The differences between NI 195 and the previous Cleanliness Performance Indicator, BVPI 199;
The issues raised most often by local authorities during Defra’s discussions with local authorities, and CLG’s formal consultation during November and December 2007;
How targets will be set for NI 195;
The reasons why NI 195 is a statutory National Indicator, and the reasons for its content;
Technical aspects of the NI 195 survey including definitions, measurement, its treatment of ‘Relevant Land’, its use of the Indices of Multiple Deprivation (IMD), and general issues relating to how the survey should be carried out.

What Are The Main Differences Between BVPI 199 And NI 195?

The key differences are as follows:

Litter and detritus will in future be reported as two separate elements, rather than combined.
The seven-point grading system, with Intermediate grades, has been retained but the B/C grade has been relabelled as B –, to make the grading system more consistent.
Authorities will be given credit on sites where standards fall just below a satisfactory level (Grade B), by halving the weight given to these sites in calculating the overall Indicator scores for litter, detritus, graffit and flyposting.
The definitions of Housing Land Uses have been updated to reflect changing conditions including the impact of new planning policies, ‘right-to-buy’ and a continuing increase in car ownership.
The labels ‘Primary’ and ‘Secondary’ attached to Retail and Commercial Areas have been changed to ‘Main’ and ‘Other’ to reflect the way most people see them and to make them more easily understood.
The processes of data input and analysis, and of making returns to Government, have been streamlined. An online database has been provided which authorities must use to record the data from each four-monthly NI 195 survey, and in generating returns to Government.
The Guidance Manual contains advice on the likely margins of error associated with NI 195 Survey results at local authority level. (Note: these margins of error apply to the ‘raw’ data, before weighting).

How Will NI 195 Be Measured?

The four elements of NI 195 (litter, detritus, graffiti and flyposting) will be measured separately:

NI 195a. - Litter
NI 195b. - Detritus
NI 195c. - Graffiti
NI 195d. - Flyposting

Each site will be given a grading assessment on a seven-point scale, ranging from Grade A (clean) to Grade D (heavily affected).

The full range of grading assessments is as follows:

A, B+, B, B –, C, C – and D

(Note: B – is the former B/C grade)

In each case, the NI 195 measure will be based on the percentage of sites surveyed that fall below a Grade B.

However, in the case of sites graded B –, these sites will be given half the weight of sites that are graded C, C – or D in calculating the overall Indicators for litter, detritus, graffiti and flyposting.

How Do I Raise Queries With Defra?

Please send an email to: info@NI195.com

How Do I Obtain A Username and Password To Use The NI 195 Database?

Before trying to use the NI 195 database, an authority should send an email to Defra, at info@NI195.com, in the following format:

Please register the following staff member of (Authority Name) to use the NI 195 database - An.Other@authority.gov.uk

The actual email format should be in the standard format used by the authority.

Authorities are advised to set up a separate email account for this purpose.

Defra will reply, giving an appropriate unique password to be used by that authority when accessing the NI 195 database.

If the username and/or password are subsequently mislaid, please email Defra at info@NI195.com to request assistance.

ISSUES RAISED BY LOCAL AUTHORITIES

Why Does The NI 195 Survey Use Intermediate Grades? Why Use 7 Grades Rather Than 4?

The 7-point grading system for NI 195 is designed to provide management information for local authority managers, and to give them a more accurate picture of variations in standards than would be possible using a 4-point scale.

The Intermediate grades play an important part in the system - particularly in the case of the B – grade, which indicates just a small shortfall from a satisfactory standard.

Local Authority Comments
During discussions carried out with local authority officers by Defra in July and August 2007, three main criticisms were made of the grading system used for BVPI 199.

Weighting of Grades
In calculating the Cleanliness Performance Indicator score, authorities were penalised just as much for a small shortfall in standards as for a large shortfall – a B – assessment was given the same weight as a Grade C, or a Grade D.

This criticism has been addressed by changing the way in which the score is calculated. For NI 195, where there is only a small shortfall (B – , rather than C, C – or D), the NI 195 score will now benefit by including only half of the proportion of sites rated B – . For example, suppose the crude percentage of sites falling below a Grade B is 50%, but 40% of the sites surveyed are B –. In this case the NI 195 score is reduced by 20%, from 50% to 30%.

This is designed to give credit to authorities for raising standards above a Grade C, while still indicating that there is more work to do to achieve a satisfactory standard.

