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

MONDAY 19th Nov. 2001

 

IN ATTENDANCE

APOLOGIES

 

Jan Bless – Carpenters School

Tee Fabikun – (secretary)

Annie Keanne – Media Trust

Hammad Khan – WUC

Sarah Reid – Stratford Development Partnership

Linda Salim – Housing Manager

Rick Smith –Dfes

Richard Steel – LBN {chairman}

Richard Stubbs – Newham .net

Paul Whiteman – Newham Education

 

Pallavi Malhotra

Steve Tyler

Brian Taylor.

 

.

 

1.      Minutes of Last meeting and Matters arising

1.1           Minutes agreed with amendment that the “London Grind For Learning Portal” was in fact the “London Grid for Learning Portal”

1.2                 (Ref 3.4) Paul Whiteman to provide URL for London Grid for Learning portal.

1.3                 (Ref 7) Richard Stubbs gave a report of the Wired Conference, which took place in Sheffield on 7th – 8th November 2001. Three people, Richard Stubbs, Brian Taylor and Tee Fabikun; represented Carpenters Estate. Richard gave a presentation at the conference. Came back with loads of ideas for the Wired up and contacts. Example are the various ways of generating income for the wired up in form of “rent a movie”. Also learnt at the conference that a lot of people are in worse situation than Carpenters. While the others are using and basing their work on computers, which have, according to them been disappearing, Carpenters Estate is the only Estate using Set Top Boxes.

 

2.      Media Trust

Annie Keanne introduced herself and Media Trust- a registered charity whose aim is to help charitable organisations access media. Media Trust will be making community videos for the Estate that will be broadcast over the network. They intend to produce videos including people on the Estate and agreed subjects include the History of the Estate, different cultural backgrounds, Cyber Angels, the workings of the TMO and information on how to access the various sites and programmes on the Estate network. Annie will represent the Media Trust on the Steering Group. Annie said that, in principle, the Media Trust was interested in becoming a project partner..

 

3.      Technical progress

As usual, Richard Stubbs gave out a written detailed report, which he also explained. Apart from the low rise flats and houses; wiring should be completed very soon in the Tower blocks. Microsoft is now a project partner of the scheme. Richard Stubbs made a good deal on our behalf.

 

Due to the current staff problem, Internet Vision will be coming to our aid and will post someone on site who will be backed by a team of very competent technicians that could be called upon if need be. The Council has agreed to pay for this service and has also agreed that John Defoe can work with us on the design and inter connection of  Estate network with the Council network.

 

3.      Content progress

3.1        DkTV

 

Richard Stubbs said that DkTV had offered to sell videos to the project but that as a director of DkTV himself he could not advise on whether they were offered at a reasonable price nor negotiate on the project’s behalf. It was agreed that Tony Klinger at UeL should be asked to handle this negotiation on behalf of the project. The question of MCPCS licence came up, Annie promised to do the groundwork and advise accordingly;  Richard Stubbs would then apply if need be.

Although DKTV does have an interactive TV service that runs on Home Choice, it is not known if it will work on our system and this will need to be researched.

 

It was noted that the. East London Film Festival and Four Corners might be a source of material for broadcast on the network.

 

3.2        Plato

All the materials have been delivered to Richard’s office.

 

3.3        Enfocast
Rick Smith advised that Granada Learning was involved with Brampton WuC. Richard Stubbs agreed to contact

 

4.      Management Progress.

 

4.1        LBN-DfES contract

                There was an agreement/understanding that once all things have been contracted out by 31st March, all monies can be spent by 31st Dec 2002. A statement will be made by the end of the week. Houses cannot be connected until all current bills are paid as we do not know the costs of the trenching works until it is finished. This may affect evaluation

 

4.2        Staffing

Position regarding Satnam still not known. Even with Internet Vision setting up the system there might be the need to employ more staff to get the set top boxes installed as if we are required to install 200 boxes by January the workload will be too much for Hammad.

 

4.3               DfES Project Board Meeting

A project Management meeting will take place here on 29th Jan 2002 at 10am – 12.30pm and richard Stubbs will give a presentation. We will then demonstrate the Carpenters system and a visit will be made to Carpenters school where lunch will be provided. Richard Stubbs and Rick Smith to liaise on details.

 

5.      Associated Projects

5.1        Carpenters School

Carpenters school have received the first set of Laptops and the Teachers’ Training will be starting very soon.

5.2        Cyberangels.

Richard Steel said that Brian Taylor will coordinate everything,- Media Trust, Carpenters Estate and Parry Aftab.

 

6.      Users

6.1        Joseph Rowntree Charitable Trust

The trust is doing a research into the use of new technology on housing estates and David Wilcox has offered to hep develop a tenant participation strategy on the estate. It was agreed that David Wilcox will be invited to the next meeting to give a presentation.

 

6.2        Name

There is a need to give the scheme a name. It was agreed that the TMO should have responsibility for consulting tenants on this. It was  suggested that maybe a competition is thrown out to anyone who works or live on the Estate could participate to think of a name and logo for the Estate.

 

7.      AOB

7.1               Learn Direct Centre

There is money available that could be applied by for the College to upgrade the equipment in the Centre.

7.2               Community chest

The TMO may be able to apply for small grants to help with the project under this scheme.

 

.

Next meeting will be:

Date: Mon 17th. Dec

Time: 3pm

Place: Carpenters TMO’s Office Hall