New IDEA Knowledge website

The Improvement Development Agency's knowledge website has been relaunched and has a substantial FOI section aimed at FOI Practioners in local authorities. The site includes guidance and discussion topics

The IDEA: "works in partnership with all councils, to enhance the performance of the best, accelerate the speed of improvement of the rest, and develop the sector as a whole". Interestingly the IDEA is not itself subject to FOI as it is a company owned by the Local Government Association (also not subject to FOI) despite receiving a revenue support grant.

It would seem that the IDEA would be a candidate to be added to FOI under a section 5 order:

"Section 5 gives the Secretary of State an order-making power to designate as a public authority for the purposes of the Freedom of Information Act, any private organisation which appears to him to be performing public functions, or which is performing under contract the functions of a public authority. Before making this type of Order, the Secretary of State must consult the organisations he proposes to include within it.No Orders have yet been made under this section, and none are anticipated until after 1 January 2005." (DCA website)