Labelling of Grades
The labelling of grades for BVPI 199 – A, B+, B, B/C, C, C – and D – was felt to be confusing. This criticism was directed in particular at the B/C grade.

The B/C grade has been relabelled as B –, to make the grades more consistent.

Illustration of Grades<br /> In addition, the website contains a new section – a ‘Photo Gallery’ – which contains a series of grading photos, to assist surveyors in making their assessments.

Use of a 4-Point Grading System
Lastly,some authorities felt that using only the four defined COPL&R grades would be simpler. After careful consideration, it has been decided that the seven-point grading system should be retained, because of the improved management information that it provides.

How The Grading System Should Be Used
The grading system is designed to tell local authorities what proportion of sites in each of their standard Land Uses falls below a satisfactory standard in terms of cleansing, and whether that shortfall is large or small. It is also designed to tell authorities what proportion of sites exceeds a satisfactory standard, and if so, by how much.

If authorities concentrate on tackling the problems on the worst sites, while maintaining standards elsewhere, then there will be a progressive shift in the pattern of grades. Over a period of time, there should be fewer sites with unsatisfactory standards, and an increasing proportion where standards are satisfactory or better.

What Information Does The Website Have To Help With Grading Assessments?

A detailed explanation of the grading system used in assessing standards for litter, detritus, graffiti and flyposting has been added to the Guidance Manual (Sections 1.3 to 1.7).

A new ‘Photo Gallery’ has been provided on the website, containing a selection of grading photos in various situations, to help surveyors make their grading assessments.

Why Have The Housing Land Uses Been Changed?

Since the LEQS Standard Land Use Classes were defined in 2000, there has been:

an increase in housing densities in most new and infill housing developments as a result of Government policies, which has blurred the edges between traditional high and low density patterns;
a continuation of the 'right to buy' whereby tenants in Council or other Social housing (e.g. Housing Association houses) can buy their house at a discount;
an extension in the number of mixed tenure developments, which has seen the increased co-mingling of private, rented, social and co-ownership properties; and,
a continued increase in the level of car ownership.

The combined effect of these changes has meant that in many places the traditional distinction between Social and Private Housing areas is no longer viable.

In addition, increasing levels of car ownership have led to many householders creating off-street parking space in their front curtilage, with or without a formal 'dropped kerb' to allow easy access for vehicles. In some cases this appears to have been done by the Council/landlord, using some of the incidental green space within the housing layout.

Furthermore, in higher density developments where some parking is provided within the curtilage, some occupiers use garages to provide storage or additional activity spaces, and external parking space to store boats and caravans, thereby displacing motor vehicles onto the highway.

Despite the creation of extensive off-highway parking the effect of significant increased car ownership has been to increase the general level of on-street parking provision to the point where there is no longer a simple correlation between levels of off-street parking provision and levels of on-street parking.

No change is proposed to the existing definition of High Density Housing, but the label has been changed to ‘High Obstruction Housing’.

Low Density Social Housing and Low Density Private Housing have been replaced by ‘Medium Obstruction Housing’ and ‘Low Obstruction Housing’.

In general terms ‘Medium Obstruction Housing’ will have more than 50% of dwellings with off-street parking and can have up to two parking spaces per dwelling off-street, while ‘Low Obstruction Housing’ will have three or more parking spaces per dwelling off-street.

Detailed definitions of ‘Medium Obstruction Housing’ and ‘Low Obstruction Housing’ are set out in Section 4.0 of the Manual.

Why Does The NI 195 Survey Include Detritus On Rural Roads?

Most authorities contain Rural Roads. Only authorities in highly urbanised areas such as in Inner London, or where the boundary is drawn very tightly around the built up area, will not have sufficient ‘Rural Road’ transects to include them in the NI 195 survey.

If Rural Roads were omitted from the NI 195 survey, this would mean that conditions on a significant part of the land area of England would be ignored.

Because of the way the NI 195 survey is structured, with a target number of 30 transects for each land use in each four-monthly survey, there is no question of authorities with large rural areas being penalised.

Rural Roads form only 10% of the total survey, and so the influence of conditions in any one land use is limited.

Equal weight is given to Rural Roads for every authority in which they form enough transects to be included in the NI 195 survey. Levels of detritus tend to be relatively high on Rural Roads everywhere, both in ‘urban’ and ‘rural’ authorities.

