Data Analysis for Selective and Additional Licensing

£61,750

Goods

Southend-on-Sea City Council (SCC) is seeking quotations for the provision of data analysis and intelligence services to support the review and potential continuation of its Selective Licensing Scheme, as well as the introduction of an Additional Licensing Scheme in the private rented sector. The analysis must provide robust, evidence-based insights to inform the council's future decision making and public consultation process.

The commissioned work will focus on:

• Assessing the impact and effectiveness of the current Selective Licensing scheme and determining whether it should be continued, modified, or expanded to a citywide designation.
• Examining whether the current Selective Licensing area should be revised (in the event that a new scheme is needed) to align with ward boundaries rather than super output areas, to avoid issues with boundary discrepancies.
• Evaluating the need for an Additional Licensing scheme, either within a proposed Selective Licensing area or citywide, to improve housing standards in the private rented sector.
• Providing robust data and intelligence to support a future consultation on Selective and Additional Licensing.

The selected provider must ensure that the analysis meets the following key requirements:

• Legal & Policy Compliance: The data analysis must align with the Housing Act 2004 (as amended) and comply with the most recent guidance, including:

o Selective Licensing in the Private Rented Sector: A Guide for Local Authorities (latest MHCLG guidance).

o Houses in Multiple Occupation and Residential Property Licensing Reform: Guidance for Local Housing Authorities (MHCLG, 2019).

• Granularity of Data: The analysis should use postcode-level data where possible, with additional granularity at the Lower Super Output Area (LSOA) and Middle Super Output Area (MSOA) levels where appropriate.
• Mapping & Visualisation: The final report must include GIS-compatible maps (e.g., shapefiles) along with clearly coloured visual representations (e.g., PDFs, charts, and tables) that illustrate key findings.
• Assessment of Key Indicators: The analysis must assess a range of factors relevant to Selective and Additional Licensing, including but not limited to:

o Housing Conditions (e.g., prevalence of Category 1 hazards under the Housing Health and Safety Rating System).

o Anti-Social Behaviour (ASB) incidents reported in PRS properties.

o Crime Rates within private rented sector (PRS) areas.

o Deprivation Levels, using metrics such as the Index of Multiple Deprivation (IMD).

o PRS Density & Tenure Data, identifying high-concentration PRS areas.

o Council Enforcement Actions (e.g., improvement notices, landlord complaints).

The provider will be expected to deliver:

• A comprehensive report containing:
• Findings on the impact of the current Selective Licensing scheme.
• An evidence-based assessment of areas requiring Selective and/or Additional Licensing.
• A summary of recommended designated areas for licensing, mapped to relevant wards.
• Justification for any proposed boundary changes.
• Supporting evidence for a public consultation process.

A detailed data pack, including:

• Raw and processed data in an accessible format (e.g., Excel, CSV).
• GIS-compatible files for further spatial analysis.

Presentation & Briefing Session: A presentation to SCC's relevant stakeholders, summarising key findings and recommendations

Experience & Qualification Requirements

• Bidders must demonstrate previous experience conducting data analysis for Selective and/or Additional Licensing schemes. Proposals should include:

o Case studies of at least two projects completed for UK Local Authorities in the last five years.

o References from at least one Local Authority client.

o A description of the methodologies used in previous work.

Data Security & GDPR Compliance

• The provider must ensure full GDPR compliance, including secure handling of personal data where applicable.
• SCC may require the provider to sign a data-sharing agreement before project commencement.
• The provider must confirm the measures in place to protect data integrity and prevent unauthorised access.

Impartiality & Conflict of Interest

• To ensure impartiality and mitigate legal risks:
• Companies providing the data analysis will not be eligible to bid for the consultation phase of this project.
• Bidders must disclose any previous work with Southend-on-Sea City Council or related stakeholders.