website, along with the online data dashboard. The intention is to produce a State of the City report each year going forward, so that trends can be identified.
