KIRKLEES BUSINESS NEWSThe business NEWSpaper for Kir k lees17, Ju ly, 2012

INSIDE

● Full story - Page 5

● Full story - Page 8

PHILIP STEPHENSON

Co lumn - Page 4

I s i t okay to ta lk?Co lumn - Page 5

An EXAMINER publication

BeautybusinessA BATLEY woman hasturned her back on thesearch for a job to setup her own businessfrom home. MaryamAllad looked toself-employment as away to pursue herdream of becoming abeautician afterfinishing with topmarks in beautytherapy at KirkleesCollege. Now she isrunning Elegant BeautyUK after gainingsupport from aGovernment enterprisescheme.

Golf dayon courseKIRKLEES businesspeople are being urgedto get their golfing geartogether and help raisecash for charity.Meltham Golf Club willhost an exclusive golfday on Thursday,August 23, in aid ofKirkwood Hospice’sCapital Appeal. Thefun-filled day out is theidea of Capital Appealmarketing committeemember Liz Boardall, ofArmitage SykesSolicitors inHuddersfield.

NEIL WILSON

exam

iner

.co.

uk Themosttrustednewsbrandin thebusiness

FTSE 100-3 .70

5662.43

Employers must get ahead of the gameKIRKLEES employers are being urgedto plan for unauthorised staff absenceswhen the Olympics gets under way.

Honley businesswoman Helen Strawwarned that staffing levels could be achallenge for some businesses.

Helen, managing director of The Per-sonnel Partnership, said: “Maintainingan adequate staff presence throughoutthe Olympics may prove to be a challengefor some businesses.

“As an employer, you need to thinkahead of the game in all respects anddecide how you are going to manage staffattendance during this period.”

She urged businesses to set specificrules and procedures during the Gamesperiod and develop a “robust” attendancemanagement policy – including a notific-ation procedure so employees know what

to do if they are sick and can’t come towork, who they need to contact, whattime they need to make contact by andwhat they need to tell their boss.

She said: “The line manager needs toask more probing and appropriate ques-tions about the person’s absence. Theyshould also have readily available inform-ation for effective monitoring of the situ-ation and identifying absence patterns.”

Helen also recommended the use of“trigger points” to activate a more formalprocess if absence rates become unaccept-able.

She said: “Make sure that you giveadvance warning to employees that unau-thorised absences without a good reasonand sickness absences that do not appearto be genuine will be dealt with under theyour disciplinary procedure.

“By the same token, discuss with youremployees how you can manage theirexpectations in terms of time off to watchpopular events.

“For example, you could say that anyholiday requests over the Olympic Gamesperiod will be granted on a ‘first comefirst served’ basis or allocated by lottery.

“You could also allow those employeeswho are volunteers to take special leave –either paid or unpaid – and work extradays later in the year to make up thetime.

“You might also consider how youmight be able to facilitate event watchingat work. The key is to communicate withand engage employees. This all leads tohigher levels of motivation which resultsin less absence.”

Road safety drivein charity link-upA COMPANY providing roadside ser-vices and incident management haspledged its support to a charity cam-paigning for road safety.

Huddersfield-based FMG hasbecome a corporate sponsor ofnational charity Brake, which also hasits headquarters in Huddersfield.

FMG said it was committed toreducing the frequency and impact ofincidents and using its industry exper-ience, market intelligence and bespoketechnology systems to find ways tohelp fleet managers implement effi-ciency and driver safety improve-ments.

The company said such action couldresult in increased fleet profitabilityand business effectiveness as well asbetter driving and safer roads.

FMG chief executive officer JohnCatling said: “Our objective is to keepdrivers as safe as possible and helpbusinesses manage driver risk byworking in partnership with our cli-ents to prevent incidents, not justmanage them when they do happen.

“We want to change perceptionsabout our industry.

“We don’t simply deal with incidentsand make money from clearing up themess. We’re a strategic partner, com-

mitted to incident prevention andsmarter, safer journeys.”

