Latest computer glitch hits Euro funding

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Latest computer glitch hits Euro funding JIM McLEAN A NEW computer hitch has hit more than 1500 applicants vying for a share of #312m of European Social Fund money .

Some of the most disadvantaged groups in Scotland have been affected by the hitch, which causes a loss of data and which comes in the wake of the Higher Still exams chaos, something also blamed on computer problems.

Finance Minister Jack McConnell, the Minister responsible for overseeing European Social Fund applications, has demanded an urgent report into the software fault as Friday's deadline for applications approaches. He may order an extension for late applications to be taken.

Last night he promised: "Anyone whose application has been delayed beyond the weekend through no fault of their own will be treated equally."

It emerged that complex application forms, downloaded by computer from the Glasgow-based Objective 3 programme management executive, have had to be rewritten three times this year. On August 23, Objective 3 announced: "This will hopefully resolve the problem of text in boxes being lost when some organisations were preparing their forms."

Replacement software has been rushed out to some groups, but many who left it to the last minute before completing their applications have run into serious problems. Problems remain over the design of the form, which does not allow enough space for application details, and with a software error which has led to some data being lost.

The money, spread over the next seven years, is designed to help young people into work, help train disadvantaged people, and includes funding projects for people recovering from mental illness run by the Scottish Association for Mental Health.

One academic seeking funding for a further education project in Central Scotland, who did not want to be named in case his chances were compromised, said: "It's a mess. Colleagues all over the country have reported computer glitches and system failures. Some people have lost all their information.

"Hundreds of millions of pounds are at stake and we don't have a computer system that can be trusted."

The Objective 3 programme executive - the link between the European Commission, the Scottish Office as implementing authority for the fund, and the Scottish Objective 3 partnership - said responsibility for the error lay with the Scottish Executive.

A spokeswoman for Ms Heather Koronka, Objective 3 programme executive's chief executive, said: "It was the Scottish Executive as the implementing authority who developed the application form."

The decisions of the Scottish Executive are guided by a joint management board with representatives from all of the partners: the higher and further education sectors, the local enterprise companies, the local authority sector, the Scottish Council of National Training Organisations, the Scottish Council of Voluntary Organisations, and the Women's Training Network .

Mr Tom Kelly, chief officer of the Association of Scottish Colleges, complained of design limitations. He described the application form as more of an extended essay examination than a statistics-based revenue form.

He said: "It was a design problem, not a software failure for us. It didn't mean information we put in got lost it. We could not get it in. This is where you have to make your case for the merits of your project.

"We know there is going to be massive over-subscription and there is massive capacity for disappointment. People are going to want to know if they were fairly treated."

Several local authorities across Scotland have also been hit. Mr Jim Johnston, economic development officer for Moray Council, said the software problem was linked to "horrendously complicated" application forms.

The council had to buy more memory to read the forms, he added: "It's the opposite of the Scottish Qualification Authority's problem to an extent. Disks have been sent to people with the application forms on them and people's computers just can't cope.

http://www.theherald.co.uk/news/archive/6-9-19100-0-14-59.html

-- Martin Thompson (mthom1927@aol.com), September 08, 2000


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