Open data user group has first meeting

The group that will advise the government on what public sector information should be released as open data, has met for the first time in London's Tech City. As part of its role, the open data user group will advise Whitehall on the data it thinks will have the greatest economic and social benefits for the UK. Heather Savory, who will report to the government's data strategy board, was appointed chair of the group in May. Members of the group comprise open data experts from business, including SME representation, large national companies such as Sainsbury's and Experian, as well as experts from the public sector. The government said it had an "overwhelming" response to the open recruitment process by which the membership was selected, with more than 75 applications received from the data-user community. Cabinet Office minister Francis Maude, said: "The publication of our open data white paper two weeks ago heralded a wave of new data releases, and the fact that the open data user group is getting down to work is another significant advance in our open data revolution. "As well as releasing more data, we need to ensure that what we release is of the greatest possible value to citizens and businesses – the group has a key role to play in this." Savory, who has board and senior management experience in entrepreneurial and high-technology businesses, consulting and central government, acknowledged that the group faces significant challenges, but said she was confident that the right people were on board to "make a difference". "I want to encourage as many people as possible to put forward suggestions and recommendations on opening up government data in both the short and the longer term. It's good that the open data user group is now under way," she said. The 13 members of the open data user group are: Robert Barr (Manchester Geomatics); Jennie Campbell (MeteoGroup Ltd); Mick Cory, (UK Location User Group); Sarah Hitchcock (Sainsbury's); Dominique Lazanski (Taxpayers' Alliance); Andrew Mackenzie (Open Mercia) Paul Malyon (Experian QAS); Christopher Royles (Pitney Bowes Software); Gesche Schmidt (Local Government Association); Jacqui Taylor (Flying Binary); Roger Taylor (Dr Foster); Jeni Tennison, (Jeni Tennison Consulting Ltd); and Adam Tickell (University of Birmingham). This article is published by Guardian Professional . Join the Guardian Public Leaders Network free to receive regular emails on the issues at the top of the professional agenda.