Publication - Research and analysis

Developing Performance Indicators for Rural Scotland: A Scoping Study

Published: 18 March 2010
ISBN: 9780755992621

Scoping project assessing suitability of existing performance indicators to rural Scotland.

4.0 Indicators from other strategies relevant to rural Scotland

4.1 Identifying indicators from other strategies and policy documents

This chapter brings together our analysis of indicators from a variety of strategies and policies relevant to rural Scotland. The purpose is to summarise a set of indicators already in use which would be useful to consider as performance indicators for rural Scotland and to assess the source of data used.

Supplementing the National Performance Framework are many strategies in specific policy areas containing indicators- health, lifelong learning, housing, forestry etc. The study team undertook a review of strategy documents produced in recent years across the government sector in Scotland in order to identify performance indicators that might complement those in the National Performance Framework. These strategy documents (up to and including 2008) are listed in Annex Three. Several of these documents were produced before the National Performance Framework but it is nonetheless possible to link them to the strategic objectives, as shown in the table.

Table 4.1 is based upon a reading of the strategy documents listed in Annex Three. In addition to the indicators described in the strategies the study team also made use of some official sources that present key statistics: Scottish Index of Multiple Deprivation 2006, the Scottish Health Survey, reports from Future Skills Scotland, and Rural Scotland Key Facts.

The table lists 62 indicators that supplement the indicators in the National Performance Framework. The indicators are assessed for their suitability in the rural context. It should be noted that we have used only indicators that are already in use in the Scottish Government or its agencies (or indicators that are in development) and which therefore come from official sources. We have not explored alternative sources.

4.2 Approach to assessing other indicators

Table 4.1 sets out the list of potential indicators which could be considered as performance indicators to monitor progress in rural Scotland. The purpose of the table is to examine how well each indicator meets the criteria to be a good performance indicator. The following paragraphs describe the purpose of the columns in the table.

4.2.1 National Strategic Objective and Key Theme

The indicators have been arranged by the National Strategic Objective to which they are most closely associated (rather than listing them by source document) and to this we have added a Theme as described in Section 1.5.3 or in documents such as Rural Scotland Key Facts.

4.2.2 Relevance to rural Scotland

The assessment of relevance of indicators was raised in Section 3.1 and the same approach is used in this chapter:

Predominantly urban - where an indicator/issue is considered to be more significant an issue in urban rather than rural areas.
Nationwide - where an indicator/issue is considered to have broadly the same significance in both urban and rural areas.
Predominantly rural - where the indicator/issue is of greater significance in rural areas.

This approach involves some subjective judgements but it does provide the basis for debate.

4.2.3 Source of Indicator and Statistical Source

Most of the indicators are drawn from the strategy documents listed in Annex Three. Most (though not all) of these documents have an annex or footnotes that describe the statistical sources for the proposed indicator. Table 4.1 lists both the strategy document and the survey that is the source for the data. One or two indicators that have been proposed have yet to be developed. Knowing the survey that provides the data is a crucial guide to its quality but also as an indication of the geographic detail available and how frequently it can be monitored.

4.2.4 Geographic detail

If an indicator is to be used for monitoring performance of rural Scotland it needs to be available with some geographic detail, ideally making use of the Scottish Government Urban-Rural classification. The table identifies the lowest geographical level at which the data is published ( e.g. the 6-fold classification). In some cases because of the size of the sample or because the events monitored are very rare it may be possible to report the results using only the 3-fold classification. Some sources especially administrative data may be available only using administrative (local government) boundaries.

4.2.5 Continuity of Data

The majority of indicators are collected and published on an annual basis. Usually the frequency of the source survey is a guide to the frequency of the indicator though some rely on responses to questions that are not included every year. A few others, especially the composite indicators that draw together several sources, are produced slightly less frequently ( e.g. travel time to services). In the case of information that relies on the Population Census there is an interval of ten years which is too long to be useful as a key indicator. Several new sources have been developed in the years since devolution, so currently have a limited time series.

4.3 Findings on relevance of indicators and sources

Table 4.1 presents findings of the assessment of the relevance of indicators for rural Scotland. The table shows a large number apply to rural areas with 30 indicators being classed as Nationwide and 23 being classed as Predominantly Rural. The remaining nine are classed as Predominantly Urban. However, closer inspection reveals that only a few of the Predominantly Rural indicators meet all of the conditions required to be a good performance indicator.

