GGP helps Blackpool adopt....

23 August 2007, 8:04pm

GGP helps Blackpool adopt new addressing standard

Croydon, UK, 23 August 2007 – Using an advanced gazetteer management
solution from GGP Systems Blackpool Council is one of the first in the country to
adopt the new National Land and Property Gazetteer (NLPG): 2006 BS7666
standard. GGP’s NGz software, one of only two systems accredited to the new
standard, has enabled Blackpool to create and maintain a centralised address database
revolutionising the delivery of services to residents. Using NGz as part of
their integrated ICT infrastructure the Council has already saved a
considerable amount through the consolidation of disparate datasets and it is hoped
that early migration to the new standard will deliver additional benefits to
the Council.

The NGz ‘gazetteer management software’ from GGP Systems manages a
centralised address listing of all properties, streets and land. Created by combining
seven key datasets and used by every department within the authority
Blackpool’s NLPG database is dynamically linked to a number of systems including the
Council’s corporate geographical information system (GIS) from GGP, their
Lagan CRM system used by their Customer First Advisors and the Council’s online
mapping tool powered by eGGP.

“Our NLPG, created, managed and maintained using GGP NGz, has already
realised significant benefits to the Council,” said Philip Baron, Head of ICT
Services. “Maintaining one source of address information is enabling us to work
towards a one stop approach accessible by users throughout the Council and we
have achieved substantial savings, secured government funding, improved service
levels and increased efficiencies.”

“The new data standard will hopefully enable us to build on the success and
rewards already achieved,” he continued. “The capacity to hold detailed
building classifications and organisation names should increase the use of the
address data. I can easily envisage a number of new applications within the
Council as well as further take up of this data by third parties, such as the
Emergency Services. One example that springs to mind is the evacuation of
residents in the event of a flood incident; using the new classifications and
organisation names we could prioritise nursing homes and community care facilities
targeting resources where they are needed most.”

GGP NGz also provides Blackpool with an interface between the locally
managed address data and the national hub. From October 2007 all 375 Councils in
England and Wales must be able to transfer data to the national NLPG hub in
compliance with the new data transfer format standard or possibly face financial
penalties. By using GGP NGz, Blackpool, well ahead of this deadline, has
prevented unnecessary fines and is actively contributing to the reality of a
national addressing standard.

www.ggpsystems.co.uk

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