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Open Data

What is open data?

Open data is non-personal information held by local councils that is freely available for anyone to use. By publishing this data our aim is to increase the transparency and accountability of what we do as well as to make the data available should you wish to re-use and share it. 

Anybody can use our open data. You do not have to apply or ask for permission but you do have to agree to the terms of the Open Government Licence for public sector information (www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence/).

What data is available?

We are now publishing all invoices of more than £500 that are paid. We will be publishing the data in Microsoft CSV to make the data as useful as possible to as many people as possible.

How to make sense of the data

This is what the data looks like:

Open Data Sample

 

The files contain details of all invoices paid in the reporting month that have a value of £500 or more (including VAT). 

Spending data is broken down into:

  1. the date the payment was processed by our payments system;
  2. the reference number for the payment (this is how we categorise the payment to identify and manage spending);
  3. the type of payment (invoice or credit note);
  4. the value of the payment on the invoice in pounds excluding VAT;
  5. the name of supplier/organisation receiving the payment.

Each transaction is referenced to a directorate within the council: 

  1. Directorate (for example, Children and Adults)
  2. Area of spend (for example, Adult Social Care)
  3. Service level (for example, MH Social Care Services)
  4. Expense code
  5. Expense description

If you have any questions about the data please refer to the contact details at the bottom of this page. 

If you wish to apply for more information on any aspect of this data please visit the Freedom of Information page.

We are working in partnership with Open Kent to make more data available to be repurposed, remixed and used to create useful applications. Please sign up to the Medway Council monthly email newsletter to be kept informed of developments.

For more information contact us by telephone: 01634 306000 or by email: info@medway.gov.uk

Write to: Medway Council, Gun Wharf, Dock Road, Chatham, Kent ME4 4TR

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