Aligned Assets Release the Symphony Blackbox

Woking, Surrey 18th September 2012 – Gazetteer specialists Aligned Assets can today announce the release of its latest software product – Symphony Blackbox.

Designed to allow local authorities to easily share their central address databases with other council departments, and in doing so reduce costs and increase efficiency, the Symphony Blackbox can be used by any council, irrespective of which other software systems they have installed.

Aligned Assets are the first UK company to offer this level of integration, which is based on technology already in use by over 50 local authorities.

Up to 100 different council systems use address data and in many cases the creation and management of those addresses are untaken within each department. This expensive duplication of work can result in a multitude of errors as different addresses are entered with different spellings and formatting. These errors inhibit joined up working and can see a reduction in services to the taxpayer.

Each council in Great Britain will maintain a central database of all addresses within their administrative boundaries known as Local Land and Property Gazetteers (England and Wales) or Corporate Address Gazetteers (Scotland). Symphony Blackbox works by allowing changes in these single databases to be automatically exported to other systems, thereby removing both duplication of work and the errors that result from it.

Managing Director of Aligned Assets, Andy Hird, said, “We’ve calculated that the Symphony Blackbox has the potential to save each council tens of thousands of pounds every year.”

“It’s compatible with existing infrastructure, so requires no restructuring or upheaval, and its flexible, intuitive design means that those savings can start to be recognised almost instantly.”

For more information visit: www.aligned-assets.co.uk/blackbox

ABOUT ALIGNED ASSETS
Aligned Assets are an industry leader in AddressBase, gazetteer and address management solutions. They supply software across the public and private sectors including over 100 Local Authorities, Fire & Rescue Services and Police Forces. In addition to software and data solutions, they offer a complete range of consultancy, training, bespoke development and project management.

Aligned Assets Gazetteer Software Helping to Drive Efficiency at the London Borough of Harrow

Gazetteer specialists Aligned Assets are pleased to announce that the London Borough of Harrow has selected the Symphony Suite of gazetteer software for the management of their Local Land and Property Gazetteer (LLPG).

It will see them using the Country’s most advanced gazetteer management system, Symphony iManage, to ensure that all changes to the Borough’s address data, including all new developments, are recorded accurately, efficiently and in accordance with British Standard BS7666.

They have also opted to take Symphony iExchange, which will allow them to automatically export changes in their address data to other council departments and therefore remove the need to maintain multiple address databases.

The use of iExchange will see the council make significant savings through a reduced workload and greater efficiency, and has the added advantage of ensuring all council departments are able to utilise the UPRN (unique property reference number). The UPRN was instrumental in facilitating their 2012 MJ award winning “MyHarrow Account” citizen portal which won the Transformation through I.T category. In addition, the UPRN will also aid in the transition to Individual Electoral Registration (IER) and since it is used across the public sector, will enable better joined up working with the emergency services and NHS.

Speaking of the purchase, Luke Studden, LLPG Custodian at the London Borough of Harrow said, “Aligned Assets have consistently shown themselves to be leading the way in the provision of gazetteer management systems. When we came to review our software, Aligned Assets were able to tick all the boxes in terms of both functionality and price.”

Studden went on to say, “Moving to the new software was a smooth process and it allowed us to build on the work we have done to date. Symphony iManage’s ability to integrate with ESRI technology as well as MapInfo was a distinct advantage as this meant changes to working practice was kept to a minimum. It also enabled integration with the existing deployment of our corporate GIS infrastructure.”

Aligned Assets now supply over 20% of all London Boroughs and Harrow is the latest in an ever-growing list of local authorities who are recognising them as the number one supplier of gazetteer management systems.

Managing Director of Aligned Assets, Andy Hird was quoted as saying, “The hard work and dedication of the staff at Harrow has already seen them win a number of national awards in recognition of their achievements. We look forward to working with them in the future to replicate this success.”

www.aligned-assets.co.uk

Lancashire Fire and Rescue Service Become the Latest to Select Aligned Assets

Symphony Bluelight, the UK’s only AddressBase compatible gazetteer management system is now in use at Lancashire Fire and Rescue Service

Lancashire Fire and Rescue Service has become the latest emergency service to select Symphony Bluelight from Aligned Assets as their corporate gazetteer management system.

