[GSDI Legal Socioecon] GI Policy Options for OS GB

[Roger Longhorn]

For those on the list who have followed the 'free or for a fee' debate 
on access to, and exploitation of, public sector GI - i.e. geospatial 
data collected by national mapping agencies - the report and 
consultation below may be of interest, courtesy of the Association of 
Geographic Information in the UK.

 http://www.communities.gov.uk/publications/corporate/ordnancesurveyconsultation

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Communities & Local Government (CLG) published its awaited consultation 
document entitled:*Policy options for geographic information from 
Ordnance Survey: Consultation* on Wednesday 23 December 2009.

*What is it?*

Summarised as a 'Consultation paper on the Government's proposal to open 
up Ordnance Survey's data relating to electoral and local authority 
boundaries, postcode areas and mid scale mapping information', it forms 
a 91 page report outlining the Smarter Government policy drivers, the 
Government's position on a number of areas relating to Ordnance Survey, 
and what Government is mindful to do. Notably there are 3 business 
models summarised for consideration along with their respective pros and 
cons. The consultation has potentially profound implications for 
Ordnance Survey data supply and use.

*How many questions does it include?*

There are 12 consultation questions which can be answered.

*What is the timetable?*

The consultation lasts from 23 December 2009 to 17 March 2010.

*What is AGI doing?*

AGI will be producing an official response. Members and AGI groups are 
very welcome to contribute their views for consideration. Before 
commenting, AGI recommends careful study of the consultation in the 
first instance.

During the consultation period, AGI will offer two routes for members 
and groups to provide input. These are as follows:

1) Email your response to AGI Director, Chris Holcroft 
<mailto:chris.holcroft at agi.org.uk>, who will be coordinating the AGI 
central response. *Closing date Thursday 11th Feb, 2010.*

2) Input your response into a Web form on the AGI website. This will 
list each question and provide a field for each answer. This Web form 
will be activated in the New Year and will be accessible from the AGI 
Website home page. *Closing date Thursday 11th Feb, 2010*.

AGI also encourages members to contribute their own independent personal 
or corporate responses to this very important Government consultation.

*Where can I get the document from?*

The official consultation document is available here:

 http://www.communities.gov.uk/publications/corporate/ordnancesurveyconsultation

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The consultation document is 91 pages long and looks at GI obtainable 
from OS GB from the standpoint of the UK's "Making Public Data Public" 
drive, the GI market in the UK, Ordnance Survey's 'route to the market' 
options, pricing and regulation issues, and strategic options. I think a 
very useful read for any who are involved in dealing with national 
mapping agencies for supply of public sector GI.

Kind regards

Roger Longhorn
Chair, GSDI Assoc. Legal & Socioeconomic Committee