John Prescott Discovers Geocaching

[+Mr & Mrs Hedgehog]

Office of the Deputy Prime Minister has released a consultation paper entitled

 

"DEFINING E-GOVERNMENT PRIORITY SERVICES & TRANSFORMATION OUTCOMES IN 2005 FOR LOCAL AUTHORITIES IN ENGLAND"

 

snappy title isn't it

 

The documenmt is available here

 

Basically it gives Local Authorities Proposed Priority areas for 2005, concerining web sites, e-government etc. Ususally nothing much to write home about but section 7 Libraries, Sports and Leisure does contain an item of interest.....

 

"Best practice outcomes in 2005 to include.....

 

Direct promotion of, and initiatives around, healthier lifestyles (e.g. information and downloadable / interactive maps for local cycle and walking routes, geocaching initiatives)."

 

I didn't know that Geocaching was an initiative.

 

So to reach government target I'm going to have to put geocaching on my councils website (I'm a web developer for them for those that don't know).

 

So I'm just off to try to get my boss let me go on a fact finding mission to find out more about geocaching.... how long do you think I'll need... a week, fortnight.. month?????

Edited April 27, 2004 by Mr & Mrs Hedgehog

[+John Stead]

I do hope your research into this new fangled geocaching thingy is well accepted by your Council and does'nt exhaust you too much.

[+mongoose39uk]

So now it is an officialy recognized initiative does that mean the VR boxes should be re-instated.

 

After all how are local goverment going to reach their leisure promotion targets without them.

 

I only ask because I have found one and want to log it.

 

Cheers

[+wigglesworth]

If this geocaching thingy is to cache on it will need some government funding for a server. May even be worth an enquiry. Must mention that TB is active and has been seen visiting many caches!

 

We could also get government sponsored caches containing extracts from Hansard or other stimulating pieces of work.

 

Peter

[+yorkstan]

Maybe we can get a grant from the Lottery's Sports fund? It could pay for the placing of caches and for the website.

Yorkstan

[+The Wombles]

Wow, that's great ammunition when negotiating permission to place caches with Local Authorities.

[+MarcB]

Wow, that's great ammunition when negotiating permission to place caches with Local Authorities.

Very good point - sounds like it's becoming more officially recognised.

MarcB

[+Fayrewood Foragers]

Maybe the info could be used to pursuade the forestry commision to allow caching in the new forest

[+Mr & Mrs Hedgehog]

I agree with you mongoose about the VR boxes... we've since found 6 of them... but better not say too much......

 

Yes Mr Womble I think this is great news for Geocaching... like I said this is only a consultation paper, I'm really hoping geocaching makes it to the final draft. It would be so interesting to see how many councils put geocaching pages on thier web site, having seen it being specifically mentioned in the proposals. I know I'll be pressing my boss to put some on ours and it will give me a bit more ammo in my dicussions with our Parks and Leisure department, who I've been having quiet words with recently to get geocaching recognised by them....

[+Volvo Man]

Hampshire CountyCouncil Already has an official Geocaching Policy and actively supports and encourages it. In fact, they have sponsored a couple of CITO type events in the HCC park at Farley Mount.

 

I'm not so sure it's the forestry commision that is the prob down in the new forest, there's plenty of other forests that contain caches that they leave alone. Perhaps some good ammo on those discussions would be to point out the regulations that GC.com adhere to would prevent a situation like that which has occured on dartmoor with letterboxing. I understand there at least 63,000 known letterboxes on dartmoor!! Now if only we could convince them to make some of them hybrids! just 10% would do me!

[+THE BRAMBLERS]

Hampshire CountyCouncil Already has an official Geocaching Policy and actively supports and encourages it. In fact, they have sponsored a couple of CITO type events in the HCC park at Farley Mount.

 

HCC were the first local authority in the UK to endorse geocaching. They also held the world's first public geocaching event with live on-site remote internet connection. Their geocaching web pages can be found here.

 

Following this I was contacted by the government's National Grid for Learning. Article can be found here.

 

Subsequently, I was asked to write another article for Ordnance Survey's Mapping News magazine which is distributed to educational establishments throughout the UK. Here.

 

The magazine was recently reprinted in Welsh.

 

Just thought that this info might be of use to some of the newer geocachers who are trying to seek permission from various landowners, as most of the more seasoned ones have already seen most of this.