Skip Navigation
United Kingdom

Local Transparency (UK0097)

Overview

At-a-Glance

Action Plan: United Kingdom Action Plan 2019-2021

Action Plan Cycle: 2019

Status: Active

Institutions

Lead Institution: Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government

Support Institution(s): Local Authorities

Policy Areas

Access to Information, E-Government, Local Commitments, Open Data, Public Participation

IRM Review

IRM Report: United Kingdom Design Report 2019-2021

Starred: Pending IRM Review

Early Results: Pending IRM Review

Design i

Verifiable: Yes

Relevant to OGP Values: Access to Information , Civic Participation

Potential Impact:

Implementation i

Completion: Pending IRM Review

Description

Objective
The Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) will
develop a package of policy proposals to help and encourage councils to
publish all the information they can (i.e. not personal or sensitive data) as a
matter of course. These proposals will be developed and tested in
collaboration with the local government sector. MHCLG will engage with the
sector through a series of visits, meetings and workshops aimed at
understanding the barriers to and opportunities of greater local transparency.
The subsequent proposals will drive further efficiency and innovation within
the local government sector.
In December 2017 the Prime Minister wrote to Cabinet colleagues about her
priorities for progressing the Government’s transparency agenda. In pursuit of
these objectives, MHCLG will take forward the work to develop a package of
policy proposals – in collaboration with the local government sector - to help
and encourage councils to publish all the information they can.
These proposals will be developed in line with the Local Digital Declaration, a
joint endeavour initiated by MHCLG, the Government Digital Service (GDS), and
a collection of local authorities and sector bodies from across the UK and
signed by over 160 LAs committed to working collaboratively to design
user-centred public services fit for the internet age. Great work has already
been done to transform our services using digital tools and technology, but we
have an opportunity to do more by using Declaration principles.
The Declaration aims to co-create the conditions for the next generation of
local public services in a more open and flexible market in which we can unlock
the full potential for innovation. Proposals for driving greater local
transparency will, therefore, be designed in accordance with Declaration
principles.
What is the public problem that the commitment will address?
Since 2010, the UK has been at the forefront of opening up data. The public
and press need data to hold public bodies to account and the UK government
needs to do all it can to help ensure the highest standards of public life.
Greater
transparency can also improve public services, performance, and
accountability. Public bodies need to deliver value for money, cut waste and
inefficiency, and ensure every pound of taxpayers’ money is spent in the best
possible way.
How will the commitment contribute to solve the public problem?
It will make it easier for the public to see how effective local government is,
how they are performing and using resources. Greater transparency will
further encourage dialogue between local authorities and citizens, increasing
trust and leading to better feedback loops and co-creation of services.
Ensuring that data is in an open, standardised, structured, and usable format
can also allow third parties and Government to re-use and create value from
the data, driving innovation and economic growth.
Lead implementing organisation
Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government
Timeline
Summer 2019 - Autumn 2021
OGP values
Transparency - disclosing data, improving the quality of the data that is
captured and disclosed, and improving the accessibility of information to the
public.
Other actors involved - government
Local Authorities
Other actors involved - CSOs, private sector, working groups, multilaterals
etc
Verifiable and measurable milestones to fulfil the
commitment
New or
ongoing
Start date End date
Develop a package of policy proposals to help and
encourage councils to publish all the information they
can (i.e. not personal or sensitive data) as a matter of
course).
New November
2019
Autumn
2021
Respond to the 2016 consultation on the Transparency
Code summarising responses to the consultation as well
as the findings of the 2018 survey. The consultation
response will also set out MHCLG’s plan for developing
a new policy on local transparency
New November
2019
November
2019
Implement a local government data engagement
programme to understand the barriers to and
opportunities presented by open data, including
workshops, site visits and presentations
New November
2019
Autumn
2021

IRM Midterm Status Summary

8. Local transparency

Main Objective

“The Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) will develop a package of policy proposals to help and encourage councils to publish all the information they can (i.e. not personal or sensitive data) as a matter of course. These proposals will be developed and tested in collaboration with the local government sector. MHCLG will engage with the sector through a series of visits, meetings and workshops aimed at understanding the barriers to and opportunities of greater local transparency. The subsequent proposals will drive further efficiency and innovation within the local government sector.

