From their own computer, residents will be able to compare the performance
of their local school, hospital or police force to others - giving them
real power to hold public services and the Government to account.
And South West businesses, charities and interested individuals will be
encouraged to find new and innovative ways of exploiting the data, for
example through mobile phone applications.
Following the launch of Putting the Frontline First: Smarter Government
today by the Prime Minister, South West Regional Minister Jim Knight
explained: "Exciting technological advances are changing the world on a
scale not seen since the Industrial Revolution. In the South West, we are
leading the way in this Digital Revolution.
"Bristol is home to some of the country’s leading creative industry
companies, while Swindon recently unveiled plans to become the first town
in the UK to provide free wireless internet access to all its 186,000
residents.
"The Met Office in Exeter is also taking advantage of new web technology it
shortly plans to syndicate content to other websites, developing a new
iPhone application and enhance its website to give people an easier way of
accessing graphical forecast free of charge.
"The challenge for us in Government is to make best use of all this new
technology to make smarter, better public services. In Smarter Government
we promise to get rid of even more targets and instead publish easily
accessible data online showing how public services have performed all
across the country including the South West."
Today, the Prime Minister has published a document called Putting the Front
Line First: Smarter Government, which will be followed on Wednesday by the
Chancellors Pre-Budget Report. Both of these major documents will show how
Government, by making the necessary savings and taking tough choices on
spending priorities, can both protect frontline services and help meet its
commitment to halve the public deficit within four years.
Mr Knight said: "Everyone from central government to front line staff will
be encouraged to embrace modern technology so that all citizens have the
most efficient and easy-to-use services possible.
"To do that, we have to work more quickly to ensure everyone in the South
West can take full advantage of the digital revolution. In June, the
Government appointed Martha Lane Fox, founder of lastminute.com, to head up
our drive to ensure everyone in the country has broadband access by 2012.
Today we are announcing an extra £30m for her task force so that we
can get an extra million people online.
"Technology also has a big part to play in how people find jobs. As
Minister for Employment, I want to see a more personalised and universal
Job Centre Plus that makes better use of text messaging and the internet."
He added: "In Smarter Government we promise to get rid of even more targets
and instead publish data showing how public services have performed all
across the country including the South West.
"From your computer, you will easily see how well your local school,
hospital or police force is doing, and compare it to others. This will give
you real power to hold public services and the Government to account.
"We will be encouraging businesses, charities, and any interested
individuals, to find new, innovative ways of exploiting the data, for
example through mobile phone applications. Public data should mean
exactly that - it belongs to the public."