In its role as first National VehicleRecovery Manager for the HighwaysAgency, FMG provides a single pointof contact for Highways Agencytraffic officers needing to get brokendown, damaged or abandonedvehicles removed from 5,000 miles ofEngland’s strategic road network.

Said Mr Catling: “Working with theHighways Agency and our recoverypartners, we are helping maintain asafer road network, where there is lessdisruption following an incident.

“But we’re also doing what we canto ensure the incidents don’t happen inthe first place through our work withfleet managers.”

The company was shortlisted for theRisk Management Award in this year’sBritish Insurance Awards for its intel-ligent monitoring and reporting sys-tem, Ingenium Dynamics – whichworld-leading transport researchexperts have found to be a highlyeffective way to manage driver risk.

Ingenium Dynamics improvesdriver behaviour and makes it easier toidentify, manage and remove risk.FMG’s fleet clients are seeing a25-80% reduction in claims, while loss

ratios for a young drivers’ insurancescheme using it have been reduced to40%.

Martin Howard, spokesman atBrake, said: "We are delighted to beworking with FMG, an organisationwhich is passionate about keepingdrivers safe on the roads.

“By sponsoring Target Zero –Brake's subscriber e-bulletin – FMG is

helping to ensure that organisations ofall sizes can access cutting-edge roadsafety research and initiatives fromacross the globe. About a third of roaddeaths involve someone driving forwork purposes. This service is invalu-able in helping fleet professionals keepup to date with best practice andensure employee safety whilst drivingfor work.”

■ WARNING: Helen Straw,managing director of ThePersonnel Partnership

■ SAFE HANDS: John Catling, of FMG with Martin Howarth from ‘Brake,outside FMG's headquarters in Huddersfield

Optimism for exports

KIRKLEES BUSINESS NEWS national Page 2

SHARE PRICES

closed at

Local shares

FTSE

5662.43Down 3.70

closed at

THE former boss of pharmaceuticalsgiant AstraZeneca has waived his enti-tlement to a 2012 annual bonus and hasbeen denied performance-related shareawards for the last two years, it hasemerged.

Astra chief executive David Brennanstepped down in June after slashingfull-year profit hopes and failing totackle a shortage of blockbuster drugsas patents expire.

The FTSE 100 Index firm said MrBrennan, who was with Astra for 36years, will receive 11 months’ salaryworth £914,122 and will retain sharesawarded in 2010 worth £1.5m.

But he has waived any bonus entitle-ment for the portion of 2012 in whichhe worked for the group, while shareawards made to Mr Brennan in 2011and 2012 will be forfeited.

Mr Brennan has amassed a pensionpot worth £14m, according to thegroup’s annual report, and could still

receive further share awards from pre-vious years.

He was one of a number of chiefexecutives this year to succumb toshareholder pressure to step down,along with Aviva’s Andrew Moss.

Astra’s shares fell by about 6%between the time Mr Brennan tookcharge in 2006 and his departure lastmonth.

The UK’s second biggest drugsmaker has struggled in recent monthsafter it lost patent cover on anti-psychotic drug Seroquel and tests onovarian cancer drug Olaparib proved itto be ineffective.

Results for the first three months ofthe year blamed a “loss of exclusivity”for a 38% drop in pre-tax profits to£1.3bn. The group subsequentlylowered its target for full-year earningsper share.

The group’s shares closed yesterdayup 3.5p pr 1% higher at 2940p.

