BBP Midlands - Edition 62

Ed

ition 62

T: 08000 807 809E: [email protected]

www.bbpmedia.co.uk

BIRMINGHAM BUSINESS POST

bbpMedia

Accounting and bookkeeping are often not the most excitingpart of running a business but the advent of cloud accountingis a powerful way to spice things up and significantly reducethe time and effort it takes to keep track of your businessrecords.

But what is cloud accounting and is it right for you?The premise of cloud accounting is to move your financials fromyour desktop machine and into the cloud. This means that yourinformation is available for you to access 24/7 from anywhere in theworld that has an internet connection. Using the same level ofsecurity measures as high street banks your data is as secure asyour online banking.

The specialised Cloud Accounting Team at MHA MacIntyre Hudsonhas the knowledge and resources to guide you through theadoption of cloud accounting and ensure you have the rightcombination of services to fit the specific requirements of yourbusiness. As Platinum partners with Xero, the UK’s leading cloudaccounting software, we have certified advisors around the countrythat can give you the tailored assistance that your business needs.

A key driver at MHA MacIntyre Hudson is to provide serviceexcellence through innovation. That’s why we have gone one step further to ensure our clients get the expert advice they need.

To see how we can help you please contactDavid Purser, Partner

E: [email protected]

T: 0121 236 0465

www.macintyrehudson.co.uk

Let Xero help you grow

MHA MacIntyre Hudson is pleased to announce its Platinum Partnership with XERO Cloud Accounting - to make it easier

Xero is online accounting software that connects you with your numbers,your business and us. Your key financial information at your fingertips, it’s in the Cloud, so you can run your business and access your data at any time, allowing us to focus on saving you money and helping you grow.

What we can do for you?

Virtual finance team Full bookkeeping service Monthly performance reports Budgeting and planning Quarterly reviews Tax returns

To find how we can help please contact:David Purser+44 (0)121 236 0465

MOBILE ACCESS COLLABORATE IN THE CLOUD SECURITY

34011 HPD_HorseWorld 08/06/2016 11:01 Page 1

C O N T E N T SKinder Pocock 4

Cloud Computing 5

Zenzero 6

E R Grove & Co 7

Prizm Solutions 8

PGI 9

PSFM 10

Pensions Are we confused? 11

PensionBee 12

The Pensions Trust 13

Painters Solicitors 14

Grape Auto Enrolment 15

Johnson Fleming 16

Getting Back in the Black 17

Lumina Energy 18

Wesleyan Bank 19

CPC Finance 20

Grosvenor Contracts Leasing 21

Wolf Enforcement Services 22

Thinking Green 23

Nortek Global HVAC 24

Air Control Development 25

Business Growth 27

Verus360 28

FD Outsourcing 29

Aerostrat 30

Exchange Utility 31

Digital Office Systems 32

Wenlock Health & Safety 34

Healthy Business 35

Mindfulness CIC 36

Macmillan Cancer Support 37

Tollers Solicitors 38

Spencer Shaw Solicitors 39

mca group 40

Taxation Support for Innovation 41

Aecom 42

Coventry University 43

Active8 Robots 44

The LMS-Patriot Project 46

BodyKraft 48

ATP Industries Group 49

MaS Precision Engineering 50

Family Care 52

Fostering Campaign 53

Red Kite Fostering 54

Organising Your Main Event 55

Whittlebury Hall 56

Conference Oxford 57

Lea Marston Hotel 59

Regent Engineering Co 60

All Bar One 61

Champion & Reeves 62

The Old Chequers at Crowle 63

Welcome to Edition 62 of the BirminghamBusiness Post, the free magazine for theMidlands business community packed withnews, tips and stories from across the region

In this edition as many smaller companies reachtheir Auto Enrolment staging dates we return tothe vexed topic of Pensions. On Technology welook at the benefits and potential pitfalls of theCloud and the support for innovative companiesprovided by the R & D Tax Credit scheme.

We continue our run of features on CarbonFootprint and Health and Wellbeing in theWorkplace. Then in our Finance section we lookat Business Growth and ways of refinancing andrestructuring our business practices to savemoney and bring in outstanding debt.

We start our major series of the year onConferences and Events in the run up to, wouldyou believe, Christmas!

In the meantime take a look at the website,bbpmedia.co.uk and keep sending yourbusiness news and stories to us [email protected] we love to hearfrom you.

BBP Media11 Canalside Office Complex,Lowesmoor Wharf,Worcester WR1 2RR

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ALL RIGHTS RESERVEDReproduction in whole or part prohibited withoutpermission. Colour transparencies, prints or any pictorialmedia for this publication are sent at owners risk and whilst every care is taken, neither PIL (Europe) Limited or its agents accept liability for loss or damage. No editorialsubmissions will be returned unless accompanied by a Self Addressed Envelope.

DISCLAIMERWhilst every effort has been made to ensure that advertsand articles appear correctly, PIL (Europe) Limited cannotaccept responsibility for any loss or damage causeddirectly or indirectly by the contents of this publication. The views expressed in this magazine are not necessarilythose of its publisher or editor.

Birmingham Edition 62 Contents_Layout 1 10/06/2016 17:54 Page 1

Kinder Pocock is a unique,contemporary firm of accountantsbased in Herefordshire, butadvising passionate businessowners and entrepreneurs all over the country.

With a growing national reputation as XeroGold Partners, and with Sharon Pocockon the Xero Partner Advisory Council, theKinder Pocock team dispels the myth thataccountants and tax advisors are stuffy,grey-suited or intimidating!

Sharon established the firm 11 years ago.Since then, she’s been working closelywith Independent Financial Planner KevinMorris to deliver the best all-round taxplanning and investment advice. They areeffectively supported by Joanna Russell,Julie Johnson and newest team memberEmma Little, and the whole team are Xeroand Receipt Bank Certified.

Sharon says: “We embrace newtechnologies, enabling us to supportcompanies on the move, helping them togrow their enterprise from wherever they are.

Xero is an international multi award-winningcompany developing the latest cloud-based accounting software for small andmedium-sized businesses, and have beenranked Forbes Most Innovative GrowthCompany for the second year running.

Kinder Pocock offers bespoke finance,accounting and business advice, ataffordable prices and with fixed-feepackages where possible. The team offersa refreshingly different approach, up-to-theminute online solutions and jargon-freeclient care.

our accountant and trusted advisor. Shehas helped us to evolve from a startup ledby ex-military chaps with little businessexperience, into a successful companyoperating in several global markets. Byintroducing us to online solutions, Sharonhas helped us to make sense of ourfinancial data and proved invaluable inadvising us on key business decisions.

“She also recommended our currentfinancial advisor, Kevin Morris, andtogether they have become a key part ofKinetic Six. We recently won theHerefordshire and Worcestershire Chamberof Commerce award for Most PromisingNew Business and we genuinely feel thatSharon and Kevin are as responsible forthat as the rest of our team.”

dates and more. The team is alsodelivering a series of 'Really Useful' eventscovering topics such as auto-enrolment,social media and managing cashflow.

Furthermore, this year Kinder Pocock hasreceived a trio of awards: Sharon wasawarded ‘Xero's Most Valued Professional’at Xerocon London 2016. Kinder Pocockwas also Winner of the Practice ExcellenceAwards 2015: Practice Growth of the Year;and the Finance Award 2015: Excellence inAccounting Practices – Herefordshire.

One client comments: “Kinetic Six wouldnot be where it is today without Sharon as

The modern & friendly firm of accountants

For more information please visit the website www.kinderpocock.co.uk or telephone 01432 273400

Sharon Pocock of Kinder Pocock introduces Heather Gorringe of The Great British Florist to the KP App

With Cloud solutions such as Xero, ReceiptBank and Spotlight, we have more insight intoour clients' businesses and can provideadvice in real-time. Clients in our specialistareas of security, technology, consultancy andindependent retail frequently say we maketheir lives easier, freeing up their time to focuson maximising their potential.”

Kinder Pocock is continually evolving itsservices and recently launched a brandnew app, designed to help savvy businessowners to efficiently manage theiraccounts, online. The app includes links toXero and Receipt Bank, a mileage tracker,handy tax calculators, key accounting

33933 AP V2_HorseWorld 18/05/2016 12:30 Page 1

4

We hear about the cloud and cloud

computing everywhere, and it has

revolutionised the way we store our

data and do business.

The cloud allows all your data to be

stored securely and has infinite capacity,

so no need to worry about running out of

storage space. It doesn’t need any effort

to maintain or manage and you can

access apps and services at a touch of

your mouse or screen.

That means a field sales representative

using cloud-based CRM can get all the

information they need from their mobile

device. Contact notes can be updated in

real time so they are always fresh and

complete and available to others – no

more waiting to get back to the office to

type it in. And sales managers know

exactly which deals will close and when,

from their desktop machines in their

offices, or their tablets or phones when

they are out and about.

That's important because there's

a shift going on from office-

based work to working on the

move. This shift is reflected in

computer hardware sales:

in 2015 about 270

million desktop and

laptop computers will

be sold, compared

to 325 million tablets

and almost 2 billion

smartphones.

With a cloud app, you

just open a browser, log

in, and start working.

You can even build your own social,

mobile and real-time employee apps and

run them in the cloud. The latest

innovations in cloud computing are

making business applications even

more mobile and collaborative.

And this all happens without any

hardware to buy and manage, or software

to install and update. That's because the

hardware and software required is all the

responsibility of the cloud company that

runs the app.

The cloud and its many benefits have

been taken up enthusiastically, but some

companies, possibly due to a lack of

training or preparation, that have adopted

cloud computing are finding that using it is

a greater challenge than anticipated.

That’s not to take away from the many

benefits that the cloud can provide, such

as greater enterprise agility and cost

savings, but there’s always a chance the

cloud can lead to more organizational

struggles if not handled correctly.

Research from Information Management

shows just how widespread the problem

is. In a recent study, a shocking 88

percent of organizations that adopted

cloud computing ran into at the very least

one challenge they hadn’t

expected.

The challenges and struggles are as

varied as the cloud providers themselves,

so finding an easy one-size-fits-all solution

shouldn’t be the goal. But the solutions

are out there. If your company finds itself

struggling with your newly adopted cloud,

the answers may not be too far away.

Many companies offer management

services to help businesses get the most

out of the cloud with minimal hassle and

can offer portfolios of services and

management tools to deal with the most

common problems you might face with

the cloud. These management services

also help to secure and control data while

building up a company’s private cloud.

Alongside cloud security, managing data

privacy in the cloud is a priority for

many organizations. A clear

understanding of data protection

laws is a necessary step all business

has to take, but your chosen

management company will be

able to advise on this as

part of their service.

Generally speaking, data

encryption is the safest

way to satisfy most

regulations out there, so

your company should

definitely look into a cloud

encryption solution when

using a cloud service. Split-key

encryption also keeps the data firmly

in your control, no matter what cloud

provider you end up choosing.

Cloud computing is still a maturing

industry, which means growing pains are a

near certainty. Many companies struggle

to find the best ways to utilize the cloud,

and even when successful, it’s usually not

without some hurdles along the way.

With the right solutions in mind, you’ll be

more prepared to take full advantage of

the cloud’s benefits while avoiding some

of the more serious pitfalls.

Cloud Computing

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5

In today’s digital world the need to have a productive,mobile workforce has become the normality. Yet withincreased mobility comes increased security risks,even if mobility only means users accessing corporatee-mail on their mobile phones.

In a recent survey conducted by ‘Techaisle’, looking at technologyadoption amongst SMB’s they found that 9 out of 10 mobile workersspend at least 20% of their work time away from their primaryworkplace and 63% of businesses say that mobility increases theefficiency of their business processes.

The use of Microsoft Office 365 has given businesses of all sizes easyaccess to a very robust and cost effective platform that offers e-mail,applications such as Word, Excel and PowerPoint, collaboration toolssuch as Skype for Business and SharePoint and file storage in theform of OneDrive. At Zenzero we have been helping a constantstream of customers move from traditional, on premise platforms tothe Microsoft cloud and then enjoy the associated benefits.

While there is no hiding from the fact that businesses must embracemobility and flexible working if they are to succeed in today’s digitalworld, it is imperative that they keep control of key business systemsand ensure data remains safe. In a survey conducted by Computing(www.computing.co.uk) 80% of the individuals questioned admitted tousing non-approved Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) applications in theirjob, these will be tools such as Dropbox, Google Drive or Evernote.

Data is the life blood of any organisation and while losing a single fileisn’t necessarily the end of the world, if key documents fall into thewrong hands or significant data is lost then that will be financiallydamaging, it will cause disruption, have negative impact on reputationor even lead to legal action.

Microsoft has built the Enterprise Mobility Suite (EMS) platform tosupport a safe, more productive platform. EMS is made up of fourcomponents that offer organisations the ability to provide single sign-

on for cloud applications, conditional accessensuring that data is only available to the usersyou want on the devices that you allow and threatdetection to highlight suspicious activities andmalicious attacks. The policy based approachensures that security is applied to the areas it isneeded for specific business needs. What thisreally means is;

• Prevent data leakage of company data byrestricting actions such as copy and pastebetween corporate and non-corporateapplications

• Provide single sign-on to all businessapplications, making it easier enforce securepassword policies

• Detect and alert against data breaches byusing behavioural analysis to stop access fromunauthorised devices, locations or users

• Protect sensitive e-mails by restricting copying,forwarding and printing of content

• Disable access to all company resources andapplications, including over 2,000 cloud productswith a single click

• Allow users to safely use both personal andcompany issue PC’s and mobile devices toaccess corporate data safe in the knowledge thedata is protected

To learn more about Microsoft EMS and howthis easily integrates into your existing Office365 platform give the team at Zenzero a call on 0333 3209 900

Ensuring Security is not compromised by Mobility

33960 AP_HorseWorld 26/05/2016 09:35 Page 1

6

Technological pioneers, cutting-edgeIT, social media success and a dustingof film star glamour. E R Grove & Cobreaks the mould when it comes tothe popular view of accountants.

In fact, the busy Halesowen practice ofChartered Accountants and businessadvisers is a whiz at using technology tobring efficiencies and improvecommunication on key issues throughsocial media and other online platforms.

It is set on bringing as many businessesas possible firmly into the 21st century byconvincing them of the advantages ofcloud accounting.

“Our practice dates back to well beforethe Second World War, but don’t think

accountancy firm, combining them withthe personal service and outstandingcustomer care usually found in a muchsmaller practice.

Services include accounts and auditing,tax advice and planning, business advice,payroll and auto-enrolment, legal servicesand estate planning, but Steve andJonathan are particularly keen to highlightthe cloud accounting and Virtual FinancialDirector offerings.

“Clients who have already moved to cloudaccounting have automated theirprocesses and saved themselves a lot oftime,” says Jonathan. “However, othersremain sceptical as they feel they do nothave the technological capability to do this.

that we are old fashioned,” insists SteveLomas, co-Managing Director, alongsideJonathan Stafford.

“We have always embraced technology inorder to enhance customer service andmaintain a competitive advantage.”

Think back to 1997 when the HMRC firsturged us to submit our tax returnselectronically. It was early days for onlineaccounting and figures published at thetime revealed only around 1,000 were filedonline, a high number of those came fromE R Grove.

The company offers the full range ofservices and expertise that an SME mightexpect to receive from a top four

industries, but its experience is certainlynot limited as it has many clients operatingwithin an array of sectors.

“We do like being involved with thecreative industry,” added Steve. “Ourgreatest success was helping a filmproducer to get his first feature film ontothe big screen.”

“Rubbing shoulders with film stars is a farcry from the mundane image associatedwith our profession, but it highlights thevalue of a good accountant if they areprepared to invest their time, skill and dosomething different.”

“Our aim is to show clients, new orexisting, that using cloud accounting andtheir Virtual Financial Director service willwork. Many businesses love to chat abouttheir financial affairs to their accountant inperson and this need not stop.”

“For those too busy to keep meeting, butstill needing regular advice, the cloudaccounting and Virtual Financial Directorservice is a perfect compromise, allowingprompt results in real time rather thanhistoric information.”

It’s E R Grove’s innovative approach thathas made the practice especially valuableto businesses and individuals in thecreative industry, engineering,manufacturing, not-for-profit and property

We aren’t just about accounts,audits and tax compliance

For more information please visit www.ergrove.co.uk email [email protected] or telephone 0121 559 1071

London Premier


7

[email protected] 01827 313931

www.prizmsolutions.co.uk @

prizms o l u t i o n s

“When I tell people I am passionate about insurance, they usuallyroll their eyes”. That confession comes from Peter Robinson,managing director of cyber-insurance specialists Prizm Solutions.

But it’s a passion which has helped drive a remarkable success story, fora business which has grown month-on-month for 10 years.

They have achieved that by building a hard-working team which sharesMr Robinson’s ethos of earning clients’ appreciation through buildingbespoke packages to suit their needs, and then relying heavily on word-of-mouth to bring in new enquiries.

“That means our conversion rate for new business enquiries is two-thirds,as opposed to many brokers, who achieve around 10 per cent,” he saysproudly.

The success of Prizm – the name is derived from Mr Robinson’s initials –is, however, built on solid and deep foundations. Not only has he beeninvolved in insurance for 34 years, but he is the fourth generation of hisfamily to have run their own businesses.

“We therefore understand the needs of our SME-owning customers, andwe see one of our main jobs as being to translate all the bafflinglanguage of the insurance sector into something they can relate to andunderstand,” he adds.

Not only that, but Prizm Solutions is committed to building long-termrelationships with its clients. Its representatives aim to visit each of theircommercial customers at least once a year. “We ask about how theirbusiness is developing, which means we can be sure that what we offerthem remains relevant and the best products for them.”

Even at times of crisis, you won’t find Prizm’s staff hiding behind theirvoicemails. “We use every channel available to stay in touch with ourcustomers,” says Mr Robinson.

“We are a service industry after all, and that’s why we put the accent onservice.”

It’s also a big reason why Prizm Solutions remains dedicated to servingthe businesses based within easy reach of its Tamworth base.

“When we started out, I worked out that the 10 council areas immediatelyadjacent to us, had a quarter of a million SMEs. That’s a big base, and alot of work potentially out there for us.

“But we still devote the time to get to know each client individually, andwe want to keep it like that.”

That same attention is paid to keeping well up-to-date with the ever-evolving threats which manybusinesses face, especially from cyber-crime. And inthis respect, Prizm has a major asset in the form ofMr Robinson’s wife, Tracy Pound.

Voted one of the top 50 women in tech in the UK in2014 and 2015 by PCR, the UK trade magazine forthe computer and IT industry, she was appointed toCompTIA's Board of Directors in 2015.

She is now heavily involved in advising Prizm’s clientson how best to protect themselves from the manyand constantly-evolving threats presented by cybercriminals.

The price for having that kind of expertise at yourbusiness’s disposal? Surprisingly reasonable, and youwon’t get any nasty surprises about it either, becausePrizm’s philosophy of transparency and gearing its ownservices around the needs and circumstances ofindividual businesses is at the heart of everything it does.

There’s lots more information atwww.prizmsolutions.co.uk, including a regularly-updated blog section which addresses the hottestissues facing SMEs and the ways insurers arekeeping pace.

On a mission to make insurance more interesting

Peter RobinsonManaging Director


8

SIZE DOESN’T MATTER - SMEs ARE VULNERABLE TO CYBER CRIME

of up to four per cent of their global revenue for the preceding year.

prove devastating to an SME. Fortunately, businesses have two years

to implement the measures.

CYBER ESSENTIALS CAN REDUCE THE RISKS

implementation, Protective Group International (PGI) can assist SMEs to tackle these risks and will help with implementing the government-backed and industry-supported Cyber Essentials scheme.

“ The scheme can help a business greatly reduce its vulnerability to cyber threats and means that its customers are likely to feel more

Operations at PGI.

“ All government organisations and now, many larger organisations will not deal with an SME that does not have the Cyber Essentials accreditation. This is due to the supply chain often proving to be a weak link when it comes to cyber security,” Mr Wheeler added.

