mySociety news

Research

Digital tools for Citizens' Assemblies

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.

Better handling of information requests

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.

Community

Bucks' stats prove the value of FixMyStreet

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.

Transparency

Dip into the CIA files

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.

How to uncover a nationwide story

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.

Democracy

Putting a pause on EveryPolitician

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.

Events

LGA Conference

For councillors

If 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.

AlaveteliCon

For people who run FOI sites

The 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.

TICTeC Local

For those using technology in local government and communities

This November, TICTeC Local comes to City Hall in London. If you use tech in communities or local government, consider submitting a proposal for a workshop or presentation.

What we're reading

• Nesta's report on bringing Select Committees into the digital age
• The government's new strategy on technology innovation
• The French Government has banned the publication of statistical information about judges’ decisions
• How to take over your town: the inside story of a local revolution
• A people map of the UK, where place names are replaced by their most Wikipedia'd resident

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