Sym Roe
@symroe.bsky.social
Reposted by Sym Roe
Asking for a friend - amazing social CIC doing good things in nature.
Looking for a South West (ideal) based fractional CTO who can also get their hands a bit dirty, and help a volunteer model of developing their platform
They have a backend dev, and hiring a front end.
Any ideas/connections?
Looking for a South West (ideal) based fractional CTO who can also get their hands a bit dirty, and help a volunteer model of developing their platform
They have a backend dev, and hiring a front end.
Any ideas/connections?
September 29, 2025 at 11:03 AM
Asking for a friend - amazing social CIC doing good things in nature.
Looking for a South West (ideal) based fractional CTO who can also get their hands a bit dirty, and help a volunteer model of developing their platform
They have a backend dev, and hiring a front end.
Any ideas/connections?
Looking for a South West (ideal) based fractional CTO who can also get their hands a bit dirty, and help a volunteer model of developing their platform
They have a backend dev, and hiring a front end.
Any ideas/connections?
Did you know that councils can change their own ward boundaries? And sometimes, no one really notices?
democracyclub.org.uk/blog/2025/08...
New post from @democracyclub.org.uk talks about how this is tricky for us to track, and what we think could improve the process
democracyclub.org.uk/blog/2025/08...
New post from @democracyclub.org.uk talks about how this is tricky for us to track, and what we think could improve the process
Community Governance Reviews
Community Governance Reviews keep parish and community councils in line. But they are hard to keep track of.
democracyclub.org.uk
August 8, 2025 at 8:16 AM
Did you know that councils can change their own ward boundaries? And sometimes, no one really notices?
democracyclub.org.uk/blog/2025/08...
New post from @democracyclub.org.uk talks about how this is tricky for us to track, and what we think could improve the process
democracyclub.org.uk/blog/2025/08...
New post from @democracyclub.org.uk talks about how this is tricky for us to track, and what we think could improve the process
🤯
"The term soap opera originated from radio dramas' original sponsorship by soap manufacturers.
The term was preceded by horse opera, a derogatory term for low-budget Westerns."
en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Soap_op...
"The term soap opera originated from radio dramas' original sponsorship by soap manufacturers.
The term was preceded by horse opera, a derogatory term for low-budget Westerns."
en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Soap_op...
Soap opera - Wikipedia
en.m.wikipedia.org
August 6, 2025 at 7:34 AM
🤯
"The term soap opera originated from radio dramas' original sponsorship by soap manufacturers.
The term was preceded by horse opera, a derogatory term for low-budget Westerns."
en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Soap_op...
"The term soap opera originated from radio dramas' original sponsorship by soap manufacturers.
The term was preceded by horse opera, a derogatory term for low-budget Westerns."
en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Soap_op...
Where I have some thoughts on digital improvements that can follow from The Elections Strategy. I think the "digital notices" thing could be a really interesting pattern in legislation
Some great practical extensions of the election strategy by the election data experts at Democracy Club.
Includes a good write-up of @symroe.bsky.social's "hang on, can we just define 'giving notice'" argument. democracyclub.org.uk/blog/2025/07...
Includes a good write-up of @symroe.bsky.social's "hang on, can we just define 'giving notice'" argument. democracyclub.org.uk/blog/2025/07...
Thoughts on the Elections Strategy
Earlier this month the government published its '*Strategy for modern and secure elections*'. We outline some of our ideas for digital implementation of this strategy.
democracyclub.org.uk
July 31, 2025 at 2:42 PM
Where I have some thoughts on digital improvements that can follow from The Elections Strategy. I think the "digital notices" thing could be a really interesting pattern in legislation
Reposted by Sym Roe
Finally got my film developed - wish I could time travel back to eating icecream in mechelen with the amazing #tictec crew!