PGI’s Cyber Essentials online self-assessment guides a company

assessment explains and gives advice for each question with the option of referring to an IT expert, if necessary. On successful completion of the Cyber Essentials assessment you will be awarded with

For more information about how PGI can assist you, call them on +44 (0) 207 887 2699

A string of surveys published over the past year has revealed that most small to medium sized enterprise (SME) bosses believe that their businesses are safe from cyber security threats. In reality, SMEs are just as much of a target for cyber criminals than large corporations.

The misguided reasoning behind this belief is that SME CEOs think that due to their small size a cybercriminal will not be interested in them.

But according to recent government surveys, 74 per cent of all SMEs

expected to rise further this year. Hackers know that due to their

security or lack the expertise to implement the necessary measures needed to tackle the threat.

Hackers tend to avoid a heavily protected property and seek out ones

with weaker defences.

FINANCES AND REPUTATIONS AT RISKAs well as the threat of losing income from a cyber-attack, many hackers opt to steal customer data. An SME with lax cyber security measures in place can be used by an attacker as a backdoor into the data banks of a larger company or government department. Credit card details, addresses, phone numbers… all can be stolen. By stealing addresses for example, criminals can learn where a person shops or banks and in turn this can be used as a tool for phishing scams. Such

data losses can severely harm a company’s reputation.

NEW EU RULES – AND POSSIBLE BIG FINES – ANOTHER INCENTIVEAnother factor that SMEs must now consider is the introduction of new regulations by the European Union. Under the new law, the loss of data by accidental means or as a result of a security breach will cost organisations. Companies which do not comply with the new


9

Pension Freedoms

R I C H A R D M E E K , P R I N C I P A L , P S F M L T D .O N E C O L M O R E R O W , B I R M I N G H A M B 3 2 B U

E : R I C H A R D . M E E K @ P S F M . C O M T : + 4 4 ( 0 ) 1 2 1 2 3 0 1 9 1 0

Punter Southall Financial Management is a trading name of PSFM Limited, 11 Strand, London, WC2N 5HR. PSFM Limited is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority. Our FCA Register Number is 137684. Our permitted business is arranging and advising on investments, pension transfers and opt-outs, non-investment insurance contracts and assisting in the administration and performance of contracts of insurance. You can check this on the FCA’s Register by visiting the FCA’s website www.fsa.gov.uk/register or by contacting the FCA on 0845 606 9966.

administration and performance of contracts of insurance. You can check this on the FCA’s Register by visiting the FCA’s websitOur FCA Register Number is 137684. Our permitted business is arranging and advising on investments, pension transfers and opt-oPunter Southall Financial Management is a trading name of PSFM Limited, 11 Strand, London, WC2N 5HR. PSFM Limited is authorised

s f contracts of insurance. You can check this on th an 4. Our permitted business is arranging and advisi

ment is a trading name of PSFM Limited, 11 Strand

f www.fsa.gov.uk/register or by contacting the FCA on 0845 606 9966. e FCA’s Register by visiti r by ng th ebs

on t ng on investments, pension transfers a ed is au d, London, WC2N 5HR. PSFM Limited uth

non-investment insurance contracts and assisting in the ww.fsa.gov.uk/register or by contacting the FCA on 0845 606 9966.

ts non-inve men ntracts and assisting in the nd regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority. reg al Conduct Authority.

on 0845 606 9966. sting in the

and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority.

We now have the freedom to do as we choose withthe pension pots we have built up over our workinglives, but the majority of us lack sufficientinformation to come to an informed decision.

Although the new freedoms allow pensioners to treat theirpension pot in a more flexible way there are mechanical andtechnical difficulties.

Richard Meek, Principal at PSFM Ltd stresses the need to planahead, saying that your final years in work are critical whenplanning your retirement. He recommends discussing youroptions with a qualified financial planner at this stage while youstill have the opportunity to plug any savings gaps, saying “It isprobably the best money you will ever spend”.

However not all of us think ahead and plan for our retirement,so when the day comes, sheer inertia may result in just leavingthe money where it is, if that is an option, or drawing it all downand putting it in the bank.

Most of us are aware that only the first 25% will be tax free,and that drawing down the whole lot could leave us with ahefty tax bill. So what should we do? After all, current lifeexpectancies being what they are, once retired, most canexpect to live for another 30 years.

There are plenty of tempting “Get rich quick” schemes about,but the old adage “If it seems to be too good to be true, itprobably is!”, should be born in mind.

The key is to get advice, the right advice, from a properlyqualified Financial Conduct Authority authorised professional.

For all the talk of folk cashing their pensions and buying aLamborghini, people have in the main been more cautious, andas Richard said, if you cash down a relatively small pot, sayabout £40,000, that wouldn’t be really a problem, but even sotaking £10,000 and then paying tax on the remaining £30,000wouldn’t buy the Lamborghini, just perhaps the boot lid!

Those with substantial funds will have been taking advice andhave planned well in advance. It is the middle ground wheredifficulties can arise, as a company scheme will not give youthe opportunity for flexible drawdowns.

Say a worker has had 30 to 40 years’ service and retires with acompany pension of £250,000 to £300,000, he is not going tojust cash it in due to the tax implications but may not want tobuy an annuity. While this sounds like a great deal of money, itwill need to provide for us for our long term security so makingthe right decision is crucial. PSFM Ltd is here to help.

PSFM Ltd is a company of independent financial planners, whooffer clear expert advice, cutting through the overwhelmingmountain of financial information and putting plans in place fortheir clients to help them achieve what they want from life.


10

Between Auto-Enrolment, the newpension freedoms, changes intendedto simplify the state pension, definedcontributions, final salary schemes andprivate pensions the pension sector isgoing through a complete upheaval.

Many of us are confused, the ChiefEconomist of the Bank of England, AndyHaldane included, he said “To give a personalexample, I confess to not being able to makethe remotest sense of pensions.”

“Conversations with countless experts andindependent financial advisers haveconfirmed for me only one thing - thatthey have no clue either.”

This is obviously not wholly true, he is avery clever man, but it does point up thatto many of us pensions aren’t simple. Yes,you pay money in throughout yourworking life to build up a pot to see youthrough your later years, but how muchmoney do you need to save, for how long,also how long will it have to last and howto find out what we expect to receive?

Very many are not just living longer butworking longer in order to build up apension pot, or even just to qualify for thebasic state pension. The last few yearshave seen the introduction of AutoEnrolment, brought about in part by thepartial demise of final salary (defined benefit)pension schemes, and greater freedoms todetermine what we actually do with ourpensions at maturity.

Interest rates having become so low,reducing the value of people’s savings,that fewer people saw the point of savinganyway. This state of affairs, coupled withmore companies closing their final salaryand defined contributions schemes, madeit evident that vast numbers of workerscould be left with no additional provisionfor their old age, other than the basicsafety net of the state pension.

To address this looming crisis thegovernment has introduced AutoEnrolment or Workplace Pensions. Everyemployer with at least one member ofstaff now has new duties, includingenrolling those who are eligible into aworkplace pension scheme andcontributing towards it.

It is called automatic enrolment because itis automatic for staff – they don't have todo anything to be enrolled, but it is notautomatic for you. You need to take stepsto make sure your eligible staff are enrolledinto a pension scheme. Even if you alreadypay contributions into a pension schemefor your staff, you still need to check if it issuitable for automatic enrolment.

The scheme has been introduced over aperiod, in stages with the largestcompanies, those with over 120,000 staffstaging in 2012 through to companies ofless 30 staff staging over the next fewmonths into 2017. Your staging date isthe date by which you need to haveenrolled all your eligible members of staffand is a legal obligation which if notcomplied with will render you liable tofines. You can find your staging date bygoing towww.thepensionsregulator.gov.uk/employers/staging-date.aspx.

The scheme involves the employer in anumber of legal obligations for which theyshould allow up to 12 months to prepare,and will require regular updating. If youhaven’t done anything about this yet you willneed to take advice from an advisor whospecialises in Auto Enrolment straight away,as in some cases it is possible to defer yourstaging date, providing you have made ademonstrable start on the process.

The idea is that the percentage of theemployee’s salary, which the employer hasto match, plus a contribution fromgovernment, will increase over time sothat nearly everybody will eventually beenrolled in a worthwhile pension schemeof some description. Currently thecontributions are so low that there issome doubt of the benefits, other thanencouraging an atmosphere of personalresponsibility for our futures.

OK, so now most people will have apension, what then? Those retiring withdefined contribution pension funds werecompelled to purchase annuities but nowwith such low returns the government hasintroduced new freedoms for us to do aswe wish with our pension pots from theage of 55.

It is important to get proper advice from aregulated financial advisor. Pensionplanning is one of the most importantfinancial decisions that an individual has tomake in his or her lifetime. The temptationto draw down substantial amounts fromyour accumulated funds may be hard toresist, particularly if there is an importantfamily occasion such as a wedding tofund. Or if presented with what seems likea sure fire investment, fraudsters are onlytoo well aware of that.

Remember too that you can only drawdown 25% of your fund tax free.

Pensions Are we confused?

34045 1PG_Transport Warehousing 09/06/2016 16:44 Page 1

11

With all the talk about changes to the State Pension,Workplace Pensions, and the new Pension Freedoms,pensions are very much in the news, but what about theself-employed? There are now around 4.5 million self-employed workers in the UK, from freelance writers to self-employed construction workers.

Worryingly, the number of self-employed people saving into apension has halved since 2001-2002. Currently, only around18% of us self-employed folk are contributing to a pension,which means that many of us may struggle to make ends meetduring our retirement.

Why is it aconcern that sofew self-employedworkers aresaving intopensions? Wellunless you buildup a decentpension potwhile you’reworking, you’reunlikely to be

able to retire with a comfortable income. Also not only does thestate pension age continue to rise, but the maximum amount,providing you have made 35 years’ contributions, is currentlyonly £155.65 a week, which adds up to about £8,092 a year.This isn’t very much to live on, and depending on your NationalInsurance contributions, you may actually receive much lessthan this.

With the state pension not enough for a comfortable retirement,a personal pension is evidently a good idea, but how do youget started? Many self-employed folk, whilst knowing thesooner they start the better, put off doing anything for fear thatthe whole process may be too time consuming and difficult.

Enter PensionBee, regulated by the FCA, who have simplifiedthe whole process and introduced a system that enables you togather pension pots from previous employment positions,collect these into one pot, and then make small and flexiblecontributions on an ongoing basis. There is no minimum onmonthly or one-off contributions and these can be made easilyonline or on your phone at any time of the day or night.

Rather than baffling you with countlessconfusing choices they only offer threeplans, managed by State Street andBlackRock - two of the biggest investmentmanagers in the world. Costly? No. Onaverage, UK pension providers charge a feeof around 1%. In contrast, PensionBeeplans carry a single annual fee of 0.5% to0.7%, with no hidden extras.

The company has been well received,signing up 1250 self-employed customerssince launch last month, including LucySmith, founder ofdigitalmarketing4grads.com: "Through theapp I can make a monthly contribution orjust a one-off. When I have a good monthand the business makes more, I can putsome of the additional profit into mypension. It’s that flexibility I like."

PensionBee is an online pension managerthat finds old pensions for free andcombines them into a good value, onlineplan. Founded in 2014, the company israpidly becoming an authority within thepensions industry.

The company deals with the tricky bits,doing the legwork to find your old pensionsand negotiating great fees for theircustomers.

* These figures are intended for illustration only. As with all investments, capital is at risk and thevalue can go down as well as up. We have assumed a retirement age of 65, that your planearns a 5% return before the effects of inflation and have taken inflation of 2.5% into account.

PensionBee is on a mission to makeretirement simpler for Britain’s savers.

For more information, please contact

www.pensionbee.com or as they say,

give them “a buzz”, on 0203 457 8444


12

The Pensions Trust launched ‘DB Complete’ in October2014, a fully bundled DB service package under itsMaster Trust arrangement. ‘DB Complete’ has beendeveloped around providing a comprehensive servicewhich significantly lowers running costs, saves time andremoves worries about regulatory issues. The size of theTrust means that it can provide innovative and costeffective solutions for employers and their DB schemes,who face a challenge with their legacy DB arrangements.

Over the past 20 years, the pensions landscape has changeddramatically, with a rapid decline in the number of open DBschemes. However, the private sector DB market remainssignificant, with more than £1 trillion of assets undermanagement 6,000 schemes but these schemes can be costlyto administer and run. The burden of legislative change meansthat it can also be difficult to keep up-to-date with currentrequirements and legacy schemes can take up adisproportionate amount of management time with employersexperiencing difficulties in finding members who are willing totake up trustee roles. The majority of DB schemes are run onthe basis of core services being provided by differentprofessional entities (e.g. actuarial, trustee, investment etc). ThePensions Trust is committed to simplifying this process andbringing it all under one roof, letting the employer focus onrunning their business.

The Pensions Trust has traditionally been a provider of pensionarrangements for the third sector and voluntary organisations.However, following a detailed review of the DB market, theTrust recognised that its DB Master Trust solution would benefitschemes and sponsoring employers, from all sectors, providingcost savings due to the economies of scale being passed onfor the direct benefit of its clients. The DB Master Trust facility isunderpinned by an experienced, high quality, award winningadministration service.

As a not-for-profit organisation, the Trust has no shareholders,so is run for the benefits of its members, providing a value formoney proposition. The Pensions Trust’s combined size andstrength, (over £7 billion of assets under management) enablesit to access institutional funds at wholesale prices, with leadingedge investment strategies. Options within the Master Trustinclude a wide range of liability driven investments and adynamic de-risking framework, with asset allocation tailored foreach scheme.

‘DB Complete’ ring-fences assets and liabilities for eachscheme into separate sections taking into consideration factorssuch as the covenant strength of the employer, liability profileand the employer’s risk appetite, offering employers afundamental choice between an active or passive investmentapproach. This sectional approach avoids any section 75 orlast man standing issues and should a scheme be unhappywith the service it receives there are no exit penalties under theDB Complete product.

‘DB Complete’ provides strong governance with a well-trained,professional Trustee Board. The Board is independent,providing a rigorous overview of the services provided by ThePensions Trust, with a mix of five member-nominated Directors,five employer-nominated Directors and two co-opted by theelected Directors.

Master Trust consolidation is the way forward to lower andcontrol the future costs of DB legacy schemes. Whether youare reviewing an existing arrangement, looking at merger oracquisition, DB Complete has the answer.

For more information and contact details please visitwww.tpt.org.uk

The complete solution for legacy DB pension schemes


13

If there’s one question Lee Baron and his specialist legal team areconstantly asked it’s: “Do I need a will?”

“The answer is always yes, yes andyes!” smiles Lee who heads up theprivate client department atKidderminster’s Painters Solicitors.

“You’re never too young to make a will foryou never know what’s around the corner.We have seen so much stress andheartbreak experienced by families afterlearning that they won’t be inheriting theirloved one’s wealth, or that they have toshare it with people who the deceasedhad fallen out with.

“It all could have been avoided if therewas a will to ensure your wealth goes tothe people that are important to you.”

You may not feel wealthy but, Lee pointsout, take time to consider what you’reworth. It could be more than you thought,especially if you have insurance policesthat pay out upon your death.

“A Will isn’t just about allocating yourwealth to others,” he adds. “It alsonominates someone to sort out your

But it’s a complicated process and thisspecialist team is ideally placed to helpyou plan and ensure your assets arepassed down satisfactorily and for thereduction of any tax liability for your family.

Painters Solicitors has been serving theWyre Forest and beyond for more than 60years and, priding itself on beingapproachable and friendly, offers a fullrange of legal services.

For more information please visit the website

www.painters-solicitors.co.ukor telephone

Kidderminster office 01562 822295 or Stourport office 01299 822033

bequests – a very important job when youconsider that they will probably have tosecure property, safeguard monies, pay offany debts, deal with taxes and make surethat they share out your monies as statedin your will.

“If you don't have a will giving authority todo this, someone will have go through thetime consuming and expensive process ofapplying to Court, which is also verystressful for loved ones.”

While many of us may shy away from thetask, we should heed Lee’s advice for it isdrawn from over 30 years experience inprivate client work. A member of theSociety of Trust and Estate Practitioners(STEP) and Solicitors for the Elderly, heworks with with Paul Rowley and RebeccaRandle making a trio of qualified expertswith a vast bank of knowledge for helpingclients organise their property, assets andfinancial affairs.

“Thinking about a Will can be emotionaland confusing but we can take away thatburden,” says Lee. “We’ll make sure thatthe legal and financial issues are sortedand, through specialist advice, suggest abroad range to ensure that you feel you’vedone what’s best for your loved ones.”

Part of that process may involve setting upa trust, a useful tool in the mitigation orelimination of Inheritance Tax, forcontrolling how funds may be passed onto your children, grandchildren or otherbeneficiaries and in protecting your assets.

Lee Baron


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WORKPLACE PENSIONS//BIRMINGHAM’S BEST AREN’T SHY ABOUT RETIREMENT

//Make sure you pick the right bunch

MANY BOSSES see the government’s bamboozling new Auto Enrolment laws as yet another monstrous burden on profitability, resources and precious time.

Even the TV ads show a hulking, ten ton colossus looming ominously around workspaces. But the experts at Grape Auto Enrolment actually believe the workplace pension could be the finest opportunity in years for canny employers to maximise the productivity from within their workforce.

“If employers are able to properly engage and help staff understand theworkplace benefits they are offering, they’re more likely to be rewarded with greater loyalty and a genuinely motivated workforce,” enthused Jeff Burn of the respected Birmingham based professionals.

“Contrary to belief, it doesn’t have to be a horrendously expensive process for employers, yet it can make a very tangible difference to a worker’s retirement income and that is a tremendous offering, when presented well.

“In fact we’re finding that, when prospective employers decide to commit wholeheartedly to the process, they soon begin to entice and retain a better quality of staff. That’s never a bad thing in terms of profitability and prosperity.”

Under the new legislation, employers assume responsibility for contributing a percentage of each employee’s income into a pension fund. Naturally, Grape have been quick to put their positive outlook on the legislation to proper effect, finding both bosses and employees alike, are rapidly won over by their genuine enthusiasm.

“We specialise in the delivery of a tailored solution, that fully meets both the company requirements and the budget” Jeff explained.

“Business owners, managers and the people they employ are all individuals, with their own attitudes, aspirations and definitions of what a rewarding job and happy retirement look like.

“We provide a ‘menu’ of services with or without ongoing support, which provides the flexibility to choose the level of help required. The reactions to and results of our work among clients and their employees have been extremely encouraging.

“This is turning out to be a complete win-win situation for all and there’s nothing the chaps at Grape enjoy more than happy, smiling clients.”

Find Grape Auto Enrolment at Unit E, Ludgate Court, 57 Water Street, Birmingham B3 1EP. Tel: 0121 366 9272, or visit their website, www.grapeautoenrolment.co.uk to learn more or arrange your initial consultation.

Quote BBP to obtain an exclusive 10% discount on our services.

[email protected]


15

[email protected] 01527 571300

JohnsonFleming @

Automatic re-enrolment - what you need to know to helpyour business remain compliant

Automatic re-enrolment occurs every three years and providesa chance for your business to review its workplace pensionscheme and presents an opportunity to assess whether yourprocesses remain the best fit.

You must assess, communicate and enrol all your eligible jobholders into a qualifying scheme. Re-enrolment is a mandatorypart of the government legislation and you must prove that youhave complied within the prescribed timescales outlined by ThePensions Regulator (TPR); daily fines of up to £10,000 are laidout in their enforcement policy.

When do you need to re-enrol?

There’s a six month window from which you select a datewhich falls either side of the third anniversary of your originalstaging date.

E.g. if your staging date took place on the 1 April you’d choosea re-enrolment date between 1 January to 30 June. Your re-enrolment date can be any date during this window and doesnot have to be on the 1st of the month, although, this may bebeneficial so that pro-rata contributions can be avoided.

It doesn’t matter if postponement was used at your stagingdate; your re-enrolment window must stay the same. Nopostponement can be used from the date you select.

E.g. if you were to select 1 June as your re-enrolment date youcouldn’t postpone to 1 September.

When do you need to re-enrol?

You need to automatically re-enrol all non-members of yourexisting qualifying workplace pension scheme who opted out orceased membership more than 12 months before the re-enrolment date selected.

