SEPTEMBER MINUTES OF THE CARPENTERS ESTATE WIRED UP COMMUNITIES PROJECT STEERING GROUP MEETING

MONDAY 17TH OCT. 2001

 

IN ATTENDANCE

APOLOGIES

 

Steve Pennant –  Dept Head ICT (Chair)

Brian Taylor – CICT

Rick Smith – Dfes

Paul Whitman – LB Education

Pallavi Malhotra – NCFE

Richard Stubbs – Newham Net

Satnam Boll – System support Worker.

Linda Salim – Housing Manager.

Tee Fabikun – Chairperson TMO

Jan Bless – Carpenters School

 

 

Michael Mulquin

Richard Steel

Steve Tyler

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1.           Minutes of Last meeting and Matters arising.

                Minutes Agreed

 

2.          Technical progress

In Steve’s absence Richard Stubbs reported on technical progress (see attached progress report)

Some  30% of the trenching has been done but good progress depended on good weather. There is an issue to be resolved over the pricing of the wiring for low rise accommodation. Set Top boxes are now ready and will be tried soon. The biggest upset has been Microsoft withdrawing an offer that was based on pricing for use. Rick Smith offered to help in negotiations but it was agreed to make no decisions until after the meeting to be held later in the month. Hopefully the whole thing will be finalised soon as the use of Plato will depend on this. Paul raised the point that children at local schools are covered by licences that enable them to use MS products at both home and school.

 

The issue of NDITS as the Councils preferred supplier for servers not included within the Mase and Citrix contracts was discussed. It was agreed that once the servers had been specified NDITS should be asked if they can meet the spec. however a comparative price should be taken and the cheapest supplier chosen.

 

3.           Content progress

 

3.1        Media Trust

 

Newham Council will retain the copyright of any material done by MT. There is hope that the contract will be signed very shortly.

 

3.2        Plato

Paul Whiteman pointed out that there was no materials suitable for primary school children and given the importance of Carpenters School to the project it made sense to have some content of this type. Paul Whiteman also promised to look into our having another learning programme, which might equally be good but cheaper. There was also the issue of what happened once the licences expired. It was agreed that Richard Stubbs should contact Plato to discuss the concerns that the Steering Group had raised. The Newham College, according to Pallavi, is willing to help by creating accounts, giving support and even train people if need be. Pallavi would follow up options re LearnDirect and ECDL

.

3.3        Start Here

There is still a problem about our using this because Set Top boxes do not allow included files. Satnam to research the problem and see if it can be resolved. It was thought that the next version of the browser software may resolve the problem.

 

3.4        London Grind For Learning Portal

This is now running but is yet to be tested on our Set Top boxes so we do not know if there could be problems.

 

3.5            Enfocast
Richard Stubbs said that Enfocast had not responed to his email. Steve said the would follow up with them.

 

4.          Management Progress.

 

4.1        LBN-DfES contract

                This contract had now been sealed.

 

4.2        End User Licence Agreement.

 

Copies of the agreement were passed around and members were implored to please go over and send comments and observations to Richard before the next meeting.

 

4.3        Project Report

Satnam Boll, the project system support Officer, also gave a report on what have been happening behind the scene. The three Tower blocks are being wired. Gave a list of problems that they have been through, the various places they have been and the training they also went for, including Java Script he is self –teaching himself; above all their need for an official phone since they have to use personal ones at the moment. Efforts were made to solve some of the problems and a promise was made to get them Telephones. Brian Taylor to action this.

 

5.          Associated Projects

 

5.1            Carpenters School

 

Jan Bless was more than happy to hand round copies of the contract for the wired up project of the school. Total amount will be £300,000.Work is expected to start almost immediately as this project is linked to the Wired Up Communities project.

 

5.2            Cyberangels.

 

Training of new Cyberangels will begin in January so that Media Trust would be on hand to capture the training on video and hopefully Parry Aftab the chairperson of the organisation might be on hand.

 

6.          Project Management

Richard Stubbs passed copies of a detailed report, which he went through and gave detailed explanation. There was a revised Outline Project plan for Carpenters WUC attached, which he hopes, will be met.

 

7.      WUC Conference Sheffield

The WUC conference will be on Wed 7th and Thurs 8th November 2001 in Sheffield.

Delegates confirmed their willingness to go

 

9.      AOB

 

 

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Next meeting will be:

Date: Mon 19th Nov

Time: 3pm

Place: Carpenters TMO’s Office Hall