South West Observatory
The South West Observatory was a regional resource for the South West of England, originally established by the former South West Regional Development Agency, Government Office for the South West, and the South West Regional Assembly as a partnership for use by policy-makers to aid and improve evidence-based decision-making. It operated from 2002 - 2013.
SWO was one of seven Regional Observatories operating in the English regions. Not all Observatories operated in the same way and are at different stages of development.
Structure and funding
The SWO was a network of analysts working together at the regional and sub-regional levels to provide timely and accurate information about the region. The SWO network comprised "Thematic Modules" which covered various cross-cutting policy themes and "Local Intelligence Networks" which focused on specific geographies. The SWO's structure differed from that of other Regional Observatories. At the centre of the South West Observatory is a Core Unit which coordinates and facilitates network activity. This is based in Taunton, Somerset. The SWO works with a broad range of regional and national partners on many issues.- Modules - There were six modules working within the SWO. They were Economy, Environment, Housing & Planning, Public Health, Skills and Learning, and Culture and Society. The structure of the individual modules differed, as did their sources of funding.
- Local Intelligence Networks - There were nine Local Intelligence Networks involved in SWO activities. These were based within the local authorities covering Cornwall, Plymouth, Devon, Torbay, Dorset, Somerset, West of England, Gloucestershire and Wiltshire.