Astra boss waivesright to bonus pay

TOURIST RATES

Tourists going abroad can expectthe following rates for sterling:Australia...................... 1.44 dollarsBangladesh................. 120.00 takaBrazil.............................. 2.84 realsCanada....................... 1.50 dollarsChina ............................. 8.86 yuanCzech Republic ...... 29.64 korunasDenmark....................... 9.00 kroneEuro............................... 1.21 euroHong Kong................ 11.45 dollarsHungary ................... 328.62 forintsIndia.......................... 75.19 rupeesJapan........................... 116.99 yenMexico ....................... 18.41 pesosNew Zealand .............. 1.82 dollarsNorway ......................... 9.06 kronePakistan.................. 138.47 rupeesPhilippines ................. 55.76 pesosSouth Africa ................. 12.01 randSouth Korea.............. 1554.00 wonSri Lanka ................ 195.94 rupeesSweden....................... 10.46 kronaSwitzerland.................. 1.45 francsTaiwan ...................... 40.73 dollarsTurkey....................... 2.65 new liraUSA ............................ 1.48 dollars

NORTH AMERICANAmerican Express £37.49 +0.45Gannett 943.28 +28.14Hess Corp £27.50 -0.19Microsoft 1887.83 +8.31Motors Liquidation 47.96Wal-Mart Stores £46.79 -0.01

AEROSPACE & DEFENCEAvon Rbbr 304 +4BAE Systems 308 +15/8Rolls-Royce 870 -6

AIMBrady Plc 841/2Dawson Intl 11/8Man Brnze 271/4 +5/8

AUTOMOBILES & PARTSG K N 2123/8 +1

BANKSBarclays 1573/4 -41/2HSBC 5563/4 -31/4Lloyds Banking Gp 297/8 -1/4Ryl Scotland 2041/2 -17/8Stan Chart 1470 -4

BEVERAGESDiageo 1672 -7SABMiller £265/8 -1/8

CHEMICALSCroda £225/8Elementis 98 1803/4 -21/2Johnsn Mat £211/4 -1/8

CONSTRUCTION & MATERIALSBalfour Beatty 2975/8 +71/4

Costain 211 -13/4

ELECTRICITYDrax Gp 573 +61/2SSE 1430 +22

ELECTRONIC & ELECTRICAL EQUIPMENTLaird 1791/2 +21/2

EQUITY INVESTMENT INSTRUMENTSAlliance Trust 3571/8 -1/2

FIXED LINE TELECOM SERVICESBT Grp 2217/8 -3/8Cable & WirelessComm

323/4 +3/4

Cable & WirelessWwide

38

Colt Group 1243/4 -1/4KCOM 76 +13/4Talktalk Telecom 1901/4 -1/4

FOOD & DRUG RETAILERSMorrison W 2711/4 +17/8Sainsbury 3133/8 +13/4Tesco 317 +31/4

FOOD PRODUCERSAB Food 1285 -4Tate Lyle 6711/2 -1/2Unilever £211/2

GAS, WATER & MULTIUTILITIESCentrica 3261/8 +23/8National Grid 6821/2 -101/2Pennon Grp 788 +61/2Severn 1725 +19United Utils 697 +121/2

GENERAL FINANCIAL

3i Group 2013/4 +33/4ICAP 3121/2 +25/8London StockExch 1018 -8Man Group 681/8Provident Financial 1213 -5Schroders 1336 +22Schroders NV 1050 +3

GENERAL INDUSTRIALSCooksn Grp 590 +6REXAM 4333/4 +33/4Smiths Grp 1052 +15

GENERAL RETAILERSAshley L 213/8 +1/8Carphone Whse 1311/2 -2Dixons Retail 163/8 -3/8Home Retail 803/8 -13/8Inchcape 3573/4 +41/2Kingfisher 2715/8 +3M & S 3203/4 +41/4Mothercare 2023/4 +101/2Next £32 +1/8WH Smith 5521/2 +21/2

HEALTH CARE EQUIPMENT & SERVICESSmith Nph 6541/2 +2

HOUSEHOLD GOODSAga Rangemaster 691/2 +1/2Barrat Dev 1381/4 -11/8Persimmon 648 +13Reckitt Benckiser £351/2 +1/8Taylor Wimpey 467/8