Those who don’t needs to be re-enrolled:

• Active members of a qualifying auto-enrolment workplacepension scheme

• Non-eligible workers

• New hires

• Anyone in postponement

There are some who you can choose whether or not to re-enrol. Rather than exclude those who’ve opted out or ceasedwithin the last 12 months you could choose to include them inthe re-enrolment process. You may also decide that it would bebeneficial to exclude those serving a notice period.

Finally, if you’re confident that employees have tax protectedstatus, you can exclude those with relevant HMRC protections.

It’s your duty to remain compliant and avoid fines

Properly prepare for re-enrolment in the same way that you didfor your initial staging date; ensure software is set-up correctly,whether you run your assessment in payroll or via a pensionprovider. There may also be set-up times, costs and decisionmaking processes to consider.

Also ensure your communication suite is valid; you cannot sendthe same monthly communications to those re-enrolling thatyou send to those auto-enrolling. Finally, you need to re-declareyour compliance with TPR in the prescribed time making surethat your re-enrolment process is carried out properly to ensurecompliance.

E.g. 1,000 employees = 30,000 assessments over 2.5 yearssince your staging date. If 1% of records contain errors = 300incorrect assessments.

Potential consequences:

• Fines up to £10,000 per day

• Costs to put it right

• Reputational risk

• Break down in employee relations

• Employees not enrolled correctly.

The cost of missing contributions could have a seriousimpact upon your business.

Tasha HartleyPensions Consultant


16

Why are you in business; presumablyto make a profit, if not why not?

Many business owners, and theiraccountants, lenders, and possibly, theircreditors are looking closely at theirfinances and wondering why theirprofitability has fallen and what if anythingthey can do about it.

Restructuring your finances, making savingson your business activities and getting inthe money owed to you are all key torestoring your balance sheets to health andoften far more productive than cutting analready trimmed workforce further.

First look at the figures, especially anyoutstanding debt the business may have;can that be restructured to a provider thatwill offer a better rate of interest or alonger settlement period? Sometimes anew provider may not only offer you amore manageable arrangement but beprepared to increase your borrowing tofund your expansion plans. It is also oftenpossible to secure extra funding againstassets such as your premises, plant,equipment, monies due or your forwardorder books.

If your bank is not prepared to help, talk toone of the many alternative providers or yourbroker about your options, you maybe agreeably surprised. We wouldalways advise using an independentspecialist finance broker as thereare very many differentproviders in themarketplace nowand some willbe moresuitable foryour

requirements than others. You can expectyour broker to come up with several optionsand to explain the terms and conditionsattendant on each one.

If your business is basically sound and setdo well in the future you should have noproblem raising the money you require,but some business owners, rather thantaking on more debt, would prefer to sell ashare in their business, either to friends orfamily or to an outside investor.

However, before you borrow more, or sella share in your business, are you gettingall the monies in that are owed to you? Doyou have robust credit control systems inplace with clear payment terms andregular reminders to slow payers, or haveyou let too many overdue accounts slide?Outstanding monies can really add up andany finance provider would expect you tobe making every effort to bring in moniesowed. Court action is often not necessary,a debt collection agency or solicitor’sletter will often do the trick, sometimesfollowed up by a visit from the debtcollection agency on your behalf. In reallyhardened cases you must decide if thecosts of pursuing the debt any further arejustified, but you will at least know whereyou stand.

The next thing to consider are therunning costs of your premises,are you on the best energy tariff

for you? Energy isa major expensefor manybusinesses, yetdespitegovernment adviceto regularly reviewour options anamazing 40% ofbusinesses havenever switchedenergy suppliers. Aquick call to acouple of reputableenergy brokers canresult in substantialsavings. They willwant to discusshow you work, the

size of your building, the numbers ofpeople regularly on the premises and yourbusiness hours, and will then come upwith some suggestions based on yourusage. Check with more than one brokerand that you are not tied into the agreedsupplier so that you can switch suppliersagain if their rates change. Changingsuppliers is quite straightforward.

Now that you are in the swing of makingsavings, what about your fleet? Is it costeffective to buy and run your own carsand vans? Many companies findmanaging their fleet a time consumingadministrative burden, and while choosinga new vehicle can be exciting do you havethe expertise to decide on the mostappropriate vehicle, and do you reallywant large sums of money tied up indepreciating assets? Before replacing anyof your existing fleet take a look atleasing. Most leasing companies offercontract hire for both cars and vans,keeping your company image up to datewithout that major initial outlay, and for asmall monthly fee, clients enjoymaintenance management, accidentmanagement, fleet administration toprocess MOTs, road fund tax, fines andtariffs, updates to the motor insurance(MID) database, rental management, fuelcard management and the managementof online driving licence checks.

This article can only cover some of thesubstantial savings businesses can make,but if you really have the savings bug, takea look at our Thinking Green article in thisedition for some more cost saving ideas.

Getting Back in the Black


17

It is very easy in business tooverlook and forget howimportant energy overheads areand how they can affect profit.Speaking to businesses regularlyLumina Energy understands howenergy saving costs go hand inhand with forming andcontinuing a successful business.

Profit is key for any size business withsales and revenue topping the list,however, business owners can oftenignore their energy overheads and donot consider this as a form of profitmaking. Lumina Energy Consultant, DanPrior told us “Business ownerssometimes don’t think about their utilitybills, but if they could make a saving of£2500, for example, imagine that beingused to invest back into the business.”

The most effective way of examiningenergy bills is looking at the supplier, the

current rates they provide and askingthe question – how often do you reviewthis? Businesses can often think thathaving been with a supplier for so longmeans they are on the best deal andthis is seldom the case. Lumina Energyrecommends that businesses shouldregularly assess their energy suppliersand look into contracts as early aspossible to identify those savings.

Businesses can also look a little deeperinto their renewal offers from their energysuppliers. Rates do increase over timebut that doesn’t mean those rates haveto be accepted. Lumina Energy workwith 16 energy suppliers, ranging fromthe Big 6 to independents, and due tothe strong relationships they have builtthey know what new suppliers can offer.Energy Consultant Team Leader AlecsiaCope explains “All suppliers are lookingfor new business opportunities andtypically provide lower introductory ratesto entice new customers on board.”

There can be a huge savings differencebetween accepting a current renewaloffer and getting quotes from alternatives.

Reducing spend and making savings isparamount for businesses and LuminaEnergy can help by providing theircustomers with a list of the best pricedeals from all the suppliers on their booksand send them all the options. They canalso share their recommendations but thefinal decision on supplier and terms stayswith the customer.

Lumina Energy can also providerecommendations on how to make yourworkplace energy efficient. From simplyturning off all PC’s at night to installing asmart meter, this can all contribute toachieving savings for your business. Tosee their Top Tips visit –www.luminaenergy.co.uk/energy-saving.

Lumina Energy is a company on amission to help all small, medium andlarge UK businesses manage theirenergy consumption and minimiseenergy costs. Established in 2012 theyhave currently saved over £4 million fortheir business customers. Their serviceis free to use with no obligation.

Turning your energy overheads into opportunities.

To start making savings or perhaps just to reassure yourself that you are alreadyon the best deal for your business contact Lumina Energy at

www.luminaenergy.co.uk or telephone 0808 168 5688 quote ref BBP/02


18

Sourcing external funds can be a crucial part of helpingyour business to grow, however in Wesleyan Bank’srecent survey of UK small business owners 70% saythey’ve never utilised finance. The report, ‘SME Attitudesto Finance’, explores SME owners’ reasons for not doingso and considers the potential impact this mindset couldhave on their business prospects.

The research uncovered that the main reason SME ownerschoose not to borrow money is the risk of getting into debt,with 78% admitting this is what holds them back. Othercommon factors include loss of control, for 55%, and 45%admitting to not wanting to give a share of their business away.These were more serious concerns for older business owners,whereas younger owners stated it was more down to a lack ofknowledge, time and finding the process too complex.

Their business bank’s attitude towards them as an SME wascited as the fourth ‘borrowing restriction’, for 31%, mirroringthe findings of the BBA, which suggested that until recentlybank applications from SMEs have slowed.

Despite the reluctance of some, the right external finance canbe both a business lifeline and a growth accelerator. Countlessalternative options exist, ranging from short term loans to easecash flow to asset finance in order to quickly take advantage ofnew market opportunities. Specialist providers, such asWesleyan Bank, provide tailored solutions and advice for SMEsby meticulously guiding them through the finance optionsavailable and how the correct funding can work for them.

Here are five reasons why SMEs should reconsider theirattitude to external finance:

1. Drive growth and innovation. Specialist payment over timefinancial solutions can allow your business to expand and takeadvantage of market opportunities when they are ripe! Whetheryou need to finance more staff, office space or new equipmentor technology, funding can make this happen when you need it,not when your bank balance says you can.

2. Strengthen your business plan. Working with finance expertsto breakdown your business plan and outcome objectives willnot only help you to realise external financial support but alsohighlight any areas for improvement, therefore creating astronger overall strategy.

3. Gain greater flexibility - it doesn’t have to be one big loan! Ifthe thought of taking out one big loan makes you feel uneasy,consider the opportunity to ‘spread your bets’ by segmentingyour finance and using different sources. Different elements ofyour business plan may require contrasting types of funding atdifferent times and breaking the loan up could work in yourfavour.

4. Boost cash flow. Do you have a major annual expensecoming up, such as a looming VAT or tax bill? If so, externalfinance can help during these costly periods. Instead of havingto pay out a large lump sum and restricting your ability toinvest, businesses can spread the cost over a year into smaller,more manageable chunks.

5. You don’t have to be reliant on your business bank. Yourbusiness bank may not be the safest or only option. With manyalternatives available to SMEs, it’s important to understand howalternative finance providers may be able to add greater valueby fulfilling your ongoing business requirements.

Please visit www.wesleyanbank.co.uk for further information

External funding: sin or saviour?By Sean Read, Director of Sales and Marketing at Wesleyan Bank

Sean Read


19

The UK commercial property investment market has seenstrong interest from both UK and foreign investors over thelast few years.

At the end of 2015, investment volumes totalled £71million,according to recent figures quoted in Money Observermagazine. However, as some expect the investment propertymarket to stagnate in London, both UK and foreign propertyinvestors are looking around at regional cities such asBirmingham, Bristol, Manchester and Leeds. According to thelatest Who Owns Central Birmingham report by Bilfinger GVA,in 2015 UK investors accounted for over 58 per cent ofinvestment in the Birmingham office market.

At the same time the Birmingham residential buy-to-let marketis flourishing. Recently, before the introduction of Stamp Dutyon April 1, new rental advertising for properties in the cityregion was up 49.9 per cent – that is more than double the rateof increase seen even in London, which only achieved a spikeof 19.4 per cent.

“The focus for investment is shifting,” said Karl Griggs fromcommercial finance specialist CPC Finance, “as the propertyinvestment market has been plateauing in London, both UKand foreign property investors are looking at regional cities suchas Birmingham.

“Although, as we all know, the general landscape is not themost hospitable for property investors at the moment, there isstill potential in places like Birmingham. This is particularly thecase with upcoming investment in the city and surroundinginfrastructure such as Birmingham Council’s City CentreMasterplan and the HS2.

“These will give new impetus to the trend of businesses lookingoutside London to get the maximum from their propertyinvestments, not only in terms of the quality and size of theirproperties, but also the scope of those investments.”

One particular area which CPC Finance sees as offering richpotential in this region is semi-commercial property, such asshops with flats above – particularly as these mixed-useproperties fall outside the new stamp duty regime.

Relaxation of conditions governing the conversions of formershops into residential accommodation, initially introducedtemporarily, has also now been made permanent, which makesthis another area for investors to look in to.

“The government has been worried that the buy-to-let markethas been getting out of control, but there are still plenty of waysin which an investment in commercial or residential propertycan be worthwhile,” said Karl.

“At CPC Finance, we specialise in helping people gain accessto the money they need for investments. This will help meet thedemand for homes and office space, which will be seen leadingup to 2026 and beyond, once it becomes possible to travelbetween Birmingham and London in less than an hour. As thecity grows there will always be a need both for commercial realestate for businesses to occupy and buy-to-let properties toaccommodate the workers within,” Karl concluded.

If you are looking to invest in commercial or buy-to-letproperty in the Birmingham region and need funding,

talk to CPC Finance about the options available bycalling 01923 655441

or emailing [email protected]

Commercial property finance plays a huge role in supporting and enabling business growth acrossBirmingham and throughout the West Midlands. In this article, Karl Griggs, of CPC Finance, rounds up thecurrent trends in the sector and focuses on…

The future for commercial propertyinvestment in Birmingham


20

Grosvenor Leasing has launched ‘easi-Fleet Management’ - a fixed cost fleetmanagement service for companieswith small fleets of cars and vans.

easi-Fleet Management is available forbusinesses using all traditional fundingmethods, including contract hire, outrightpurchase, hire purchase and finance lease.

For a small monthly fee, clients enjoymaintenance management, accidentmanagement, fleet administration toprocess MOTs, road fund tax, fines andtariffs, updates to the motor insurance (MID)database, rental management, fuel cardmanagement and the management of onlinedriving licence checks; all provided withconsolidated invoicing across all suppliers.

“We’ve been managing small fleets of carsand vans for over 35 years, but decided toformalise this service by giving it a name,”said Giles Bolton, Grosvenor Leasing’s headof corporate finance. “easi-FleetManagement seemed very apt due to howsimple we make life for our customers –alleviating them of all the stress of runningtheir vehicles.

“Many companies can find their cars andlight commercial vehicles are a time-consuming and costly distraction. Yet manystruggle on, inundated with calls and emails,working with data on excel spreadsheets,

point of contact for any fleet related issues,it also removes the day to day hassles ofrunning a small fleet, giving time toconcentrate on other priorities.”

“Some company directors can be nervousabout letting go of the management of sucha vital aspect of their business,” continuedGiles Bolton, “however Grosvenor Leasing isalready the fleet department to many smallbusinesses as well as some of the largestand best-known companies in the UK.

“As a privately-owned business, with over 35years expertise in fleet management, we arealso one of the largest companies to haveresisted the temptation to adopt a call centre,process-driven culture, instead offeringnational capability with a personal touch.”

In 2016 Grosvenor Leasing won the FleetNews award for best leasing company withup to 15,000 vehicles.

bemoaning the stress and constantdistraction that even a small fleet of vehiclescan bring.

“Imagine what a relief it would be to handeverything over to our team of fleetmanagement professionals and be able toaccess your vehicle and driver data atanytime on our web-based fleetmanagement system.”

Stephen Duff, managing director of HSFHealth has been a customer of GrosvenorLeasing for many years. “By usingGrosvenor Leasing we benefit from havingour very own fleet department, and thisremoves all of the day-to-day hassles ofrunning a small fleet of cars, and we savemoney too.”

Robert McAllister, director of humanresources at Glenny’s chartered surveyorsagrees. “For a business of our size it’s notfeasible to employ a dedicated fleetmanager to keep on top of vehicle issues,suppliers and drivers. Handing everythingover to Grosvenor Leasing means we savetime and money, and the service andsupport is excellent.”

Kim Peacock of Villeroy & Boch added,“Switching over to Grosvenor Leasing wasone of the best decisions we made. It isbeneficial to our fleet drivers having only one

Grosvenor Leasing launches easi-Fleet Management

For more information, call one of ourfriendly team on 01536 536536

or visit www.grosvenor-leasing.co.uk

Grosvenor Contracts Leasing LtdBalmoral House, Kettering Venture Park

Kettering NN15 6XU


21

To find out more about Wolf Enforcement Services and its complete offering, go to www.wolfenforcement.co.uk, where you can also email. Alternatively telephone 0333 772 0179

Fly-on-the-wall television is opening afascinating window onto the role of theenforcement agency.

Despite its somewhat tabloid title, Can’t Pay?We’ll Take It Away, the series gives viewers avaluable insight into the skills, professionalismand humanity required by enforcement agentswhen carrying out their challenging work.

It may not always be an easy job, but it is a vitalone requiring special people, something DarenShaw, Managing Director of Wolf EnforcementServices, knows well.

He heads a business that has access to morethan 400 highly skilled agents operating acrossmost of England and Wales.

Much of their work involves business to businessdebt collection, a reflection of the UK’s poorpayment culture which, according to the mostrecent figures, involved a total amount owing tolarge and small UK businesses of £31.3 billion.Of that £26.8 billion was owed to SMEs.

Meanwhile, the Federation of Small Businesses(FSB) has found that 62% of small businessstruggle to recoup monies owed as opposed to40% in Europe.

For many, the need to resort to an enforcementagency is a last resort, but the issue ofoutstanding debt is one that, cumulatively canhave a knock-on effect on the whole economy.

If businesses do not get the money they are owed, they may not be able to paytheir staff, invest or pay their own suppliers.

Ultimately a company that cannot recover its debts can go out of business. Theassistance of an agency such Wolf Enforcement Services, is therefore vital.

The company, which began as one man contracted to debt collection agenciescarrying out home visits and executing court warrants on behalf of utility companies,now has more than 20 years’ industry experience, with the Management Teamworking for Top 100 FTSE Index companies within field/office collection andcustomer service sectors.

Today its full portfolio encompasses high court enforcement, commercial rent arrearsrecovery, commercial and domestic repossession and trespasser/traveller removal.

There are now plans to grow its role within the rental sector, including collections ofunpaid rents after a tenant has left, and with this in mind, Wolf Enforcement Servicesis particularly proud to be sponsoring next October’s West Midlands PrivateLandlord and Lettings Agents Conference in conjunction with Homestamp.

All its Enforcement Agents are members of the Certificated Enforcement AgentsAssn (CEAA) who closely follow its ethics and are trained to NVQ and IRRV standardto fully comply with Government guidelines.

“We are proud to employ the best in the business and have gone from strength tostrength with technological investments,” says Daren.

“We provide the latest GPS location live reporting systems and Body Worn VideoTechnology, to give our customers peace of mind.

“If required we can also offer real-time reporting direct to client, as part of a range ofthird party bespoke solutions.”

Our mission is simple... Enforcement Made Easy!

Our mission is simple... Enforcement Made Easy!

Wolf Enforcement ServicesWolf Enforcement Services


22

Thinking green is no longer the trendypreserve of the new agers, butsomething that businesses areincreasingly finding makes soundeconomic sense.

In an era where every penny of expenditureneeds to count there are plenty of simple,relatively inexpensive energy saving, andimportantly cost saving, measures that areeasy to implement.

Is your building the one with lights blazingthrough the night when no-one’s there?Install motion detectors that automaticallyswitch off the lights in areas no-one isusing. Then while we are on the subject oflighting, substantial savings can beachieved by changing all your light bulbs toenergy efficient compact fluorescent lamps(CFLs) and light-emitting diodes (LEDs).

Ask everyone to turn off when they switchoff at the end of the day, or simply installpower strips or other devices that effectivelyunplug computers, kitchen appliances,printers, and other electronics when work isdone. Photocopiers in particular use a lot ofenergy when they’re first switched on andwhen they’re left on because they need tobe warm to work. For maximum efficiency,save up copies into a batch and then turnthe copier off again.

Take a good look at the way in which yourbuilding works, walk round your premisesand carry out your own energy audit.Could you reduce the actual area you

need to heat or cool by redesigning theworking area, perhaps by

installing a suspended ceiling?External doors and windows

should be sealed with

draught excluders and doors kept closedbetween heated and unheated areas.Consider changing your window glazing toone of the new thermally reflective typesand consider the benefits of solar panels.Air curtains installed at entrances to yourwarehouse and between chilled storageareas and ambient areas can also cut heatloss dramatically.

It is important that staff have acomfortable working environment but justas you would at home, turn yourthermostat down a couple of degrees,thus only making a negligible difference tocomfort levels but making a big one toyour energy bill. Installing a programmablethermostat ensures that you will not beheating an empty building, and talking ofthermostats just how hot is the water fromyour taps and are they programmed toonly run for a limited period each time? Adripping, or left running, hot water tap isvery costly from an energy point of view,and even if you don’t want to go as far asinstalling new taps, make sure that all thewashers in all your taps are fully functionaland that taps are easy to turn off.

While carrying out your personal energyaudit apply the same process to the ways inwhich your business works, looking at waysto use technology to reduce energy use.

