All Age All Cause Mortality (AAACM)

All Age All Cause Mortality rates are standardised rates used as an alternative measure for life expectancy.

 

Annual Monitoring Report (AMR)

The Annual Monitoring Report was produced every year by the Yorkshire and Humber Assembly to monitor progress against the objectives set out in the RSS.

 

Arms Length Management Organisation (ALMO)

An Arms Length Management Organisation is a company set up by a local authority to manage and improve all or part of its housing stock. The company is owned by the local authority and operates under the terms of a management agreement between the authority and the ALMO. An ALMO is managed by a board of directors which includes tenants, local authority nominees and independent members.

Establishment of an ALMO separates the day to day housing management role of the landlord from the wider strategic housing role of the local authority. However, the local authority retains ownership of the housing and tenants remain secure tenants of the local authority. Ministers do not give consent to the establishment of an ALMO without clear evidence that the council has consulted its tenants and leaseholders and can demonstrate a balance of support from them for the ALMO proposal.

 

Biodegradable Municipal Waste (BMW)

Biodegradable Municipal Waste is the fraction of our waste which is compostable and made up of organic matter such as leftover food, vegetable peelings and cardboard. Local Authorities now have an obligation under the EC Landfill Directive to reduce the amount of BMW sent to landfill to 75% of 1995 levels by 2009/10.

 

Black Asian and Minority Ethnic (BAME)

Black Asian and Minority Ethnic refers to those people of Mixed, Asian or Asian British, Black or Black British, Chinese or other ethnic groups.

 

Body Mass Index (BMI)

Body Mass Index is used to measure if a person is under or overweight, or obese. It is calculated by dividing a persons weight by their height squared. A healthy BMI is between 18.5 and 25, with a BMI of more than 30 being obese.

 

Compound Growth Rate (CGR)

Compound growth rate is a more accurate measure of growth than the average of growth in individual years because it better represents the actual level of growth each year by accounting for the periodic growth in the principal. The compound growth rate is the rate of growth required to bring the initial value to the final value over the time periods specified. g = growth rate, X = initial value, Y = final value, n = time periods.

 

Comprehensive Area Assessment (CAA)

Comprehensive Area Assessment is the new framework through which the major public service inspectorates will together make independent assessments of how well people are being served by their local public services. Its focus is primarily on the prospects for better outcomes locally rather than the internal workings of individual organisations.

Many important priorities such as tackling the causes of ill health,improving the local economy and reducing carbon emissions, require public bodies to work effectively together and with their communities.

 

Comprehensive Performance Assessment (CPA)

Comprehensive Performance Assessment draws on a range of information such as performance indicators, assessments of corporate capacity, audit and inspection reports, and stakeholder opinions to reach a single judgment about the performance of a local authority, or a fire and rescue service. It results in a clear public rating on a local body's performance and provides the basis for a proportionate and riskbased approach to regulation.

 

European Commission (EC)

The European Commission is the executive arm of the EU responsible for initiating legislation and the day-to-day running of the EU.

 

European Union (EU)

The European Union is the economic and political union of 27 member states established by the Treaty of Maastricht in 1993.

 

Former Metropolitan Counties (FMC)

Former Metropolitan Counties were abolished in 1986 with most of their powers devolving to individual districts, however certain statistics are still reported at this geography, notably transport and housing statistics. There were two metropolitan counties in Yorkshire and Humber – West Yorkshire and South Yorkshire which are contiguous with the sub regions of the same name.

 

Full Time Equivalent (FTE)

Full Time Equivalent – a person in full time employment. An FTE of 1.0 means the person is equivalent to a full time worker, an FTE of 0.5 means the person only works half time.

 

General Certificate of Education (GCE AS/A Levels)

General Certificate of Education A levels were introduced in the early 1950s, and a revised approach was introduced in September 2000. The Advanced Subsidiary (AS) is a stand-alone qualification and is valued as half a full A level qualification. The A2 is the second half of a full A level qualification.

