I’m not here to comment on whether or not the Commonwealth Games were good or bad for anybody, but Figure 2 presumably lifted from the DCMS report itself is moderately alarming, in that it’s the wrong kind of graph to depict the data it’s supposed to be depicting — since the bars on the right include the numbers of the bars on the left, they shouldn’t be three separate bars in a bar chart, because that’s a misleading indication of the data. Other possible ways in which the data could have been presented could include three separate bars not being included in each other’s numbers, or a stacked bar chart similarly, or a tree map similarly.
Geeky and pedantic a complaint as it might seem, it’s this kind of manipulation of data — whether by accident or design — which is partly responsible for some of the appalling decisions made by political and civic leaders local and national over the years; it’s alarming that somebody in DCMS, plus a chain of people signing it off, published the data in a misleading format.
Thanks for pointing that out, Leila. I run commercial stuff across the dispatch and sister titles, and made a silly error copying across. Do please complete the survey! Thanks.
I think the point about the Commonwealth Games (and similar events) is that the costs fall on the public sector while the advantages accrue to the private sector. There's nothing wrong with this in principle if the additional commercial activity generates taxes to meet the public costs. But of course Birmingham (and the West Midlands Combined Authority) don't have tax raising powers.
I’m not here to comment on whether or not the Commonwealth Games were good or bad for anybody, but Figure 2 presumably lifted from the DCMS report itself is moderately alarming, in that it’s the wrong kind of graph to depict the data it’s supposed to be depicting — since the bars on the right include the numbers of the bars on the left, they shouldn’t be three separate bars in a bar chart, because that’s a misleading indication of the data. Other possible ways in which the data could have been presented could include three separate bars not being included in each other’s numbers, or a stacked bar chart similarly, or a tree map similarly.
Geeky and pedantic a complaint as it might seem, it’s this kind of manipulation of data — whether by accident or design — which is partly responsible for some of the appalling decisions made by political and civic leaders local and national over the years; it’s alarming that somebody in DCMS, plus a chain of people signing it off, published the data in a misleading format.
Bob on Simon
The survey refers throughout to Greater Manchester?
Thanks for pointing that out, Leila. I run commercial stuff across the dispatch and sister titles, and made a silly error copying across. Do please complete the survey! Thanks.
All changed!
e g "Did you grow up in Greater Manchester (i.e. spent most of your childhood in GM)?"
Yes, just spotted that. Does that need changing to West Midlands?
Sorry, this is my silly fault not Kate's! Yes it does, we're changing it now...
Sorry, this is my silly fault not Kate's! Yes it does, we're changing it now...
Looking at Jordan's tweets (@jordanbhx) assuming same one I'm not sure he was saying hosting the CWG was shortsighted
I think the point about the Commonwealth Games (and similar events) is that the costs fall on the public sector while the advantages accrue to the private sector. There's nothing wrong with this in principle if the additional commercial activity generates taxes to meet the public costs. But of course Birmingham (and the West Midlands Combined Authority) don't have tax raising powers.