It is up to each authority to decide what view they take of levels of litter or detritus in each land use, including rural roads.

The fact that detritus is measured on all transects surveyed for NI 195 helps to ensure that the NI 195 survey is consistent and comparable between all local authorities.

Why Does The Survey Not Reflect The Variations Between Authorities In The Proportions Of Different Land Uses?

The prime requirement for a National Indicator is that it should be consistent and comparable between all authorities, allowing systematic and accurate comparisons to be made.

Although the proportions of the Standard Land Uses that are present may vary widely between one authority and another, the NI 195 survey does not attempt to reflect this.

This is because there is at present no simple way in which the proportions of land uses, and those variations, can be measured or weighted accurately for every single authority.

The use of a ‘standard basket’ of 30 sites (minimum) in each of the ten Standard Land Uses that are present in an authority is a practical alternative which ensures that, so far as is practicable, the NI 195 survey is consistent and comparable between authorities.

What Is A ‘Representative’ Sample?

A ‘representative’ sample is one that, in its selection of transects to survey, seeks to reflect the different types of development that are present within a Land Use, within the authority.

Different types of development often reflect the age of development, which can vary in age from late Victorian/Edwardian, to the late 20 th and early 21 st centuries. Retail and Commercial, Housing and Industrial/Warehousing land uses usually all show this kind of variation.

Authorities should try to ensure that the NI 195 sample reflects such variations, where they exist, within the target wards.

This can be done either in planning each four-monthly NI 195 Survey, and/or by surveyors using their local knowledge to select transects on site.

Surveyors should also try to get a geographic ‘spread’ across the target ward, rather than concentrating all the transects for a particular land use in a small area.

In this way, the NI 195 survey will maximise the extent to which it reflects the variations that exist within an authority.

What Are The Margins Of Error Associated With The NI 195 Survey?

Where a survey is based on a random sample, it is possible to estimate the likely margin of error, based on the sample size.

Although the NI 195 survey is not based on a random sample, it is designed to minimise the possibility of it being biased in some way (which is the same objective as that of a random sample).

The margins of error associated with a random sample have therefore been used as a guide to the likely margin of error for the ‘raw’ scores for the NI 195 Survey.

The ‘raw’ scores are the percentages of sites graded below Grade B for litter, detritus, graffiti and flyposting, before adjusting these figures to give a half-weighting to sites graded B –. The margins of error below apply to the unweighted, ‘raw’ data extracted from the NI 195 database in BVPI 199 format.

In the tables below, the true figure is likely to be within the margin of error estimated, 19 times out of 20.

This means that for a figure of 30% estimated from a sample of 900 transects, 19 times out of 20 the true percentage is likely to be in the range 27.0 to 33.0.

7 times out of 10, the true figure will be within 28.5% and 31.5%.

Whatever the margin of error, 30% will still be the most likely figure.

Annual NI 195 Survey (900 Transects)

Estimate (%)	Margin of Error (% +/-)	Possible Range (%)
30	3.0	27.0 - 33.0
20	2.6	17.4 - 22.6
10	2.0	8.0 - 12.0

Four-Monthly NI 195 Survey (300 Transects)

Estimate (%)	Margin of Error (% +/-)	Possible Range (%)
30	5.2	24.8 - 35.2
20	4.5	15.5 - 24.5
10	3.3	6.7 - 13.3

Individual Land Uses
At the level of individual land uses, the results of the NI 195 survey will give an indication of the ranking of land uses, as a basis for decisions on priorities for action.

Will Advice Be Given On Carrying Out NI 195 Surveys For Wards And Neighbourhoods?

For authorities wishing to carry out surveys of wards, groups of wards, individual neighbourhoods and other small areas using the NI 195 approach, advice can be obtained by clicking here.

Will Authorities Still Be Able To See The BVPI 199 Manual And Website?

The Guidance Manual and Website for BVPI 199 will remain accessible until April 2009, at www.leq-bvpi.com. It will be discontinued at a later date, to be determined.

What Other Assistance Is Available?

A separate website has been developed which authorities can use to carry out skills audits and to find out what skills developent and training opportunities are available for staff at all levels involved in environmental management. That website can be accessed at www.localenvironmentskills.org.

TARGETS

What Targets Have Defra Set For NI 195?

Defra will not be setting any national targets for NI 195 for litter, detritus, graffiti or flyposting.