 

General Certificate of Secondary Education (GCSE)

The General Certificate of Secondary Education was introduced in 1986 with first examinations in 1988. GCSEs are widely available to all 14-19 students and are often used as an entry requirement for level 3 study.

In 2001 the Government introduced new GCSEs in vocational subjects to give a vocational option to all young people and to promote vocational learning.

The new GCSEs are available in eight applied subjects and are double awards (twice the size of an academic GCSE). They became available for courses starting in September 2002, with the first awards in the summer of 2004.

 

General National Vocational Qualification (GNVQ)

A General National Vocational Qualification currently exists at foundation and intermediate levels (levels 1 and 2). The GNVQ is a suite of general vocational qualifications, providing an introduction to a broad vocational area. It is available in 14 titles and offers progression to training for employment and further study at levels 2 and 3.

It is primarily delivered in further education institutions to post-16 students on programmes that normally last one or two years. The GNVQ will be withdrawn in three stages from summer 2005 to 2007.

 

General Quality Assessment (GQA)

General Quality Assessment is the framework historically used by the Environment Agency to assess the water quality of rivers in England and Wales. It is currently being phased out and replaced by the monitoring requirements of the EC Water Framework Directive.

 

Gross Domestic Product (GDP)

Gross Domestic Product is a measure of the economic output of a country and equals the total value of all products and services produced, plus taxes and minus subsidies.

 

Gross Fertility Rate (GFR)

Gross Fertility Rate is the number of live births per year per 1000 women of child bearing age in a given population. Child bearing age is taken to be between the ages of 15 and 44.

 

Gross Value Added (GVA)

Gross Value Added is used as an estimation of GDP at a regional level. It measures the contribution made to the regional economy by each individual producer, industry or sector, but it does not include taxes or subsidies which are calculated at a national level.

 

Healthy Life Expectancy (HLE)

Healthy Life Expectancy is the probable number of years a child born now could expect to live in good or fairly good health.

 

Higher Education Institutions (HEI)

Higher Education Institutions are those that offer post 16 education.

 

Higher National Diplomas (HND)

Higher National Diplomas are a two-year course that equates to two years of a degree course. Offered in many subject areas, mostly with a practical application. HNDs may also have an industrial or commercial placement as part of the course.

 

Index of Multiple Deprivation (IMD)

The Index of Multiple Deprivation combines a number of indicators, chosen to cover a range of economic, social and housing issues, into a single deprivation score for each small area in England. This allows each area to be ranked relative to one another according to their level of deprivation.

The IMD is widely used to analyse patterns of deprivation, and identify areas that would benefit from special initiatives or programmes and as a tool to determine eligibility for specific funding streams.

 

Integrated Regional Framework (IRF)

The Integrated Regional Framework is the interim regional strategy which bridges the gap between the previous Advancing Together Strategy, the Regional Sustainable Development Framework, and the forthcoming Integrated Regional Strategy (IRS).

It sets out the key sustainable development challenges facing the region and sets a direction for addressing these challenges, which will be continued by the IRS.

 

International Labour Organisation (ILO)

The International Labour Organisation is a United Nations body which works to promote decent employment opportunities for all people. The ILO definition of unemployment is used as a standard measure throughout the world and is the definition used in this report.

The ILO unemployment statistics are based on surveys and counts the following people as unemployed – respondents who are without a job, who are available to start work in the two weeks following interview and who have looked for work in the four weeks prior to interview, or are out of work but have accepted a job which they are waiting to start in the next fortnight.

 

Key Stages 1 – 4

Key Stages 1 – 4 relate to teaching periods for children during their time at school. At the end of each Key Stage, each National Curriculum subject has a target and tests to ascertain whether or not a child has reached the desired level for their age in terms of skills, knowledge and understanding.