So called “hot desking”, a term usedwhere individuals share workspaces ispretty cool from an energy usage point ofview. Lap tops use much less energy thanconventional computers and hot deskingallows business owners to createinnovative and flexible work arrangementsfor employees. For instance, doeseveryone need to travel into work eachday, or can they sometimes work from

home, saving mileage and fuel?

Why travel to meetings? Webcameras and accompanying

software can allow

companies to hold virtual meetings -instead of driving or flying to meet clientsor colleagues in distant offices.

Could your deliveries be made moreefficient, perhaps by altering routes andschedules to make less drops, or usingsmaller vehicles for more efficient use ofspace and fuel? Modern GPS systemscan help drivers improve their driving andthus use less fuel, decrease emissionsand reduce maintenance costs on yourcompany vehicles.

Involve employees in discussions about theenergy saving policies you would like toimplement in your business. Hold ameeting to discuss your expectations forreducing energy and waste and invite ideason how to further cut energy costs. If youapproach the issue with the right attitude,most employees are more than happy tohelp the business and the environment.

There is no need to feel helpless in theface of rising fuel bills, whether throughsimple changes or larger-scaleinvestments, every business operation cando something to save energy. The CarbonTrust estimates that most businesses cancut energy spend by around 10% bytaking some simple efficiency measures.

If you need help deciding which measureswill prove the most cost effective, anumber of utility companies will carry outan energy audit for you free of charge.

Thinking Green


23

With tough government targets to reducecarbon emissions by 80% by 2050 it is moreimportant than ever for companies to investin carbon reducing technologies to improveenergy efficiency.

Chris Jones, Product Manager for Airblocexplains how air curtains can help to offersignificant cost savings and reduce carbonemissions.

Initiatives such as the Carbon ReductionCommitment Energy Efficiency Scheme (CRCEES) are encouraging companies to invest incarbon cutting technologies and with 40 percent of CO2 emissions in Europe beinggenerated by commercial buildings the pressureto reduce carbon production will only increase.

Ideal InvestmentAir curtains are an ideal solution and whenspecified correctly, can offer a payback periodas short as 12 months making air curtains a lowcost, high impact, energy saving solution.Airbloc energy efficient air curtains can cutenergy loss by up to 80% and deliver a uniformflow of air to separate interior and exterioratmospheres, maintain the internal climate, offersignificant cost savings and vastly improveworker comfort.

Air curtains work by using a fast movingairstream to seal the gap created by opendoorways. In winter they keep warm air in andcold air out; but the biggest potential savingsfrom air curtains come in the summer monthsby reducing cool air wastage, thus cutting thehigh cost of air conditioning. Cooling anenvironment is significantly more expensive thanheating it.

As well as the inevitable increase in energy bills,opening and closing external doors can affectinternal temperatures, and reduce employeecomfort – especially for those working close todoorways.

Putting a stop to energy lossEnergy efficient air curtains such as those supplied by Nortek GlobalHVAC, can be positioned directly over or down the side of a doorway.When doors are opened in heated buildings, colder external air flows inthrough the bottom part of the opening, while internal air flows outthrough the upper part. In air conditioned buildings, the opposite applies.Over door air curtains deliver a uniform flow of air across the full doorwidth that separates the interior and exterior atmospheres.

As well as their energy saving capacity, aircurtains also have ‘hidden’ benefits. Overdoor air curtains induce warm air downfrom high level that would otherwise be lostthrough the roof, thus helping to de-stratifythe building and eliminate cold spots.

To optimise their operation, air curtains canbe connected to a low cost control unitsuch as the SmartElec2 from Airbloc,reducing both power consumption andenergy costs by up to 50%. The attractiveunit offers a number of control options to

suit all applications including MODBUS protocol, adjustable thermostatslinked to door sensors, outside temperature sensors and timers toensure the units only operate when required.

The latest addition to theSmartElec2 is the proportionalcontrol algorithm which drivesthe leaving air temperature ofthe door curtain up when theoutside temperature drops andreduces the leaving airtemperature as the outsidetemperature increases – thusgiving a fully automatic controldelivering huge energy savings.

With energy efficiency set to remain high on the business agenda,organisations need to consider the latest energy saving technologies.With a simple and effective installation of air curtains on shop doors,businesses can keep employees happy, save money on bills and finallyclose the door on unnecessary energy loss.

For further information, please contact Lisa Adams MarketingCommunications Executive

Telephone: 01384 489 741 Email: [email protected]

Visit our Website: www.ambirad.co.uk

Follow us on twitter

Like our LinkedIn Page

Join our Circle on G+

Close The Door On Energy Loss

33843 AP_BBP Template 18/02/2016 15:11 Page 1

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ACD is a family run business with a focus on customer care, which has designedand installed thousands of air conditioning systems from single split units andducted packages through to large VRV/VRF systems, but what sets them apartis their commitment to offer the best air conditioning installations, with the bestcustomer service at the right price.

ACD constantly review the latest developments in the sector and an ongoingprogramme of staff development and training means you can always be surethat they will recommend the most suitable system currently available and that itwill be fitted by an appropriately qualified team.

The company started out by working for just a few blue chip retail clients andshop fitters with just 4 members of staff. Since that time, due to word of mouthreferrals, recommendations and recently, a targeted programme of webmarketing, the company has grown organically from £600k pa to in excess of£2.2m, and employs 14 staff.

Although their impressive client list includes household names such as TheEntertainer, Laura Ashley, Clarks Shoes, Tommy Hilfiger, and the Salvation Army, clients cover the spectrum from large multi-nationals and single retail units to domestic installations.

Michael Robey MD, emphasises the company’s focus on customer care saying,“We are a national air conditioning company, so our service covers all of the UK,but we offer the local air conditioning feel, giving all our customers peace of mindwhere warranty and service is concerned.”

Simon Robey, Director said, “Renewable and efficient energy is a priority for mostcompanies and with the latest technology in heat pumps now being offered weplan to excel in that market place, and continue to increase our client base byproviding quality installations in accordance with best practice.”

For more information about the range of products and services they offer pleasevisit the web site www.aircontrol.co.uk or www.daikin.co.uk, or telephone 01922455523, and let them show you just how comfortable your premises canbecome with the right system, and how you can relax knowing that this is onecompany that offers all the back-up it promises.

For more information about the range of products and servicesthey offer please visit the website www.aircontrol.co.uk or

telephone 01922 455523, and let them show you just how comfortable your premises can

become with the right system, and how you can relax knowing thatthis is one company that offers all the back-up it promises.

“A breath of fresh air in customer care,” Air Control & Development’s slogan says it all.

www.aircontrol.co.ukAir Control Development Ltd

The company specialises in the installation, serviceand maintenance of air conditioning and ventilationsystems including full mechanical packages forretail, commercial, industrial and leisure premises.They are approved by major manufacturer (DaikinD1+ installers) and offer a warranty of up to 5yrs.

Air Control & Development Ltd (ACD) was established inMarch 1994, and understands just how daunting it canbe, given the complexity of the market and the hugerange of systems and companies out there, to choose areliable and trustworthy company to quote, install andmaintain a new air conditioning or ventilation system.

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Unit 2, 1 Avenue Farm Ind. Est. Stratford-upon-Avon CV37 0HREnergise your business

If capital expenditure is the hurdle then call us as we

are also able to o�er fully funded, Solar PV systems

for your premises reducing your energy costs and

carbon emissions at NO COST to your business.

CONTACT US TODAY ON: 0844 259 [email protected]

WWW.COMMERCIALSOLARSOLUTIONS.CO.UK

YOU SAY‘ROOF’WE SAY ‘GENERATOR’Do you have 20m2 of roof space or more on your business premises?

Is your building a large energy user?

Do you need to reduce energy costs?

Do you wish to reduce your carbon footprint and improve your “green credentials”?

If you answer yes to any of these questions then Solar Energy could well be the answer.

Commercial Solar Solutions is a new division of Stratford Energy

Solutions providing expert advice, design and installation of

commercial Solar Systems.

Stratford Energy Solutions was formed in 2010 installing renewable

energy technologies including Solar PV and Solar Thermal, Air and

Ground Source Heat Pumps and Biomass Boilers.

The Solar business has continued to grow and with recent changes

to the Feed-in Tari� we have a department focused totally on Solar

Energy for commercial buildings including: warehousing, factories,

agricultural, schools and public sector buildings.


26

BusinessGrowth

It is a fact of life that any successfuland well run business is going togrow and expand over time – both interms of staff numbers, the demandson the business and most importantlyof all, turnover and profit.

Every healthy company has to be allowedto develop, and the key to growth is tosuccessfully manage the process. Growingtoo quickly in the early years isunfortunately one of the most commonreasons for business failure.

Expansion can be a part of a well thoughtout strategy but it can also sneak up onyou simply through organic growth orincreased demand for the services andproducts you are providing.

When it comes to organic growthexpansion can happen quite naturally asyou gradually take on more resources todeal with increasing demands andpressures. One by one your team can growas you recruit new staff to deal with theextra work, and before you know it thebusiness has doubled in size.

For small businesses, this type of organicgrowth and gradual expansion can be fairlyeasy to manage providing you have theright building blocks in place.

Growth is all about striking the right balanceand taking a measured approach. Here arejust a few questions to take into accountbefore you take the potentially expensivedecision to expand your office or add newmembers to your team:

1. In these days of fast developingtechnology do you need to takeon extra staff to cope withdemand?

It might save time and money in the longrun to invest in new technology ratherthan taking on new employees. A little bitof research into what is available on thetechnology market can save a lot ofexpense in the long run. Spending on newsoftware or computers might actually be abetter solution than taking on new staff.

2. Is your current set-up flexibleenough to cope with fluctuationsin demand?

When it comes to small firms in the earlydays of their development it can make abig difference to take a flexible approachto business. If you have staff who havethe training and experience to carry out anumber of different roles it means thatpeople can easily adapt to cope with thechanging demands of the business.

3. Can any jobs or tasks beoutsourced to freelancers?

The world of work has become muchmore fluid and flexible as a result of therecession and the internet. There’s nosuch thing as a job for life in the currentenvironment and more people arechoosing to go down the freelance route.

Freelancers come from all levels too fromsemi-retired professionals with broadexperience at board level, through tosomeone to help in your warehouse. Witha rapidly expanding market it makesperfect sense to take full advantage ofthis new reality. Using freelancers is notonly cost effective it also offers greaterflexibility for businesses. You fill a role asand when you need it and avoid the costand hassle of taking on full-time staff.

4. Is everyone on your teamworking to their full capability?

Perhaps the answer to increasedworkloads lies within the office itself ratherthan the external factors that affect yourbusiness. Sometimes it pays to take aclose look at the way your outfit operatesand how your team functions. Often youcan improve performance and productivitysimply by changing things around withinthe office. While some staff are beingoverstretched, others might not haveenough work to keep them busythroughout the day.

5. Who can you go to for advice?

Don’t try to navigate your businessexpansion alone, find a business mentorwho can offer individual support andguidance, and will be able to offer adviceon finance and banking matters. Othersources of support can be found atMentorsme (www.mentorsme.com), theFederation of Small Businesses, or yourlocal Chamber of Commerce

When you are starting out on theexpansion journey, it is always reassuringto get as much advice or support as youcan about where you are heading.

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With its proud industrial heritage, it makes perfect sense thatthe West Midlands is playing a leading role in today’s digitalrevolution. A hub of innovation for hundreds of years, it’swhere the world’s first steam engines were built and is hometo the UK’s car manufacturing and aerospace industries.

Following the dark days of 2005, which saw Longbridge-basedMG Rover go in to receivership, the region is now a hotbed of hi-tech and knowledge-based manufacturing expertise. The MG3and MG6 models are designed and completed in Birmingham,while Coventry is now a centre for additive manufacturing (AM).Commonly known as 3D printing, it’s an industry-changingprocess that cuts production costs and lead times.

Last year, Chancellor George Osborne announced £30m ofgovernment funding to create a national centre for 3D printingand aerospace technology at the Manufacturing TechnologyCentre in Ansty Park, to help develop products and materialsfor the aero, medical and automotive sectors.

Over in Birmingham, 6,000 tech firms are based in ‘SiliconCanal’, making it the largest hub for digital businesses outsideLondon. The Custard Factory hosts many of these enterprises,such as Yamination Studios whose short animation film At-Issuepremiered on Sky Arts this year. Founder Drew Roper turned tocrowdfunding, a form of alternative finance (AltFi), to make hisidea reality.

The struggle to find fundingLike many of the area’s traditional manufacturing andengineering firms which struggled to find funding following the2008 recession, digital and tech firms are often turned down bybig lenders. Because the value of these firms lies primarily intheir intellectual property, not tangible assets, they have adouble struggle to access the funds they need to grow.

Finance Birmingham is a venture capital firm run by BirminghamCity Council which provides business loans of up to £2m to theregion’s SMEs. There is also the £6bn European RegionalDevelopment Fund, which aims to support research and innovationprojects, provide funding for SMEs and boost local employment.

Birmingham’s entrepreneurs also have access to businessincubators and accelerators which provide funding and support

for start-ups. Oxygen Accelerator can provide an intensive 12-week programme of mentoring with up to €21,000 of funding.The Greater Birmingham Growth Hub at Innovation BirminghamCampus offers several start-up support packages, from officespace and hot-desking to a nine-month incubator programme,Entrepreneurs for the Future (e4f).

Primed for financial technologyBirmingham has also been earmarked for development as afinancial technology (FinTech) hub. It is already home to FinTechventure Droplet, a mobile payments app, which has brewersand train companies on its books.

With four universities and under 25s accounting for nearly 40%of the population, Birmingham is one of Europe’s youngest cities.Add to this a strong manufacturing tradition and great transportlinks and it’s easy to see why the West Midlands houses thelargest number of start-ups and high-growth companies outsideLondon. Once again this industrial heartland is at the forefront ofa revolution – this time it’s a hi-tech, digital one.

Verus360 offers flexible online finance to small and medium-sized businesses across a range of sectors.

www.verus360.com

Tim Evans, Strategy Director of Verus360, examines thefast-changing face of manufacturing in this industrialheartland – and how it’ s leading a hi-tech revolution.

West Midlands leads the newindustrial revolution


28

Your business is growing and that’s great, but somehow therenever seem to be enough hours in the day, and although in theearly days, as with most entrepreneurs, you took pride inhandling everything yourself, there comes a day when you needsome financial expertise if you are to take your business further.

It would be useful to have someone on hand with the expertise andfinancial knowhow that comes from a financial director with top levelexperience who could help with strategic planning decisions, accessto funding, budgetary structures and general financial issues.

It can be difficult to discuss the financials of your business withanyone else. You may also well feel that your business couldn’tactually justify such a top level appointment, but are aware that youneed some help. Perhaps a part time Financial Director providingexpertise and supplying friendly strategic advice might be the answer.

This is where FD Outsource Ltd can help. They specialise in workingwith companies in the £500k – £15m turnover businesses acrossStaffordshire and the West Midlands and can provide outsourcedfinancial planning, budgetary and strategic expertise for SME’swithout the PAYE expense and of full time FD.

The company recognise that the needs of every business are differentaccording to its size, type and sector, but all businesses are obligedto maintain accurate bookkeeping records, financial records andaccounts. Limited companies are obliged by law to prepare a set offinancial accounts each year and to file a copy with CompaniesHouse. There are statutory penalties for late or incorrect filing, forwhich the directors are liable.

Business find keeping what are known as management accounts vitalas a tool to help plan the day to day running and the future of thebusiness and make decisions about key areas such as sales,margins and stock. They help in making timely andmeaningful management decisions about yourbusiness; and this is where youroutsourced FD will come in, to offerfriendly constructive advice, neverforgetting, that after all, this is yourbusiness that you have grownand developed.

As Mark Terrington from the company explained,“One of our main objectives is to free up busyCEO’s and MD’s by taking away the problemswithin their finance department.

“At FD Outsource Ltd we not only show you howto grow your business, we help implement thestrategies to do just that…..in business it’s oftennot what you do but ‘how you do it’ that makesthe difference. Our experience at FD Outsource Ltdenables us to analyse your requirements, identifyyour issues and then plan and project manage arange of strategies to achieve your objectives.”

Think of your relationship with FD Outsource as apartnership where you are able to call on theservices of a highly experienced senior financedirector with ‘big business experience’ for afraction of the cost of a full-time FD.

If you would like to talk to FD OutsourcingLtd about your specific requirements please

call us on 01889 358921or [email protected]

FD OUTSOURCE

Financial Planning, budgetary & strategic expertise andsupport for businesses

www.fdoutsource.co.uk

SPECIALISTS IN DRIVING GROWTH


29

A e r o s p a c e M a n u f a c t u r i n g S t r a t e g y & S u p p o r t L T D

Take your business to thenext levelNo time, no plan, no resources...no problemTaking on the challenge of jump starting businesseswith limited resources is what Aerostrat does best.With over 30 years’ experience as a senior leader inaerospace, defence and high technology business,Richard is a man driven to share his passion forextraordinary business growth and innovation withcompanies like yours.

Eradicate waste and build real sustainable growth

There is no shortage ofagencies who make boldpromises and expect you tospend thousands of poundson campaigns withmeaningless deliverablesand limited results. With abackground working forboth SME’s and largemultinational corporations,Richard has seen how easilycompanies throw awaymoney chasing business

growth. This is what has driven him towards building acompany and ethos which strives to eradicate waste andbuild sustainable efficient business growth, in partnership withforward thinking and ambitious companies.

In today’s economic climate, many companies struggle toafford to invest in growth, despite the fact that sales arethe lifeblood of a business. This makes the need to

be efficient, effective and lean in your sales and marketingactivities more pressing than ever before, but sometimes thiscan be easier said than done.

Not theory, real proven techniques

Richard and the Aerostrat team use lean tools and techniquesintegrated with proven sales methods to drive businessesforward and to help take them to the next level of success.This often involves both high level strategy and hands oncoaching to achieve the best results. These tactics have beendeveloped and proven countless times over 30+ years; sothese aren’t fluffy recommendations, these are real concretetechniques that can be game changing for your business.How would you like to increase your sales pipeline, customerfacing contact time and conversion rates resulting in more,profitable sales? Working closely with Richard and theAerostrat team can make it happen for your business.

Collaborating with ambitious companies

With experience delivering results that make a difference toboth some of industry's largest companies as well as smallermanufacturers, Aerostrat is passionate about making theirservice accessible to all. Regardless of size, or resource level,if you have the mind set and ambition to grow, Aerostratwants to work with you. Having the mind set to grow is halfof the battle, Aerostrat will help give you the tools andtechniques to do the rest.

Results speak for themselves

Starting at only £250+VAT per month their business supportpackages are designed to be a cost effective and very flexibleservice. The service is based on a flat monthly fee. Richardand the team stand by their recommendations and for largerprojects would be happy to discuss results driven pricing,with the majority of their fee being covered by the savingsmade by you the client

Give Richard a call to see how lean techniquescould benefit your business on

07920 839721 or for more information visit thewebsite aerostrat.co.uk

Find us on

Richard Shaw

33922 AP_BBP Template 01/06/2016 16:15 Page 1

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See how much your business could save, starting immediately and continuing well into the future, by visiting exchangeutility.co.uk

emailing [email protected] or calling 0345 241 1323

Exchange Utility, an impartial energyconsultancy and comparison service,are warning UK businesses: “Don’tjust let your business utility contractsrollover; you are likely to be payingmuch higher rates!”

That’s because energy suppliers oftenlure you in with the offer of a great short-term deal on the price of gas orelectricity. As a new customer, you thenhave a year or more to reap the benefitsof that reduced rate until it expires andyou inevitably rollover onto a much highertariff.

So now you’re on its ‘deemed tariff’ rate,which is well above that which firsttempted you to sign up – and your failureto act quickly enough is costing you moreevery month.

That is, unless you sign up withExchange Utility.

A new type of business energycomparison service, they don’t just castyou adrift at the end of your contract, asdirectors Kelly Ivison and John Bakerexplained.

“Our model is based on building long-term partnerships with UK businesses,whatever their size or type,” she said.

Businesses sign a one, two or three-yearcontract and Exchange Utility’sconsultants carry out an audit of theircurrent supply agreements, so that theycan illustrate the savings which can beachieved.

