Trials starting in April will see local authorities increase the share of revenues they retain from business rates. This offers opportunities to better manage, forecast and shape revenues, which will interest anyone involved in planning the future of our communities - from local authority leaders who want to maximise revenues, to property developers who want to show the economic benefits of their plans. But the truth is, it’s not going to be easy.

With support from Innovate UK, Mastodon C are looking for partners to explore the potential for a data science led approach to forecasting and planning for revenues, using Witan, our city planning and data sharing platform. In May Mastodon C will host a workshop to discuss ways that the platform could be used to ensure local communities get the most from the changes.

If you’d like to get involved please email theteam@mastodonc.com. We’re looking for input from anyone interested in this area, as well as potential hosts for the event.