@democracyclub.org.uk @symroe.bsky.social @myfanwytristram.bsky.social @zarino.co.uk @dracos.co.uk
@mysociety.org @societyworks.org
@democracyclub.org.uk @symroe.bsky.social @myfanwytristram.bsky.social @zarino.co.uk @dracos.co.uk
@mysociety.org @societyworks.org
July 31, 2025 at 12:36 PM
Finally got my film developed - wish I could time travel back to eating icecream in mechelen with the amazing #tictec crew!
@democracyclub.org.uk @symroe.bsky.social @myfanwytristram.bsky.social @zarino.co.uk @dracos.co.uk
@mysociety.org @societyworks.org
@democracyclub.org.uk @symroe.bsky.social @myfanwytristram.bsky.social @zarino.co.uk @dracos.co.uk
@mysociety.org @societyworks.org
Reposted by Sym Roe
Some great practical extensions of the election strategy by the election data experts at Democracy Club.
Includes a good write-up of @symroe.bsky.social's "hang on, can we just define 'giving notice'" argument. democracyclub.org.uk/blog/2025/07...
Includes a good write-up of @symroe.bsky.social's "hang on, can we just define 'giving notice'" argument. democracyclub.org.uk/blog/2025/07...
Thoughts on the Elections Strategy
Earlier this month the government published its '*Strategy for modern and secure elections*'. We outline some of our ideas for digital implementation of this strategy.
democracyclub.org.uk
July 31, 2025 at 10:16 AM
Some great practical extensions of the election strategy by the election data experts at Democracy Club.
Includes a good write-up of @symroe.bsky.social's "hang on, can we just define 'giving notice'" argument. democracyclub.org.uk/blog/2025/07...
Includes a good write-up of @symroe.bsky.social's "hang on, can we just define 'giving notice'" argument. democracyclub.org.uk/blog/2025/07...
Reposted by Sym Roe
New blog!
Political parties won 12.9% of English town and parish council seats in 2024/2025. But party involvement at this level is controversial. We take a look at what the data can tell us about partisanship in England's first tier of local government.
democracyclub.org.uk/blog/2025/07...
Political parties won 12.9% of English town and parish council seats in 2024/2025. But party involvement at this level is controversial. We take a look at what the data can tell us about partisanship in England's first tier of local government.
democracyclub.org.uk/blog/2025/07...
Parish councils and political parties: some initial findings
A dive into the politics of England's first tier of local government.
democracyclub.org.uk
July 29, 2025 at 3:25 PM
New blog!
Political parties won 12.9% of English town and parish council seats in 2024/2025. But party involvement at this level is controversial. We take a look at what the data can tell us about partisanship in England's first tier of local government.
democracyclub.org.uk/blog/2025/07...
Political parties won 12.9% of English town and parish council seats in 2024/2025. But party involvement at this level is controversial. We take a look at what the data can tell us about partisanship in England's first tier of local government.
democracyclub.org.uk/blog/2025/07...
Reposted by Sym Roe
Effective end to the open register (good! It's a weird legacy of when voting rights were restricted and was open so you could challenge. Now just a weird privacy thing that has a lot of outputs)
July 17, 2025 at 10:14 AM
Effective end to the open register (good! It's a weird legacy of when voting rights were restricted and was open so you could challenge. Now just a weird privacy thing that has a lot of outputs)
Does the business of spamming random CVs to people really work? If I get an unsolicited "we found a dev you might want to hire" email, it doesn't matter if they're excellent, I just focus on the fact the recruitment company is spamming me. They must make money somehow, though?
July 17, 2025 at 9:21 AM
Does the business of spamming random CVs to people really work? If I get an unsolicited "we found a dev you might want to hire" email, it doesn't matter if they're excellent, I just focus on the fact the recruitment company is spamming me. They must make money somehow, though?
Reposted by Sym Roe
Finding the Private Eye crossword tricky this week. Resorted to googling a clue, to be greeted with this. Googled another just to see (I’d worked out that one), got... the same answer. The most average answer to all crosswords!
July 14, 2025 at 6:54 AM
Finding the Private Eye crossword tricky this week. Resorted to googling a clue, to be greeted with this. Googled another just to see (I’d worked out that one), got... the same answer. The most average answer to all crosswords!