And with as many as 1.3 millionbusinesses in the UK believed to beoverpaying for their energy to the tune of£500million a year, Exchange Utility bringsthe benefits of bulk-buying to itscustomers, by passing on the benefits itgets through negotiating directly with acarefully-chosen group of suppliers.

Susan Wheeldon, Financial Director atWheeldon Brothers Waste, said: "Wefound Exchange Utility’s verystraightforward service saved us moneyquickly and easily. We are continuing toreap the benefits of working with them."

“We can generally save businesses moneyeven if they stay with the same supplier,”said Exchange Utility Director John Baker.“And there is no danger of them rollingover onto a higher tariff, because we willcontact them when their existing contractis coming to an end, and let them switchto another deal with either the same oranother of our carefully-chosen suppliers.

“The savings businesses can makethrough a contract with us aren’t one-offs– we can help them get the benefits ofour accumulated buying power monthafter month, year after year.”

“Our belief is that people running abusiness have far better things to do thanshop around for the best deals on theirgas, electricity and water,” Mr Bakeradded. “With our service there is nodanger of them sleepwalking into payingmore than they need to, and we will makesure that they have certainty over thismajor element of their overheads.”

Exchange Utility,the firm who are committed tocutting your business’s energybills.

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Digital Office Systems, the popular office printer supplier, arewell established and thoroughly settled in at their new 5,000 sqft unit at Ivanhoe Business Park, Ashby-de-la-Zouch. Thecompany moved in March this year to brand newaccommodation over two floors, incorporating, a showroom,offices and server rooms.

The premises which are more than double the size of thecompany’s previous premises in the town centre have beenfitted out to comply with the company’s exact requirements andaccommodate 24 staff members across sales and admin.

As Digital Office Systems director John McPhillips commented,it means that the firm can hold more stock on site rather thanrenting warehouse space, allowing for a speedier and moreefficient service to customers.

The expansion has led to the creation of six jobs, and thecompany is now aiming to increase its current turnover by anadditional £1m to £7m, thanks to the extra space andadditional team members.

John said: "After outgrowing our previous base in Ashby-de-la-Zouch, this move is an essential part of our growth plan andwill play a key role in enabling us to build upon our greatreputation for customer service. The move leaves us wellplaced to realise our growth plan over the coming years."

Contributing to that growth is the growing number of largeconstruction companies among the company’s extensive clientlist, with the buoyant property market providing a huge boost,as last year they acquired two major contracts from the sector,including one from Barrett Homes.

Founded in 1994, Digital Office Systems is a Xerox ProductionPartner, providing Xerox Document Solutions to over 2,000customers throughout the UK. Having a mono brandagreement with Xerox means that they are able to offer thecomplete range of Xerox Hardware from desk top MFD throughto the Production Digital Printing Press.

Their Software Solutions portfolio includes Docushare,ScanFlowStore, Follow me Print, PCounter along with offeringcomplete network installations using Window Platforms.

If you are considering installing a new IT system or just have ahardware / software issue, there is no one better to turn to thanDigital Office Systems. They can supply a complete range of ITsolutions for every aspect of your business. The companyspecialises in system support, network security, server setupand advanced printer setup(s), and can provide:

• ADSL Broadband• Network Installations• Computer Services & Support• IT Consultancy• Anti-Virus Solutions• VoIP Telephone Systems• Guest Internet SystemsAll backed up by Digital Office Systems’ technical knowhowand support, just a phone call away.

Digital Office Systems have also integrated Managed PrintServices into their business model, allowing them to offerservice on a range of competitive equipment that includesHewlett Packard, Ricoh, Kyocera, Sharp, Samsung and others.

Always at the forefront of office technology Digital OfficeSystems are also an authorised Océ wide format reseller whichcompliments the Xerox brand. It was only in this May that

DIGITALOFFICES Y S T E M S L I M I T E D

Digital Office Systems have moved.

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Canon Europe, world leader in imaging solutions, launched fournew monochrome large format devices, the Océ PlotWave 345,365, 450 and 550. Designed especially for busy workgroupsacross architecture, engineering, construction (AEC) andmanufacturing industries, the high-performance PlotWavesystem effortlessly handles large sets of technical documents,saving on both time and cost.

Digital Office Systems is delighted to have concludedpartnership arrangements last spring with ROWE, the Germancompany who are the leading supplier to the German market Inthe field of wide-format digital reprographic systems.

ROWE manufacture wide-format printers and scanners that aretypically used for design in various sectors, includingconstruction, manufacturing and GIS. Having their own productdevelopment, market development and technical serviceensures that all ROWE systems are optimally aligned and thatall experience is pooled. ROWE offers a complete range ofwide-format digital solutions including:

• Large Format Colour Scanners• Printers and Copiers• On-line & off-line folding machines• Cutting machines• Controllers and software solutions• All from one manufacturer 100% Made

in GermanyThe Partnership with ROWE is for the long term and is set tochange the global landscape in this market. A number of newinitiatives have already yielded great results. To succeed in theUnited Kingdom, ROWE wanted to partner with a company thatwould listen to their customers’ needs.

All Digital Office Systems‘ customers enjoy the security and re-assurance of a robust and comprehensive Service LevelAgreement, backed by Xerox Service and Systems Support ata UK and International Level in addition to their own dedicatedIT support and development team committed to deliveringcustomer solutions at all levels.

To quote John Phillips “Our key business driver is customersatisfaction as believe firmly that the success of our businessdepends upon the quality of service we deliver.”

Granite House, Ivanhoe Business ParkAshby de la Zouch, Leicestershire

LE65 2AB

01530 414 409 [email protected]

www.digital-os.co.uk

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Wenlock Health & Safety Ltd

enlock Wenlock enlock enlock WHealth & Saf

enlock dtety LHealth & Saf

enlock d

Set up in 2002 by Jackie Horsewood after she identified aneed for practical and pragmatic help for smallercontractors, Wenlock Health & Safety Ltd has remainedtrue to its ethos for the past 14 years.

Starting with a small home office, Wenlock H&S grew to 7members of staff and has recently moved to prestigious newpremises in Jackfield, Telford. We have assisted companiesthrough the various changes in CDM since 2002, and haveseen how the industry moved through the recession and backto growth again. With all the negative talk about health andsafety, it has been challenging at times, but Jackie and theteam are passionate about the issues. We emphasise theimportance of a practical approach to safety and have built upa repertoire of methods that actually work. If paperwork takestoo long, you’re doing it wrong!

Over 90% of our business comes to us throughrecommendations, which is proof of the confidence ourcustomers have in our ability and approach. We prideourselves on offering a superior, efficient and personal servicewhich many larger health and safety companies lack. We wantto make it easier for our clients to understand health andsafety, and help to shake the negativity that surrounds it

Having seen the establishment and development of CDM overthe last 21 years, and having worked alongside influentialbodies such as APS and B&ES, we can see things holisticallyand for the wellbeing of everyone on site. This places us in agood position to work alongside a broad range of companiesincluding developers, client bodies, designers, contractors andspecialists, in respect of CDM 2015, currently acting as CDMAdvisors on various projects as well as Health and SafetyAdvisors for contractors on site.

Mainly working on a subscription basis, we furnish companieswith the legal basics as well as a range of items to assist withthe day-to-day health and safety issues they may encounter.After a training session with us, clients realise how easy andrewarding it can be to implement procedures and change thesafety culture in their workplace. We offer a gap analysis

Visit our website for more information on our courses and services, as well as testimonials from our customers.

[email protected]

01952 885885 www.wenlockhealthandsafety.co.uk

Health & safety isn’tabout what you spendbut what you save!

which results in an action plan for the forthcoming year, inorder to bring the customer up to a higher standard of safetyin all aspects of their company and ensure that they are notleft alone at any point throughout the process.

We offer a range of training including the CITB Site ManagersSafety Training Scheme, Site Supervisors Safety TrainingScheme and 1 Day Site Safety Plus H&S Awareness, as wellas First Aid accredited with NUCO. We can cater for manyclassroom-based training subjects such as work at height,asbestos awareness (including UKATA), the Construction(Design and Management) Regulations 2015, fire awarenessand manual handling. Our courses are individually tailored toour clients so that attendees not only understand theinformation in practice, they also come away with usefulknowledge that applies to the specific nature of their companyand their role within it. Having just moved to bigger offices, wecan now cater for larger groups in our dedicated trainingroom.


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Safety remains as critical as ever, butthe last 20 years have seen anincreasing focus on wellbeing, thegeneral term used to describeperson’s social, economic, emotional,spiritual or medical state.

Physical health and safety at work are stilluppermost in everybody’s minds, with theintroduction of legislation certainly making animpact on the number of deaths and injuries,but as ways of working have changed,things have become more complex.

Now it’s not just about injuries, slips,dealing with hazardous materials, andtrips, with interventions concentratingprimarily on preventing harm, the socialand psychological elements of our jobs arebeing taken into careful consideration too.

Today it’s universally recognised that goingto work is about much, much more thanearning the money that will help house andfeed us and our families, it’s about theemotional and mental wellbeing that comesfrom finding friendships, purpose and statusfrom that same employment.

Furthermore, advances in technology,different working practices - less of the nineto five culture, more flexible working hours -are also having an effect on how we viewthe differences between work and home life.

As the business community places greateremphasis on actually boosting positivewellbeing rather than just being concernedwith preventing adverse impact, a wholenew set of areas have become indelibleparts of working life: leadership,organisational culture, job design, peoplemanagement, autonomy and support.

Few of us are unaware of the increasingnumber of connections being madebetween increased mental health problemsand stress and working life. With statisticsproving that a happy heathy workforce isbetter for business - last year researchshowed that those FTSE 100 companieswhich prioritised employee engagementand wellbeing outperformed the rest by10% - if nothing else, it makes soundcommercial sense to look after the workers.

For an even bigger picture, having asuccessful wellbeing policy at work canimpact directly on innovation, productivity,creativity, quality and reliability to an extentthat can affect not only national growthlevels but the country’s ability to competewithin the world marketplace.

A safe and healthy working environmentcan bring:

• Increased staff self-esteem and sense ofwellbeing.

• Improved morale.

• Higher productivity levels and greaterstaff engagement.

• Better job satisfaction.

• Fewer physical or mental illness/injuryand stress-related absences.

• Improved general health and mentalhealth.

• Increased skills and a strengtheneddesire to develop.

So how can companies bring this about? Ina briefing last year, Government body PublicHealth England (PHE) concluded this couldbe done in a variety of ways.

It suggested, for example, increasingemployees’ control over their work, maybethrough in-work training and development,which can help to develop job satisfactionand greater flexibility, or by giving themgreater decision making input.

Another way to good health and wellbeing,the briefing said, is the provision of linemanagement training for effectiveleadership, as good relationships betweenleaders and staff are important; as isemployee engagement which ensures theyare committed to an organisation’s goalsand motivated to contribute to its success.

PHE also underlined the importance offinding ways to reduce stress and improvemental health as well as holding a constantdialogue with staff to ensure that anyactions taken are effective.

“Seeking views and feedback identifieshealth needs, empowers and engagesemployees and collects information thathelps with the monitoring and evaluation ofan intervention,” it said and pointed out thatcommitted and engaged senior leadershipalso has a vital role to play to the successand sustainability of a workplace health andwellbeing programme.

We often say that we don’t appreciate thevalue of health until we’ve lost it. And that’ssomething that we all need to bear in mindwhether we’re employer or employee. Ifstaff are not protected they will suffer andthat can only lead to the business suffering.

Never before has it been more important toappreciate that a fit, healthy, and motivatedworkforce is at the heart of any well-run andsuccessful company.

HealthyBusiness

Staying healthy in the workplace is no longerthe preserve of a few wearing hard hats andhi-vis jackets. Today it is everyone’s business.


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One of the main mindfulness course providers for the UK, Mindfulness CIC are aCommunity Interest Company. This means they are not out to make profit forthemselves but rather look to give something back to the community, helpimprove people’s lives and reinvest in mindfulness based initiatives and projects.

For those unable to attend a workshop, Suryacitta has written two books thatmake mindfulness simple and accessible to all. Mindfulness and Compassion -embracing life with loving kindness 2015 and Happiness and How it Happens- finding contentment through mindfulness 2011. Mindfulness CIC haveentered into a partnership with Coventry University to deliver material on thenew MSc in Mindfulness and Compassion.

For a taste of what mindfulness can do for your organisation, Mindfulness CICis running an introductory one day workshop for businesses, to be held on29th September at Nanpantan Hall, Leicestershire. This will cover:

• What mindfulness is, is not, and the opportunity to try it for yourself

• The benefits in the workplace and why the UK government arerecommending businesses to implement it

• The business case - Karen Bowes international HR director fromCapital One

• Latest research and evidence from neuroscience

• How to implement mindfulness into your organisation

Are you curious? To book a tailored workshop, Ring

Gaynor Quilter on 07837866619Email [email protected]

www.mindfulnesscic.co.uk

Suryacitta Malcolm Smith a.k.a. the happybuddha lived in a small wooden cabin in thewelsh countryside at a meditation centrefor 5 years, living the very quiet and simplelife of a monk.

In autumn 2005 whilst teaching he realised thatmany more people could benefit frommindfulness meditation. Shortly after, he left thesimple life of the monastery to move to thebright lights of Brighton. It was there that theseeds of Mindfulness CIC were sown and themindfulness and compassion courses started.These are now available in the UK, Italy, Spainand Australia.

In 2014-15 stress and anxiety accounted for35% of all work related ill health cases and 43%of all working days lost due to ill health.Mindfulness is a proven cost-effective means ofprotecting the most valuable resources abusiness has, its people. In 2015 thegovernment agreed, publishing The MindfulNation report.

Mindfulness is knowing what is happening,whilst it is happening, and the minds perceptionof what is happening.

The benefits of mindfulness for businessesinclude engaged and happier staff, a decrease instress and anxiety, reduced absenteeism, greateremotional resilience, the ability to focus and anincrease in creative thinking. One of the majordifficulties we face in business is a tendencytowards “Busy-ness”. Busy-ness arises from ourinability to be present. Peak performance comesfrom our ability to be present.

Major companies are providing mindfulnesscourses for their people to address businessproblems and improve performance. MindfulnessCIC offers courses tailored to each company’sparticular needs and are working with CapitalOne and many other major employers.

From the monastery to the city

MINDFULNESS CIC

33954 AP 3_HorseWorld 08/06/2016 13:59 Page 1

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Each year, almost 120,000 people of working age are diagnosed with cancer in the UK, and with survival rates improving

to rise. This is why Macmillan has developed workplace training, guidance and resources to support HR and Line Managers with managing cancer in the workplace.

For people with cancer, staying in or returning to work can be hugely positive. However,

someone with cancer, as there are a number of challenges they may face.

In the workplace, reasonable adjustments are often needed to help deal with the side effects of cancer and its treatment. Fatigue, pain and depression are some of the common side effects, so making reasonable adjustments

medical appointments can make a big difference to someone affected by cancer. In addition as cancer is classed as a disability under the Equality Act or Disability Discrimination Act (DDA), employers are required to make reasonable adjustments if the location, working arrangements or a lack of extra support (auxiliary aids) puts someone with cancer at a substantial disadvantage.

It is important to remember that each person may require different support. So how can businesses equip HR professionals and line managers to provide the best individual support for staff they manage, while adhering to organisational policies?

Often one of the biggest concerns can be starting the initial conversation with the individual who has been diagnosed with cancer. Initiating conversations and keeping communication channels open are key steps in gaining an understanding of the individual needs and support required in the work place. It’s also important to discuss arrangements for keeping in touch with your employee before their absence, and to maintain appropriate contact with your employee during periods of sick leave.

Macmillan at Work

Training or consultancy can help organisations prepare their staff to manage the impact of long term conditions. Macmillan at Work is designed to help workplaces support employees with a cancer diagnosis, or those caring for someone with cancer.

guidance and resources Macmillan provides, visit macmillan.org.uk/atwork You can also email the team at [email protected] or call 020 7840 4725.

Macmillan Cancer Support, registered charity in England and Wales (261017), Scotland (SC039907) and the Isle of Man (604). MAC15862_HSJ


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A ruling that an employee can be dismissed forgross misconduct if they ‘pull a sickie’ has wideimplications for SME owners and operators.

That’s the view held by Rebecca Wilson, a partner inlaw firm Tollers, which has six offices across the eastand south Midlands.

She published an article highlighting the case of a busdriver, whose dismissal by his employer was upheld byan Employment Appeal Tribunal, after it found the manfalsified and exaggerated his sickness – and obtainedsurveillance evidence to support the employer’s assertion.

The article, which has been shared more than 11,000times, concluded that “an employee who ‘pulls a sickie’has acted dishonestly and could be in fundamentalbreach of their employment contract”.

The partner at Tollers responsible for the piece,Rebecca Wilson, said the response to it had “taken us alittle by surprise” – but added that it opened up animportant area of concern, particularly to managers ofSMEs, where absence can severely affect the business.

“Managing sickness absence can be a headache for alot of employers, especially if they doubt that theabsence is genuine,” she said. “It then becomes less ofan issue of employee capability, and more aboutconduct and dishonest behaviour.”

A finding of gross misconduct, however, requiresevidence – and this can be acquired in the most unlikelyof ways, said Ms Wilson.

“I came across a case where someone met a colleagueat an airport who had been off work for a week,supposedly sick. If an employee is well enough to beout and about, but is not at work, the employer willhave to take a view, and decide whether they think thatemployee is still genuinely unable to do their job or if itrepresents a breach of contract,” she added.

The situation is exacerbated by the generous nature ofsome firms’ sickness pay terms, often entitling

employees to considerably more than the legal minimum Statutory SickPay (SSP) amounts. Often employees see this as an opportunity totake extra days off without any detriment - in effect almost as extraholiday. The key issue for companies, of all sizes, is then whether thismight, however unwittingly, lead to difficulties when staff exploit thesick pay benefit and other staff are expected to step into the breach.

“In most SMEs, when someone calls in sick, someone else immediatelyhas to cover for them,” said Ms Wilson. “It could be that their dutiescould be fulfilled from home while they are sick – but employers needto be on their guard against employees who might be minded to takeadvantage of generous sick pay policies.”

The Employment Appeal Tribunal determined that the issue was one ofconduct, rather than the individual’s capability to attend work. “Here,such issues are irrelevant, as they have committed a fundamentalbreach of their contract in acting so dishonestly.”

“’Pulling a sickie’ could therefore amount to gross misconduct”, MsWilson concluded in her article.

Tollers Solicitors, a Midlands-based full service law firm, representsmany small business owners and managers – often too small to havean HR department – and, Ms Wilson said: “We support them throughour HR support package, Tollers HR, which operates on an annualfixed-fee retainer basis. As part of the package we will review theircontracts and handbook to ensure that terms are framed in thebusiness’s best interests.”

To take advantage of Tollers’ services, which are available to small,medium-sized and large businesses across the Midlands, call them on

01604 258558. More information on its full range of services can be found at www.tollers.co.uk

Law backs up businesses seeking to crackdown on ‘sickies’

solicitors

Rebecca Wilson


38

Sickness absence costs UK firms £9bn a year so you need to know how to deal with it

0121 452 5130 www.spencershaw.co.uk [email protected]

IAN JONES, Principal, Spencer ShawSolicitors, Edgbaston

Sickness absence from work costsemployers £9billion a year in sickpay and associated costs.

To the business owner or managersickness absence has a direct impact ona business’s ability to function properly.An absent employee may mean a loss ofproductivity; greater pressure on otheremployees to do the work the absenteecan’t; increased overtime costs or thecost of bringing in temporary workersand poor morale. This can be especiallydetrimental to smaller businesses.

This article focuses on a particularlyproblematic issue: an unacceptable levelof intermittent but persistent absence byan employee and what can be done aboutit from an employment law perspective.

Absences of this kind are usually forminor ailments that have no connectionwith one another. Headache, nausea,upset stomach, a virus and so on. Theyare often for the odd day here and therebut mount up over time.

The employee usually self-certifies their absence and a doctor’s note isn’tproduced so there isn’t any medical evidence relating to the absence available.Obtaining independent medical evidence probably wouldn’t assist. The illnesseswon’t last beyond few days and by the time an examination is carried out theemployee may have fully recovered.