However, where NI 195 is included in an authority’s Local Area Agreement, either as a National or a Local Indicator, targets may be set on a local basis.

Have Targets Been Set For Graffiti And Flyposting?

No targets have been set for graffiti and flyposting.

How Will The Information From NI 195 Be Used?

As well as providing information for the public, the indicator will also feature in the Comprehensive Area Assessment (CAA) to be carried out for each local authority by the Audit Commission.

Local authorities may also choose to include NI 195 in the list of 35 Indicators to be included in their Local Area Agreement.

WHY DO WE NEED A NATIONAL CLEANLINESS INDICATOR?

Why Is NI 195 A National Indicator?

The Government, through its ‘Cross-Cutting Review On Improving Public Space’, has identified Local Environmental Quality as one of the chief concerns of local communities.

This is backed up by research undertaken by the Local Government Association, who concluded that cleaner and safer streets are issues that are of concern to almost everyone.

However, until the introduction of the Cleanliness Performance Indicator that preceded NI 195 (BVPI 199) there was not a robust, reliable indicator covering environmental cleanliness.

What Benefits Will NI 195 Have For Local Authorities?

The Cross-Cutting Review on Public Space recommends the use of ENCAMS’ Local Environmental Quality Survey (LEQS) for monitoring a range of local environmental quality issues.

NI 195 uses a very basic version of the LEQS to enable local authorities to produce district-wide estimates of cleanliness standards. The results will be comparable with the overall national returns for the Annual Local Environmental Quality Survey for England (LEQSE).

Local Authorities will be able to compare overall local standards with national benchmarks, and to use the detailed NI 195 information for internal management purposes.

No good business can operate nowadays without an effective quality assurance system. That is what NI 195 is intended to be – part of a quality assurance system. NI 195, therefore, is simply good business practice.

How Does NI 195 Relate To The Government’s Priorities?

NI 195 falls squarely within the Government’s Cleanliness and Liveability Agenda. Defra is working together with other Government Departments, including CLG and the Home Office, on a range of initiatives to further this Agenda.

What Does NI 195 Cover?

NI 195 covers four elements of the local environment – litter, detritus, graffiti and flyposting.

Flytipping, which was included in the former Cleanliness Performance Indicator BVPI 199, is now covered by a separate Indicator, NI 196. This Guidance Manual does not cover NI 196 - flytipping. Flytipping is measured via the Flycapture system. Advice on the measurement of flytipping can be found on the section of the CLG website that deals with National Indicators.

Why Does NI 195 Include Both Litter and Detritus?

Litter and detritus are the two most widespread types of material requiring cleansing. Measuring litter alone will not give a complete picture of how effectively an area is being cleaned.

Why Does NI 195 Include Graffiti And Flyposting?

A street can be Grade A for both litter and detritus and still appear dirty and uncared for because of the many other local environmental quality factors that come into play.

Whilst NI 195 cannot include all of these factors, it does include two that we know impact on people’s perception of the local environment – graffiti, and flyposting.

NI 195 DEFINITIONS

How Are Litter And Detritus Defined?

There is no statutory definition of either of litter or detritus. The definitions used for NI 195 and for the LEQSE are:

Litter includes mainly synthetic materials, often associated with smoking, eating and drinking, that are improperly discarded by members of the public; or are spilt during waste management operations. Litter may also include putrescible or clinical wastes, or faeces such as dog, bird and other animal faeces.

Detritus comprises dust, mud, soil, grit, gravel, stones, rotted leaf and vegetable residues (including mulch); and fragments of twigs, glass, plastic and other materials.

Detritus does not include recent leaf and blossom fall, which for the purposes of NI 195 are also excluded from the definition of litter.

How Is Graffiti Defined?

Graffiti is defined as any informal or illegal marks, drawings or paintings that have been deliberately made by a person or persons on any physical element comprising the outdoor environment, with a view to communication some message or symbol etc. to others.

Graffiti should be recorded if it is visible from relevant land and highways (in other words, from the survey transect) on the surface of any building, wall, fence or other structure or erection, where that surface is readily visible from a place on that land or highway to which the public have access.

How Is Flyposting Defined?

