Open Data

Information about open data and the Local Government Transparency Code 2015

Local Government Transparency Code 2015

This Code is issued to meet the government’s desire to place more power into citizens’ hands to increase democratic accountability and make it easier for local people to contribute to the local decision-making process and help shape public services. 

Transparency is the foundation of local accountability and the key that gives people the tools and information they need to enable them to play a bigger role in society. The availability of data can also open new markets for local business, the voluntary and community sectors and social enterprises to run services or manage public assets. 
 
‘Data’ means the objective, factual data, on which policy decisions are based and on which public services are assessed, or which is collected or generated in the course of public service delivery. This should be the basis for publication of information on the discharge of local authority functions. 

Guiding principles

Three principles guided the development of this Code: 

  • demand led: there are growing expectations that new technologies and publication of data should support transparency and accountability. It is vital that public bodies recognise the value to the public of the data they hold, understand what they hold, what their communities want and then release it in a way that allows the public, developers and the media to use it
  • open: provision of public data should become integral to local authority engagement with local people so that it drives accountability to them. Its availability should be promoted and publicised so that residents know how to access it and how it can be used. Presentation should be helpful and accessible to local people and other interested persons, and
  • timely: the timeliness of making public data available is often of vital importance. It should be made public as soon as possible following production even if it is not accompanied with detailed analysis

Types of data that can be accessed

This Code ensures local people can now see and access data covering:

  • how money is spent: for example, all spending transactions over £500, all Government Procurement Card spending and contracts valued over £5,000
  • use of assets: ensuring that local people are able to scrutinise how well their local authority manages its assets
  • decision making: how decisions are taken and who is taking them, including how much senior staff are paid, and
  • issues important to local people, for example, parking and the amount spent by an authority subsidising trade union activity

Data Categories

The Code contains reference to data that must be published and data that is recommended for publication, on either a quarterly, annual or one-off basis.

Mandatory annual publication 

Mandatory quarterly publication 

Mandatory monthly publication 

Mandatory one-off publication 

  • Waste Contracts 

Open data for legacy councils

Westmorland and Furness Council is a new unitary council created by merging former district, borough councils and county council in our area.

Find legacy council information for: