Meeting of the Carpenters Connect Steering group of 19th May 2003

Present were:	Apologies
Richard Overton	Richard Steel
Linda Salim	Rick Smith.
Simon Gallimore
Richard Stubbs
David Fayanju
Tee Fabikun - Minutes
John Defoe – Chair

The Chairman John Defoe called the meeting to order at 3.15pm the minutes of the meeting were then adopted.

Matters arising.

• Linda and Richard Overton are yet to meet with the Bengali Women’s group but promised to do something about it before the next meeting.
• A table is to be set up in the foyer of the tower blocks to encourage more people to see what Carpenters Connect is and maybe sign up for the set top boxes.
• The target is to get about 250 homes connected as soon as possible. It is hoped that the release of the new games would encourage more people especially the kids who would then encourage their parents.

Finance & Funding.

• Council would like to use our services to make some videos.
• We should know very soon how much money we would be getting from ODPM.
• SRB: A meeting is being planned.
• The need to set up the community enterprise is very acute as a lot of things now depend on it.
• NHS Direct – Peter Dick liked the idea of extra language and would not mind to work with us on this. It is also fundable.
• MT – Media Trust would be applying for “Awards for all”, a lottery grant on behalf of H2H.

Gary Hewitt introduced himself. He circulated copies of a list of possible project development with SRB funding. He explained that 2 applications have been submitted one of them in conjunction with Carpenters and Docklands centre.

He explained a proposal of H2H getting involved with the railway land, which he had earlier discussed with the TMO board. According to Gary, the board was in favour of the idea but the Council is reluctant. After a lot of deliberation, it was agreed that the proposal should be put on hold until the registration of H2H.

Technical Development

Richard Overton explained the following:

• Free to Air. Although tried and tested, Richard is still not comfortable with the performance. Will still have to work on it before it could be put on the system.
• NHS Direct: Not many people using the site so a publicity campaign is being planned.
• Video/Games: so far it can take only 2/3 people at the same time; more work is needed before the new games are put on the system. Parental control will have to be worked out too. A big publicity is being planned for the event.
• Craft College: Now agreed to have the full system installed in the conference room. 30 computers would be connected to Carpenters Connect with full restrictions. Cabling should start in early June.
• School: a lot is happening in the school, all the classrooms should have a set top box each installed during the mid-term break.
• All the various special pc’s are ready but still waiting for the cat5 to be fixed. Hopefully this would be done during the mid-term break.
• The cooling system in the server room packed up and is yet to be fixed.
• The advanced user group are now working on HTML and are so excited creating personal web pages.
• Suggestion about the use of C&D’s computers – To be opened to the public and Gary to man it.

Media Trust

• The edit suite is undergoing repairs but so far the cause of the problem has not been found. Will undergo a thorough check-up.
• The Masterplan filming is going on very well.
• With the departure of Annie Kearne, only two permanent staff are now manning the office.
• There are 2 video jobs in the pipeline from the Council that should be enough to pay the staffs’ salaries for a little while longer.

Developments – tmo

The SRB funding application form has been completed and sent off. Hopefully we would be given some money.

Possible futures.

Rail lands announced that a wired up estate would be set up in Stratford. Richard Stubbs opined that we should work with them and while helping them we could help ourselves. After a general debate, it was agreed that Richard Stubbs and Simon Gallimore should try to negotiate with them.

A.O.B

John Defoe said that Mase would be linking the tower blocks soon and that this would mean that the Council link to the estate will function.

The meeting was rounded up at 5.05pm

Next meeting 3.00pm, 16^th June200 at TMO.