Connecting Cumbria Partnership Board
Notes of Meeting held 18th June 2013
The Grand Jury Room, the Courts, Carlisle CA3 8NA
Attendees:
Cllr David Southward (Chair)Cumbria County Council
Jim Savege (JS) Cumbria County Council
Alan Cook (AC) Cumbria County Council
Lynn Singleton (LS) Cumbria County Council
Ronnie Auld (RA)CALC
John Roebuck (JR)Clinical Commissioning Group
Stephen Kirkpatrick (SK)Cumbria Constabulary
Ian Stephens (IS)Cumbria Tourism
Malcolm Smith (MS) District Council Representative
John Bowman (JB)District Council Representative
Fra Cooke (FC) HUB Coordinator
John Farmer(JF)HUB Coordinator
Bill Jefferson(BJ)Lake District National Park Authority
Notes: Emma Johnston (EJ)Cumbria County Council
Action / For- Welcome and Introductions
- Apologies
- Gillian Elliott, Cumbria County Council
- Rob Johnston, Chamber of Commerce with no available substitute
- Gordon Nicholson, District Council Representative with Malcolm Smith as substitute
- Graham Frost, Primary Heads Association (Graham has now withdrawn from future meetings of the Partnership Board, PHA to confirm replacement)
3. Notes of the previous meeting
An amendment was requested tothe Hub Coordinator update on page 4, paragraph 2, line 4. Rather than the conflict of interest between being a County Councillor and a Hub Coordinator being something that should be dealt with by the Hub Coordinators, it was agreed that the 3 Hub Coordinators who have been elected as County Councillors should resign from their Hub Coordinator post. Action: The notes of the previous meeting will be amended.
Action Update:
13 exchange line only areas not part of the RCBF bid – It has not been possible to progress this action. This will be covered under the agenda.
Health and Wellbeing Board – This action is on-going. If the need for a Connecting Cumbria representative is identified then this will be progressed.
2G – AC informed that this is a 2 stage project. Arqiva have been appointed by BDUK to build the base stations and are working to a tight timeline. In the first stage they have identified sites for masts on a section of the A591 and within the park boundary. A copy of their map has been discussed with LDNP. The feedback from the meeting from Arqiva was that they were positive that work could be delivered in Cumbria and were encouraged by the positive approach from LDNP. Arqiva are clear that if agreement cannot be reached on locations quickly they will have to move elsewhere. Action: A copy of the map will be disseminated to the Board when an electronic copy has been received.
It was confirmed to the Board that Arqiva have completed a wireless survey of the county and determined whereall the not spots are. JS asked if other bodies have been liaised with to minimise the risk of delay. AC confirmed that the planning groups have been met with regularly and there is another meeting arranged for the 2nd week in August. FC asked if there was any opportunity for local influence on the sites of the masts. It was confirmed that the sites would go through the normal planning consultation process.
Newsletter – LS updated that it had not been possible to publish an interim newsletter due to the time taken to understand the information flow within BT on what can and cannot be published. A publication will be produced following the conference. / EJ
AC / 10.09.13
10.09.13
4. Programme Update and Forward Look
CCC
Contents of the paper distributed prior to the meeting were noted. AC updated the report with the following:
ERDF terms and conditions were signed and sealed yesterday,
BDUK terms and conditions should hopefully be signed and sealed by the end of the week.
The effective start date with BT was agreed as 1st June 2013.
With regard to RCBF, an update will be sent to the relevant Hub Coordinators explaining exactly where we are in the process. FC stressed that it is a matter of huge concern to the individual projects and a huge disappointment for everyone involved that the process is proving very difficult. JS confirmed that the process has been paused as it seems there needs to be some reengineering to make the funding work.
JR asked about the on-going discussions with BEC and progress with regard to funding for the 7%. Action: JS informed that thereis no update at moment but we will get one for the next meeting.
FC added that this was the first meeting since the publication of the outline roll-out plan. The rational for the different tranches in the plan was questioned as it appeared to be extending from the commercial roll out. The Board were reminded that the focus is the rural areas but that practically work had to radiate out from the existing infrastructure to provide the connectivity.