INDUSTRIAL ENGINEERINGI M I 7981/2 +51/2

INDUSTRIAL METALS

Ferrexpo 2003/8 -10INDUSTRIAL TRANSPORTATION

BBA Aviation 1893/4 -1/4LIFE INSURANCE

Aviva 2961/4 +31/4Lgl & Gen 1297/8 +1/2Old Mutual 1581/4 +21/8Prudential 762 +6Resolution 2181/4 +57/8Standard Life 2371/8 +13/4

MEDIABSkyB 6881/2 -51/2D Mail Tst 4441/4 +41/4ITV 75Johnston Press 53/8 +3/8Pearson 1264 -10Reed Elsevier 534 -1/2STV Group 91Trinity Mirror 28 +3/4Utd Business 624 +151/2UTV 141 -11/2WPP 786 -11Yell Group 15/8 -1/8

MININGAnglo American £201/4 -1/4Antofagasta 1069 -2BHP Billiton 1795 -101/2Eurasian NaturalRes

4027/8 -57/8

Fresnillo 1423 -21Kazakhmys 7271/2 -161/2Lonmin 7071/2 -51/2Rio Tinto £297/8 -3/8VEDANTARESOURCES

8971/2 -17

Xstrata 8431/4 -35/8MOBILE TELECOM SERVICES

Inmarsat 4781/8 -1/4Vodafone Group 1831/4 +1/2

NONLIFE INSURANCEAdmiral Grp 1176 -7RSA Insurance Gp 1091/2 +1/4

OIL & GAS PRODUCERSBG 1292 -8BP 4411/2 +33/8Cairn Energy 2747/8 -11/8Royal Dutch Shell A £221/8 +1/8Royal Dutch Shell B £23 +1/8Total £281/4Tullow Oil 1386 -47

OIL EQUIPMENT & SERVICES

AMEC 1065 +5Petrofac 1453 +8Wood Gp(J) 7441/2 -31/2

PERSONAL GOODSBurberry Gp 1207 -22PHARMACEUTICALS & BIOTECHNOLOGY

Astrazeneca £293/8GlaxoSmithK 6Shire 1868 -10

REAL ESTATEBrit Land 5331/2 +8Captl Shop Cent 3297/8 +33/8Hamrsn 4643/8 +71/4Land Secs 783 +61/2SEGRO 2391/4 +41/4

SOFTWARE ETC SERVICESInvensys 2391/8 +13/8Logica 1045/8 -1/4Sage Group 276 -9

SUPPORT SERVICESBerendsen 505 +1/2Bunzl 1083 +9Capita 6931/2 +5De La Rue 1006 +7Electrocomp 2083/4 -33/4Experian 932G4S 2545/8 -241/8Hays 683/4 +13/4Homeserve 167 +1Menzies J 612 +6Rentokil 743/4 -1/8Smiths News 105 +31/2Wolseley £231/4

IT HARDWARE

ARM Hldgs 4873/4 -3Psion 871/4 -1/8Spirent Comms 164 -21/2

TOBACCO

Br Am Tob £333/4Imperial Tobacco £253/8

LEISURE & HOTELS

Bwin.Party Digital 1031/2 -2Carnival £211/8 -1/8Compass Grp 657 +3easyJet 5561/2 +8Enterprise Inns 61 +1/4FirstGroup 200 +101/4Go-Ahead Gp 1294 +14Greene King 575 -1/2Intercontl Htls 1507 +5Intl Cons AirlinesGp

160 +41/4

Ladbrokes 158 +2Mitchells & Butlers 2525/8 -33/8Natl Express 2241/4 +43/4Rank Org 118 -33/4Stagecoach Group 2771/4 -11/2TUI Travel 1693/4 +5/8Whitbread £207/8

INDEXFTSE 100 5662.43 -3.70

INDEXFTSE 250 11075.26 +31.43

Carclo 430 -10Marshalls 81 +1National Grid 6821/2 -101/2Weir Gp 1525 -9

Crisis forinnovationTHE UK economy hasexperienced a “lostdecade” of innovation,according to anindependent researchfund.

