Almost all councils believe that good quality information is a top priority, but less than 5% actually have high quality data according to a recent Audit Commission report.

The report, called Is there something I should know: making the most of your information to improve services, reveals how local authorities are failing to capitalise on the benefits of improved data and intelligence. Fewer than two out of every ten councils have ‘excellent' data, according to the report, while many councils admit to fundamental data-gathering problems.