Flyposting is defined as any printed material and associated remains informally or illegally fixed to any structure. It includes any size of material from small stickers up to large posters. Flyposting excludes formally managed and approved advertising hoardings and valid, legally placed signs and notices. It also excludes:

- business cards and handbills placed under vehicle windscreen wipers and vehicle door handles;

- illegal displays on movable objects such as advertising A boards, billboards on movable bases on farmland and other open land, and on 'barrage balloons', dirigibles or airships.

Flyposting should be recorded if it is visible from relevant land and highways (in other words, from the survey transect) on the surface of any building, wall, fence or other structure or erection, where that surface is readily visible from a place on that land or highway to which the public have access.

NI 195 ASSESSMENTS

How Will Litter Be Assessed?

Litter will be assessed using the grading system set out in the Code Of Practice On Litter And Refuse (COPL&R), issued under Part IV of the Environmental Protection Act 1990.

COPL&R identifies four grades in respect of litter:

Grade A – no litter or refuse
Grade B – predominantly free of litter and detritus except for some small items
Grade C – widespread distribution of litter and detritus, with minor accumulations
Grade D – heavily littered, with significant accumulations

Three Intermediate grades will also be used – (B+; B – ; and C –).

How Will Detritus Be Assessed?

Detritus will be assessed using a similar system to that for litter:

Grade A – no detritus
Grade B – predominantly free of and detritus except for some light scattering
Grade C – widespread distribution of detritus, with minor accumulations
Grade D – extensively covered with detritus, with significant accumulations

Three Intermediate grades will also be used – (B+; B – ; and C –).

How Will Graffiti And Flyposting Be Assessed?

Graffiti and flyposting will be recorded if they are on or visible from the survey site.

The grading system for both Graffiti and Flyposting will be similar to that for litter and detritus.

Grading assessments may be:

Grade A - the local environment is completely free of graffiti/flyposting.
Grade B - some graffiti/flyposting is present, but it is minor in extent, and many people passing through the local environment would not notice it.
Grade C - graffiti/flyposting is present to the extent that it would be clearly visible to people passing through the local environment, and visible at a distance from at least one end of the 50m transect.
Grade D - graffiti/flyposting is extensive over a large part of the transect and is likely to be clearly visible and obtrusive to people passing through the local environment, and visible from any point on the transect.

As with litter and detritus, intermediate grades may also be used (B+, B – and C-).

For Graffiti And Flyposting, Why Does NI 195 Measure The Incidence Of The Problem (Which local Authorities Can’t Control, Rather Than Their Response (Which They Can)?

The incidence of the problem is something that authorities can control, and it is in their interests to tackle the problems at source and reduce the incidence, rather than just focus on the reactive response each time.

The number of sites on which graffiti and fly-posting are found will depend upon the service deliver of the local authority and the effectiveness of its campaigns, education and enforcement. It can also be reduced through design approaches, such as preventative surfaces, slatted hoardings etc.

The new elements of graffiti and fly-posting follow litter in assessing the state of the local environment, rather than local authority inputs or processes. They are outcome measures, reflecting the move towards more outcome based measures within the National Indicator suite.

What Powers Are Available To Deal With Graffiti And Flyposting?

Powers to deal with graffiti and fly-posting include:

Fly-posting – Town and Country Planning Act 1990 (s. 224, 225 and 1992 regulations), Highways Act 1980 (s. 132), Anti-social Behaviour Act 2003 (s. 43-47) and Crime and Disorder Act 1998 (s.1).

Graffiti – Criminal Damage Act 1971 and Anti-social Behaviour Act 2003 (s. 43-47, 48-52 and 54).

The Clean Neighbourhoods and Environment Act 2005 (CNEA) has added to these powers. It has amended certain sections of the Anti-Social Behaviour Act 2004, enabling a local authority to serve a ‘defacement removal notice’ on the owners, occupiers, operators of ‘relevant surfaces’, and educational institutions whose property is defaced with graffiti and/or flyposting.

The Local Government Act 2000 (s.2) gives all local authorities the power to promote well-being in their area. This is a wide-ranging power and could certainly be used with regard to improving local environmental quality if authorities felt that their current powers in this area were limited.

Within London , further powers are available through various London Local Authorities Acts.

RELEVANT LAND ISSUES

Will Litter And Detritus Be Restricted To ‘Relevant Land’?

Yes – NI 195a. (Litter) and NI 195b. (Detritus) will cover only ‘Relevant Land’ of a Principal Litter Authority, as set out in S.86 of the Environmental Protection Act 1990.