Many employers are wary of taking action, understandably, but action can betaken. The key is to follow a clear and reasonable procedure.

A persistent absence policy can be particularly useful. The policy should set outwhat level of absence is considered by the employer to be unacceptable andwhat the consequences may be if absences exceed a stated number.

If an employer doesn’t have such a policy it should fairly review the employee’sattendance record, give the employee the opportunity to make representations,and warn the employee that continued absences may lead to disciplinary actionand possibly termination of employment.

It’s essential to keep records of what is said and done. Make notes of meetingswith employees and if warnings are given, put them in writing and make surethe employee receives them.

Employees who have been continuously employed for more than two years canonly be dismissed for a fair reason as set out in the Employment Rights Act1996. Potentially fair reasons include capability (the employer isn’t capable ofdoing his or her job) and some other substantial reason justifying termination(high absenteeism is adversely affecting the business). Persistent intermittentabsence can amount to both.

It’s not about whether absences are for genuine reasons. It’s very difficult for anemployer to show that the employee isn’t being truthful about why they wereaway from work. The employee may well have been ill. It’s about the impact onthe business.

If a decision is made to discipline an employee or end employment forpersistent absences the test is whether, in the circumstances, the action takenis within a range of responses available to a reasonable employer. If it is, thedisciplinary action will be fair.


39

Where the company is loss-making, the company can obtain a welcomeinjection of cash by giving up the losses now in return for a payable R&D taxcredit from HMRC worth as much as 33.35p for each £1 of the eligible R&Dexpenditure.

The specialist mca R&D team has many years’ experience in successfullyhelping companies maximise their R&D tax credit claim. Headed up by DrAndrew Jupp, a former PhD research scientist, we are able to ask thequestions that make the difference and spot opportunities in areas that manypeople would not consider involved innovation or creative thinking.

R&D tax credits are yours by right. Contact us for an initial no-obligation discussion.

www.RandDexperts.co.ukDr Andrew Jupp

e: [email protected] t: 0121 784 5818

R&D tax credits help and encouragecompanies to invest in innovation anddevelopment of new ideas. But manybusiness owners are either unaware of theexistence of R&D tax credits, think thatthey do not apply to their business, orbelieve that they are hard and costly toapply for. It’s not just men in white labcoats; many businesses qualify.

R&D tax credits enable companies that incurcosts in developing new products, processes orservices to receive an enhanced tax deduction,and for an SME which is loss-making, an actualcash payment as a credit from HMRC. R&D taxcredits are a very valuable source of funding formany businesses.

There are 4 key criteria for determining whetherthe work being done qualifies: the scientific ortechnological advance, the scientific ortechnological uncertainties involved, how andwhen were the uncertainties actually overcome,and why was the knowledge being sought notreadily deducible by a competent professional?

Qualifying costs are staff and consumable items.So, where an SME incurs expenditure of£100,000 on qualifying R&D, it can deduct£230,000 when calculating its taxable profit, orloss. So the additional £130,000 would be anextra deduction from taxable profit and thecorporation tax saving would be £26,000.

But don’t just listen to us – this is what some of the people we haveworked with say

Saddle Makers: our client was involved in the design and manufactureof equestrian goods made out of traditional leather. However, theparticular items (saddles and bridles) being made by the companywere designed in a novel and unique way, which gave the products acompetitive edge and contained elements of design and technologythat was substantially different from the way in which similar itemswere manufactured. Paul Belton, Chairman of Albion Saddlemakers Ltdsaid: “mca’s unique approach allowed us to vastly increase our claimover and above any other specialist R&D consultancy. Andrew’s abilityto glean information from us, and then create a comprehensiveproposal was instrumental in maximising our claim. mca's expertisehas had a massive impact on our business and we would stronglyrecommend them to other developing businesses.”

Training and consultancy company: this company undertakes twodistinct functions, one of which we indentified as potentially eligiblefor R&D tax credits. We suggested using split contracts of employmentto clearly separate out the remuneration, and hence costs, whichqualified for R&D tax credits. Ricky Ricks, one of the co-founders ofTSC said: “Until we discussed R&D tax credits with mca, we were notaware what benefit they could bring to us. mca’s creative approach,and suggestion that we clearly split our reward between the differentroles we have in the business was instrumental in us being able makea significant claim.”

Research & Development (R&D) TaxCredits – are you getting all you could?You may be surprised at whichcompanies can qualify

Dr Andrew Jupp

mca groupChartered Accountants & Business Advisors

Specialists in success


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The UK has an exceptionally goodrecord in scientific research. It has alarge higher education sector andeven larger scientific outputs than itsfair share. Its scientific outputs getcited more than the average, so theyhave impact, although we lag behindin the application of new ideas and inreaping the rewards from its research.

A Government report, Technology andInnovation Futures, states that “Successfulinnovation in the UK will require business,research and Government to adopt alonger-term perspective and a morecollaborative approach. In addition to itsimportant role as a customer for innovativetechnology, for example through the SmallBusiness Research Initiative (SBRI),Government should consider reinvigoratingits role as facilitator and convenor ofindustry-research collaboration,encouraging large and small businesses tosit together with research and developmentinstitutions to identify common goals andstrategies for their sector, and benefit frompursuing them together.”

One such facilitator is the R & D TaxCredit Scheme which was originally set upin 2000 to provide valuable tax reliefs tocompanies engaged in research anddevelopment in the UK. The Governmenthas expressed its desire to make the UKthe most attractive place to start andinvest in innovative companies and as aresult the incentives for companies toinnovate have continued to improve.

For SMEs, from 1 April 2012, the R&D taxclaim enhancement (the enhanceddeduction) was increased to 225% of thequalifying R&D expenditure incurred.

Therefore, where an SME incursexpenditure of £100,000 on qualifyingR&D, it can deduct £225,000 whencalculating its taxable profit, or loss, forcorporation tax purposes. As the£100,000 would already be accounted forin its accounts, the balance of £125,000would be an additional deduction from itstaxable profit and the corporation taxsaving would be £25,000 (at a corporationtax rate of 20%). The equivalent of thecompany receiving 25p from HMRC forevery £1 they spent on R&D activities.

From 1 April 2015, the enhanceddeduction was increased further to 230%of the qualifying R&D expenditure incurred.Using the same example as above, theadditional deduction is therefore increasedto £130,000 and the corporation taxsaving is also increased to £26,000 (at acorporation tax rate of 20%).

Originally only available to SMEs, however,in recent years a parallel regime for largecompanies the Research & DevelopmentEnhanced Credit (RDEC) scheme wasintroduced from 1 April 2013.

The key difference between the R&D TaxCredit scheme and the Large Companyscheme is that the RDEC will allow a lossmaking company to receive a payable taxcredit. The RDEC is a taxable receipt and itwill be paid net of tax to companies with nocorporation tax liability. Prior to 1 April 2015the rate of the RDEC was 10%, so after acorporation tax deduction at 21% the netcash benefit to a large company was 7.9%of its qualifying R&D expenditure.

From 1 April 2015, the RDEC percentagewas increased to 11%. So, combined withthe reduction in the corporation tax rate to

20%, also from 1 April 2015, the net cashbenefit to a large company is now 8.8% ofits qualifying R&D expenditure.

The reliefs are available to UK basedcompanies who have invested inimproving or developing new products orsystems, or in improving existing ones.The key is that the investment has beenmade with the intent to improve or inventa product or process that would be animprovement on what has gone before. Aslong as that was the intent, evenunsuccessful projects may still qualify.

R&D tax credits enable companies thatincur costs in developing new products,processes or services to receive a cashpayment or tax deduction. The averageannual claim for an SME claimant, acrossthe UK, is over £46,000. R&D tax creditscan therefore be an incredibly valuablesource of funding for many businesses,with up to 33.35% of a company’s R&Dspend being available as a cash repaymentfrom HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC).

The scheme can be complicated, and notall accountants will have the in-houseexpertise to navigate all the provisions ofthe scheme. The best solution is to speakto one of the companies who specialise inthis area and who will work with yournormal accountant to identify areas ofyour business that may qualify and helpthem prepare a claim.

Taxation Supportfor Innovation


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For more information on how AECOM can help you benefit from R&D tax incentives please contact Peter Azu.

e: [email protected] t: 07867163154

Aecom are a global network of expertsworking with clients, communities andcolleagues to develop and implementinnovative solutions to the world’smost complex challenges.

As would be expected from such a majorconcern, Aecom’s Fiscal Incentives team isformed of highly experienced and dedicatedasset taxation specialists with a wide rangeof professional qualifications from surveyingand engineering through to investment,taxation, accounting and sustainability.

They assist clients in reducing their taxliabilities by identifying assets andinvestments that attract tax relief. If youcarry out research and developmentAecom’s Fiscal Incentives team may beable to assist in reducing your tax liability orpossibly claiming cash back from HMRC.

As part of the government’s drive tosupport innovation and increaseproductivity, measures have beenintroduced over the last 14 years toencourage Research and Development (R& D) activity. The R & D tax relief schemesprovide nearly £1 billion of support toover 8,000 companies every year.

The incentives provided for R & Dactivities take the form of additionaldeductions to reduce the profitschargeable to corporation tax. If you are asmall or medium-sized enterprise (SME),

the additional deduction is 130 percenton qualifying revenue costs. For largecompanies, an additional reduction of 30percent was available on qualifyingrevenue costs until 1 April 2016 when itwas replaced by the Research andDevelopment Expenditure Credit (RDEC).

The RDEC for large companies and someSMEs who claim under the largecompany regime was introduced in April2013 and was available as an alternativeclaim to the additional deduction whichwas phased out on 31 March 2016. Thisnew above the line credit of 10% of thequalifying expenditure reduces the cost ofR & D in the accounts and is treated akinto a grant. The introduction of the RDECmeans that cashback may also beavailable to large companies after set offagainst any other tax liabilities.

Qualifying revenue expenditure for an R & Dclaim can include staffing costs, consumableor transformable materials, power, water andfuel, software, subcontracted R & D(generally not large companies), clinical trialsand contribution to independent research(large companies only).

Any capital expenditure should not beignored as 100% immediate relief isavailable in the form of research anddevelopment allowances, (RDAs) on thecost of equipment and premises in whichR & D is carried out. These equate

favourably with other capital reliefs as thecashflow benefits are taken in year one,whereas for other allowances relief istypically spread over at least 10 years.

Most businesses will assume that if theydo not have a designated Research andDevelopment department, none of theiractivities will constitute R & D. However,the definition is generously drawn and it islikely to include many more activities thanyou think. If your staff do research anddevelopment work and are seeking toachieve an advance in science ortechnology, provided the solution is notavailable to or deducible by a competentprofessional in the field, they will beperforming R & D for tax purposes.

It is Aecom’s experience that claimantswill often underestimate the value of theirresearch and development activities.

Built to deliver a better world

Peter Azu


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Interconnected and cooperative – the future oftransport systems.

An exciting new project led by Coventry City Council, withCoventry University, will see the development of a real worldConnected Car to Infrastructure demonstrator here in theWest Midlands. Intelligent Variable Message Systems (iVMS)will assess how connected and automated vehicles interact onkey corridors leading into Coventry’s city centre.

iVMS will draw on cutting edge expertise from Coventry University’sCentre for Mobility and Transport. The centre will support the Councilin collaboration with project partners HORIBA MIRA, SiemensMobility and University spin-out, Serious Games International.

This ambitious project will bring the latest in vehicle-to-vehicle (V2V)and vehicle-to-infrastructure (V2X) communication, together with thediverse field of gaming technology. iVMS will test, in simulatedenvironments, the latest in autonomous vehicle features againsthuman behavioural models. This will allow researchers to assess thebenefits of the incremental delivery of autonomous features into thevehicle population.

The research carried out will focus on vehicle sensing technologies,traffic modelling and human factors. Dr Olivier Haas, said: ‘A betterunderstanding of how these systems impact drivers’ behaviour willallow us to refine driver models used in traffic simulators to improvesimulation accuracy, and predict the effects connected vehicletechnology will have on our roads. It will also help us providepractical solutions that drivers want’.

The project, which is part of a wider programme of autonomousvehicle development in the county, will establish a living lab testenvironment to attract manufacturers and suppliers to use Coventryas a hub for connected and automated vehicle research, bringingnew business to the region.

Cllr Jim O'Boyle, city council member for business said, "This projectshows what a fantastically innovative city we are. The idea thatintelligent signage can help drivers find a car park with availablespaces and might in the future be able to control driverless cars isfantastic. It's another example of the great skills and knowledgeCoventry has with our history in the motor industry. This is anotherfirst for our city and I am delighted to be working with CoventryUniversity on this project."

If you have a great idea, big or small,then get in touch to find out how yourbusiness could benefit from working

with Coventry University:

E. [email protected]

T. 024 7615 8258

www.coventry.ac.uk

Coventry - University of the Year (2015), Modern University of the Year (2014,15,16)

The iVMS project is just one example of howCoventry University is collaborating withindustry, to bring the latest in technologicalthinking into the real world. With skills andexpertise spread across 12 research centres,the University is well equipped to work withbusinesses to tackle a wide array of challenges.It is this pioneering spirit and innovativeapproach which led to the university recentlybeing awarded the title “University of the Year”by Times Higher Education.

Knowledge Transfer Manager, Dr Alisdair Ritchiesaid: ‘Universities, through links with industry,generate a wealth of knowledge exploitable ineveryday life. The iVMS project shows how auniversity’s expertise and knowledge can beapplied to the real world today to delivertomorrow’s technology.’


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If you’ve ever pondered whatthe wide world of roboticsmight offer your business as itsets out on the path togrowth, you can find both helpfor all your needs andinspiration about what can beachieved from Somerset-based Active8 Robots.

Born from a companywhose roots go back to thebeginning of this century, itsmain original purpose wasto supply robots, roboticscomponents, kits and awide range of electronicitems and accessories, andits initial target audienceswere hobby builders, as wellas schools, colleges anduniversities.

Today, the company’s mainstrength has shifted along withthe growth in e-commerce,and it now boasts a fullytransactional website,www.active-robots.com listing more than 3,000products.

These now run right to some of the most sophisticated robots which help runmany highly automated manufacturing plants and processes.

“The services offered through Active8 Robots focus around providing our clientswith solutions to automate production lines, whether that’s using a traditionalrobot, or the newest technology, in the form of collaborative robots,” explainedcompany chairman and managing director Antony Lovedale.

Mr Lovedale has gathered a strong collection of talent, taking in cyberneticsengineers, mechanical and electrical engineers and robot programmers, as wellas a range of people with other top-level technical skills.

Active8 Robots is also a unique in its field in using technology known as pointcloud scanning for the evaluation of manufactured products. This enables it tocarry out highly detailed feasibility studies to help businesses find out whetherautomation is right for their needs.

“We then deal with our clients’ projects right through from conception tocompletion, entirely using our in-house specialist team, as this enables us tocompletely tailor our offerings to their needs, and harness the latest availablesolutions in every instance,” Mr Lovedale said.

That could mean using a traditional autonomousrobot, or even a more modern, state-of-the-artcollaborative machine. It is particularly proud tohave been appointed the only approved UKdistributor of the Sawyer robot, the newestiteration of this latter type, which has beenfeatured in Time magazine, which particularlynoted its potential to automate many taskswhich have previously been considered toomenial, dangerous or undesirable for humans.

If you think your business will never be touched bythe onward march of robotics, consider that theInternational Federation of Robotics has predictedthat the industry is set to grow by 12 per cent ayear for many years into the future.

And the feeling in the sector is that these newrobots will work alongside, rather than replace,human labour. So it will be doing the ‘dirtywork’ we have traditionally not wanted to do –and with a great deal of precision – leavinghumans to tend to and maintain them, andbring new levels of accuracy and safety to manycritical industrial processes.

Active8 Robots has a friendly and approachableteam on hand to answer any of your questions,and help you explore the true potential for itsproducts to make sure your own are perfectlymade – every time.

Call them any time from 9am to 5pm, Mondayto Friday on 01761 239267, and they’ll behappy to set up a demonstration of their mainproducts and their potential uses, or explore thepossibilities which robotics and the latestautomation products can open up for yourbusiness by visiting www.active8robots.com

Somerset firm can give your business a majorboost with cutting-edge robot technology

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YOUR PARTNER IN MODERN METROLOGY

Mahr20

YEARS UKMarSurf PS10 MOBILE

MarForm MFK RangeMarShaft Scope Robot

We are happy to present to you the New Mobile Roughness Measuring Unit

19 Drakes Mews, Crownhill, Milton Keynes, MK8 0ER, United Kingdom

Email: [email protected] Website: www.mahruk.com Tel: 01908 563700

This device is the perfect entry into the world of Surface Metrology from Mahr and will convince you with its comprehensible and intuitive operation. The 4.3”TFT touch screen display can be rotated in any direction.

MarSurf PS10 can be used flexibly with the removable drive unit. The new feature is the integrated but removable calibration standard.

MEASURING INSTRUMENT

PRODUCT FEATURES Small and lightweight; ideal as mobile surface roughness measuring instrumentsDirect access to your customized functions 31 parameters: offer the same range of functions as a laboratory instrumentData is saved in the device, e.g. TXT, X3P, CSV and PDF fileEvaluation of most common parameters conforming to standards and in accordance to ISO/JIS as well as parameter lists Select standards (DIN-ISO/JIS/ASME/MOTIF)Automatic cutoff selection (patented) to ensure correct measuring results

PRODUCT FEATURES Individual sampling lengths and shortened cutoff can be selectedPhase-correct profile filter (Gaussian filter) acc. To DIN EN ISO 16610-21 (before DIN EN ISO 11562), special filter acc. to DIN EN ISO 13565-1, ls-filter acc. to DIN EN ISO 3274 (disengageable)

APPLICATIONS On-Site Surface roughness measurment Measuring during the production processUniversal use on processing machinery

For incoming goods inspection


45

The Chassis

Excellent progress has been made in assembling the chassiswith a significant number of parts required being currently onorder or delivered awaiting assembly to the locomotive.

During the year, the major work of permanent fitting thecylinders to the locomotive has been completed at LlangollenRailway Works. The cast iron liners for the cylinders and valveshave now been cast and machined with the valve liners nowinstalled. Brake components have been manufactured by ourWest Midland suppliers.

Following the fitting of the cylinders, work has continued withthe fitting the motion parts. These include the Front and RearCylinder Covers. Patterns – Premier Patterns and Castings, thecastings by Micron Alloys and the machining by Harco.

The Boiler

The boiler, which is the first new full size traditional boiler to bebuilt in the UK since 1962, is being assembled at Crewe usingmaterials sourced from West Midland suppliers, DeepdaleEngineering and Tyseley Locomotive Works. The copper innerfirebox is nearly complete, the new boiler barrels (from

Progress on The Unknown Warrior has continuedunabated since our last update. The most significantachievement has been the completion of the bogie whichtook place at Tyseley Locomotive Works. Followingcompletion it was fitted to the locomotive on 4thFebruary 2016. The components from the bogie have allcome from a number of West Midland Suppliers.

The Unknown Warrior with bogie fitted is photographed in theyard at Tyseley.

The LMS-Patriot ProjectThe Unknown Warrior - an update

UK and European Enquiries Welcome

Stour Vale Road, Lye, Stourbridge West Midlands DY9 8PR

T: +44 (0)1384 422277 F: +44 (0)1384 424836

E: [email protected]

www.borofoundry.co.uk

Solution Providers for all Engineering Projects Approval: ISO 9001:2008

EQUIPPED MACHINE SHOPVertical Boring: Up to 3M diaCNC Horizontal Boring: 1500 x 1500 TableCNC Elga Mill: 10M x 1.25MCNC Turning: 560 Swing 3M BCCNC Gantry Mill: 6M x 2.4M3D Scanning FacilityHorizontal Twin Pallet Machine Centre 900x1000High

MATERIAL SPECIFICATIONSGrey Iron : Max Weight 7.5 tonne SG Iron: All Grades Max Weight 3 tonneCarbon Steel: 1.7 tonneStainless Steel: 1.7 tonneNi-Hard & Ni Resistant: 1.7 tonneHeat Resistant Alloys: 1.7 tonneAlloys to Customers on Application

QUALITY SAND CASTINGS AND FULLY EQUIPPEDMACHINE SHOP

Bogie under construction at Tyseley Locomotive Works

The Unknown Warrior stands in the yard at TyseleyLocomotive Works, 4th February 2016 Photo by Kevin West

Front & Rear Valve Covers trial fitted Photo by Kevin West

Chief Engineer Kevin West and Chairman DavidBradshaw in from of The Unknown Warrior after fittingof the bogie at Tyseley Locomotive WorksPhoto by Andrew Kennedy

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Deepdale) have now been riveted together and the steel outerfirebox components (the firebox crown and sides) have alsobeen welded together and delivered to LNWR Crewe.