In December 2017 the Prime Minister wrote to Cabinet colleagues about her priorities for progressing the Government’s transparency agenda. In pursuit of these objectives, MHCLG will take forward the work to develop a package of policy proposals – in collaboration with the local government sector - to help and encourage councils to publish all the information they can.

These proposals will be developed in line with the Local Digital Declaration, a joint endeavour initiated by MHCLG, the Government Digital Service (GDS), and a collection of local authorities and sector bodies from across the UK and signed by over 160 LAs committed to working collaboratively to design user-centred public services fit for the internet age. Great work has already been done to transform our services using digital tools and technology, but we have an opportunity to do more by using Declaration principles.

The Declaration aims to co-create the conditions for the next generation of local public services in a more open and flexible market in which we can unlock the full potential for innovation. Proposals for driving greater local transparency will, therefore, be designed in accordance with Declaration principles.”

Milestones

  1. Develop a package of policy proposals to help and encourage councils to publish all the information they can (i.e. not personal or sensitive data) as a matter of course.
  2. Respond to the 2016 consultation on the Transparency Code summarising responses to the consultation as well as the findings of the 2018 survey. The consultation response will also set out MHCLG’s plan for developing a new policy on local transparency.
  3. Implement a local government data engagement programme to understand the barriers to and opportunities presented by open data, including workshops, site visits and presentations.

Editorial Note: For the complete text of this commitment, please see the United Kingdom’s action plan at https://bit.ly/2YPqNoV.

IRM Design Report Assessment

Verifiable:

Yes

Relevant:

Access to Information, Civic Participation

Potential impact:

Minor

 

Commitment Analysis
The action plan notes that there is currently a paucity of good quality, searchable and machine-readable data available at a local level in the UK, in particular concerning data produced by local authorities, which is not currently standardised or streamlined. Interested users must access this information through individual systems for each Authority, making cross comparison across local authority organisations difficult without significant resources. While many local authorities produce and publish significant amounts of information, much of it is not searchable or is only available in PDF format, thus limiting its re-usability. [34] These challenges both restrict data-driven policy making and reduce the ability of citizens to engage with local-level policy making or hold their institutions to account.

Under this commitment, the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) will develop and test a set of proposals for local authorities on how to most efficiently publish their data. MHCLG will collaborate with the local government sector (through visits, meetings and workshops) to better understand challenges experienced by local authorities regarding transparency. The commitment’s focus on assisting local authorities to improve their data publishing practices makes it relevant to the OGP value of access to information. It is also relevant to the OGP value of civic participation, as the MHCLG plans to hold a series of visits, meetings and workshops with local authorities aimed at understanding the barriers to, and opportunities for, greater local transparency.

The activities in this commitment represent a first step in identifying existing barriers to local-level transparency and identifying improvements in publication practices for local authorities. The commitment does not specifically call for local authorities to publish more information within the milestones. Rather, MHCLG will develop guidelines and recommendations to govern future improvements in publication practices. This was an intentional choice, as MHCLG believed that there was not necessarily a need for ‘more’ data, as it is technically already available, albeit not in optimal formats. Therefore, MHCLG decided to focus on improving the quality and usability of existing data, while standardising publication practices across local authorities. [35]

The new guidelines and recommendations developed under this commitment could, in due course, catalyse better data and information publication by local authorities. However, the commitment does not provide a timeline for the eventual improvement in access to information, nor does it detail the priority policy areas or ideal volumes of data published. The commitment, therefore, is unlikely to lead to more than a minor shift in the status quo at the culmination of the action plan period. A more ambitious programme of activities and outcomes may be beneficial in future action plans to increase the volume of quality, local-level data available to citizens and civil society, which may also benefit UK level policy making.

[34] Alicia Walker, Ben Cheetham, Chris Widgery and Sheldon Ferguson, MHCLG (UK Government), interview 21 July 2020.
[35] Ibid.

