  
4. An outline business case for the Acacia project
4.1 Progress to date
The proposed national addresses infrastructure will be a national resource. There are several stages involved in putting such a major national resource in place, only some of which have so far been undertaken. The work to date has consisted of:
a limited review of NLPG as a potential source for the list of definitive national addresses
- this was undertaken before the requirements for a national address data-set had been fully considered and did not involve any significant quality audit of data or processes
preliminary work on development costs and the business case.
the Acacia Pilot Project,
a short Requirements Analysis (this study)
a short Benefits Analysis
an investigation into multi-occupancy addresses.
These projects have produced useful information that will help to prepare the way for development and implementation of the Acacia vision. There are, however, still many different address datasets and different technical views on a national infrastructure solution. In addition there are related issues such as intellectual property rights that must be resolved. These will not be resolved without the proper governance, management, funding and a planned approach to the implementation.
4.2 Next stages
In order to move the Acacia Programme forward towards the implementation of a national infrastructure, the following work will need to be undertaken:
- detailed requirements analysis (of which this is a high level
review);
- independent quality audit of NLPG and other source datasets,
especially completeness and currency, and the maintenance regime;
- quality review of the address creation process;
- development of the vision of the National Address Infrastructure – this should include an optimum process for address creation and maintenance, and not just incorporate existing processes of Acacia partners. There is a need to consider the wider strategic implications of an efficient model, and possible changes in other players
- one
which accurately reflects actual data lifecycles;
- Feasibility Study of the technical options for implementation
- to review options, including NLPG, and select the preferred technical solution;
- Preparation of a full Business Case for implementation
- to establish more securely the business case for government support and funding;
- Establish the governance and management structure for the
National Address Infrastructure;
- Implementation of the National Address Infrastructure, including
- provision of a quality assured central data resource
- development of centrally managed processes to disseminate and maintain this resource.
The proposed national infrastructure needs to be established with the necessary government funding and regulation for it to be capable of adoption across all potential users. This work cannot be undertaken by an informal group of small government organisations, such as the work on the Acacia Programme to date. The programme governance is fundamental to the success of the initiative and necessary regardless of the means of implementation of the infrastructure.
4.3 Implications and benefits for Acacia partners
The Acacia partners will have to adopt a new role and associated responsibilities with respect to provision of data to a national resource. Most will also have to make improvements to their data management procedures and quality assurance. This in turn may require some changes to their internal business processes.
Once implemented the national address infrastructure will allow the Acacia partners access to quality assured data, and potentially save significant operational costs. It will help to meet their particular needs as follows:
Local government
Local government has the greatest use of addresses, due to the wide range of front-line services that it delivers to the citizen. A comprehensive address dataset, firstly of residential properties, and then of commercial and other properties is required. It will have major benefits of:
- increased revenues by reduction of missing properties subject to
Council Tax and National non-domestic rates;
- improved efficiency in dealing with the public;
- more effective support of a partnership model for the delivery
of services;
- efficiencies through the integration of back and front office Information
Systems;
- better service planning through improved information about the
population.
Valuation Office
Valuation Office supplies a service to local government, in valuing properties for taxation purposes. A comprehensive address dataset of properties, both domestic and non-domestic will bring the benefits of improved efficiency in its service by reducing the mis-matches in address data.
Land Registries
Land registries are interested solely in registered land. A comprehensive address dataset will bring benefits of increased efficiency in their operational processes through identifying addresses and better information provision.
Ordnance Survey
A more effective and co-operation maintenance programme focused on core address information will improve the integration of all address databases with the underlying Ordnance Survey topographic, imagery and transport networks. This will provide a holistic framework that will benefit all users in both the public and private sectors.
Royal Mail
The benefit to Royal Mail of a comprehensive address dataset will be through reduction of incorrectly addressed mail which currently leads to increased costs.
4.4 Anticipated benefits to user community
Detailed analysis of the benefits of a national address infrastructure are outside the scope of this investigation, and are the subject of a separate investigation [Ref 7]. However, they can be expected across a range of areas as follows:
Other central government departments and agencies
A comprehensive address dataset of residential properties will benefit central government departments and agencies as follows:
- ONS through better address information for planning censuses;
- better targetting of resources;
- enabling e-government in the delivery of services to the public;
- enabling joined-up government and improved services to the citizen;
- enabling new projects such as CIP (Citizen's Information Project);
- providing licensing agencies such as Vehicle Licensing and TV licensing
with better information about residential properties to enable then to reduce
license evasion.
Other public sector users
Emergency services will benefit from a comprehensive address dataset through improved identification of locations for emergency response and planning.
Commercial users
Commercial users who can be expected to benefit from a comprehensive address dataset will include utilities and other service providers, and marketing organisations. They will will benefit from better identification and targeting of customers and will have the potential to create new, innovative products and services.
General public
The general public will benefit from a comprehensive address dataset through improved public services, improved contact with service providers and reduced need for communication with government agencies when changing their address.
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