Investment in newproducts and ideas hasfallen by £24bn since therecession hit in 2008 andhas not recovered,according to the reportby Nesta – NationalEndowment for Science,Technology and the Arts.

The charity said thestudy showed thatbusinesses had a “crisisof confidence in the2000s, prioritising cashand concrete overinvestment in innovation”.

It also highlighted a“deep-rooted crisis” ininnovation investment.

After rising steadilyfrom 1990 to 2000,investment fell by 7% or£7.4bn between 2008and 2009, according toNesta’s Innovation Index,compiled following asurvey of 1,200businesses.

It then dropped afurther 14% or £17bnfrom 2009 to 2011.

Geoff Mulgan, Nesta’schief executive, said:“Everyone agrees thatinnovation is the onlyroute to long termgrowth.

“The concern is thattoday’s report andInvestment Index showthat investment in thefuture didn’t just fallduring the immediateaftermath of the financialcrisis, but also continuedfalling as the economyappeared to stabilise.”

He added: “Othercountries are makinginvestment in innovationa top priority and the UKcannot afford not to dothe same.”

A SOFTWARE firm whose account-ancy, retail and payroll products areused by 6m customers worldwideadmitted to tougher trading inEurope.

Newcastle-based Sage said itshopes of a return to growth inEurope were dashed as the region’seconomic crisis continues to rage,offsetting stronger demand fromsmall and medium-sized businessesin the UK and Ireland.

Trading across the group was inline with expectations over the thirdquarter between April and June, butshares fell yesterday because of itscautious comments on Europe,which accounts for around a third of

group profits.Sage said: “The UK and Ireland

business demonstrated goodgrowth although conditions in main-land European markets havetoughened.

“Overall performance in Europehas been flat and the anticipatedimprovement in growth over the firsthalf has not yet materialised.”

Numis Securities said it would cutits forecasts by between 1% and 2%,adding that France and Germanymay have joined Spain in becomingtougher markets.

Chief executive Guy Berruyer saidSage remained cautious on the out-look for Europe.

Sage hit by eurozone worriesSMALLER firms led a reduction inbusiness failures during June, accord-ing to a report today.

The latest Business InsolvencyIndex from global information serviceExperian showed that 0.08% of UKbusinesses failed last month com-pared with 0.09% in the previousmonth and in June last year.

Some 1,650 businesses becameinsolvent in June, 2012, compared to1,841 in May, 2012, and 1,783 in June,2011.

Firms with one to 100 employeeswere the only group to see improve-ments in their insolvency rates – withthe biggest rise coming specifically

from SMEs with 51 to 100 employeeswhere the figure fell to 0.12% from0.19% a year ago.

Businesses with 101 to 500 employ-ees saw an increase in the rate ofinsolvencies compared to June, 2011 –at 0.16% against 0.08%. Firms withmore than 500 employees saw anincrease in insolvency rate from 0.12%in June last year to 0.15% in June thisyear.

Experian director Max Firth said:“Although the overall figures for Juneshow a fairly stable environment ledby smaller firms, the higher insolv-ency rate at the top end will have animpact on the supply chain.”

Small firms lead the way

■ PENSION: Former Astra chief David Brennan still has a pension pot worth£14m, according to the group’s annual report

KIRKLEES BUSINESS NEWS profile Page 3

SW PropertyManagement

HENRYK ZIENTEK

Work: Property manage-ment servicesSite: LeptonPhone: 01484 887799Email: info@swpropertymanagement.co.ukWeb:www.swpropertymanagement .co.uk

Familyfirm onhomegroundTHEY’RE running a familybusiness – and building firmfoundations.

Now Sue Coates and hersons Jonathan andMatthew, of Lepton-basedSW Property Management,are set to embark onanother phase ofexpansion.

