Open Government Partnership

An update on our trust and transparency work from Juliet Swann, Co-chair of the Open Government Steering Group

October 17, 2025 by Open Government Team No Comments | Category Uncategorized

Why do people trust or distrust government? 

At the last Open Government Steering Group meeting we tried to figure out how we might find  answers to this question.  

We want to know what makes people feel they can trust a person or an institution. We also want to learn how distrust develops and grows, and how we can act against that. 

We have committed to developing a trust and transparency strategy. Through Open Government actions we want to show people that they can trust in their government. 

Insights from the steering group meeting 

We thought about questions we could ask and what we need to think about as we develop plans to engage with people on this issue. 

The overarching questions of the discussion were: 

• Who do people trust? 

• What do they see as trustworthy?  

• Who might be considered reliable sources? 

Here’s what came out of the discussions 

• This involves every level of government and decision making 

• There is a lack of consistency in how government approaches, consults, and informs the public 

• A loss of trust in one institution can influence the way someone views other parts of government 

• The importance of trusted information providers 

• The importance of trusted spaces where people feel, safe, comfortable, and open 

For me one of the crucial takeaways was that trust is a two way street. We need to show the public that government trusts them. 

My thoughts on what comes next 

A question that has been going round my head since the meeting is; what happens when distrust between institutions and the public is openly aired? Does that enhance or diminish trust? 

Perhaps trust requires an approach that takes into account multiple factors that is made part of the systems of governance. It requires respectful dialogue and honest communication. 

Get involved 

In collaboration with the Scottish Community Development Centre we plan to bring more people into this inquiry later this year as part of the co-creation of the Open Government National Action Plan.  

If you have any questions or are interested in discussing this further get in touch with myself (Juliet Swann), or the Open Government team. 

Read more about trust on our blog

A conversation with Sarah Davidson on trust and the First Minister’s Democracy Gathering – Open Government Partnership

Hope plus delivery equals trust – Open Government Partnership

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