Google Finds Local Gov
July 3, 2009 Posted by Kevin in : Bristol, Bristol City Council, Innovation, Connecting Bristol, collaboration , add a comment
Thanks to Dave Briggs for spotting this…
Do you work in local government?
Are you free on 7th August?
Fancy popping down to Victoria in London to visit the Google offices?
Oh, and get to hear from the real experts about how to make the most of Google services, whether search, analytics, maps, advertising, widgetising content, and more?
For the princely sum of, er, nothing?
Then you’re in luck.
Pencil that date in your diary. Keep an eye on #googlelocalgov on Twitter. More information will be released as it is confirmed.
This will be a ticketed event, and it will be first-come-first-served when it comes to places. You can’t afford to miss this one!
Citizen-Driven Innovation in Government IT in Bristol?
May 27, 2009 Posted by Stephen Hilton in : e-democracy, Bristol, Innovation, e-society , add a comment
The Washington D.C.-based Apps for Democracy has a collection of 47 Web, iPhone and Facebook applications for various democracy-related pursuits. Many use the city’s crime, safety, transport, tourism or parking data to create citizen-focussed benefits.
What’s particularly interesting is that these applications were developed by citizens in a competition. Apps for Democracy say they use a simple formula -
Open source + citizen talent + fame and fortune
Apps for Democracy calculate that these apps are worth $2.3million to the City and were generated for $50,000 worth of investment. Watch their video here
Could citizen-driven innovation in ICT in Bristol make the city a better place to live, work, study, visit… or is it doing so already?
Thanks to Steve Clift’s new e-Democracy email bulletinfor the link
Council Scheme to help reduce residents’ energy bills
April 7, 2009 Posted by Bryn in : Digital Challenge, Bristol, Innovation , add a commentResidents will be able to reduce the amount of energy they use and save money at the same time thanks to a pioneering new loan scheme from Bristol City Council.
The city’s library network has taken delivery of nearly 200 Energy Saving Monitors, which library users can take home and simply plug into a socket to find out how much energy they consume at home and which appliances are the biggest energy guzzlers. The scheme was launched on Friday 20th March. The monitors can be taken out for a free four-week loan period and renewed just like any library book.
Bristol City Council is also helping residents in other ways to improve their home’s energy efficiency. A subsidised loft insulation and cavity wall insulation scheme is available for privately owned properties, free to vulnerable households.
For more information about borrowing an Energy Saving Monitor visit your local library in Bristol.
Next Gen Bristol 09
February 9, 2009 Posted by Stephen Hilton in : Wireless, Bristol, Regeneration, South Bristol, Innovation, Technology, Next Generation Broadband, superfast broadband, NGA , 1 comment so far
Next Generation Access (NGA) networks offer the possibility of very high-speed broadband connectivity of a magnitude far greater than anything that has been widely experienced in the UK.
Sponsored by CBN and Alcatel Lucent and supported by Connecting Bristol. Next Gen Bristol 09 is a one-day event, which will be held in central Bristol on 31st March. Part of a national Roadshow of events, Net Gen Bristol aims to,
- Increase understanding of why high-speed broadband matters
- Identify the benefits of ‘open access networks’
- Explore how NGA can underpin city development, especially in South Bristol
- Showcase local projects
The programme is here
Book online here*
(*Places are charged at £50, including lunch. Connecting Bristol has 20 free places for individuals and organisations that wish to attend but cannot afford this. Email stephen.hilton@bristol.gov.uk for details)