Table 4.1: Assessment of performance indicators for relevance and sources

National strategic objective ¹⁰	Potential Performance Indicator ¹¹	Key theme addressed ¹²	Significance to rural Scotland ¹³	Source of indicator	Statistical source	Geographic detail Available by Urban-Rural classification? ¹⁴	Continuity of data ¹⁵
Safer and Stronger	1. Improvement in rural community capacity	Social Capital	Predominantly Rural	Scotland Rural Development Programme 2007-2013	Indicators derived from multiple sources collected by the Scottish Government	National	Every 2.5 years
	2. Recorded drug offences (over 1 year period)	Living standards	Predominantly Urban	Scottish Index of Multiple Deprivation ( SIMD)	Recorded Crime in Scotland - Scottish Government: http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Topics/Statuistics/Browse/Crime-Justice/PubRecordedCrime	Local authority	Annual
	3. Recorded crimes of violence (over 1 year period)	Living standards	Predominantly Urban			Local authority	Annual
	4. Recorded vandalised (over 1 year period)	Living standards	Predominantly Urban			Local authority	Annual
	5. Recorded minor assault (over 1 year period)	Living standards	Predominantly Urban			Local authority	Annual
	6. How many people a resident knows / trusts in neighbourhood	Social capital	Predominantly Rural	Effects of Land Reform in Scotland - Community Planning	General Household Survey	Only published at Scotland level.	GHS is annual. Not all questions are asked every year.
	7. Percentage increase or decrease in population	Demography	Nationwide		General Register Office for Scotland	8-fold urban-rural classification	Annual
	8. Experience of Neighbourhood Problems	Living standards	Nationwide	Rural Scotland Key Facts	Scottish Household Survey	8-fold urban-rural classification	Annual
Wealthier and Fairer	9. Labour productivity	Rural Economy	Nationwide	Scotland Rural Development Programme 2007-2013	ONS - Output per hour worked Change resulting from Scottish Rural Development Programme will be assessed in evaluation.	Output per hour worked -Scotland GVA per head - NUTS3 ¹⁶	Not regular publication
	10. Economic growth ( GVA)	Rural Economy	Nationwide		ONS- Regional Accounts [Contribution of SRDP is to be assessed in evaluation ]	NUTS3	Annual but with 2 year lag.
	11. Number of households below average income	Living Standards	Nationwide	Taking forward the Government Economic Strategy	Family Resources Survey	3-fold urban-rural classification	Annual
	12. Prevalence of poverty (% of households with income below 60% of median standardised)	Living Standards	Predominantly Urban	Taking forward the Government Economic Strategy	Family Resources Survey	3-fold urban-rural classification	Annual
	13. Workless households	Rural Economy	Predominantly Urban	Rural Scotland Key Facts	Labour Force Survey/ Annual Population Survey in Scotland	6-fold Urban Rural classification	Monthly with annual publication
	14. Self employment rates	Innovation	Nationwide	Rural Scotland Key Facts	Labour Force Survey/ Annual Population Survey in Scotland	6-fold Urban Rural classification	Monthly with annual publication
	15. Unemployment	Rural Economy	Nationwide	Rural Scotland Key Facts	Labour Force Survey/ Annual Population Survey in Scotland
	16. Household broadband connection by geographic area	Access to services	Predominantly Rural	Rural Scotland Key Facts 2007	Scottish Household Survey	6-fold Urban-Rural classification	Annual
	17. Median gross weekly earnings	Living standards	Nationwide	The Government Economic Strategy	Annual Survey of Hours and Earning ( ONS)	3-fold Urban-Rural classification	Annual
	18. Number of out of work benefit claimants	Living standards	Nationwide		Department of Work and Pensions	Local authority	Monthly with annual publication
	19. Employees in employment by sector	Agriculture and forestry Rural economy Innovation and collaboration	Nationwide	Future Skills: The Labour Market in Rural Scotland	Annual Business Inquiry / Inter departmental Business Register	3-fold urban rural classification	Annual
	20. Main challenges faced by businesses in next 12 months ( e.g. attracting skilled staff)	Innovation and collaboration	Nationwide	Future Skills: The Labour Market in Rural Scotland	Futureskills Scotland Employer Skills Survey	3-fold Urban Rural classification	Biennial
	21. Proportion of the working age economically active.	Agriculture and forestry Rural Economy Innovation and collaboration	Nationwide		Labour Force Survey/Annual Population Survey	6-fold Urban Rural classification	Monthly with annual publication
	22. Levels of deprivation	Living standards	Nationwide	Scottish Index of Multiple Deprivation ( SIMD)	Scottish Index of Multiple Deprivation ( SIMD)	Data zone	Every 3 years
	23. Proportion of working age population who are employed or not involved in the labour market due to ill health or disability	Living standards	Nationwide		Labour Force Survey/Annual Population Survey of Scotland	6-fold Urban Rural classification	Monthly with annual publication