Brighouse-born Sue, 50,set up the business whileworking full-time in a localestate agency office. “Alandlord who was a friend ofmine was getting fed uphaving to deal with hisproperties and tenants andasked if I would look afterthem for him,” she says.

“Pretty soon I was lookingafter 20 properties and itwas becomingunmanageable to do thatand carry on with myfull-time job. I worked on myown for about three yearsand the business grew onthe back ofrecommendations andreferrals. It became morethan just helping out friends.

“Eighteen months ago, Igot to the stage where I wasmanaging 50 properties onbehalf of landlords andthat’s when Jonathan andMatthew got involved.”

Jonathan, 28, startedworking on a permanentpart-time basis in January,2011, and helped to pushthe business forward. Hejoined full-time in July lastyear. Matthew, 26, who is aself-employed personaltrainer, devotes 12 hours aweek to the business andhelps deal with financesand accounts.

As letting agents, SWProperty Managementhandles everything fromfinding tenants and scoutingpotential properties forlandlords to providinglandlords with a fullmanagement service.

Sue, a member of theResidential LandlordsAssociation, says thebusiness has grown at atime when would-behouseholders are finding itharder to raise the depositfor a mortgage.

“More and more peopleare renting,” she says.“More and more people are

also becoming ‘accidental’landlords who are decidingto rent out propertiesbecause they cannot sellthem. These are peoplewho have never beenlandlords before and needadvice and support.”

Says Sue: “A lot ofpeople have gone intorenting properties withoutunderstanding theimplications. They expect tocollect their rents everymonth on the dot for everand ever. But tenants havetheir problems. Theircircumstances can changethrough losing their job orgetting divorced. We try toadvise landlords about theworst-case scenario.”

The company is based atthe Coates’ home addressin Sorbus Way. Thearrangement means theyhave lower overheads thantown centre lettingsagencies and can becontacted seven days aweek – hopefully enabling

any problems to be dealtwith quickly.

Jonathan attended ColneValley High School andGreenhead College beforestudying sport at York StJames’ University. “Mydream was to become UKtable tennis champion,” hesays, “but it didn’t work out!I looked into teaching, but Ididn’t think it was for me.”

Matthew is kept busy withhis work as a personaltrainer and dealing withfinancial matters for thefamily business. His bigclaim to fame was playingbass with local bandSmooth when it supportedBryan Adams at hisGalpharm Stadium concert.Rock stardom wasn’t on thecards, but Matthew says: “Ienjoy what I do and helpingout the family businesspart-time.”

Sue and Jonathan alsoattend networking groups.Jonathan is a member ofthe BNI Terriers, which

meets at Lockwood Park.“I’ve been promoted totreasurer-secretary,” hesays. “It’s extra time out ofmy week, but it boosts myprofile out there and I meetmore people because of it.You build up trust with theother members and youhelp with referrals for eachother. We have made somegood contacts.”

Sue worked in estateagency for eight yearsbefore setting up thebusiness and before thathad a varied career inoffice-based admin roles.As well as a goodunderstanding of how theindustry works, she isfamiliar with the propertymix in the Huddersfield,Halifax, Mirfield, Brighouseand Wakefield areas.

SW PropertyManagement deals withlandlords’ portfolios asdiverse as one-bedapartments, two-bedterraced houses to four-beddetached houses and abeautiful barn conversion atStainland.

“Renting is growing indemand,” says Sue.“People are choosing torent long-term.

“Traditionally, peoplewould rent while they raisedthe funds to buy their ownhome, but renting is thenorm in many countries andit is becoming morecommon here.”

Now the business iswell-set for expansion. “Theidea is to get a stable basein the area for residentiallettings and move intocommercial lettings andestate agency in the next12 months– but to retain asmall, friendly feeling. Wedon’t want to become toobig and end up looking likeeveryone else.”

