1.1 To agree revised project timetable now that the first payments have been made.

1.2 To inform the Steering Committee of progress.

2.1 That the Steering Group accepts the revised project timetable.

3.1 Agreed ERDF project outputs are as follows: -

3.2 The permanent job is for Richard Stubbs who is self employed and trading as CoSpec. The first SME's assisted to conduct online trading are likely to be Go2Find and UeL's Bee Centre as a result of the creation of the Brassett Point Network and this should be achieved by March '99. Marconi has provided the first half of their contribution and the business start up will be the new extranet management company.

4.1.2 Progress towards achieving formal organisational commitment to Newham Online by NCFE, Steve Cameron and Peter Topping have both agreed to pursue. UeL positive but waiting for new IT Manager to be appointed.

4.1.3 Lease on office in St. Luke's for Newham Online project taken on by Richard Stubbs (CoSpec) however unable to move in until network connectivity is achieved. Computer Access will share space in this office.

4.1.4 New mailing lists have been created for Festival of Life Long Learning, Newham Millennium Celebrations and Learners.

4.2.1 The network audit has been followed up by holding meetings with LBN CCS, LBN Education and NCFE. Newham is very keen to support the development of the extranet and has already established a permanent link to the Health WAN. A link between NCFE and LBN WANs is to be made at East Ham. The Brassett Point network will initially only link Duncan House but linking to the UeL WAN would then simply require an appropriate firewall to be put in place. In summary it seems very likely that the extranet will be complete by June '99

4.2.2 The Brassett Point network has been extended so as to provide a link for the Council's Bridge Road depot to both Duncan House and St. Luke's. The link will consist of a 155M IR link from Bridge Road Depot and a 10M microwave link to St. Luke's and a 10M link to Duncan House. A switch is being installed so as to allow easy extension of the network. The total project cost is £50,643 and is now being co-ordinated through St. Luke's Project Ltd. as the Council was advised that it was not legal for it to provide a public communications infrastructure of this nature. A letter of intent has been written and it is anticipated that the network will be operational by the end of March. It is now obvious that establishing an extranet management company is essential and ideally would have already happened.

4.2.3 We have managed to obtain newham.co.uk for Newham Online.

4.2.4 The Council has agreed to Newham Online having servers housed in its server farm linked to the main switch that links the Teleregion and Newham WANs. This will enable Newham Online's servers to give extremely fast access to the extranet and Teleregion.

4.2.5 Newham Online has helped develop three Objective 2 bids that seek to develop the extranet and its services. Affordable Broadband Connectivity (LBN) which will seek to extend the extranet using DSL, radio and other alternatives to leased lines. Creative Networking in Newham (Salway Arts Centre) will extend the Brassett Point Network to Three Mills Studios and other partners. Enhancing Communication (Computer Access) will provide servers that will support communication and collaboration within Newham Online and the Teleregion in general.

4.2.6 A UeL bid to BT was developed with respect to the new Thames Gateway Techology Centre. It would provide distance learning applications and link Fords with the new precinct. The bid assumes that UeL is connected to the Newham Extranet and Newham Online is a contributing partner in terms of providing access to the Extranet.

4.2.7 In principle agreement has been obtained from NCFE to linking the Little Ilford Youth Centre, a key focal point for NYPO, to NCFE's network and the Extranet.

4.2.8 A bid is being developed through LBN to link Three Mills Studios to Telehouse (the UK's main Internet node) and hence Sohonet.

4.3.1 Jon Harris, John Lock and Richard Stubbs developed the Creative Networking in Newham bid which includes marketing, sales and training applications for the Newham Creative Network.

4.3.2 Richard Stubbs took the lead in developing Computer Access' Enhancing Communication bid that includes a range of applications to support local communication and collaboration.

4.3.2 The Newham Millennium Web site is to be run on a Newham Online server at www.millennium.newham.net. Until there is a server the domain will be mapped onto a Council server.

4.3.3 Danny Budzak has investigated the requirements for a search engine.

4.3.5 Danny Budzak is leading on the establishment of a local history network.

4.3.6 Meetings have been held to discuss the Newham Learning Grid members becoming the body that takes formal responsibility for developing Newham's Grid for Learning under the national scheme. Paul Whiteman has accepted responsibility for managing the list and Prof. Nod Miller is chairing the group.

4.3.7 Project meetings have been held with the Millennium Web Site Steering Group, Slipway Project, UeL's Festival for Life Long Learning and the Community TV Trust.

4.3.8 NCFE have confirmed that they would like to be partners in the development of Newham Online's eCommerce project.

4.4.1 John Lock, Gavin Sealey and Richard Stubbs have been developing a model that links real world brainstorming with online working which has been called Newham Netstorm. The first trial run was held in beginning of March and Gavin Sealey is leading the online work.

4.4.2 Jo Twist, a University researcher, is using Newham Online as a case study in her work on the development of online communities. She is focussing her attention on Newham Young People Online.