The team are in London in accommodation that's not suited to the heat. Anyone have cool working suggestions for 5 people in the Shepherd's Bush area?
July 10, 2025 at 6:39 AM
The team are in London in accommodation that's not suited to the heat. Anyone have cool working suggestions for 5 people in the Shepherd's Bush area?
Reposted by Sym Roe
I’ve put an HTML version of Volume 1 of the Post Office Inquiry report up at postofficeinquiry.dracos.co.uk/report/
Footnotes all present, internal links to inquiry documents not there yet, but hopefully will be straightforward to add in a bit.
Footnotes all present, internal links to inquiry documents not there yet, but hopefully will be straightforward to add in a bit.
July 8, 2025 at 3:25 PM
I’ve put an HTML version of Volume 1 of the Post Office Inquiry report up at postofficeinquiry.dracos.co.uk/report/
Footnotes all present, internal links to inquiry documents not there yet, but hopefully will be straightforward to add in a bit.
Footnotes all present, internal links to inquiry documents not there yet, but hopefully will be straightforward to add in a bit.
Reposted by Sym Roe
Followed a link in a message on my phone to legislation.gov.uk, and this time got fed up enough of its desktop-only website to do something about it: presenting adlegem.dracos.co.uk which will make a legislation.gov.uk page readable on mobile :)
Followed a legislation.gov.uk link on your phone? Found it impossible to read?
adlegem.dracos.co.uk
July 5, 2025 at 9:34 AM
Followed a link in a message on my phone to legislation.gov.uk, and this time got fed up enough of its desktop-only website to do something about it: presenting adlegem.dracos.co.uk which will make a legislation.gov.uk page readable on mobile :)
Reposted by Sym Roe
Can someone please make this work in Edge!? I love it.
I've made a browser extension that replaces _that_ dot with a random emoji.
github.com/symroe/GOV.U...
github.com/symroe/GOV.U...
July 4, 2025 at 12:57 PM
Can someone please make this work in Edge!? I love it.
I tend to use government by exception. Having quick access to "apply for compensation for a criminal injury" is, hopefully, not something I need 'quick access' to (or at least not quicker than just searching the web for it.
I expect others are different and need to use somethings daily/weekly/etc
I expect others are different and need to use somethings daily/weekly/etc
Play store:
"GOV.UK ID Check" helps me log into "select" services.
Then "GOV.UK One Login": "proves my identity"
Then "GOV.UK": "Quickly access relevant topics, local services and pages you’ve visited before".
I need to use "One Login" to "personalise my experience", but is that the app?
"GOV.UK ID Check" helps me log into "select" services.
Then "GOV.UK One Login": "proves my identity"
Then "GOV.UK": "Quickly access relevant topics, local services and pages you’ve visited before".
I need to use "One Login" to "personalise my experience", but is that the app?
July 1, 2025 at 2:44 PM
I tend to use government by exception. Having quick access to "apply for compensation for a criminal injury" is, hopefully, not something I need 'quick access' to (or at least not quicker than just searching the web for it.
I expect others are different and need to use somethings daily/weekly/etc
I expect others are different and need to use somethings daily/weekly/etc
Play store:
"GOV.UK ID Check" helps me log into "select" services.
Then "GOV.UK One Login": "proves my identity"
Then "GOV.UK": "Quickly access relevant topics, local services and pages you’ve visited before".
I need to use "One Login" to "personalise my experience", but is that the app?
"GOV.UK ID Check" helps me log into "select" services.
Then "GOV.UK One Login": "proves my identity"
Then "GOV.UK": "Quickly access relevant topics, local services and pages you’ve visited before".
I need to use "One Login" to "personalise my experience", but is that the app?
July 1, 2025 at 2:19 PM
Play store:
"GOV.UK ID Check" helps me log into "select" services.