The Coates still find timefor their hobbies, however.Sue is a Huddersfield Townfan and has been a seasonticket holder for the past 10years. Her sons followHuddersfield Giants – anarrangement that createssome friendly rivalry.

Sue plays tennis atMarsden and enjoyed a tripto watch the stars at

Wimbledon during the secondweek of the championship.She also enjoys long distancewalking with friends andrecently completed half of theThames Path route fromHenley-on-Thames to theCotswolds.

Jonathan is a member ofParis Piscatorial Society andgoes on fishing trips all overthe country. Matthew, who hascompleted in several charitywalks, is preparing for theThree Peaks Challenge laterthis year to raise funds forKirkwood Hospice.

■ MUM AND SONS: Sue, Matthew (right) and JonathanCoates, of SW Property Management

KIRKLEES BUSINESSlocal Page 4Better connectedA HUDDERSFIELD ITcompany hasrebranded itsbusiness after nineyears of sustainedgrowth.Brighter Connectionshas sought todifferentiate itselffrom the competitionin the face of achallengingeconomic climate –by moving to newpremises in Edgerton, recruiting newsales and technical professionals andimplementing a new business model.Managing director Darren Stringer(pictured), who founded BrighterConnections in 2003, said: “Our successcan largely be attributed to ourphilosophy of always placing thecustomer at the heart of our businessand our desire to listen to – and actupon – the valuable feedback ourcustomers have given us.“It is these principles combined with ourconstant desire to improve and an‘obsession’ with providing value for ourcustomers which have helped pave theway for the transition into an ITpractice.”Mr Stringer said Brighter Connectionsaimed to bridge the gap betweentraditional IT product resellers andexpensive “consultancy only”organisations by helping otheraspirational companies to optimise theiruse of IT and maximise their profitpotential by transforming IT from a costcentre into a profit engine.The new business model has alsoresulted in the launch of a new brandimage and company website.Marketing director Claire Phillips said:“The change of image is by no means asuperficial change. The new branding isthe culmination of 12 months hard work,soul searching and real desire to moveforward in order to develop BrighterConnections as a business and refineour offer.”

NetworkingopportunityA NETWORKING group inHuddersfield is offering businesspeople a rare chance to join itsranks.One of the Huddersfield groupsof Business NetworkInternational has generated morthan £250,000 in business for itsmembers in the past six monthsand is celebrating it's firstbirthday as a BNI group since itslaunch at the start of August lastyear.Using the Cedar Court Hotel,Ainley Top, as a venue for itsweekly meetings it is nowstarting a recruitment drive togive more local businesses thechance to grab a share of thattrade.BNI Cream group director KirtNandakumar said: “In thesetough economic times, theremust be many people out there inHuddersfield and Halifax whowould like more business.“As we begin our second year forthe group, we are looking formore like-minded businesspeople to join us.”The group meets every Thursdaymorning at the Cedar CourtHotel. Only one person perprofessional category is allowedto join at any one time.To find out more, call 07837067904 or emailinfo@kmechuddssouth.co.uk

BANKER’SBLOGPhilip Stephenson

Philip Stephenson is HSBC deputy area commercial director for Calderdale, Kirklees and Wakefield

Looking forfuture leadersA NEW academy has been set upto help develop Yorkshire’sbusiness leaders of the future.The Dale Carnegie Academy hasbeen launched by training bodyDale Carnegie’s NorthernEngland team.The academy will bring all theelements of Dale Carnegie’straining services together intoone package, so that businessescan develop their talented peopleover a period of time withprogrammes, feedback and oneto one mentoring which arecredible and practical.Mark Fitzmaurice, director atDale Carnegie, said: “Throughour daily conversations withbusinesses across the region ithas become evident in today’stough and competitive marketthat employers do not want torun the risk of their employeeswith high potential leaving, as thecost implications to the bottomline and of recruiting are so high.“The academy was born to offerbusinesses an inspiring,engaging and effective way todevelop and retain key people ofthe future.”Contact Linda Parkes on 0845658 2288 or visitwww.northernengland.dalecarnegie.co.uk

Survey detectspositive signs

TODAY’S business world is one character-ised by change and uncertainty.