The age breakdown for each Key Stage is shown below:

Key Stage 1 – Teaching for children aged 5 – 7

Key Stage 2 – Teaching for children aged 7 – 11

Key Stage 3 – Teaching for children aged 11 – 14

Key Stage 4 – Teaching for children aged 14 – 16

Key Stage 2 at aged 11 is measured in terms of the percentage of pupils reaching the desired attainment of Level 4 and above. Key Stage 4 is measured in terms of the percentage of pupils achieving five or more grades A* - C at GCSE/GNVQ.

 

Landfill Allowance Trading Scheme (LATS)

The Landfill Allowance Trading Scheme introduces significant and innovative changes in waste policy and practice for the diversion of biodegradable municipal waste from landfill. It is intended to provide a cost effective way of enabling England to meet its targets for reducing the amount of biodegradable municipal waste sent to landfill under Article 5(2) of the EC Landfill Directive.

 

Learning and Skills Council (LSC)

The Learning and Skills Council are here to improve the skills of England’s young people and adults to ensure we have a world-class workforce.

 

Local Area Agreements (LAA)

Local Area Agreements set out the priorities for a local area agreed between central government and a local area (the local authority and Local Strategic Partnership) and other key partners at the local level. LAAs simplify some central funding, help join up public services more effectively and allow greater flexibility for local solutions to local circumstances.

 

Lower Super Output Areas (LSOA)

Lower Super Output Areas are a geographic hierarchy designed to improve the reporting of small area statistics.

Unlike electoral wards, the SOA layers are of consistent size across the country and will not be subjected to regular boundary change. The 34,378 Lower Layer SOAs in England (32,482) and Wales (1,896) were built from groups of Output Areas (typically 4 to 6) and constrained by the boundaries of the Standard Table (ST) wards used for 2001 Census outputs. They have a minimum population of 1,000.

Lower Layer SOAs are used as the building block for Middle Layer SOAs.

 

National Indicators for Local Authorities

A set of 198 indicators announced as part of the Comprehensive Spending Review 2007. These are the measures on which central government assess performance of local government.

For definitions see: www.communities.gov.uk/publications/localgovernment/finalnationalindicators

 

National Vocational Qualifications (NVQ)

A National Vocational Qualifications are work-related, competence-based qualifications. They are based on national occupational standards, which are statements of performance that describe what competent people in a particular occupation are expected to be able to do.

NVQs do not have to be completed in a specified amount of time. They can be taken by full-time employees or by school and college students with a work placement or part-time job that enables them to develop the appropriate skills. There are no age limits and no special entry requirements.

 

Not in Education, Employment or Training (NEET)

Not in Education, Employment or Training refers to young people aged between 16 and 18 who are not in full or part time education, training or employment. Being NEET between the ages of 16-18 is a major predictor of later unemployment, low income, teenage motherhood, depression and poor physical health, which is why particular focus needs to be given to this group of people.

 

Previously Developed Land (PDL)

Previously developed land is land which has had buildings on it before. It is also called brownfield land.

 

Primary Care Trusts (PCT)

There are 14 Primary Care Trusts in Yorkshire and Humber, which are responsible for the delivery of primary care services such as GPs, dentists, pharmacists, opticians and walk in centres.

 

Public Service Agreements (PSA)

Public Service Agreements were introduced in the 1998 Comprehensive Spending Review (CSR) and are designed to improve public service delivery by setting out the outcomes which are expected of government departments.

 

Regional Econometric Model (REM)

Yorkshire Forward and Experian Business Strategies Ltd have jointly developed the Regional Econometric Model, which is distributed among partners in the Yorkshire Futures network. It is primarily based on the Office for National Statistics Annual Business Inquiry and Labour Force Survey data and has recently been adjusted to reflect the Census of Population workplace-based totals in each local authority. It is intended as a forecasting and impact assessment model for employment, output, productivity, occupations and qualifications.

The data from the model is used in the forecasts in the Population and Settlements, Economy and Education and Skills chapters of Progress in the Region. Recent changes in the methodology of the development of the model have led to higher estimates of employment across the region.

