[OSGeo-UK] Question: Should we set up as an organisation?

[Jonathan Gray]

I wonder if there would be any interest in forming a more formal
partnership with the Open Knowledge Foundation here? I think there are
many overlaps in organisational mission - and it could save on
overhead of setting up new ORG to have OSGeo UK under auspices of OKF.
Committee members could control OS Geo from within OKF as a Working
Group. We could donate hosting, publicity and other useful
infrastructure.

To give a few overlapping interests (off the top of my head..):

  * OKF is currently talking and working closely with Open Street Map
regarding licensing issues;
  * OKF and OS Geo are both interested in making open geodata easier to find;
  * In the past OKF hosted public geodata project;

We are currently looking into doing something similar with Creative Commons UK.

What do people think? It would be amazing to have a stronger
relationship between OKF and OS Geo UK!

Best wishes,

Jonathan

On Thu, Oct 22, 2009 at 3:33 PM, Joanne Cook <j.cook at oxfordarch.co.uk> wrote:
> Dear All,
>
> As you might recall from the AGM we held back in June after the conference in Nottingham, I raised the question of whether we should set up as a some kind of organisation, so we can start having a bank account and similar. Having looked into this into a little more detail (mainly because this kind of thing is very new to me), I think that in the first instance an "Unincorporated Association" is the best bet, of which "voluntary organisation" is a subset. Here's the official definition: http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/manuals/ctmanual/ctm41305.htm, and some useful information: http://www.netlawman.co.uk/info/unincorporated-associations.php
>
> That way, we can have a bank account but the rest can be quite informal, which is nice. We will, however, need to get a few more committee members etc, even if it's just to be joint signatories on the bank account :-)
>
> I'm opening this up to everyone on the mailing list- is this a good way to go? Are there better ways?
>
> Thanks
>
> Jo
>
> --
> -----------------------------------------------------
> Joanne Cook
> Senior IT Support and Development
> Oxford Archaeology (North)
> 01524 880212
> http://thehumanjourney.net
>
>
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-- 
Jonathan Gray

Community Coordinator
The Open Knowledge Foundation
http://www.okfn.org