As a suite of software solutions designed specifically for use in the emergency services, Symphony Bluelight will give Lancashire Fire and Rescue Service complete management of their address data and allow them to streamline services by linking the diverse systems that support the organisation.

With address data common to most of these systems, Lancashire Fire and Rescue Service are looking to implement AddressBase Premium from the Ordnance Survey as the single, definitive source of address data, selecting Symphony Bluelight as the only gazetteer management system currently capable of supporting it.

Symphony Bluelight will be used to integrate AddressBase Premium with core business systems including risk information, home fire safety checks and ultimately their new command and control system, which is responsible for mobilising emergency response across more than 3,000 square kilometres.

Sophie Ryder, RCC Data Manager at Lancashire Fire and Rescue Service explained that, “As a receiving authority, our gazetteer requirements differ from those that create and maintain the records. Aligned Assets have delivered a product that suits our needs and to a timescale that allows us to plan a smooth migration to AddressBase.”

Managing Director of Aligned Assets, Andy Hird concluded by saying, “The fact that 25% of all English Fire and Rescue Services, as well as the UK’s two largest police forces in terms of area and staff respectively are using Symphony Bluelight for their gazetteer management shows that our approach of consulting and listening to clients about their needs has produced software of the very highest calibre.”

To find out more visit www.aligned-assets.co.uk/bluelight

ABOUT ALIGNED ASSETS
Aligned Assets are an industry leader in gazetteer and address management solutions. They supply software across the public and private sectors including over 100 Local Authorities, Fire & Rescue Services and Police Forces. In addition to software and data solutions, they offer a complete range of consultancy, training, bespoke development and project management.

Business Data Available For Use In Economic Regeneration

The UK’s most accurate and complete database of business data, available from address management specialists Aligned Assets, is gaining wide spread interest from across the public sector.

In local authorities, the data is proving of particular interest to economic regeneration teams who see it as an opportunity to better engage with local businesses to drive growth and create employment.

Not only does it provide a complete listing of businesses in the local authority area, but contains additional information such as employee numbers, SIC codes and even contact details for the business owners.

In addition to the visible, customer-facing businesses, the database also contains SOHO businesses (Small Office Home Office), examples of which would be plumbers or freelance web designers, who play a critical role in an area’s economy, but until now have been difficult to monitor.

Containing over two million records in total and updated daily by a call centre of 65 people, the business data is being supplied with Unique Property Reference Numbers (UPRNs), which are steadily becoming the de facto identifier of property across both the public and private sector. Additionally, the records will be supplied with precise geographical coordinates that will allow for pinpoint location accuracy and analysis via Geographical Information Systems (GIS).

“Approximately 8% of the entire database is either updated or validated each month, which equates to well over 150,000 businesses,” explained Andy Hird, Managing Director of Aligned Assets. “We consider this the most important element as it gives each user the ability to not only have the most up to date information, but in the case of economic regeneration, an ability to track and monitor the changing business landscape.”

For more information visit Business Data or call 01483 717950.

AddressBase Events Announced for June 2012

Gazetteer specialists Aligned Assets have announced two free of charge events that will be providing attendees with further information on the Ordnance Survey’s AddressBase range of data products.

Titled ‘AddressBase – All you need to know’, the first of these events will be held at Cardiff University on Thursday 14th June 2012, with the second at Minster Exchange in London on Wednesday 20th June 2012.

The events will be comprehensive information days that will cover everything people need to understand about these new products, what they are and how they can be used.

A number of presentations will be held throughout both days covering how the AddressBase products can be used in Geographic Information Systems (GIS) as well as address based systems such as CRMs, plus more generic looks at the benefits, the use of UPRNs, technical specifications, licensing and migration.