Commitments

  1. Grants Data

    UK0090, 2019, Access to Information

  2. Digital Charter

    UK0091, 2019, Access to Information

  3. Open Policy Making

    UK0092, 2019, Public Participation

  4. Open Contracting Data

    UK0093, 2019, Access to Information

  5. Natural Resource Transparency

    UK0094, 2019, Access to Information

  6. Innovation in Democracy Programme

    UK0095, 2019, Local Commitments

  7. Sustainable Open Government

    UK0096, 2019, Capacity Building

  8. Local Transparency

    UK0097, 2019, Access to Information

  9. Beneficial Ownership – UK

    UK0063, 2016, Anti-Corruption

  10. Natural Resource Transparency

    UK0064, 2016, Access to Information

  11. Anti-Corruption Strategy

    UK0065, 2016, Anti-Corruption

  12. Anti-Corruption Innovation Hub

    UK0066, 2016, Anti-Corruption

  13. Open Contracting

    UK0067, 2016, Access to Information

  14. Grants Data

    UK0068, 2016, Access to Information

  15. Elections Data

    UK0069, 2016, Access to Information

  16. Revising Freedom of Information Act Code of Practice

    UK0070, 2016, Access to Information

  17. Identifying and Publishing Core Data Assets

    UK0071, 2016, Access to Information

  18. Involving Data Users in Shaping the Future of Open Data

    UK0072, 2016, Access to Information

  19. Better Use of Data Assets

    UK0073, 2016, Access to Information

  20. GOV.UK

    UK0074, 2016, Access to Information

  21. Ongoing Collaborative Approach to Open Government Reform

    UK0075, 2016, E-Government

  22. Open Government at All Levels

    UK0076, 2016, Local Commitments

  23. Open Policy-Making and Public Engagement

    UK0077, 2016, Capacity Building

  24. Public Sector Innovation

    UK0078, 2016, Access to Information

  25. OCDS Implementation

    UK0079, 2016, Access to Information

  26. Open-Up Government

    UK0080, 2016, Access to Information

  27. Open Data Plan

    UK0081, 2016, Access to Information

  28. Open Data Service

    UK0082, 2016, Access to Information

  29. Statswales

    UK0083, 2016, Access to Information

  30. Data Research Centre Wales

    UK0084, 2016, E-Government

  31. Government Social Research Publication Protocol

    UK0085, 2016, E-Government

  32. Gov.Wales

    UK0086, 2016, E-Government

  33. Code of Practice in Supply Chains

    UK0087, 2016, Labor

  34. Starred commitment National Indicators for Wales

    UK0088, 2016, Fiscal Openness

  35. Starred commitment Well-Being Duty

    UK0089, 2016, Anti-Corruption

  36. National Information Infrastructure

    UK0042, 2013,

  37. NHS England Website and Network

    UK0043, 2013, Health

  38. Revised Local Authories Data Transparency Code

    UK0044, 2013, Capacity Building

  39. Transparent Social Investment Market

    UK0045, 2013, Access to Information

  40. Manage and Capture Digital Records

    UK0046, 2013, Capacity Building

  41. Starred commitment Cross-Government Anti-Corruption Plan

    UK0047, 2013, Anti-Corruption

  42. Starred commitment Company Beneficial Ownership Information

    UK0048, 2013, Anti-Corruption

  43. Access to Police Records

    UK0049, 2013, Justice

  44. Transparency in Construction

    UK0050, 2013, Infrastructure & Transport

  45. Legislative Openness

    UK0051, 2013, Anti-Corruption

  46. Whistleblowing

    UK0052, 2013, Anti-Corruption

  47. Open Contracting

    UK0053, 2013, Anti-Corruption

  48. Open Contracting Scotland

    UK0054, 2013, Anti-Corruption

  49. Starred commitment International Aid Transparency

    UK0055, 2013, Access to Information

  50. Health Care Data

    UK0056, 2013, Access to Information

  51. Open Policy Making

    UK0057, 2013, E-Government

  52. Sciencewise

    UK0058, 2013, E-Government

  53. Publication of Draft Legislation

    UK0059, 2013, Open Parliaments

  54. OpenDataCommunities Programme

    UK0060, 2013, Access to Information

  55. PSI Re-Use Directive

