Hello ,

Over the past few months, we've been beavering away making a heap of adjustments and additions to the toolkit. Based jointly on your feedback and our own wishlist, the latest version should be smoother and more easy to use. We're always looking for ways in which we can improve the toolkit, though, so please don't hesitate to let us know if you think there's something that can be enhanced.

Toolkit updates and additions

We've added lots of improvements but here's a quick overview. You can also read a full list of updates.

• A help site with step-by-step guides for all tools.
• Data tools to take a deeper look at all our data.
• Developer tools (API) for coders, hackers and other tech-savvy folk.
• A host of improvements to the report writer.
• Additional functionality for text tokens.
• Closer alignment with LG Inform.

Let us know what you think!

Q3 benchmarking club update

Our friends over at LG Inform have been collecting data from local authorities for a while now and yesterday released the results from the third quarter of the current, and soon to be ending, year. A small selection of metrics cover topics which authorities felt weren't being covered in a timely manner, or at all, by existing statistics: namely waste collection, sickness absence and complaints.

Local open data: reaping the benefits

Swirrl are hosting a local open data event on 21 April in Manchester to raise awareness of the good stuff that people are doing with local, open data across different organisations and authorities.

It's an opportunity to hear from other local authorities already benefitting from publishing data; speakers include Mark Braggins, Jamie Whyte and Ian Watt, who lead open data projects for Hampshire, Trafford and Aberdeen City councils respectively. And there's also a chance to hear Jemma Insall give a central government perspective on the importance of open data at a local level too.

It's a one day event (10.30 a.m. to 4.30 p.m.) at Manchester's museum of Science and Industry, which is a lovely venue and pretty central for people across the country to get to. 

In the news

• Thousands of women win equal pay fight at council
• DCLG extends the Transparency Code for 2015
• Research & Information bulletin, March 2015

LG Inform and LG Inform Plus training

For those that prefer a guiding hand to as opposed to following help guides, our training days provide a good environment to get to grips with the tools and data, with LGA & support staff on hand to answer any questions. 

Visit the Events page to see upcoming events.