The events are intended for anyone who is thinking of using one of the new AddressBase products or is a current user of PAF, Address Point, Address Layer 2 or the National Land and Property Gazetteer (NLPG).

Speaking of the events, Managing Director of Aligned Assets, Andy Hird said, “With full GB coverage now available, the AddressBase products represent the pinnacle of address databases, not only in terms of accuracy, but the level of detail within them that allows the user to achieve things never before possible.”

“With applications across a wide range of industries from mobilising ambulances to detecting and preventing fraud, right through to ensuring a better level of customer service, these products are very much the future of address and gazetteer management.”

The events are ideally suited for those in financial services and utilities, plus central government, the NHS, housing associations and the emergency services. Anyone that is either looking to use AddressBase, or is a user of existing addressing products, whether in the public or private sector, will benefit from attending.

For more information, visit www.aligned-assets.co.uk/events

ABOUT ALIGNED ASSETS Aligned Assets are an industry leader in gazetteer and address management solutions. They supply software across the public and private sectors including over 100 Local Authorities, Fire & Rescue Services and Police Forces. In addition to software and data solutions, they offer a complete range of consultancy, training, bespoke development and project management.

Aligned Assets Release AddressBase Compatible Business Names Database

Aligned Assets, specialists in gazetteer and address management, have made a database of all UK businesses available to local authorities and the emergency services.

The business names database can be used for a variety of functions to better serve the public through improved delivery of council services and enhanced emergency response to business addresses.

With the database matched to the Ordnance Survey’s AddressBase Premium, as well as being the most up to date source of business names data currently available in the UK, it will contain UPRNs (unique property reference numbers) and be easily compatible with existing sources of public sector address data.

“Because businesses change so frequently, it has always been difficult for either local authorities or the emergency services to maintain up to date records,” explained Andy Hird, managing director of Aligned Assets.

“Our database is kept up to date by a call centre of 65 people, whose sole job it is to call businesses to confirm and update details. In addition to the call centre, data is also sourced from and validated against Companies House, through online submissions, direct from clients and businesses, plus an online feedback facility with both Bing and the BT Phonebook.”

Local authorities and the emergency services have access to accurate and consistent address data via Local Land and Property Gazetteers and AddressBase Premium. Addresses are relatively static, but the ‘sign above the door’ can change on a very regular basis. It is this ‘on the ground reality’ that can be so critically important and exactly what Aligned Assets are looking to supply.

“In order to ensure that accuracy is retained, the data will be supplied with monthly updates,” continued Hird, “and we will also be supplying business classifications and SIC Codes to enhance the value of the data.”

Aligned Assets will be holding a series of webinars to provide more information on the business names database. For more details, visit www.aligned-assets.co.uk/businessnames

Registration Now Open for Aligned Assets 2012 User Groups

Gazetteer specialists Aligned Assets have announced the dates for its annual user groups.

The Symphony User Group, which is for local authority customers, is to be held in Bolton on 18th April 2012. Attendees will have an opportunity to look at all the latest advances to the Symphony range of gazetteer products and actively participate in deciding on future development priorities.

There will also be presentations on promoting gazetteer usage within a local authority, attaining gold standard and a special look at AddressBase Premium and how it can be used to save money and increase efficiency.

In addition to the Symphony User Group, 2012 will see the inaugural meeting of the Bluelight User Group, which has been set up to cater for the increasing numbers of emergency services adopting Aligned Assets’ corporate gazetteer system.

To be held in central Birmingham on 25th April 2012, the Bluelight User Group will be looking at the use of corporate gazetteers and different methods of integrating data into frontline and back office systems. There will be an update on AddressBase Premium from the Ordnance Survey, plus an insight into the business names database that is available for use in mobilising, fire safety and risk intelligence.

“Our user groups perform an essential function in informing us as a company of precisely what our customers want,” explained Andy Hird, managing director of Aligned Assets. “No one knows better than the end user about what is needed, so ultimately it’s those users who decide what we do and how we do it.”

To find out more visit www.aligned-assets.co.uk/events