Motion and valve gear

Much of this has been rescued from locomotives with identicalvalve gear but some new items have been manufactured fromscratch including the big end cap – illustrated after machiningat CMS Cepcor in Coalville.

The Future

To date we have raisedaround £1.5 million ofthe estimated £2millionrequire to complete theengine. Provided we canraise the remaining halfmillion the locomotive willsteam in late 2017 andmake its main line debutin Autumn 2018. We arealways looking forsponsors, regular donorsand individuals orcompanies who areprepared to sponsoritems. A list of theseappears on our websitelms-patriot.org.uk.

Boiler barrels temporarily bolted together prior toriveting. The barrels are 14 feet long and 5’5” in diameter.

Outer firebox crown and sides shaped and fabricated byDeepdale Engineering

For further information telephone 0121 544 6667or visit www.premierpatterns.com

CAD Cam ServicesPress Tool Patterns

Engineering PatternsMetal Castings

Polystyrene and StyrofoamFibre Glass Boat Hulls

Steam Train Patterns & Castings

Plus much more...

Premier Patterns & CastingsPP

PP

We are proud to support LMS Patriot Project

Email [email protected] 1, Elm Court, Crystal Drive, Smethwick B66 1RB

We are proud to support andbe machinists to the

LMS Patriot Project

The team at Harco Engineering Ltd would like to congratulate them on their

continued success

Canal Street, Brierley Hill, West Midlands DY5 1JJ

www.harcoengineering.co.ukBrierley Hill: 01384 480 280 l [email protected]

HARCOENGINEERINGLIMITED

RD Moore LtdBrunel Way, Stephenson Ind Est

Coalville, Leicestershire LE67 3HF

t: 01530 510 224f: 01530 836 200

e: [email protected]

www.rdmoore.com

Congratulations to LMS Patriot Project on your success to date

rd mooresheet metal work


47

[email protected] 01384 277 050

www.bodykraft.co.uk @

One of the West Midlands’ most experienced vehicle bodyrepair teams will this summer celebrate a ‘coming of age’,with Dudley-based BodyKraft reaching its landmark 18thbirthday.

The firm was set up in Kingswinford in July 1998, and sincethen has grown steadily. Today, it operates from four sitesaround the Black Country – in addition to two sites on thePensnett estate, it also has workshops in Wolverhampton andMerry Hill.

Managing director Mike Pugh has,though, been in the body repairtrade for more than 40 years,and when the time came forhim to set up his ownbusiness, he carefullychose his workforce as heset out to build anoperation which offered acombination ofprofessionalism anddedication to high work

standards, along with afriendly approach to customers.

The result of that combination is a businesswhich has become trusted by many

companies and organisations notonly across the Black Country,but all over the WestMidlands.

With British StandardsKitemark accreditation forboth its mainstream andcommercial vehicle repairoperations, BodyKraft is allabout minimising thedowntime and inconvenience

for clients’ vehicle fleets,through its cost-effective repair

management system.

That applies whether one of your fleet sustains a minor scratchor small dent, needs a full re-spray, or you want an estimate forwork which isn’t so urgent.

“We aim to work in partnership with clients who operatebusiness vehicle fleets, either working within their existingprocesses or creating for them a bespoke process for handlingvehicle repair programmes,” said Mr Pugh.

Of course, when a vehicle is sidelined by repair work, it alsooften necessitates the hiring of replacements, and BodyKraftcan help there too, either from within its own fleet, or inpartnership with its specialist short-term hire partners.

The latest phase of the company’s carefully-planned expansionhas just borne fruit, with the opening of a £250,000, 6,000 sq ftrepair centre at Pensnett by local legend, former Wolves andEngland striker Steve Bull. The new facility means smaller areasof bodywork can be sprayed and dried in just five minutes – theonly technology of its kind anywhere in the West Midlands.

The FastTrack by BodyKraft system has boosted the company’soverall capacity by up to 20 vehicles a day and around 145 perweek companywide, which, believes Mike Pugh, is a boon tolocal small and medium-sized businesses.

“Many of our customers are local people and small businessowners who rely on their vehicles, and need them back on theroad as quickly as possible, so our new rapid service meanscars and vans can be repaired on the same day,” he said.

Fellow local SME’s have been heavily involved in the delivery ofthe new facility, including M FosterConstruction which was theprimary contractor.

“Much of our work entails fullaccident and businessinsurance repairs, along with paint and dentremovals for people whose vehicles are a core part of theiroperations,” said Mr Pugh.

BodyKraft is an accreditedrepairer for West Midlands Police, aswell as for many major insurancecompanies and vehicle manufacturers, among them Vauxhall,Citroen and Kia.

When it comes to the crunch, you need to have thingsstraightened out quickly and without fuss. BodyKraft, with itsstate-of-the-art new workshop, is ready to take on the job. Theywould love to talk to you about your individual requirements – justcall Mike Pugh or Dawn Owen on the number below. Alternatively,for a free quote on your vehicles’ bodywork repairs, fill in theelectronic enquiry form at http://www.bodykraft.co.uk/get-a-free-quote/

or visit their sites in Dudley, Merry Hill or Wolverhampton.

BodyKraft Marks 18 Years Of Dedication ToMaking Vehicles’ Bodies Beautiful Again

(l-r) Mayoress Jayne Waltho, Mike Freeman, LornaFreeman, Dawn Owen, Mike Pugh, Steve Bull MBE, Tim Freeman, Mayor of Dudley Cllr Steve Waltho

(l-r) Steve Bull, Mike Pugh and the Mayor of Dudley, Cllr Steve Waltho

NEW Premises


48

ATP Group are the proud winners of the Greater Birmingham Chamber of Commerce award for Excellence in International Business 2016

ATP won the prestigious accolade for demonstrating consistent and sustainable growth in the export market, supplying transmissions, electronics and other components to over 30 countries around the world and having achieved export sales of £4.27m in 2015, an increase of almost 58% compared to 2014.

This latest success follows closely on the announcement that the company had also been awarded the prestigious 2016 Queen’s Award for Enterprise in the Innovation category.

Chairman Alan Smart commented “I am stunned by this award, having only just recovered from the surprise of achieving the highest business recognition with the Queens Award last week. After more than 45 years in business, it is simply great to be recognised for the work the team at ATP has been doing in export and innovation. I believe ATP can be extremely proud of developing a business strategy that encourages innovation and investment which in turn leads to growth.”

The remanufacturing company is supporting growing UK and international trade and in the process, creating skilled jobs and allowing the business to develop year on year. ATP offer a complete technical service to all OEM clients and has invested heavily in product validation as part of the standard processes.

The fact that long standing clients include globally recognised names such as Ford, Volvo, Chrysler, Land Rover, Aston Martin and JCB, speaks for itself, along with other recent business and industry awards such as the Rematec Remanufacturer of the Year in 2013, another first for an independent UK company.

ATP Industries group Ltd.Cannock Wood Industrial Estate. Cannock Wood Street, Cannock Staffordshire WS12 0PL

Mark Bowen, Sales Director

T 01543 879 788 F 01543 426 581 E [email protected]

atp-group.com

Ford Motor Company Ford Turkey Fiat Chrysler Group General Motors Colt Car Company London Taxi Company Land Rover Aston Martin Proton Volvo Cars Volvo Construction (UK) Jaguar Mitsubishi Mobis Hyundai Mobis Kia JCB Unipart

Cannock-based ATP Industries Group Ltd., an independent remanufacturer of advanced automotive transmissions, recently scooped the Greater Birmingham Chamber of Commerce award for Excellence in International Business at the annual event at the Birmingham ICC.

Did you know?ATP remanufacturers automatic, automated manual and manual transmissions as well as vehicle electronic systems such as: ECU’s, ABS, Instrumentation, navigation, climate control, etc., to no fewer than 17 of the World’s leading car/construction machinery manufacturers. These are:


49

A passion for British engineering, talent for outside-the-boxproduction method thinking and being absolute sticklers fordetail are what drives the brothers behind the success ofMaS Precision Engineering. And a bit of madness too.

Family and friends, while supportive, certainly thought Martinand Steve Smith had lost the plot when they decided to launchthe company in the darkest economic days of 2010.

But, six years later everyone’s delirious with delight at thesuccess of the high quality precision manufacturing andengineering sub-contract manufacturer which specialises inprecision turned parts.

The brothers have led the business through an ever-increasingturnover into securing a host of long-term contracts, clinchingits first overseas order and a move into new premises on theManor Road Business Park at Atherstone, Warwickshire.

Heavy investment into new CNC machinery and reducedchangeover times following the introduction of CAD-CAM havealso boosted the fortunes of MaS whose workforce soon trebled

Further cause for celebration was the achievement of ISO9001:2015 and, having launched an all-important apprenticeshipscheme, their trainee Ben Smith was named Apprentice of theYear in Mechanical Engineering by Solihull College.

“Never being afraid to introduce new techniques, machineryand work practices, we provide only the very best for ourcustomers and promote total satisfaction as the foundation ofour business,” says Steve.

“We strive to achieve 100% customer satisfaction throughmany individual initiatives such as Poke-Yoke, SPC, APQP anda continuous improvement policy on excellence.”

Things are certainly very different from when Steve and Martinfirst decided to establish MaS.

“It did seem like complete madness,” Martin cheerfully admits.“We had just lost our jobs and the country was in the depths ofrecession. Unemployment was above three million and therewere no prospects for skilled engineers like us.”

But this was a pair with a mission and, undeterred, the two setout to establish a business which now serves a wide range ofindustries including: hydraulic, medical, defence, HVAC,automotive, and electrical.


50

Four Ashes Industrial Estate · Station Road · Four Ashes · Wolverhampton · WV10 7DB

INDEPENDENT PRODUCER OF BRIGHT DRAWN STEEL BAREstablished in 1982, the business has continued to grow and develop to provide the highest standards in the manufacture and distribution of cold drawn steel bar, ensuring superior quality and service. Based in the UK, manufacturing cold drawn steel in freecutting, carbon and alloy specifications

t: 01902 791010 f: 01902 790044 e: [email protected]

www.unitedbrightbar.co.uk

Round 6mm - 76.2mm Hexagon 8mm - 70mm Square 10mm - 65mm

United Bright Bar Company Ltd.

WE ARE PROUD TO SUPPORTMAS PRECISION ENGINEERINGWISHING THEM ALL THE BEST

FOR THE FUTURE

“We had a nucleus of good suppliers who admired what wewere trying to do and ultimately, offered their support andservices,” remembers Steve. “To this day we are extremelygrateful to them.”

“It is hard to believe what we have accomplished in just sixyears,” adds Martin reflectively. “Importantly, however, we havelaid the building-blocks to secure the company’s future success.”

That unwavering focus on the future, which saw the birth ofMaS despite the harsh climate, remains undimmed and astrategic plan for the next five years’ progress is firmly in place.

“Some of our targets are quite ambitious, but we’re confidentthey can be achieved,” says Martin.

“Above all, we hope to explore new markets, continue ourinvestment plans and further develop our apprenticeshipscheme to protect our skills-set for the future.”

To find out more about the company, its products andservices, go to www.masprecision.co.uk

Alternatively email [email protected] or telephone 01827 718525

MaS Precision Engineering LtdUnit 1, Manor Road Ind. Est, Atherstone

Warks, CV9 1QY


51

Helping youngsters reach their full potential is the vision at the heartof Family Care, and it is seeking dedicated carers to join its childrenand young people on that journey.

The family-owned business wants to hear from people across the WestMidlands who are willing to become foster parents.

“Demand is high,” confirms Practice Manager Amelia Benson. “Every month,more children are referred to us than we can look after so we are always lookingfor families that can offer the stable loving home that all children deserve.

“Fostering with us will give you access to 24/7 support and the best trainingon offer, for we are rigorous about providing you with all the skills andsupport you will need to deliver quality outcomes for children.”

A member of the British Association of Adoption and Fostering and theNationwide Association of Fostering Providers, Family Care treats all its fostercarers as professionals to ensure the input from the ‘team around the child’is the best it can be.

But the company, whose fostering services extend across the North West,does even more to make a real difference to young people’s lives, and has aproud history of doing so since being founded in 1988.

It has five children’s homes located in Telford, Shrewsbury, Southport,Macclesfield and Oldham, some specialising in children with learningdisabilities and have linked education on site or nearby, and an SEBD (Social,Emotional and Behavioural Difficulties) school in Shropshire. All of its serviceshave been rated by Ofsted as either ‘Good’ or ‘Outstanding’.

Working therapeutically and successfully with children and young people fornearly 30 years, Family Care’s whole approach has always been underpinnedby a set of key values.

Respect - and compassion to all. Family Care takes a consultative,collaborative and communicative approach in the firm knowledge that it’sright for children and young people, carers and staff.

Inspire - company people are passionate and proud of what they do andenjoy growing together as teams, generating ideas and learning from andsupporting each other.

Integrity - keeping services child-focused and acting in the best interests ofyoung people is a constant priority. As is honesty and advocacy.

Responsibility - services are developed and runresponsibly to achieve best value for all thosewho commission, work in or use them.

Evolve - the drive to improve and learn fromcolleagues and experience is constant. FamilyCare embraces change and aims to make itsservices consistently the best they can be.

Passion - a fun-loving team, smiley Family Carepeople set out to make their positivity contagious.

“We feel good and we like to show that we arepassionate about making a difference,” saysAmelia. “Perhaps you could help too.”

To find out more about fostering with FamilyCare, or any of its other services, visitwww.family-care.co.ukAlternatively telephone 01746 768 219or email [email protected] For an informal chat about fostering, telephone0800 5 677 677

12752_HorseWorld 07/04/2016 11:08 Page 1

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In the UK we are desperately short offoster carers as the number ofchildren at risk or simply inunfortunate or unhappy situations,often through no fault of their own,continues to rise.

According to figures in a report from TheFostering Network, the charity whichsupports fostering, a growing number ofnew fostering families will be needed during2016 to ensure the provision of stable,secure and loving homes for the recordnumber of fostered children in the UK.

9,070 fostering families are needed rightacross the UK in 2016, to give lovinghomes and supportive familyenvironments to children. The need is for7,600 foster families in England, 800 inScotland, 500 in Wales, and 170 inNorthern Ireland.

In particular, the charity says, there is anongoing and urgent need for more fosterfamilies to provide homes for teenagers,disabled children, unaccompanied asylum

seeking children, andsibling groups.

Many foster carers who choose to fosterthese groups, who are traditionallythought of as ‘hard to place’, comment onhow rewarding the experience is and howwell their fostering service has supportedthem to develop and evolve their currentskillset in order to give a home to childrenwho could not live with their birth family.

Foster care is a way of offering childrenand young people a home while their ownfamily are unable to look after them. Thiscan be for a variety of reasons, fromtemporary illness to issues such as abusewithin their home or the death of aprimary carer. Foster care is often atemporary arrangement, and manyfostered children eventually have theopportunity to return to their own families.Children who cannot return home but stillwant to stay in touch with their familiesoften live in long-term foster care.

Our system of child protection relies heavilyon foster carers’ goodwill: of the UK’s80,000 looked-after children, 63,000 areplaced with foster carers. Most will spendall their childhood in foster care, whileothers will return home or live with a familymember and around 10% are adopted.

Part of the reason for the shortage offoster carers is the lack of funding andsupport, due to cuts in social services’budgets and greater demand for fosterplaces. The number of children taken intocare is rising, and social services arestruggling to help children and familieswith more complex needs. According tothe latest Audit Commissioncalculations, in 2012-13 local councilsspent £3.4bn on caring for looked-after children, of which foster careaccounted for £1.5bn. Although the

number of children in care hadincreased by 12% over a four-year periodcouncil costs increased by only 4%. Aseach looked-after child’s care costscouncils around £50,000 a year, there isgrowing pressure to make savings.

Edward Timpson, the children andfamilies minister, says foster care willremain a government priority. “Assomeone who grew up in a large

fostering family, I know that, not only dothose who foster often find it a hugelyrewarding experience, but also, and mostimportantly, the impact on the childrenthey’ve cared for can be life changing.Every child deserves a loving home andthe chance to thrive. It’s vital that as manypeople as possible, from all walks of life,are encouraged to take that positive stepof opening up their home to children inreal need of their help.”

There is no such thing as a typical fosterparent, just as there is no such thing as atypical child. Male or female, coupled orsingle, young or not so young, good fostercarers come from every walk of life, race,religion and creed.

Kevin Williams, Chief Executive of TheFostering Network explained that“Prospective foster carers will receivetraining and support from their fosteringservice, but before they even start theprocess they need a range of skills andqualities including patience, the ability tolisten, being a team player and advocatingon behalf of a child, a sense of humourand much more besides.

Foster care isn’t easy, for around £250 aweek (more if you work with a privatefostering agency) you could be faced withexhaustion, broken nights, tantrums,runaways or self-harm, but it offers theopportunity to make a huge difference tothe lives of the children who need it.Fostering can be a very rewardingexperience for those who are passionateabout caring for young people.

If you think you have what it takes tobecome a foster carer,

visit couldyoufoster.org.uk today

Fostering Campaign


53

Fostering is all about families, and about finding the right familiesto give vulnerable youngsters long term care and support in aloving home, to enable them to reach their potential.

Red Kite Fostering was set up in 2011 in the heart of ruralHerefordshire and is an independent, family-run fostering agency withan impressive track record of successful placements behind them. Runby Tony Collier, Tracey Collier and Carol Barnes, who form a highlyqualified management team with substantial expertise in the privatesector, Red Kite is building on its success in Mid Wales and the WestMidlands. Red Kite's team already supports 30 foster families and hasopened a second centre at Telford in Shropshire to support newfamilies in the area.

Each family is allocated a Supervising Social Worker who is there,alongside the highly motivated multi-disciplinary team, to provide all thetraining and support Foster Carers may need. They are there to helpyou, guide you and sing your praises as a child thrives in your care.

They are always on hand, or at the end of a phone, 24 hours a day tohelp with any of the day to day issues or emergencies that may cropup. This level of support means that Red Kite’s Foster Carers are ableto relax and deliver the help their foster children need with confidence,resulting in happier and more secure outcomes for the children.

There can be many reasons that a child may not be able to live withtheir birth family, sometimes, due to a family emergency, only short

term care is required, but sadly many children come tothe notice of children’s services due to neglect orabuse. Such children need specialist care and supportand Red Kite is able to supply the specialist training toFoster Carers while providing the professional therapythat these children sometimes need.

Red Kite Foster Carers provide a widerange of placements including:

• Long Term Fostering

• Short Term Fostering

• Emergency Fostering

• Mother & Baby Assessment Care

• Children with Disability Fostering

• Respite Care

Tony Collier told us proudly, “Our 'Team around theFamily' way of working provides a loving, safe, stableand nurturing home, promoting a sense of well-beingand happiness. The fundamental principle behind ourwork at Red Kite Fostering is that by working togetherwe can facilitate real, lasting change in the childrenand young people entrusted to our care.”

It is good to know that a team like Red Kite are there tohelp, but the need for extra Foster Carers is very greatand Tony would welcome the opportunity for an informalchat about what is involved if you have ever wonderedabout what it takes to become a Foster Carer.

As Tony said, just as children come in all shapes andsizes, so do foster families; there is no one ideal shapeof foster parent, common sense and a sense ofhumour are key, and as long as you have a willingnessto learn and a keen desire to help children then RedKite can provide the rest.

