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Social and Economic Research in an English New Town: Local Information Systems

Telford is a new town in the West Midlands Region of the United Kingdom. Since designation in 1968 considerable physical, economic, and social change has taken place. Four information systems have been developed to monitor this change. It is argued that information systems must be flexible, comprehensive, capable of integration, and phased so that nascent problems can be identified. It is also argued that the development of a time-series information base is essential for effective strategic planning. Rather than describe the characteristics of the local information systems in isolation from their operational context, two areas of policy-related research which have been supported by the information base are described in this paper. Information systems are inherently descriptive and must be fitted into an analytical framework if they are to contribute more effectively to our understanding of urban processes. In this paper Telford's information systems are examined by describing their contribution to policy formulation, strategic planning, and to our understanding of the urban system.