Research analysts at the City of Boroondara: the many hats

Local government is the tier of government that works most closely with the community it serves. A sound understanding of the local community is critical to local governments in the development of relevant and responsive strategies, plans and policies. The range of data sources available to facilitate such understanding is immense, and council departments benefit from access to timely analysis of relevant data to inform their work. The City of Boroondara’s Social Planning Unit employs two research analysts who act as a central resource for council; identifying, collecting and analysing data about the community. The information is then disseminated in a variety of formats throughout Council and to the community. This paper provides details of five projects which highlight the work of the City of Boroondara’s research analysts and outlines how their work is applied by Council staff and the community. It also highlights the range of research requests that make up the officers’ day to day work, and how these inform strategic planning and service delivery. Lastly, the paper makes comment on how the location of the research analysts in the Community Development Directorate offers a unique opportunity to inform policy across the organisation. It is hoped that the information contained in this paper will promote ideas about the dissemination and application of readily available data sources among local government staff, councillors and the community.