Cherwell District Council Deploys
spotlightonspend as Part of Transparency Spending Initiative
spotlightonspend enables Council to publish readily
digestible and accessible spend data on purchases over £500 in line
with Government's transparency plans
Newbury, Berkshire – 8 November 2010 – Cherwell
District Council has become the latest local authority to adopt
spotlightonspend, an
online transparency platform, designed to radically improve the
accessibility, relevance and value of Government spend information
to the general public. Cherwell District Council deployed the
spotlightonspend platform in October, which is the latest step in
the council's ongoing transparency initiative.
In line with the new 'Programme for Government' requirements on
public spending, accountability and transparency, which come into
effect in January 2011, residents in north Oxfordshire can now see
exactly what their council is spending, specifically focusing on
all transactions above £500 in value. In addition, the Council's
website provides data that shows chief executive Mary Harpley will
have received £138,056 this financial year, while the highest paid
councillor is the leader of the Conservative Group Barry Wood who
is paid £17,655.
The spotlightonspend platform also enables website visitors to
make easy council comparisons, showing Cherwell District Council's
total spend is £9,371,607 which is 47% less than the English
district council average.
A spokesman for Cherwell District Council said its lower than
average spend is a result of "constant focus on costs and reducing
expenditure".
James Macnamara, portfolio holder for resources and
communications, said: "Publishing the information in this
easy-to-access format demonstrates Cherwell's focus on openness and
value for money."
The Council's transparency is made possible through the
deployment of Spikes Cavell's spotlightonspend -
an innovative online platform, designed to radically improve the
accessibility, relevance and value of Government spend and related
information to the general public and open data community. Spikes
Cavell has undertaken to adapt the spotlightonspend platform to
facilitate access to the Council's wider transparency agenda, which
will enable access by the general public and open data community to
these new classes of data.
Eric Pickles, Secretary of State for Communities and Local
Government, said, "I'm really excited about the opportunities of
transparency and it's something this government is utterly
committed to. spotlightonspend demonstrates that, when
innovative businesses work with far-sighted public bodies, we can
inform the public, reduce costs and improve democracy both locally
and nationally."
"We are delighted to be working with Cherwell District Council,"
said Luke Spikes, CEO of Spikes Cavell & Co, which operates the
spotlightonspend service. "Cherwell
believes transparency is a key condition and driver for the
delivery of council services and as a publicly funded organisation,
the council believes it has a duty to the residents that it serves
to be transparent in its business operations and outcomes. We are
pleased to help the Council achieve its goal of full transparency
and accessibility."
Cherwell District Council's financial data will be available to
search and view via its website,
http://www.spotlightonspend.org.uk/Lite/415/Cherwell+District+Council.
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.
http://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. http://www.spikescavell.net/
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For further information, please contact:
Hayley Wienszczak
Spikes Cavell & Co
Tel: +44 (0)1635 556970
Email: hayley.wienszczak@spikescavell.net
Vanessa Land
Devonshire Marketing
Tel: +44 (0) 7768 693 779
Email: vanessa@devonshiremarketing.com
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