 

Regional Economic Strategy (RES)

The Regional Economic Strategy is the economic development plan for Yorkshire and Humber. It covers the period 2006-2015 and provides a set of common priorities for our region, helping businesses, public agencies, voluntary groups and communities to focus their investment and effort on what will really make a difference for Yorkshire and Humber.

The RES and the RSS will be replaced by a single overarching strategy called the Integrated Regional Strategy in the next few years.

 

Regional Index of Sustainable Economic Wellbeing (RISEW)

The Regional Index of Sustainable Economic Wellbeing was developed by the New Economics Foundation (NEF) in 2004.

The RISEW takes basic GDP data and makes various corrections to it based on positive and negative impacts associated with that growth. In doing so it provides a way of measuring a country or regions progress towards sustainable economic growth (i.e. economic growth which does not compromise the quality of life of future generations by depleting natural resources).

More details about the RISEW can be found on this website.

 

Regional Skills Partnership (RSP)

The Regional Skills Partnership exists to help match demand for skills from employers with the supply of skills and training from education and training providers. They are here to implement the recommendations of the Leitch Review.

 

Regional Spatial Strategy (RSS)

The Regional Spatial Strategy is the broad development strategy for the region, setting out regional priorities in terms of the location and scale of development. The current RSS covers the period 2008-2026 and includes the Regional Transport Strategy and the Regional Housing Strategy.

The RSS will be replaced by the Integrated Regional Strategy which will bring together the RSS and the Regional Economic Strategy into a single overarching strategy.

Further information about regional strategies can be found on this website.

 

Regional Transport Strategy (RTS)

Regional Transport Strategy – part of the Regional Spatial Strategy, the RTS sets out the strategic direction for transport policy in the region.

 

Registered Social Landlords (RSL)

Registered Social Landlords are independent housing organisations registered with the Housing Corporation under the Housing Act 1996. They may be Industrial and Provident Societies, registered charities or companies.

The Housing Corporation was established by Parliament in 1964 to promote voluntary non-profit making housing associations and co-operatives.

The Corporation is a nondepartmental public body sponsored by the Department of Communities and Local Government. The Corporation regulates and funds registered social landlords (RSLs) in England.

 

Sites of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI)

Sites of Special Scientific Interest are areas which have been designated by Natural England as being worthy of protection because of their flora, fauna or geological and physiographical features. Notification as a SSSI gives legal protection to the best sites for wildlife and geology in England.

The first SSSIs were identified in 1949 when the then Nature Conservancy notified local authorities of SSSIs, so their conservation interest could be taken into account during the planning process.

Natural England now has responsibility for identifying and protecting the SSSIs in England under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 (as amended by the Countryside and Rights of Way Act 2000).

 

Standard Assessment Procedure (SAP)

The Standard Assessment Procedure is the Government’s recommended system for home energy efficiency ratings. It is based on the cost of energy used to heat space and water. A SAP rating is required for all new build dwellings and existing homes undergoing significant alterations (such as adding an extension).

The current version of SAP (SAP 2005) has a scale of 1 to 100, with 1 being very poor and 100 being excellent.

 

Standardised Mortality Rates (SMR)

Standardised Mortality Rates are a method of comparing mortality levels in different years, or for different sub-populations in the same year, while taking account of differences in population structure.

The ratio is of (observed) to (expected) deaths, multiplied conventionally by 100. Thus if mortality levels are higher in the population being studied than would be expected, the SMR will be greater than 100.

 

Total Fertility Rate (TFR)

Total Fertility Rate is the average number of children born per child bearing woman. TFR is developed countries like the UK is about 2.1 children per woman.

 

Vocational Certificate of Education (VCE A Levels)

Vocational Certificate of Education A levels are qualifications that enable students to develop skills, knowledge and understanding in the vocational area they are studying, and that prepare them for both the world of work and progression to higher education.

 

Water Framework Directive (WFD)

The Water Framework Directive is a new EC law which requires that all waters (including rivers, lakes, estuaries, coastal and groundwaters) meet “good ecological status” by 2015.

Good ecological status is assessed by looking at the populations of plants and animals which inhabit the water.