	24. Driving time to a petrol station/ post office/ shopping facilities/ secondary school	Access to services	Predominantly Rural	Taking forward the Government Economic Strategy	Scottish Index of Multiple Deprivation ( SIMD)	Data zone	Every 3 years
	25. Public transport time to a post office/ shopping facilities	Access to services	Predominantly Rural	Taking forward the Government Economic Strategy
	26. Increased turnover and number of jobs in social enterprise	Social capital	Nationwide	Social Enterprise Strategy for Scotland	No existing figures. Not specified in the strategy document. IDBR provides turnover.	IDBR provides this data only at Scotland level	Not specified in the strategy document. IDBR data is annual.
	27. Change in investment in land based businesses	Agriculture and forestry	Predominantly Rural	Effects of the Land Reform in Scotland - Community Planning	Not specified in the strategy document	Not specified in the strategy document.	Not specified in the strategy document
	28. Affordability of housing	Affordable housing	Predominantly Rural	Effects of the Land Reform in Scotland - Community Planning	Not a standard calculation, but a comparison of prices and income can be derived from existing sources	3-fold Urban Rural classification	Not regular (annual data sources could be used)
	29. Change in diversity of housing provision (public housing, different size housing, rented and owned housing stock)	Affordable housing	Predominantly Rural	Effects of the Land Reform in Scotland - Community Planning	Not specified in the strategy document	Not specified in the strategy document	Not specified in the strategy document
	30. Forestry's contribution to Scottish Gross Value Added	Agriculture and forestry	Predominantly Rural	Scottish Forestry Strategy 2006	Forestry Commission Scotland Description of indicators http://www.forestry.gov.uk/pdf/sfsindicators.pdf/$FILE/sfsindicators.pdf	Scotland only	Every 4 years
	31. Employment supported by the Forestry Related Sector	Agriculture and forestry	Predominantly Rural			Scotland only	Every 4 years
Smarter	32. Uptake of skills / training courses (in land based industries) and provision of land based training / skills courses	Agriculture and forestry Access to services	Predominantly Rural	Effects of the Land Reform in Scotland - Community Planning	Not known	3-fold Urban Rural classification	Unknown
	33. Percentage of people using the internet and accessing broadband technology	Access to services	Predominantly Rural		Scottish Household Survey	8-fold urban-rural classification	Annual
	34. The number of economically active people with no qualifications	Balanced rural communities	Nationwide	The Government Economic Strategy	Labour Force Survey/Annual Population Survey in Scotland	6-fold Urban Rural classification	Continuous survey with Annual publication
	35. Working age people with no qualifications	Balanced rural communities Access to services	Nationwide	Scottish Index of Multiple Deprivation ( SIMD)	Labour Force Survey/Annual Population Survey in Scotland	6-fold Urban Rural classification	Continuous survey with Annual publication
	36. People aged 16-18 not in full-time education	Balanced rural communities Access to services	Nationwide		Labour Force Survey/Annual Population Survey in Scotland	6-fold Urban Rural classification	Continuous survey with Annual publication
	37. 17-21 year olds enrolling into higher education	Balanced rural communities Access to services	Nationwide		HE management information - Scottish Government	Local authority level. More detail may be possible.	Annual with a lag of one year.
	38. 16-19s not in education, training or employment	Balanced rural communities Access to services	Nationwide	Closing the Opportunity Gap Programme	Labour Force Survey/Annual Population Survey in Scotland	3-fold Urban Rural classification	Continuous survey with Annual publication
Healthier	39. Levels of health deprivation (areas with a higher than expected level of ill-health or mortality given the age-sex profile of the population) and standardised mortality ratio	Living standards	Nationwide	Scottish Index of Multiple Deprivation ( SIMD)	Scottish Index of Multiple Deprivation ( SIMD)	Data zone	Annual
	40. The proportion of the population being prescribed drugs for anxiety, depression or psychoses	Living standards	Nationwide		Prescription data from NHS Information & Statistics Division Scotland	Data zone	Annual
	41. Hospital episodes related to alcohol use	Living standards	Nationwide		Administrative data from NHS Information & Statistics Division Scotland	Data zone	Annual
	42. Hospital episodes related to drug use	Living standards	Predominantly Urban			Data zone	Annual
	43. Drive time to a GP	Access to services	Predominantly Rural		Scottish Index of Multiple Deprivation ( SIMD)	Data zone	Every 3 years
	44. Public transport time to a GP	Access to services	Predominantly Rural			3-fold Urban Rural classification	Every 3 years
	45. Persons in households that are overcrowded	Living standards	Predominantly Urban		Census	Data zone	Every 10 years
	46. Persons in households without central heating	Living standards	Nationwide			Data zone	Every 10 years
