CARPENTERS ESTATE WIRED COMMUNITIES PARTNERSHIP STEERING GROUP

 

MINUTES OF THE SECOND MEETING HELD  ON  23RD APRIL 2001 AT 3.10PM

 

 

 

PRESENT WERE: Jan Bless{Carpenters School}

                                Steve Tyler{Mase}

                                Richard Stubbs {Newham On line}

                                Helen Kaczmarek {Dfee]

                                Linda Salim {Housing Manager, Carpenters Estate}

                                Paul Whiteman {LBN Educ Dept}

                                Brian Taylor {LBN}

                                Becky Alcock {Dfee}

                                Richard Steel {Chair}

                                Tee Fabikun{Sec}

 

APOLOGIES: Richard Steel -he will be late.

                         David Bill - will not be coming.

 

CORRECTION : Jan Bless is the Deputy Head teacher of Carpenters School.

 

INTRODUCTION: -Self introduction was made.

 

TECHNICAL PROGRESS:

 

Steve got in touch with Pace {manufacturers of top boxes}, according to him, Pace will be able be able to work according to our specifications but what they have now will not be able to work with community networking. But there is an assurance that they could meet the supply date though may be necessary to install the basic system and then upgrade it.

Blick will likely start wiring of the Tower Blocks in May. Richard Steel and Chris Jones are the two people in charge of our affairs at LBN hopefully money would be released very soon so that the whole work will be on target.

 

 

S.R.B.

 

Richard Stubbs and Linda are still battling with the forms, as there were various data that need to be collected. Hopefully the forms would be submitted before the 17th May closing date. The SRB grant is for staff salaries – the technical and the support staffs.

 

 

PROJECT SUPPORT 

 

Wired Up will be supported by New Deal. Brian will act as the support officer; identify other needs that might arise. As this is not only a new project it is also a developing area so Brian will also be learning along with us.

 

MEDIA TRUST

 

Helen had a meeting with the above named before Easter and another one on Monday 30th April. Richard Stubbs, Linda and Tee voiced their opinion as per the bid sent. Thought that they would help in building a community network programme but seems the company is marketing software. Helen will like us to work with Media Trust but will like others to attend the meeting so as to put forward their ideas and observations. Tee then promised to be there. Paul or Brian will represent the Council at the meeting.

 

eLEARNING  FOUNDATION

 

Helen reported making progress with this body. The overall boss has been appointed and has since assumed office. She believes things will move faster now. Helen will be having a brainstorming meeting with them very soon. Helen believes that Graham Pragnall’s involvement will help sort out the practicalities from the theoretical.

 

Whilst on the topic of online learning Richard Stubbs and Paul Whiteman agreed to represent the project’s interests at the next meeting of the Newham Community Learning Grid.

 

 

EVALUATION

 

Leeds Metropolitan University will be carrying out the evaluation. Helen believes the first evaluation will be in Sept – before the Technologies go into the homes. It is believed that about 50 homes will be used as the pilot scheme and evaluation can then be carried out on those. The question of confidentiality then arose. Richard Steel agreed that he would look into the Data Protection Act issues.

 

After some discussions it was agreed that the evaluation could be used as a PR. Sure Start will also be doing an evaluation about the same time but theirs is about children.

 

 

COMMUNICATION

 

 

v Dfee meeting of 15th  &16th May for the seven Wired Up communities to share experience. Richard Stubbs and Linda will go and there is one more free space.

v The Wired Web Board is set up, members should please log on and use it.

v A WiredUK Web Board has also been set up to share experience between projects.

 

 

PROJECT MANAGEMENT

 

 

Richard Stubbs gave a speech on the various roles and how it has to work together to in order to achieve desired goal. Wiring should start on the 1st of May. Pace has started work on the top boxes, as delivery is 4 months after order. Bottom line is he will like to know when the contract can be signed and money released.

Helen then said that firm costs like wiring should put in writing and money can then be released. In places where only estimates can be submitted, then adjustments can later be done but the difference should not be too wide.

Richard Stubbs agreed to provide figures for the wiring of the estate as soon as possible.

 

AOB

 

 

v The issue of Security on Tower Blocks and Security enhancement was raised Brian Cox is said to be in charge. Richard Steel promised to find out.

v Paul Whiteman volunteered to check the database and let Jan know the number of students from this Estate attending other schools.

v Paul advised us to log on www.parentsgateway.com and see the new system where parents can follow their kids’ progress at school at no cost. Suggested to Jan to sell the idea to the School.

             The site is controlled by the school and password given to parents.

v Jan again raised the issue of staff training, as the impact on the school will be greater than that of the Estate.

 It was then agreed that the school should work with eLearning and both        will work with Wired Up

v Questions of whether the houses would pay for the installation, still not clear that houses will be able to be connected. Interactive benches are yet to be worked out and therefore will be dealt with later.

v Jan then reported that in the school – 276 pupils live within the Estate and 111 come from outside.

 

The meeting came to a close at 4.30pm.

 

 

Next Meeting – 21st May 2001 at 4.30pm.