Tuesday 19 May 2009

SCNF New Core Group - May Meeting

The newly elected SCNF Core Group that oversees the forum met earlier today to review progress on the re-launch and plans for the remainder of 2009.

The first task was to elect the Chair. Steve Beecroft & Kevin Farquharson had offered to continue as Joint Chair and were elected. Steve & Kevin took over the forum lead in November 2008 to see through the re-launch of the Forum which is now largely complete. The expectation of the Core Group is that a Local Authority representative will take over the lead in due course.

With a strengthening financial position, 15 active sponsors and events planned out into 2010, the Forum is well placed to respond to the needs of a growing membership. The Forum is free for public sector and not for profit organisations to join.

One of the first new initiatives is to setup a working group to understand the implications and prepare some guidance on changes occurring in Transport. The working group will be looking at the current DfT consultation on concessionary fares, the transition from Mifare cards in December and forthcoming DfT consultation on ticketing strategy. For further information or to contribute, please check the website, follow this blog or email the chair@scnf.org.uk.

The next Forum event is a masterclass session at 10am on 17th June at the Pre-Paid 09 event. See the website for details.

Kevin Farquharson
Co-Chair SCNF

See www.scnf.org.uk

Thursday 14 May 2009

Smartcards take up in Schools

We have undertaken some supplier research and discovered that use of cards and cashless catering in schools has grown dramatically from around 10% of schools 5 years ago to over 60% of secondary schools in 2009. Figures are difficult confirm as no one agency covers all service providers or institutions. Take up varies by area (eg most of Surrey schools, but far fewer in many London boroughs). What is take up in your area?

Given the levels of investment, range of applications and number of pupils and staff involved, further research may be warranted.

For more information about School and Youth applications, you can now find all the presentations and a summary in the members area.

Kevin Farquharson
Co-Chair SCNF
www.scnf.org.uk

SCNF at Retail & Transportation Cards May 09

SCNF presented a summary of Local Authority schemes which involve transport and retail use. At the same event, delegates received an ITSO update, project manager's update from Yorcard project and insight into the Liverpool 08 card. Presentation will be in the members area next week.

A quick audience poll gave some interesting results:
  • 100% in favour or multi-application cards
  • 10% identifed with a local authority role in issuing an e-purse
  • Few felt there was a synergy between ID cards and local applications

Look for details on forthcoming events. Places are going fast for masterclass at Pre-Paid 09. Go to www.scnf.org.uk.

Kevin Farquharson

Co-Chair SCNF

www.scnf.org.uk

Monday 11 May 2009

SCNF Blog now publishes via an RSS feed

All,

One other way you can follow this blog is if you use an RSS reader (such as Google Reader). To subscribe to the RSS feed then please click on the following link or cut and paste it into your browser:-

http://scnfchairman.blogspot.com/rss.xml

Thanks to Leigh Garner of Thames Card Technologies


Hope this helps!

Steve Beecroft

Co-Chair

Smart Card Networking Forum

t: +44 (0) 208 123 0811

m: +44 (0) 7855 364493

e: chair@scnf.org.uk

w: www.scnf.org.uk

We also Twitter at http://twitter.com/SCNF

Saturday 9 May 2009

Pre-paid Masterclass

The SCNF has a great offer for its Local Authority members who can join a SCNF masterclass on Pre-Paid in Transport, Low Value Payment or Personalised Care and attend the Pre-Paid09 event for free (numbers are limited).

During the sessions, delegates will be joined by experts in the field and have the opportunity to discuss issues and challenges in implementing these applications alongside transport and other smart card applications. The sessions will also include briefings on case studies of both EMV and e-purse applications. The objective is to help delegates discover how they could implement pre-paid in their service areas.

One of the first Local Authority pre-paid card is the Cambridgeshire G2G card (see www.g2gcard.co.uk) . This scheme has recently won an award for payment card schemes and will be one of the case studies discussed.

To attend, you only need to register on the new Forum website and send an email requesting full event details. If any commercial organisations are interested in attending, we have a discount offer for the delegate package.

Kevin Farquharson
Co-Chair SCNF
www.scnf.org.uk

Thursday 7 May 2009

DfT Ticketing Strategy

Following close behind the DWP study into an ageing society, DfT is launch a consultation about ticketing strategy next month.

The SCNF Co-Chairs had an early meeting with the DfT team to identify some of the local initiatives which have delivered multi-application cards. We shared our impressions from recent meetings of local authorities' outlook and expectations.

When the consultation is announced, we will make members aware so you can raise questions and provide input to the DfT process. We would strongly encourage members and sponsors to engage with the consultation. We look forward to hearing the outcome of the exercise.

At our next event on 17th June, we will have a workshop session on payment cards in transport.

Kevin Farquharson & Steve Beecroft
Co-Chairs SCNF
see www.sncf.org.uk

Friday 1 May 2009

SCNF at Pre Paid 09

At Prepaid 09, SCNF will be running parallel masterclasses on Prepaid cards for low value payments, Transport and Personalised care. During the sessions, delegates will be joined by experts in the field and have the opportunity to discuss issues and challenges in implementing these applications. The session will also include briefing on case studies of both EMV and e-purse applications. The objective is to help delegates discover how they could implement pre-paid in their service areas.

SCNF will be inviting sponsors and industry experts at Pre-Paid to join the masterclasses.