	47. Fuel poverty	Living standards	Predominantly Rural	Rural Scotland Key Facts	Scottish House Conditions Survey http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Topics/Statistics/SHCS	Data zone	Continuous survey
	48. Proportion of the population with accessible woodland greater than 2 ha within 500m of their home	Living standards Physical environment	Nationwide	Scottish Forestry Strategy 2006	Woodland Trust - Woods for people inventory	The documents do not identify any lower level geographic detail.	Every 3 years
	49. Proportion of the population with accessible woodland greater than 20ha within 4km of their home	Living standards Physical environment	Nationwide			The documents do not identify any lower level geographic detail	Every 3 years
	50. CHD and Cancer mortality rates for the under 75s	Living standards	Nationwide	Closing the Opportunity Gap programme	NHS Information and Statistics Division Scotland	National	Annual
Greener	51. Contribution to combating climate change	Physical environment Agriculture and forestry Rural economy	Predominantly Rural	Scotland Rural Development Programme 2007-2013	Collected from numerous sources by the Scotland Government for the SRDP 2007-2013	National	Every 2.5 yrs and 5 years
	52. Percentage of area of land covered by national nature conservation designations ¹⁷	Physical environment	Predominantly Rural	Effects of Land Reform in Scotland	Scottish Natural Heritage	3-fold Urban Rural classification	Not clear
	53. Area of Native Woodland	Agriculture and forestry	Predominantly Rural	Scottish Forestry Strategy 2006	Forestry Commission Scotland	National	Annual
	54. Percentage of designated woodland sites in favourable or unfavourable recovering condition	Agriculture and forestry	Predominantly Rural		Assessed by Scottish Natural Heritage. through the Site Condition Monitoring System	Scotland	Initial assessments between 1999-2005 were analysed and quality assured during 2007
	55. Woodland Birds Index	Physical environment Agriculture and forestry	Predominantly Rural		The Breeding Bird Survey ( JNCC/ RSPB)	Scotland and regions within	Annual
	56. Status of UK Biodiversity Action Plan Priority Species	Physical environment	Predominantly Rural		DEFRA and Joint Nature Conservation n Committee ( JNCC)	National	Every 5 years
	57. Status of UK Biodiversity Action Plan Priority Habitats ¹⁸	Physical environment	Predominantly Rural		DEFRA and Joint Nature Conservation n Committee ( JNCC)	National	Every 5 years
	58. Proportion of commercially exploited fish stocks fished within safe limits ¹⁹	Physical environment Rural economy	Predominantly Rural		Calculated by Marlab	On the basis of ICES fishing areas	Annual
	59. Attitudes to the natural heritage	Physical environment	Nationwide		Scottish Natural Heritage. Variety of sources. Plans to develop a new survey http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Resource/Doc/47251/0014570.pdf	3-fold Urban Rural classification	Every 3 years
	60. Extent and composition of green space ²⁰	Physical environment	Nationwide		Indicator under development - http://gateway.snh.gov.uk/pls/htmldb_cagdb1	Local authority	Indicator under development
	61. Visits to green space/countryside	Physical environment	Nationwide		Scottish Household Survey provides some info. A performance indicator is being developed bringing together several existing sources in a consistent way.	Indicator being developed.	Indicator under development
	62. The level of air quality and atmospheric emissions	Physical environment	Predominantly Urban	The Government Economic Strategy	National Atmospheric Emissions Survey	National	Annual

4.4 Conclusion

This chapter has assessed the relevance of the other existing indicators to rural Scotland using a three part categorisation. The analysis of the 62 indicators in the other strategies found that a large number of the indicators (30) could be classified as nationwide, 23 predominantly related to rural areas and 9 predominantly urban. Although there is some subjectivity associated with judgement as to the category into which an indicator falls, overall it can be concluded that there are many indicators that are relevant to rural Scotland already in use.

Closer inspection of the Predominantly Rural indicators indicate that they are not wholly representative of all of the key themes for rural Scotland listed in Chapter 1. Agriculture, forestry and access to services are well represented. There are a small number on issues such as housing and social capital and no indicators related to demography, community empowerment or innovation. Furthermore, few of the Predominantly Rural indicators meet the criteria of a good performance indicator, in terms of continuity of data and geographic detail.

However, many of the indicators classed as Nationwide apply to issues relevant to both urban and rural areas in Scotland. They relate to several of the key themes in question and are available at the low level geographic detail necessary to monitor progress in small rural pockets of Scotland.

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4.0 Indicators from other strategies relevant to rural Scotland

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