Comprehensive composite liveability measure

Composite liveability measure

What is the composite liveability measure approach?

• The composite liveability measure (CLM) is an approach to systematically evaluate the relative merits of different places.
• The CLM approach has been used to create the comprehensive composite liveability measure (CCLM).
• The CLM approach can be used to compare and contrast any set of places to another using any indicator.

Why did we create a composite liveability measure?

Coventry has set out its ambition to become a ‘Top Ten City’: a city the size and stature of Coventry should have aspirations to match.

However, a standard measure or ranking of cities does not exist. There are many measures out there to compare and contrast places – combining economic growth with liveability. So we decided to create our own, combining the best of measures out there.

Literature review

We undertook a literature review – and here are some of the other measures already in existence:

• UK (no rankings produced)
  • Office for National Statistics: Personal Wellbeing ("Happiness Index")
  • Demos / Pricewaterhousecoopers: Good Growth for Cities
  • Centre for Cities: Cities Outlook
• International (some ranked)
  • Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD): Better Life Index (countries)
  • United Nations Development Programme (UNDP): Human Development Index (countries)
  • Economist Intelligence Unit: Global Liveability Index (selected world cities)
  • Global Cities Institute: Global Cities Indicators
  • World Council on City Data (WCCD): ISO 37120:2014 Sustainable Development of Communities

How does the composite liveability measure work?

1. Decide on the domains (parameters) you wish to measure
   Indicators carefully chosen to ensure they actually measure the desired effect/outcome. Indicators must all be directional. Indicators are combined, weighted and standardised using z-scores so that they’re comparable with one another.

2. Choose places to compare (e.g. statistical neighbours)
   Subject to data availability, any place can be compared – for instance, Coventry vs other cities (statistical neighbours, or aspirational comparisons); lower / upper tier authorities; combined authority areas; regions; etc.

3. See how places compare with one another
   The composite liveability measure is a relative measure. Results can be displayed as relative scores; as quintiles; or as a ranking.  Rankings can be generated for each domain (parameter) or as an overall score.