FC asked about the production of maps identifying the 93% and 7% and the need to recognise that if these aren’t produced there will be huge disappointment throughout the communities as the maps have been promised. AC informed that the local BT team are doing everything they can to progress this through strategic management within BT. A model is emerging to disseminate the information but it doesn’t look like it will be through maps. JS stated that this is a problem within the senior management of BT as the map issue has emerged nationally from their commercial roll-out and the maps were agreed locally before the impact on their organisation was looked at. The Board were informed that quarter by quarter updates will be given through the website for the following 6 months.FC informed that the questions aren’t just being asked through curiosity. It is critical that the 93% can relax. In order to energise the 7% the Hub Coordinators need to know who is impacted. The Chair informed that CCC will confirm where the 7% is as soon as contractually able to.
CALC
RA informed the Board that broadband was slipping off the agenda of Hub Coordinators and Parish Councils but will be reinvigorated when the 7% area is known. Work has been on-going on the Digital Carlisle project which is being discussed at the Connecting Cumbria Conference on Friday.
Chamber of Commerce
Not in attendance.
Clinical Commissioning Group
JR gave a verbal update to the Board. Initiatives in remote monitoring, online booking of Outpatient, GP and Nurse Practitioner appointments are on-going. Action: AC to provide contact for the County Council tele-care team outside of the meeting.
There is an increasing need for mobile working to be available for district nurses so they can connect to GP records whilst doing home visits. Access as widely as possible throughout Cumbria is key.
Cumbria Constabulary
As previously reported, the first focus of the Constabulary is mobile infrastructure. With regard to fixed estates, the project gives an opportunity to reduce costs. The published exchange roll-out plan was welcomed but real interest is focussed on what happens to the cabinets that are fed off the exchanges.
Cumbria Tourism
IS informed that Board that developments would follow at a later stage as the service is rolled out. The Chair added that this is a good news project, in 30 months most of Cumbria will have access to superfast broadband.
District Council
JR informed the Board that he attended a meeting the previous week with a company in Cleator Moor who have problems with their broadband speed. The company covers all 4 points of the compass in the UK. It will be a shame if Cumbria loses the smaller businesses because of broadband issues.
RA told the Board that in the Carlisle district there are a lot of housing applications. Negotiating ducting to be laid when new houses are being built was discussed as a way to minimise cost to the project. AC informed the Board that the project team had engaged with districts on their strategic planning frameworks over the last 18 months and that encouragement was the role of the district council. JS added that good conversations were on-going with all planning authoritiesaround aspirations.
Hub Coordinators
FC asked about the other the 13 ELO areas. AC confirmed that they hadn’t been given up on.
JF informed the Board that there was great enthusiasm to get involved from the Hub Coordinators for whatever they need to do. The Chair reiterated that as soon as the 7% area can be disclosed, it will be.
Lake District National Park Authority
With regard to the 2G project, clarification on BDUK’s on-goingroll was sought. AC confirmed that BDUKare the customer for the contract with Arqiva and will continue in a facilitation role.
Primary Heads Association
Not in attendance.
Secondary Heads Association
Not in attendance. / GE
AC / 10.09.13
10.09.13
5. Communications and Engagement
LS gave a verbal update to the Board. The main communications and engagement focus of late has been the upcoming Conference. The process for approval of communications and press releases is still being tuned.
The Board were informed that the branding of the project being used by both parties has been re-worked and is starting to be used to raise the profile of the project.
The website is in the process of being updated to be more appropriate to the roll-out phase of the project.It was confirmed that this would be up and running during the beginning of July.
JF stressed that this information should not just be on the website. Hub Coordinators have a big role to play in this to get the message out into their communities.
FC queried the communication strategy following the conversations at today’s Board. It was confirmed that CCC would like to give out as much information as possible on roll-out but this is being stopped by senior management policies within BT.
6. AOB
Apologies were noted from John Bowman for the date of the next meeting.
Date of the next meeting:
10 September 2013, 10.00am – 12.00noon, Grand Jury Room, The Courts, Carlisle CA3 8NA.
Connecting Cumbria Partnership Board – 16th July 2013
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