What Issues May Arise By Restricting NI 195a. and NI 195b. To Relevant Land?

During the field testing of the the former BVPI 199, partner authorities identified a number of potential complications that might arise through restricting coverage to Relevant Land:

in some authorities, privately-managed retail and commercial precincts - which are freely accessible to the public, would be excluded;
similarly, privately-managed industrial estates and science parks would be excluded; and,
in some circumstances, it is possible that Large Scale Voluntary Transfers of housing stock, or the creation of Arms Length Management Organisations (ALMOs) could remove former Council estates from Relevant Land.

Partner authorities felt that since publicly accessible, non-relevant land gives rise to many complaints concerning cleanliness, it would be ‘good practice’ for such land to be monitored, in addition to relevant land – but that the results should not be reported as part of the NI 195 return.

The operation of NI 195a. and NI 195b. will be kept under review, to monitor any feedback that may arise during implementation.

Will Graffiti And Flyposting Be Restricted To Relevant Land?

No - although the survey will be carried out from the same sites (on relevant land) as for litter and detritus, graffiti and flyposting will be recorded if they are on or visible from the survey site.

As with NI 195a. and NI 195b., the operation of NI 195c. and NI 195d. will be kept under review, to monitor any feedback that may arise during implementation.

Why Are All Visible Surfaces Included For Graffiti And Flyposting?

All visible surfaces are included since the public view of cleanliness in an area will be affected by all such surfaces. The powers available are described above and some of these will be applicable to land outside of the local authority’s direct control. However, much of the graffiti on railway land is only visible from that land itself, not from public space and so this will not fall under the remit of the indicator. Government will continue to work with transport operators and other land managers to tackle local environmental quality problems on private land.

How Should The NI 195 Survey Record Graffiti (Or Flyposting) That Is Visible From More Than One Of The Survey Transects?

The NI 195 survey should make a separate assessment of the graffiti and flyposting that is visible from each survey transect. Include the graffiti/flyposting in each transects's assessment. An example where this may occur is where a gable wall is visible from two of the survey transects.

However, if this situation arises, then surveyors should review/confirm whether their selection of transects is truly 'representative', as required for the NI 195 survey.

INDICES OF DEPRIVATION

Can The 2007 Indices Of Deprivation Be Used For The NI 195 Survey?

The 2007 Indices of Multiple Deprivation (IMD) were published by the Department for Communities and Local Government (CLG) in December 2007. However, they have not been published for electoral wards, but for Census Super Output Areas.

Authorities are recommended to continue using the 2004 Indices of Deprivation, as they did for BVPI 199 (see below).

If authorities feel that they wish to use the 2007 IMD figures together with their current ward boundaries, then if they have access to computerised Geographic Information System (GIS) facilities they may be able to do so in the following way:

obtain a set of the 2007 IMD information for the authority by sending an email order to communities@twoten.com. (General enquiries should be sent to indices.deprivation@communities.gsi.gov.uk);
obtain a CD containing the digitised boundaries of the Lower Level Super Output Areas (LLSOAs) within their authority, using the order form obtainable at the Office for National Statistics website address given in Section 2.0 of the NI 195 website. This website also gives further information about the SOA boundaries.
Please note that the SOA boundaries are only available as a standard product for the whole of England and Wales, not just for individual authorities.
If using MapInfo software, authorities should request a midmif file. If using ESRI software (e.g. ARCINFO), authorities should request a shapefile. The order form, with a covering email, should be sent to ons.geography@ons.gov.uk.
create a file within their GIS that contains the digitised boundaries of the current electoral wards;
overlay the LLSOA boundaries for the authority over the electoral ward boundaries, and assign each of the LLSOAs to the appropriate electoral ward;
make appropriate adjustments where LLSOAs are split between electoral wards;
add together the IMD scores for the LLSOAs within a ward, and divide the total by the number of LLSOAs.

This will give an estimate of the IMD for each electoral ward. Rank the electoral wards within the district according to their estimated IMD figure. The resulting list of wards may then be used to help plan the NI 195 survey in the manner set out in this Manual.

Maps of Electoral Wards To Which the IMD Figures Relate
Within each local authority the Electoral Registration Office (or the Chief Executive’s Department) should be able to provide a map showing the District’s Electoral Ward boundaries which relate to the estimated 2004 (or 2007) IMD scores.

How Can The 2004 Indices Of Multiple Deprivation Be Used For NI 195?

