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Topic: Recorder 6 consultation - results and next steps

The results of the Recorder 6 consultation are now available for your perusal. You can find the report here: https://sxbrc.org.uk/documents/Recorder … y_v1.0.pdf

Very many thanks to everyone who took the time to respond. We had 120 responses of which 90 were from individuals and organisations who currently use Recorder 6.

The results of the consultation suggest that action is needed on two fronts:
(1)    To maintain Recorder 6 for at least the next 5 years
(2)    To begin scoping development of a successor system (whether that’s ‘Recorder 7’ or an entirely different platform) which will enable users to maintain data standards and have access to the functionality they need over the longer term, while benefiting from technological advances. This work will be informed by further consultation with recorders, data managers and information users – the promised 'part 2' consultation – to ensure development is well aligned to future biodiversity information needs.

The next step will be to bring together a range of interested parties, including the Recorder 6 Consortium, ALERC, NBN Trust and NFBR, to establish a working group to take these actions forward. We will want to get a good balance of people with relevant skills, experience and motivation to move this forward – while keeping the working group small enough that we can get on and make progress. If you would like to be involved, or contribute in any way, then please let me know.

The responses to the ‘willingness-to-pay’ section of the consultation suggest that alternative business models to support maintenance of Recorder 6 and development of a successor system could be viable. However, there will undoubtedly be a need for additional funding over the short-term. I have therefore written to JNCC, Defra, Natural England, Natural Resources Wales, Scottish Natural Heritage, the Department of Environment (Northern Ireland) and Manx Biological Recording Partnership to ask them to consider where such funding could come from. It’s Easter holiday season at the moment, so it may be a while before people get a chance to give this detailed consideration, but I hope we can get some positive conversations going in due course.

Meanwhile, the Recorder 6 Consortium has done an excellent job in ensuring a seamless transition to the new support arrangements for Recorder 6, with sufficient funding in place to maintain the system and ensure users have access to support when they need it – through to at least the end of March 2019. For more information please see their updated website: www.recorder6.info.

I'd be very interested to hear other people's perspectives on the results of the Recorder 6 consultation, so please do share any thoughts via the NBN Forum. I'm keen that we take this forward in a way which works for the whole Network.

Clare Blencowe
Chair of the Association of Local Environmental Record Centres
and Manager at Sussex Biodiversity Record Centre

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The Recorder 6 consultation was commissioned jointly by Sussex Biodiversity Record Centre and Greenspace Information for Greater London CIC, with thanks to Andy Foy Consulting who’s done a great job putting it together and producing the report. ALERC provided valuable input to the design of the consultation, through the databases group chaired by Ian Carle, and Steve Whitbread did a fantastic job promoting it. We also had help from the Recorder 6 Consortium, NBN Trust, NFBR and BRC in raising awareness of the consultation. So THANK YOU to everyone who helped to make this a really worthwhile exercise.

Clare Blencowe
Sussex Biodiversity Record Centre | Manager
Recorder 6 Steering Group | Chair

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Re: Recorder 6 consultation - results and next steps

Thanks for conducting that survey.
One perspective not covered was the issue of using R6 outside the UK. I've started a thread on that at https://forums.nbn.org.uk/viewtopic.php … 408#p28408 to look for interest.
A new market might be valuable.