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Topic: Technology

How can local authorities use technology and data to deliver better public services and harness social media for better interaction with citizens?

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Why social media will solve the problem of local voter apathy

As part of their Democracy Week, the Guardian’s Local Government Network asked me to write about how social media can and is impacting on local democracy. Below is a copy of their edited version. In this year’s local elections only one eligible voter in three participated. This was the worst turnout since 2000. Look into…

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Soon all spending data over £250 will be published online

Since August 2010 the Department for Communities and Local Government  has been publishing details of all goods and services spent over £500 – matching a demand it made of councils in June of that year. Now it appears Eland House is upping the ante. A press release came out today announcing the department is opening…

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Central-Local – It’s good to talk

The National Audit Office (NAO) recently published “Central Government’s communications and engagement with local government”, a report on the effectiveness of central government’s communications with local government. The report found that communication is very challenging as a consequence of the organisational differences between central and local government. This difference brings significant risks of loss of focus and conflict between…

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Local 2.0: How digital technology empowers local communities

This post is based on an LGiU member briefing by Rob Dale. I remember reading the case study of the Obama for America campaign. It had a significant impact on my understanding and appreciation for how digital technology could change the way people campaign, organise and mobilse. Like many others, I was inspired and believed…

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How to get more from LGiU

Why not join thousands of other people who receive updates on current LGiU research projects, forthcoming events and blog posts? Many people visit the LGiU website to find new information of interest and use to their work. Some people like subscribing to our RSS feeds but most prefer our email service.  You can sign up…

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Mapping people who are ‘making a real difference’

It has been announced that the Community Right to Challenge will come into force on 27 June. Under the Right, ‘relevant authorities’ (which applies to all local authorities) must consider expressions of interest by ‘relevant bodies’ – voluntary and community bodies, organisations set up for solely charitable purposes, parish councils, and by two or more employees of…

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Politics, technology and the media – they’re all pointing to the local

This blog was first published by the BBC’s College of Journalism. On May 24, I am due to speak at the College of Journalism’s Connecting Communitiesconference about how local councils and councillors have reacted to the emergence of community media. But before looking at the ‘how’, I want to ask why current momentum suggests that citizen-led content…

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Is the deluge of data good for government?

This article was first published by Total Politics. Open data is becoming big news and, potentially, big business. Policy wonks and digital democracy campaigners have for years expounded its virtues in a variety of conferences, hack events and gov camps. It’s seen as a driver both of accountability and of public service innovation, but has…

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Open

“The world of information – how it’s created, who creates it, how it’s shared and distributed – is changing immensely fast,”‘ writes Alan Rusbridger oin last Thursday’s Guardian to promote the newspaper’s “open” approach to journalism Being “open”, Rusbridger believes, “leads to better journalism, more diversity and a much bigger audience” What’s true in the…

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