Although new Indices of Multiple Deprivation (IMD) were published in 2004 by the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister (ODPM), they are available only for Low Level and Mid-Level “Super-Output Areas” and have not been published for the revised Ward Boundaries.

However, ENCAMS has been able to make estimates of the IMD scores for Electoral Wards using the Low Level Super Output Area data, which can be aggregated to the ward boundaries that existed at 31st December 2002.

The estimates have been arrived at by adding together the Low Level Super Output Area IMD scores within a Ward, and dividing the result by the number of Low Level Super Output Areas within that Ward.

For a minority of authorities, the Wards that have been used are those where a Statutory Instrument giving notice of changes to Ward boundaries had been published by 31st December 2002.

Some Wards have been combined because of confidentiality restrictions imposed by the Office for National Statistics.

Important Note: these IMD scores have been aggregated from Lower Level Super Output Areas to Wards solely for the purpose of planning the NI 195 Survey. The methodology used is a simplistic one not including, for example, weighting based on population size. The results are not approved by the National Statistics Office and should not be read as an official measure of the 2004 IMD.

How Can The Estimated 2004 Indices Of Deprivation Be Obtained?

The estimated IMD scores for Wards can be downloaded from this website by

- clicking on 'Deprivation Indices' on the main menu; and then,

- clicking on the 2004 IMD file for the appropriate region.

Within each region, local authorities are listed in alphabetical order.

How Should Target Wards Be Identified Using The 2004 Indices Of Deprivation?

The list of wards, ranked by Index of Deprivation, should be divided into five groups and the sequence in which the wards will be surveyed worked out as set out in Section 3.0 of the NI 195 website.

How Can We Obtain Copies Of Ward Boundaries For The 2004 IMD?

Within each local authority the Electoral Registration Office (or the Chief Executive's Department) should be able to provide a map showing the District’s Ward Boundaries which relate to the 2004 IMD scores.

LAND USES

What Land Use Zoning System Will Be Used For NI 195?

The NI 195 Land-use Classes are as follows:

Main Retail and Commercial
Other Retail and Commercial
High Obstruction Housing
Medium Obstruction Housing
Low Obstruction Housing
Industry / Warehousing / Retail Sheds / Science Parks
Main Roads
Rural Roads
Other Highways (e.g. lay-bys and bridleways)
Recreation Areas

The BVPI 199 Land Uses were:

Primary Retail and Commercial
Secondary Retail and Commercial
High Density Housing
Low Density Social Housing
Lower Density Private Housing
Industry / Warehousing / Retail Sheds / Science Parks
Main Roads
Rural Roads
Other Highways (e.g. lay-bys and bridleways)
Recreation Areas

Which NI 195 Land Uses Are Different From BVPI 199?

‘Primary Retail and Commercial Areas’ have been relabelled ‘Main Retail and Commercial Areas’, but the definition has not changed.

‘Secondary Retail and Commercial Areas’ have been relabelled ‘Other Retail and Commercial Areas’, but the definition has not changed.

For BVPI 199, High Density Housing was defined as having off-street parking for less than 50% of dwellings.

The Low Density Social Housing and Low Density Private Housing land uses have been deleted. They have been replaced by:

Medium Obstruction Housing – where

the proportion of dwellings with purpose-made off-street parking facilities is greater than 50%; and
less than half of the properties have space for more than two current-day family cars to be parked within the property boundary.

In these areas, there is a moderate risk of mechanical channel sweeping operations being significantly obstructed.

Low Obstruction Housing – where more than 50% of properties have purpose-made off-road garaging/parking within the property boundary for three or more current-day family cars. In these areas, there is generally a low risk of mechanical channel sweeping operations being obstructed.

The new categories of housing are designed to reflect the likelihood of cleansing operations being affected by parked vehicles (and other obstructions) preventing mechanical sweepers being able to cleanse road channels.

Why Have The Housing Land Uses Been Changed?

See the FAQ under ‘Issues Raised By Local Authorities’.

Is It Necessary To Complete Land Use Mapping Befire Starting The Survey?

It is not necessary to set up any form of database before starting the survey. The NI 195 Survey is designed to be capable of being carried out by persons with little or no advance knowledge of an authority.

What Is Classed As Off-Street Parking?

