Exeter Data Mill launches

New data made available to businesses and citizens in Exeter could help provide the answers to tackle a number of key challenges facing the city in years to come.

Exeter City Council today (Friday 17 November) launched the Exeter Data Mill, a new open data platform developed in collaboration with Exeter City Futures.

The Exeter Data Mill supports the sharing of the city’s data with the aim of building an analytical city in which the city's data is more open and available to deliver valuable insights into improving the quality of life in Exeter.

The Data Mill brings together data from key stakeholders within the city, as part of their support for the vision of Exeter City Futures and its Partner Network, and makes it accessible to startups, citizens, and communities.

Cllr Rosie Denham, Lead Councillor for City Transformation, Energy and Transport, said: “Within the city’s data lies all the answers needed for developing long-term solutions to tackle the issues related to urbanisation, and making better decisions about the way we live our lives and build our cities. Comprehensive analytics will provide unparalleled insight into the workings of the city.”

Glenn Woodcock, Exeter City Futures CEO, said: “By unlocking the power of the city’s data the Data Mill will help to reveal the ways in which we can work collaboratively to make our city a better, more fulfilling place to live.”

The Exeter Data Mill is intended to be used by all groups and sectors of the city: city leadership, businesses and citizens.

Exeter City Council have pre-loaded the data platform with real datasets.

Examples of these datasets include; population change, recycling rates, greenhouse gas emissions and city centre footfall. The data has already revealed some interesting insights such as:

Footfall in the Cathedral Yard increased by 10% in October, compared to October 2016
Recycling rates in Q1 2017 dropped by 3.5% compared to Q1 2016
Day visitors contributed £74,563,000 to the local economy In 2015
Last year greenhouse gas emissions increased by 1.34% in the city

Exeter City Futures will work with local businesses and communities to help them understand the benefit of data sharing and to encourage them to upload data that can help make a positive impact on the city.

All groups in the city are encouraged to get involved with the platform and contribute data sets.

Exeter Data Mill is live now, to visit go to: https://exeterdatamill.com/