We don’t want to be too bold in claiming influence in high places, but we’re delighted to record that one of the inspirational figures behind this campaign has picked up a gong in the New Year’s honours list.

Congratulations go to Dr Robert Barr, of Manchester Geomatics and Manchester University, on his OBE for services to geography. Among his many other activities, Bob is a passionate campaigner for a saner approach to the management of public sector information, in particular address databases. We hope he won’t mind being counted as a (sometimes critical) friend.

Perhaps he’ll put in a word for free data when he drops in at SW1A 1AA…

The following posts may be related...(the database guesses):
• Should Ordnance Survey be split into two? (9 November 2006; score: 37.72%)
• Land Registry surcharge could fund free OS data surprisingly cheaply (27 March 2008; score: 19.5%)
• Power of Information blog suggests what should be freed up; Geographic Strategy seems to agree (28 November 2008; score: 18.9%)
• OS chairman's speech: internal study shows "free" OS would cost government 500m-1bn pounds - but won't publish (14 May 2009; score: 18.11%)
• In today's Guardian: who will address the postcode mess? (13 July 2006; score: 14.08%)