Off-street garaging/parking provision can include:

front gardens that have been converted to provide hard standings, providing that the kerb has been fully dropped;
garage courts serving blocks of flats/maisonettes, which are not gated or fully contained within a property curtilage;
parking bays created adjacent to the carriageway, but not including areas simply defined on the carriageway with paint markings;
areas of hard standing on grassed areas designed to provide vehicle parking areas.

In areas where houses have been subdivided into flats, or houses in multiple occupation, the calculation should be based on the number of dwellings present, not the number of buildings.

Are Pedestrian Routes Other Highways Or Not?

Pedestrian routes and pathways within housing areas, crossing open grassed areas ,should be included within the appropriate land use class, not in ‘Other Highways’. Pathways that are adopted, with boundaries (walls, hedges and other structures) should be included in ‘Other Highways’.

TECHNICAL ISSUES

How Is A Survey Site Defined?

A survey site is called a ‘transect’. A transect is normally a street or highway site, 50 metres long, extending the whole width of the street or highway from backline to backline. It will include footways, road channels and carriageways, and may also include landscaped areas such as verges, grassed areas, shrubbed areas, planters and tree pits.

A transect may take different forms in Recreation Areas. Along footways, they should normally be 50 metres long, and extend 2 metres onto grassed or other areas that lie either side of the path. In ‘special areas’ such as play areas, they should not exceed 50 metres on their longest axis. This may mean subdividing such areas for survey purposes into a series of 50 x 50 metre transects (maximum).

How Many Sites (Transects) Should Be Surveyed?

300 transects should be surveyed in each of three 4-month periods during the year (April – July; August – November; and December – March).

A sample of this size (900 transects over a full year) will give results that can be used to assess the performance of local authorities in respect of their Local Area Agreement.

A minimum of 30 transects should be surveyed in each NI 195 Land Use Class in each four-month period.

How Long Should Each Four-Monthly NI 195 Survey Take?

Based on the rates of work achieved by the local authorities involved in piloting the original BVPI 199 Cleanliness Performance Indicator (which preceded NI 195), which covered litter and detritus, it was estimated that each survey of 300 transects for a four-month period should take about 10 working days. This included survey planning; carrying out the survey; and data input. Much of the time involved in surveying is spent in travelling to, and between, survey sites.

The addition of graffiti and flyposting will have led to a modest increase in this effort.

Although the reporting format for NI 195 has changed from that for BVPI 199, the effort involved in surveying should remain roughly the same.

However, the rate of work is heavily dependent on the way that surveyors operate. It is strongly recommended that surveyors do not combine surveying with other duties on survey days as this slows the survey down considerably. If it is not practicable to spend whole days on NI 195 surveying, then surveyors should devote a minimum of half a day at a time.

When Should The NI 195 Survey Be Done?

In order for local authorities’ NI 195 scores to be compared with national benchmarks, the timing of the survey should reflect that of the LEQSE.

The LEQSE Survey is carried out on weekdays (Monday to Friday), normally between 0800 hrs and 1800 hrs.

Who Should Carry Out The Survey?

Since 1990, under COPL&R, local authorities have been advised that they should monitor the standard of cleanliness within their area, and should already have put some form of inspection system in place.

If there is no existing inspection system, then responsibility could rest with the equivalent of the client function.

There will, however, be a number of options for the way in which the NI 195 survey could be staffed and carried out. Authorities already carry out a wide range of environmental inspections, and may wish to use this opportunity to review the way in these are organised across the organisation.

Can Other Departments Help Within The Authority?

Other Departments can assist in a number of ways:

The Electoral Registration Section (or the Chief Executive's Department) should be able to provide copies of maps showing electoral ward boundaries.

The Highways Department should be able to advise on the location of formal lay-bys. In the case of two-tier administrative (County/District) situations, the Highways Department will be located in the County Council. However, many District Councils hold a Highway Agency agreement for all or part of their district, and so should be able to provide assistance. The Highways Department should also hold the Definitive Rights of Way, if you should need to check on the presence of Bridleways, BOATS and RUPPS/Restricted Byways.

The Planning Department can advise on the location of Main and Other Retail and Commercial Areas, and the location of Industrial, Warehousing and Retail Shed developments; and (if necessary) on how to interpret the Proposals Map;

If appropriate, the Housing Department should be able to provide maps of council housing estates (including those that have been the subject of Large Scale Voluntary Transfers (LSVTs), or transferred to Arms Length Management Organisations (ALMOs));