Figure 2 Collection of information on public service facilities presents a number of problems, mostly related to the inconsistencies in the level of detail held by local authorities on particular service sectors, or at least differences in the level of detail authorities are willing to disseminate. For some providers, even basic information about the number of facilities provided is considered too sensitive to disclose. It is difficult, for example to get information about local authority housing at the individual unit level. The higher the administrative level responsible for maintaining the data, the more consistent the database. Nation lists of schools and hospitals are easily obtained from the Welsh Office.
Consistent data is more difficult to obtain at a District level and below.
Our coverage of child-care facilities reflects the different views of Districts about confidentiality for example. Having said this, the project has, to date, enjoyed a degree of success in securing information at the facility level across a range of service sectors and spatial scales, resulting in a comprehensive coverage of the situation in the sectors examined thus far. On the whole local authorities or sector-related organisations have been extremely helpful in providing the requested information where it exists in accessible form. Facility data has been added to the public services information system for a number of different service sectors. Facilities in the health sector include GP practices, hospitals and dental practices, while in the emergency services sector facility data has been collected for fire stations.