    UK0061, 2013, Access to Information

  56. Starred commitment Extractive Transparency

    UK0062, 2013, Access to Information

  57. Ensuring a Clear Process to Support Reduction in Collection of ‘Unnecessary Data’

    UK0024, 2011, E-Government

  58. Developing Data.Gov.Uk and Identifying Other Digital Channels to Support Users

    UK0025, 2011,

  59. Evidence and Databases Behind Policy Statements

    UK0026, 2011, E-Government

  60. Data Underlying Surveys

    UK0027, 2011, E-Government

  61. Examining Ways for Improving the Use of Existing Published Data

    UK0028, 2011, E-Government

  62. Stimulate the Market for Innovative Use of Open Data

    UK0029, 2011, Access to Information

  63. Spend up to 5% of Budget Support on Accountability

    UK0030, 2011, E-Government

  64. Include the OGP Eligibility Criteria to Determine Readiness for UK Budget Support

    UK0031, 2011, Aid

  65. Publish Aid Information from All ODA Government Departments

    UK0032, 2011, Aid

  66. Use a Single Domain for Government Services

    UK0033, 2011, E-Government

  67. Mandate ‘Channel Shift’

    UK0034, 2011, E-Government

  68. Go Online for All Consultations

    UK0035, 2011, E-Government

  69. Develop Practical Guidelines on Departmental Access to Internet and Social Media

    UK0036, 2011, Civic Space

  70. Open Data and Application Interfaces in Ways That Encourage Businesses

    UK0037, 2011, Access to Information

  71. Create Cross-Government Standards on APIs

    UK0038, 2011, Public Participation

  72. Establish Standardised Formats for User-Satisfaction Data

    UK0039, 2011, Public Participation

  73. Provide Government Documents in Open Standard Format

    UK0040, 2011, Access to Information

  74. Implement Crowd-Sourcing and Engagement Processes

    UK0041, 2011, Public Participation

  75. New Power to Secure Release of Valuable Datasets

    UK0001, 2011,

  76. New, Higher Cost Cap for FOI

    UK0002, 2011, Access to Information

  77. Meaningful Disincentives

    UK0003, 2011,

  78. Maximum Time Limits

    UK0004, 2011, Access to Information

  79. Altered Procurement Rules

    UK0005, 2011,

  80. Mandating Phased Introduction of ‘Public by Default’

    UK0006, 2011, E-Government

  81. Formalising Public Data Principles

    UK0007, 2011,

  82. Having in Place an Open Data Compliance Monitoring Process

    UK0008, 2011,

  83. Making Clear the Minimum Citizens Can Expect on Publication and Quality of Data

    UK0009, 2011,

  84. Ensuring a Line of Continuous Improvement for Public Service Providers

    UK0010, 2011, Access to Information

  85. Encourage Continuous Improvement

    UK0011, 2011,

  86. Setting Out How Citizens Can Challenge Where There Is Failure in the Process

    UK0012, 2011, Public Participation

  87. Establishing an Obligation to Consider and Act on User Feedback

    UK0013, 2011, Public Participation

  88. Making Clear That Licenses Must Cover Free, Commercial Re-Use

    UK0014, 2011,

  89. Merge Information Asset Registers…Into a Single Data Inventory

    UK0015, 2011,

  90. Set Consistent Expectations of the Appropriate Quality of Meta-Data

    UK0016, 2011, Records Management

  91. For Data Co-Ordinated Across Government, Set Definitions

    UK0017, 2011, E-Government

  92. Introducing Corporate Responsibility at Transparency Board Level

    UK0018, 2011,

  93. Strengthening and Broadening the Public Sector Transparency Board

    UK0019, 2011, Anti-Corruption

  94. Bringing the Sector Transparency Board Model to Other Parts of Public Sector

    UK0020, 2011, Anti-Corruption

  95. Reviewing the Existing Governance and Regulatory Model

    UK0021, 2011,

  96. Establishing a Framework for Public Service Providers Data Inventories

    UK0022, 2011, Records Management

  97. Developing a Clear Methodology to Support Intelligent Inventories

    UK0023, 2011,

Open Government Partnership