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spotlightonspend Further Enables Free Re-use of Government and Public Sector Raw Data in Line With Open Government Guidelines

Spikes Cavell maintains compliance, ensuring spotlightonspend data downloads comply with new Open Government License for public sector information guidelines

Newbury, Berkshire – 8 October 2010 – Spikes Cavell today announced that all public sector raw data downloads available through its spotlightonspend online platform are now accessible under the new Open Government license for public sector information, as recommended by the UK Government Licensing Framework, which all public sector bodies can use to make their information available for free re-use on simple, flexible terms.

Compliance with the new guidelines is in addition to the enhancements to the spotlightonspend platform made earlier this year, following dialogue with the Public Sector Transparency Board, which included ensuring that all public sector data downloads available through spotlightonspend were in machine readable format and consistent with the data.gov.uk license. All raw data downloads accessible from spotlightonspend are now also available from www.data.gov.uk.

Luke Spikes, CEO of Spikes Cavell, which operates the spotlightonspend service, said, “We're working with a significant number of public sector bodies who are keen to really push the boundaries of transparency and go well beyond what is called for by the policymakers. At the same time, we recognise the importance of ensuring the raw data that is downloadable through spotlightonspend complies with the published guidelines in order to support civil society, social entrepreneurs and private sector re-use.”.

spotlightonspend cuts costs, eliminates complexity and reduces risk
spotlightonspend is a managed service that is comprised of everything necessary to cost-effectively facilitate publication of the spend and related information public bodies elect to make available to the general public.
spotlightonspend is designed to:

• enhance the information a public body publishes to improve its accessibility, relevance and value for the intended audience – the general public and open data community.
• eliminate the complexity of becoming and staying compliant with policy,
• reduce the risk of inadvertent breach of the Data Protection Legislation ,
• cut costs by removing the need to add to the workload of a public body’s current staff or increase headcount.

www.spotlightonspend.org.uk

spotlightonspend is powered by Spikes Cavell. Spikes Cavell equips decision makers in the public sector with the business intelligence, online tools and analytical insight they need in order to transform the way they procure goods and services. Since 2003, our spend analysis and spend management solutions have underpinned the efforts of more than 800 organisation’s to deliver cash savings, measure progress and manage compliance. www.spikescavell.net

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For further information, please contact:
Hayley Wienszczak
Spikes Cavell
Tel: +44 (0)1635 556970
Email:   [email protected]

Vanessa Land
Devonshire Marketing (PR Agency for Spikes Cavell)
Tel: +44 (0) 7768 693 779
Email: [email protected] 

TAGS: spotlightonspend, download, data, open government, transparency, compliance, raw