For more information please visit the web site, www.redkitefostering.co.ukemail [email protected] or telephone 01544 231657

Kington office: Red Kite Fostering, The Old Surgery, The Meads, Kington, Herefordshire, HR5 3DQTelford office: Red Kite Fostering, Office 73c, M54 Space Centre, Halesfield Business Park, Halesfield 8, Teford, Shropshire, TF7 4QN

Red Kite Fostering

Could you foster?


54

You need no more proof of theimportance many companies attach toplanning and staging successfulcorporate events than a look at thenumber of businesses now working inwhat has become a fully-fledgedbusiness sector in its own right.

So when you are handed the task of bringingtogether all the elements which go intoputting on an event which your employerhopes will be a positive advertisement forthemselves, then… no pressure, right?

To help you make sure your event runs moresmoothly from the start, we have broughttogether a list of tips and points to considerwhich, if followed, should help you avoidmost of the potential pitfalls.

1. What type of event is it? Are youlooking to stage something whichpromotes your business and itsproducts or services, or is it designedto be a ‘thank you’ to your staff,suppliers or customers?

Whichever of these is the mainpurpose of your event, you will need tomake this clear right from the outset,and before you even start drawing upyour guest list.

2. If your event is commercial in nature, forexample, is intended to promote aproduct, Deskdemon.com reports that itis considered acceptable to make asmall charge for refreshments, as this willavoid the implication that you are merelylooking to ‘buy’ publicity and otherbenefits which may stem from exposureto an influential audience, and winingand dining them when you have them asa ‘captive audience’.

3. If networking and giving people thechance to introduce themselves to eachother is an important element of yourevent, you might find it preferable toarrange a number of meetings to which

you invite a limited number of guests,rather than a single big event, to giveyour attendees the best chance to reachout to the people who matter to them,without the whole event turning into aglorified scrum.

4. Set a budget and stick to it. It can be soeasy to want to put on a good show foryour guests that you lose sight of howmuch it all costs. Set aside a certainamount to cover each of the major fixedcosts, such as venue hire and speakercosts, and don’t forget that you mayneed to provide accommodation forguests who will have to travel longdistances to your event. Liaising closelywith external conference organisers, whohave experience of staging such events,can be useful to this end.

5. Set your date early to avoid potentialclashes with other events, and ask thosewhose attendance you consider mostimportant to set aside the date as far aspossible in advance, as they may have tochoose between competing events.

6. Define your target audience, and drawup a list of objectives for the event, asthese will both make it easier for you toorganise a gathering which people willactually find productive.

7. If possible, visit your shortlist of venues inperson, so you can discuss your exactneeds with the on-site events team, asthey will be keen to put their experienceat your disposal.

8. Consult with the team at your chosenvenue well in advance overhousekeeping requirements, yourprogramme, and take their advice onwhether your planned schedule ispracticable.

9. Research all the available means oftransport to the venue, and provide fulland up-to-date information to those

Organising Your Main Event

attending, so that, if possible, they canchoose the means of getting to the eventwhich is most convenient for them.

10. Prepare feedback forms and put a pageon your website where those whoattend can provide their views, as thesemight produce some useful insight tohelp you plan similar future events.

11. Decide the internal layout of yourvenue and discuss with themanagement what equipment they willprovide, and what you may need tosource yourself.

12. Have conference programmesproduced professionally, if necessary,but if you are intending to provide suchresources online only, be sure that yourguests know where it can be found.

While these are the major considerationsyou should have to take into account,others will no doubt arise during yourpreparations.

The most sensible solution to help youavoid missing any detail is to use theservices of the conference and eventsspecialists who are integral members of thehospitality teams at most major venues.

By calling on their experience, you will findthat you leave the smallest possible riskthat a major facet of your organisation willbe overlooked.

Start your planning today by consultingone of our advertisers. They are standingby to offer you the benefit of helping stagesuccessful events, and will be happy to letyou tap into their knowledge.

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Whittlebury HallFor a venue with an extra dimension for your nextbusiness meeting or training session Whittlebury Hall hasit all.

Situated in the heart of the UK in rural Northamptonshire, witheasy links to the M1 and M40, the Hall’s proximity toSilverstone, Towcester Racecourse and Whittlebury Park GolfCourse provides a host of additional possibilities for your nextcorporate event.

Already well known for their motor industry events, exhibitionsand other motorsport related functions in conjunction withnearby Silverstone, Whittlebury Hall is rapidly building animpressive reputation as a conference and training centre.

Whether you are looking to hold a large scale conference, anexhibition, product launch or a small board meeting, WhittleburyHall has an excellent choice of purpose-built, professional eventand learning facilities including 20 spacious conference andtraining suites, break-out rooms, coffee stations, 29 fullyserviced syndicate rooms, an executive boardroom, threesecluded private dining rooms, two conference and banquetingsuites that can cater for up to 500 delegates.

On the topic of banqueting, whether you want to push the boatout to reward your most valued clients, impress potential newclients with an experience they’ll never forget, or simply providelunch or light refreshments for your conference or trainingsession, the corporate hospitality team at Whittlebury Hall, wellknown for the quality of their catering can be relied on to rise toany occasion.

If overnight accommodation is required, clients, their delegatesor guests can be assured of a good night’s sleep in acomfortable, well-appointed en-suite room ready for action thefollowing morning

The dedicated corporate event and hospitality team arepassionate about helping to achieve a successful event, andcan offer a range of packages to choose between, ideal for useas staff incentives or team building events. Discussing thepurpose of the event with them will enable them to come upwith a host of ideas and suggestions to tailor your event tomeet your goals.

Business packages include ideas for motivational events, teambuilding activities, management training programmes, executivemeetings and incentivised product training.

The team at Whittlebury Hall have a range of offerings to addthat extra dimension which can be tailored to suit your businesspurposes, ideal as incentives, corporate hospitality or even theannual Christmas do, such as Casino Nights, Race Days atTowcester Race Course, Spa Days, Golf Tournaments, MurderMystery Evenings, Clay Pigeon Shooting or themed dinnerswith after dinner entertainment.

For motoring aficionados events with a motorsport perspectiveare held in conjunction with the nearby world famousSilverstone Circuit.

Your experienced personal event co-ordinator, will work withyou, providing just the right balance of help, guidance andsupport, adding value at every opportunity and ensuring thatthe outstanding service you receive matches your requirementsin every way.

For more information and to see how the team at Whittlebury Hallcan bring that extra dimension to your business event please

telephone 0845 400 0003, email [email protected] visit the web site www.whittleburyhall.co.uk


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Let Conference Oxfordfind the perfect venue for your event

t: 01865 276 190 e: [email protected]

Oxford is home to one of the world’smost celebrated universities and knownas ‘The city of dreaming spires’. Historyand heritage surround you in Oxford,with almost 1,000 buildings ofarchitectural interest within just onesquare mile. Wander down any street orlane and you will find something ofUniversity life, both past and present.The Colleges of the University are at thevery heart of the city, with iconicbuildings, timeless quadrangles andimmaculate gardens. The city offers ahuge choice of unique and excitingvenues, the Bodleian Library, one of theoldest libraries in Europe, the AshmoleanMuseum, founded in 1683, is theUniversity’s museum of art andarchaeology, housing world famouscollections ranging from Egyptianmummies to contemporary art, tellinghuman stories across cultures andacross time, the Sheldonian Theatre, anexquisite Grade I listed historic venuedesigned by Sir Christopher Wren, the

Oxford University Museum of Natural History with its towering dinosaurs, thePitt Rivers Museum housing one of the world’s finest collections of anthropologyand archaeology from around the globe and Christ Church Great Hall, familiar tofans of the Harry Potter films, which inspired the set of Hogwarts; dining hall.These are just a few of Oxford’s world famous attractions and all are available tohire for your special event.

It’s easier than you think to hold your event in the world-renowned surroundingsof the University of Oxford. Let Conference Oxford be your first point of contactwhen looking for a venue for a residential or day conference, a meeting, acelebratory dinner, an award ceremony, a party or wedding.

The service offered by Conference Oxford is free, available toeveryone and includes:

• A venue search amongst their College and University venues

• Site-visits arranged for you to view the conference and event facilities

• Support and advice should you need to use more than one venue for your event

Choose from 59 unique, modern and historic venues:

Meetings and conferences: Our venues offer outstanding facilities forconferences, meetings, exhibitions, training sessions – the list is endless! Fromsmall traditional oak-panelled meeting rooms for 10 to large, contemporarylecture theatres and conference halls for up to 750, all offering highperformance equipment and advanced technology.

Residential events: With over 6,700 bedrooms, a mixture of standard andensuite, from modern to more traditional. Bed and breakfast and full board areavailable at highly competitive rates.

Celebrations: When looking for a wonderful setting for a special anniversary, aromantic backdrop for your wedding or a special venue for a drinks reception orparty, where you and your guests can celebrate in style, then the University andits colleges have the perfect venue for your special occasion.

Whatever your requirements, the Conference Oxford team will provide you withthe information, advice and support necessary to ensure a memorable,successful event that will create a lasting impression.


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58

Lea Marston Hotel is no longer theestablishment it used to be - it’s bigger andeven more luxurious and accommodating.

Almost £2million has been invested into the sought-after family-run Lea Marston Hotel, in the heart of the Midlands, and thetransformation is still not quite complete.

The revamp hit a high point in February when the award-winning hotel unveiled 30 new bedrooms and luxury suites at aspecial party attended by 100 guests and visitors, includingsuppliers, corporate customers and the hotel’s long-standinghealth club members.

Now Lea Marston Hotel, set in 75 acres of north Warwickshirecountryside, boasts an impressive 117 luxury ensuite rooms, aswell as extensive wedding, spa, conferencing and event facilities.

The additional superior, executive and luxury air-conditionedsuites have been provided in a brand new extension, spanningtwo floors and overlooking the golf course.

All have been styled by designer Ilze Reinke, based locally inNo Mans Heath, and feature warm contemporary interiors,cutting-edge technology and the little luxuries that are not onlyin keeping with Lea Marston Hotel’s ethos of providing a warmwelcome, but will ensure guests will wake up feeling brandnew, refreshed and ready for the day ahead.

Take your leisurely pick from an in-room fridge, safe,complimentary toiletries, mineral water, hospitality tray and useof bathrobes.

Entertainment is provided by the very latest Samsung televisionoffering bluetooth connectivity, interactive guest information andaccess to SKY TV. Free wifi is also available throughout the hotel.

The main hotel has also featured in the exciting raft of changestaking place, with extensive refurbishments throughout.

Some of the existing bedrooms and corridors have been givena fresh, new look while work is continuing on giving the publicbar a vintage feel to complement the redesignedconservatories. And the kitchens, meanwhile, are busy cookingup an exciting new breakfast offering.

Further changes are expected as the Lea Marston Hotelcontinues with the rebranding exercise and shortly launches abright new website, emphasising its position as a family ownedestablishment which sets out to be the best in the Midlands.

Of course, its transformation has not been achieved without acertain amount of upheaval, but none of that was allowed toaffect the hotel’s renowned warm welcome and high-classservice. An extra 30 staff were recruited to ensure day-to-dayoperations remained running smoothly through the latest phaseof growth.

“We are always looking to grow and expand our offering as partof our on-going mission to create great experiences and lastingmemories for all our guests,” says sales and marketing director,Phillip Allsopp.

“We are proud to maintain our reputation as one of the bestindependent hotels in the region.”

To find out more go to www.leamarstonhotel.co.ukAlternatively telephone 01675 470 468

or email [email protected]

Find us on..

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REGENT ENGINEERINGINNOVATION

Success is stacking up for the Regent Engineering Co. And there’s avery real prospect that things could soon be going faster than ever.

The Wednesbury company, which manufactures the FloorStak system, isworking on a project which, if all goes to plan, will see the product usedat every 2017 Formula One Grand Prix venue.

Since inventing and patenting the system for supporting and levellingtemporary floors, Regent, on the Central Trading Estate in Darlaston, hasfound itself in pole position for some major - and unusual events.

FloorStak was used to support the Hockey Village marquee at 2013’s IceHockey World Championships in Helsinki, Finland, and proved perfect fora wedding marquee on a private beach, also in Finland, where half of thestructure was sitting in the Baltic Sea.

Regent launched the system in 2010 and has enjoyed annual rising salesever since, to the extent that it is now sold in over 10 countries, the latestbeing Australia.

“We are currently seeking technical approval for our product under theGerman TUV certification system, which will help our sales prospectsacross the whole of Europe,” adds Managing Director Alan Shaw.

But the FloorStak system is only half of the success story that is the RegentEngineering Co. The business is also a leading contract manufacturer ofpressed metal and fabricated parts to customer specifications.

It was formed in 1941 by Arthur Shaw, father of Alan and his co-ownerbrother John, and today boasts a 50-strong workforce at its 4,000 sqmetre site.

An active member of the Confederation of British Metalforming and anassociate member of the Precision Metal Forming Association and theInstitute of Sheet Metal Engineering, its enviable record of nearly 75 yearsof continuous production has seen it accrue a vast bank of skills andexperience for undertaking the most complex pressed component andassembly supply projects.

At its heart throughout the decades has been theunstinting hard work and commitment of the loyalmembers of Regent’s staff, whose role Alan is keen toacknowledge.

“Their efforts and dedication have been central toensuring our continuing success,” he affirms.

Not least during the dark days of the 2008 recession.Not only did Regent survive, the stormy economictimes sparked a business-wide determination todevelop a product which would be marketablearound the world.

And that vision has certainly come true. Exhibiting ata prestigious exhibition in Germany at the end of lastyear alone, Regent was able to showcase FloorStakto visitors from all over the world, including Slovakia,Taiwan, India and South Africa.

With Formula One very much in the offing, if thecompany is not already on the winner’s podium, itvery soon will be.

To find out more about FloorStak, go towww.floorstak.com

or email [email protected] details about Regent’s pressings and

assemblies services, go to www.regenteng.comor email [email protected]

For telephone enquiries, call 0121 526 6060


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All Bar One is stylish city bar, made even more soby a recent refurbishment.

Long known as a great place to drop in for a quick drink or acoffee and to hang out with friends, the bar is always alive withthe buzz of good conversation, and provides a great meetingplace, whether a get together with friends or for an informalbusiness meeting.

Open from eight until late and with great food and drink served allday, the atmosphere and great location have seen the barbecome a regular hang-out for the local business community,shoppers and visitors to Birmingham alike.

Whether you want to grab a quick coffee and pastry on your wayinto work or are taking the time to enjoy something from theirgreat breakfast or brunch choices, no-one will get your day off toa better start than All Bar One.

Later on, their All Day Menu offers a tempting choice of oldfavourites and new discoveries from a range including lightlunches, classic mains and globally inspired small plates built toshare. Just drop in or book a table for up to eight, friends, familyor business associates.

Planning a party? From a breakfast meeting through to an eveningor lunchtime celebration, talk to one of the friendly team about AllBar One’s specially selected party packages - including tastybuffet treats for every occasion. Also choose from a wide range ofwines, bottled beers, cocktails - or even some bubbles - to suit.Or for a party with a difference try a cocktail masterclass, you andyour friends will learn the tools required from expert mixologists tomix, muddle and mash your way to three crowd-pleasingcocktails. Whatever you choose they'll take care of your partyfrom start to finish.

Just like drinking cocktails? The bartenderscan mix an impressive range of cocktails, fromtraditional tipples to new classics, such astheir wine cocktails. Enjoy the latest winepicks? Browse their wine library to see what’snew or take the bartender’s recommendation.All Bar One has a terrific range of well-chosenwines, spirits, premium bottled lagers, beerson tap and soft drinks, and if it should bedrinks with friends, order a bundle of sharingplates too - ideal for picking over along withthe day's affairs.

Non-drinkers and designated drivers are notforgotten, All Bar One has a terrific range ofalcohol free cocktails and “softails”.

Whatever you are looking for in a friendly citycentre hang out, great food and drink ameeting place with friends or just a quietcorner to enjoy a coffee and a newspaper orcatch up on some work, All Bar One will meetyour needs.

43 Newhall Street, Birmingham B3 3NY0121 212 2551allbarone.co.uk


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Life couldn’t be sweeter for luxury confectioners Champion& Reeves.

Many of the country’s most exclusive retailers are clamouring tosupply the delicious Dessert Nougat, Cream Toffee orButterscotch delicacies that are just perfect as a coffeeaccompaniment or after dinner treat.

Now founders Jacqueline Champion and Andrew Reeves arepreparing to tempt the rest of the world, showcasing theirproducts alongside some of the world’s top food and drinkcompanies at a host of prestigious events this year includingJapan’s Foodex, and London’s Caffe Culture, Speciality FineFood Festival, Lunch Exhibition and Taste of London.

Having recently moved to Shropshire Food Enterprise Centreand now preparing to recruit up to an extra nine people inresponse to demand, Champion & Reeves is anticipating adynamic year.

All the pieces, presented individually wrapped and in stylishboxes, are made with only natural products and are gluten,palm oil and gelatin free.

The company, a Guild of Fine Food member, also roasts its ownpistachio, almond and macadamia nuts for the toffee and thenougat and is believed to be the only UK commercialmanufacturer of traditional butterscotch.

The result are extravagant delicacies that feel precious andindulgent and will linger in the memory. For something youwon’t forget, the confectioners also produce for their discerningclientele, edible 24ct gold Dessert Nougat infused with 1915Armagnac.

You can find Champion & Reeves products in a range ofesteemed outlets including The Royal Collection Trust, Housesof Parliament, St James Palace, RHS Garden Wisley, ChocolateGourmet, Shrewsbury and Ludlow, and Ludlow Food Centre.

For more stockist information visitwww.championreeves.com where you can also email.

Alternatively telephone 01743 363888

www.vanillaetc.comKeighley, West Yorkshire BD20 6QX

t: 01535 280021 e: [email protected]

Bringing you the highest quality vanilla products at affordable pricesWe are proud to support Champion & Reeves.

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seasonal, perfectly cooked, well-served and beautifullypresented food. The gastro pub style menu is basically modernAnglo-French in style and features popular favourites alongsideless familiar tastes to try.

The Chequers at Crowle is offering a full lunch and dinnermenu, with a lighter lunch option if preferred, they canaccommodate 120 covers and you may choose to eat in therestaurant, the bar or, when the weather beckons, the freshlylandscaped garden. There is plenty of parking too, 115 spaces.

The Chequers at Crowle can also offer private dining, ideal forthat special business meeting, or family event. Whatever yourrequirements trust the team at the Chequers at Crowle torespect your choices and meet them with style.

The standard of customer service and the consistency ofoffering across the group are key attributes of the group’ssuccess. They firmly believe in the value of good quality trainingand advancement within the group; indeed the head chef fromthe Forest at Feckenham, Tom Robinson, started his careerwith the group at The Moorings at Myton and will be head chefat The Chequers.

The whole team are passionate about what they do and workhard to make sure your visit lives up to expectations.

For directions, to view the menus, or to take alook at the other gastro pubs in the group, pleasevisit the web site www.thechequersatcrowle.com

A favourite localvillage inn, TheOld Chequers atCrowle has re-opened havingbeen given a newlease of life by amulti awardwinning familyowned gastro-pubbusiness.

CD Pub Co Ltdobtained The OldChequers Inn on a20 year lease andre-opened in March,to a warm local

welcome, under a new name and style, The Chequers atCrowle. The group has invested over £500,000 in a totalrefurbishment that took the best part of six months to completefrom November last year, and included replacing the existingroof, upgrading the power supply and redesigning the interiors.

Charles Harris, operations director of the Warwickshire basedbusiness, said: We had been looking for the right venue tocomplement The Forest at Feckenham for over a year. Thechance to introduce our successful formula to the village ofCrowle for great food, at great value in a great atmosphere isvery exciting, and we are looking forward to becoming anintegral part of village life.”

The traditional country pub is now a warm and welcomingspace, with fresh furnishings and new paint work, yet retainingits period charm. Open every day, The Chequers at Crowleoffers a choice of local beers, cask ales, wines by the glass orbottle, spirits, and the company’s signature high end gastropub fare.

The Chequers at Crowle will join the family’s other businesses,The Stag at Offchurch, The Moorings at Myton and The Forestat Feckenham (Les Routiers 2016 Food Pub of the Year,) all ofwhich have won numerous industry awards, offering fresh,


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