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** mySociety news
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** Transparency, Democracy, Community
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** Research
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** Digital tools for Citizens' Assemblies
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Citizens' Assemblies are increasingly being considered as a solution to political deadlocks, and a way to bring more people into the democratic process.
What part can digital tools play in their effectiveness, transparency, reach — and the sharing of outcomes? Our latest research seeks to answer that question ([link removed]) .
** Better handling of information requests
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In partnership with four councils, we've also been conducting research to see whether the development of a new digital tool would make things easier for council staff who handle FOI and SARs. Get an overview of the results in this wrap-up blog post ([link removed]) .
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** Community
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** Bucks' stats prove the value of FixMyStreet
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We're always talking about the cost benefits FixMyStreet can bring for councils — and the most recent set of figures from Buckinghamshire County Council offers the proof.
See how the stats make the case for FixMyStreet ([link removed]) .
** Transparency
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** Dip into the CIA files
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Thanks to our friends MuckRock, the US Freedom of Information organisation, you can browse through literally millions of pages of previously classified information, now released by the CIA.
There's so much of it that they'd welcome help in discovering the most interesting material: see how you can get involved here ([link removed]) .
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** How to uncover a nationwide story
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The Bureau of Investigative Journalism was able to piece together a national picture of the effects of austerity on local councils, with the help of WhatDoTheyKnow Pro, our service for professional users of FOI.
We spoke to Gareth Davies to find out how they approached the project: you can read the case study here ([link removed]) .
** Democracy
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** Putting a pause on EveryPolitician
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For more than five years, the EveryPolitician project has sought to gather and share structured open data on every politician in the world's legislatures.
We're now halting that work for the foreseeable future. Find out why — and how you can get involved if there are parts of the data that matter to you — in Mark's blog post ([link removed]) .
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** Events
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** LGA Conference
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** For councillors
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[link removed] you're attending the Bournemouth LGA conference today, be sure to pop by and see us! We're on stand BL3; come and find out what our services FixMyStreet Pro and Keep It In The Community can do for councillors ([link removed]) .
** AlaveteliCon
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** For people who run FOI sites
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[link removed] third AlaveteliCon will take place in Oslo, Norway, for people around the world who use FOI and technology. Want to be there? Here's how to get involved ([link removed]) .
** TICTeC Local
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** For those using technology in local government and communities
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[link removed] November, TICTeC Local comes to City Hall in London. If you use tech in communities or local government, consider submitting a proposal ([link removed]) for a workshop or presentation.
Did you know that you can subscribe to our special interest newsletters too? Get an extra monthly bulletin on Democracy & Campaigning, Freedom of Information, Better Cities & Councils, or Research. Pick and choose your mySociety newsletters here ([link removed]) .
** Got a list of postcodes and need to know which constituencies they're in?
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[link removed] matches postcodes to wards and constituencies — and its Data Mapper tool requires no technical or coding skills. A real lifesaver for campaigners and researchers: see more here ([link removed]) .
** What we're reading
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* Nesta's report on bringing Select Committees into the digital age ([link removed])
* The government's new strategy on technology innovation ([link removed])
* The French Government has banned the publication of statistical information about judges’ decisions ([link removed])
* How to take over your town: the inside story of a local revolution ([link removed])
* A people map of the UK ([link removed]) , where place names are replaced by their most Wikipedia'd resident
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Image credits: High Wycombe: ** Peter O’Connor ([link removed])
(** CC by-sa/2.0 ([link removed])
); President Ford and George Bush (** via Wikimedia; public domain ([link removed])
); Globe ** Jelle van Leest ([link removed])
mySociety is a project of UK Citizens Online Democracy (UKCOD).
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