Dear network members,
I am writing as the new chair of the OGP Civil Society Steering Group, following the footsteps of Lucy McTernan, to ask for help in shaping Scotland’s Open Government Network and help grow a coalition of active citizens and civil society organisations intent on enhancing transparency, participation and accountability.
We are now entering a new phase with as the second Open Government Action Plan: 2018-2020 picks up pace and also as the Big Lottery funding to resource development work on Open Government through SCVO has come to an end. As it stands, the steering group representatives are engaged in on-going dialogue with the Scottish Government on the following topics (the linked googledocs below have a bit more detail of the work in progress, and more updates by September):
Financial and Performance Transparency
Participation Framework
Information and data literacy
Accountability
Brexit and Transparency
We are aware that the open movement is wider and more diverse than what those five headings can suggest and also that they are a subset of all the ideas discussed in 2018 during the development of the second action plan.
This is why I am asking for your help in shaping the network at this time, starting from a flat structure as it ought to be active beyond the limitations of time or resources the current OGP steering group representatives can realistically commit to.
On Saturday 1 June 2019, the “Opening up Edinburgh because it’s Our Democracy” Meetup groups (https://www.meetup.com/Scotland-Open-Government-Meetup/) are also closing and I will mirror this message to members there to come join this forum and shape the network for its next phase.
So please consider this invitation and if you would like to get involved in leading the open government network, simply post below or drop me an email.
With thanks,
Elric Honoré
Co-Chair, on behalf of Scotland’s Open Government Partnership (2018-2020) Steering Group