Geo-mapping firm and Microsoft software specialists Shoothill have recently created a geo-coded heat map for MSN to illustrate controversial new figures released by the Taxpayers’ Alliance.
Dubbed the ‘Town Hall Rich List’, the figures reveal 1,250 council staff by geographical area who earned over £100,000 in 2008-2009, 31 of whom earned more than Gordon Brown. The map is based on the 2008-2009 and 2009-2010 figures obtained by the Taxpayer’s Alliance under the Freedom of Information act.
The Rich List Map was launched last week on the MSN UK home page – click here to view the map: http://www.shoothill.com/clients/msn/richlist/main/
The map, which Shoothill created using BING Maps for Enterprise and Microsoft Silverlight, is overlaid with coloured datasets showing different councils around the United Kingdom, coded by the highest earners.
Rod Plummer, Managing Director of Shoothill, said: “We specialise in making large datasets easily discernable to online audiences and one way we do this is through online mapping solutions such as BING maps.
“When data is set in geographical context it becomes more meaningful and producing thematic heat maps can dramatically improve the presentation of complex data to a broad range of end users, quickly and easily.”
Matthew Sinclair, Research Director at the TaxPayers’ Alliance, said: “We produce the Town Hall Rich List each year so that people can see how much senior staff at their council are paid and make up their own minds about whether that represents good value.
“The new map should really help that process, making it easier than ever to find local information and compare different authorities.
“It is an exciting step forward in the ongoing effort to ensure local constituents have the best possible information to hand so they can hold their council to account.”
Shoothill have become one of the best known mapping specialists in the Britain since their hugely successful MPs Expenses heatmap, which appeared initially on MSN’s home page and subsequently on newspaper websites and leading technology blogs around the world.
The firm have also become recognised as pioneers of the Deep Zoom mosaic created in Microsoft Silverlight, where users can zoom in one image containing thousands of other images.
Earlier this year, Shoothill set a record by producing the largest Deep Zoom in the world to highlight the plight of the endangered Sumatran tiger for worldwide conservation charity Fauna and Flora International.
To see more of Shoothill’s work with Microsoft technology, visit www.shoothill.com or follow us on Twitter @WeDoCoolThings.
Notes to Editors
Shoothill are a geo-mapping and visualisation specialist based in Shrewsbury, Shropshire. Certified to Microsoft Gold Partner level, they work with various Microsoft software applications to create bespoke solutions for a diverse range of clients from the media, communication, charity, healthcare, transportation and retail sectors.
For media enquiries about Shoothill, as well as quotes, images and demo’s, please contact Lara Page, Marketing Manager, on Lara.Page@Shoothill.com or call 0845 421 0396.
Tags: Bing Maps, Council Rich List, MSN