Then "GOV.UK One Login": "proves my identity"
Then "GOV.UK": "Quickly access relevant topics, local services and pages you’ve visited before".
I need to use "One Login" to "personalise my experience", but is that the app?
"GOV.UK ID Check" helps me log into "select" services.
Then "GOV.UK One Login": "proves my identity"
Then "GOV.UK": "Quickly access relevant topics, local services and pages you’ve visited before".
I need to use "One Login" to "personalise my experience", but is that the app?
Reposted by Sym Roe
but the rebrand is a very obvious change, and if those old services weren't being kept up-to-date already they're not likely to switch any time soon. So we're effectively going to end up with two tiers of GOV.UK, lowering users' confidence in the brand as a whole
July 1, 2025 at 7:59 AM
but the rebrand is a very obvious change, and if those old services weren't being kept up-to-date already they're not likely to switch any time soon. So we're effectively going to end up with two tiers of GOV.UK, lowering users' confidence in the brand as a whole
Reposted by Sym Roe
This is my main concern with the rebrand. There are probably hundreds of services which aren't even using the newest version of the old (black bar) branding - old version of the crown, grey boxes around radios etc. They've kind of gotten away with it until now because it was close enough
July 1, 2025 at 7:59 AM
This is my main concern with the rebrand. There are probably hundreds of services which aren't even using the newest version of the old (black bar) branding - old version of the crown, grey boxes around radios etc. They've kind of gotten away with it until now because it was close enough
Reposted by Sym Roe
I know it feels like “so what, it’s just a font” – but when trust in governments is at an all time low, and the risk of disinformation through “just about good enough” AI fakes is rising every single day, things like consistent branding really really matter. 😞
The GOV.UK app launched today and they're already not following the week-old brand guidelines in this launch graphic - that font is not GDS Transport
Public services put in your pocket with trial GOV.UK App launched today
A trial version of the GOV.UK App is to be available to download on smartphones today, putting public services in people’s pocket to save them from wasting time on admin.
www.gov.uk
July 1, 2025 at 7:48 AM
I know it feels like “so what, it’s just a font” – but when trust in governments is at an all time low, and the risk of disinformation through “just about good enough” AI fakes is rising every single day, things like consistent branding really really matter. 😞
Are innovators incubated or catapulted? They're quite different approaches
June 30, 2025 at 7:15 PM
Are innovators incubated or catapulted? They're quite different approaches
Reposted by Sym Roe
Civic tech isn't dead yet.
This is now on the Firefox Extension's site for easy installation addons.mozilla.org/en-GB/androi...
June 30, 2025 at 7:08 PM
Civic tech isn't dead yet.
This is now on the Firefox Extension's site for easy installation addons.mozilla.org/en-GB/androi...
June 30, 2025 at 7:05 PM
This is now on the Firefox Extension's site for easy installation addons.mozilla.org/en-GB/androi...
I've made a browser extension that replaces _that_ dot with a random emoji.
github.com/symroe/GOV.U...
github.com/symroe/GOV.U...
June 26, 2025 at 9:37 PM
I've made a browser extension that replaces _that_ dot with a random emoji.
github.com/symroe/GOV.U...
github.com/symroe/GOV.U...
Reposted by Sym Roe
Plymouth is currently holding a referendum to create a mayor. Were this to pass, the mayoral election would not happen.
June 26, 2025 at 10:23 AM
Plymouth is currently holding a referendum to create a mayor. Were this to pass, the mayoral election would not happen.
Reposted by Sym Roe
The government has announced its intention to abolish directly elected council mayors in England. While the 13 existing mayors will remain, no new ones will be created.
Full statement: questions-statements.parliament.uk/written-stat...
Full statement: questions-statements.parliament.uk/written-stat...
June 26, 2025 at 10:23 AM
The government has announced its intention to abolish directly elected council mayors in England. While the 13 existing mayors will remain, no new ones will be created.
Full statement: questions-statements.parliament.uk/written-stat...
Full statement: questions-statements.parliament.uk/written-stat...