Open Kent is an award-winning approach to empowering people to make better use of local information by publishing public data in an open and standardized format. It provides a platform and tools for the public and staff to access, use, and visualize local data. This facilitates partners to share and compare their data to inform decision making. Open Kent also enables local businesses and non-profits to build innovative applications using this open data. The benefits include supporting community engagement, improving access to information, and increasing efficiencies through a shared intelligence platform.

1. Open Kent An award winning approach that empowers people to make better use of local information

2. Background to Open Kent Concept won national award by IDeA, SOCITM & LGC Successfully trialled for CLG Informing Citizens Project Development funded by Kent Connects until Autumn 2011 as part of a 1 year trial Being taken forward with local partners to ensure a strategic approach to publishing open data across Kent

3. Transparency Open Data Big Society “ Create a new ‘right to data’ so that government-held datasets can be requested and used by the public “ Ensure all data published by public bodies is published in an open and standardised format” “ Enable businesses & non-profit organisations to build innovative applications and websites“

4. Open Kent Open Access Open Data Open Innovation Provide platform & training toolkit for public & staff to access, use and visualise information Publish public information in an open and standardised format Provide environment for businesses & non-profits to build innovative applications and websites

5. Open Kent offers an integrated approach across Kent 1. Sponsored by Kent Connects - Kent and Medway's Lead Technology Partnership 2. Enables users to access, visualise, map and compare local information from a single access point 3. Facilitates partners to share & compare their data in a secure way, to inform “place-based” decision making

6. Users can manage, share & visualise information Download Visualise Upload “ Whilst there is a particular focus on data relating to public spending and procurement, the requirements for open data extend to virtually all areas of the public sector in both a central and local government context.” LGA Group Transparency Programme (2010)

7. To develop useful applications

8. Enables local digital sector to develop applications with the data Help yourself Help each other Do it together

9. New insights People combine different sources of local information Staff monitor how people’s needs interact Pick up on unmet needs and feedback on how to improve access to services + + =

10. New customers Bring people together with specialist skills Provide them with open data they can make use of Support them to amplify and create new “micro” public services + + =

11. New suppliers People can interpret & create information easier Connect public services and “hard to reach” Work together to support people to help themselves + + =

12. New resources Enable people to use our assets & resources Help people understand where can help each other Sweat public assets for and with the community to transform services + + =

13. What are the benefits? Support community engagement Support access to information Create a shared intelligence platform Add value to the data Improve user satisfaction Visualise and share Increase efficiencies Format it how they want it Reduce cost of multiple databases Find it in one place – who ever owns it Rationalise data collection Get information they want For the public sector For the public

14. Next wave of open data requirements Breaking down central government spend at local area level Councillor allowances and expenses Council minutes and papers Council job vacancies Frontline service data including rubbish and recycling rates, council tax collection rates and details of major planned projects Licensing applications and decisions Planning applications and decisions Food hygiene reports for food outlets http://www.communities.gov.uk/localgovernment/transparency/

15. Areas of discussion At what stage are you at opening data? How are you opening up the data? How do you see Open Kent fitting into your transparency/open data agenda? Next steps