The economic picture for many countries inEurope remains difficult and, as a result, businessesfrom Kirklees could be finding themselves negotiat-ing a difficult path.

We believe now more than ever that it is thebusinesses looking beyond our shores to grow thatare seeing the most success whilst also continuing todrive the UK’s road to recovery.

Our latest Global Connections and Trade Confid-ence research highlights huge potential opportunit-ies for businesses in our region as UK SMEs areforecast to increase international business activityby 66% over the next 15 years.

In addition to this, the report predicts thatdemand for imports from emerging markets willgrow faster than the level of exports they produceover the next five years.

This will see emerging markets developing intomore of a “consumer” market which is fantasticnews for businesses that currently export or arelooking for opportunities to expand into new mar-kets.

The report also suggests that UK exports areexpected to exceed imports as they fulfil the

increased demand for goods and services fromemerging markets.

This will balance the trade deficit we’ve seen inprevious years and hopefully help to trade theeconomy out of recession.

HSBC’s Trade Confidence Index also highlightsthat 93% of UK businesses are feeling positive aboutthe outlook for international trade volumes over thenext six months, supporting the long term economicoutlook.

Confidence is at 105 on the trade confidence indexoverall, showing an improvement from 2011, despitethe current Eurozone fragility.

In Kirklees, we are also seeing an increasingnumber of our customers looking to do businessoutside of the UK’s traditional trade partners inEurope, and as UK trade is predicted to grow fasterthan previously suggested, certain sectors are likelyto thrive with increased overseas demand, particu-larly from a skills and specialism perspective.

So despite times of economic uncertainty andstories highlighting the challenges UK businessesface, it’s promising to see there is real optimism andopportunities for businesses that are willing toexplore new markets, and at HSBC we look forwardto supporting them.

Club takes Direct wayA COMPANY supplying household appliances willfeature as the sponsor of Huddersfield Town’s brandnew official club website as part of a newcommercial partnership.

The new agreement will also see AppliancesDirect, based at Trident Business Park, Deighton,sponsor the bar at Town’s Canalside sports complexand appear on the club’s fixture cards for 2012/13.

Town commercial director Sean Jarvis said:“We’re proud to carry the name of yet anotherHuddersfield-based business that is making anational impact on our new official club website.

“Forgng strong and long-lasting relationships withboth businesses and community right across ourheartland is central to our plans.”

He added: “The club has admired the BuyItDirectgroup for some time due to its impressive work on anational scale and we’ve worked long and hard toget them on board, so we’re delighted to have joinedforces.

“Their Appliances Direct wing is growing at afantastic rate and our partnership will be a successfor all of us.”

Appliances Direct managing director Nick Glynnesaid: “I am delighted to be involved with the club. Wehave been in Huddersfield for 12 years and areproud to support our local team.

“Like Town, we are moving up – we are well onthe way to becoming the largest independentappliance seller in the UK.”

Appliances Direct is the specialist appliancedivision of the BuyItDirect Group. BuyItDirect has anannual turnover in excess of £100m and employsmore than 150 staff.

■ BLUE AND WHITE GOODS: HuddersfieldTown’s commercial director Sean Jarvis (left) andadvertising manager Mark Jacobs (right) arepictured with Appliances Direct’s managing directorNick Glynne at its huge showroom on Leeds Road,Huddersfield

KIRKLEES BUSINESS NEWS local Page 5

Time for aquiet word

AS part of the Government’s ongo-ing review of employment law, it

had previously been suggested that“protected conversations” would beintroduced.

The theory was that employers would beable to hold discussions with an employeeon an “off the record” basis with the hopeof concluding the employment of thatemployee.

It is now formally proposed that protec-ted conversations are introduced intoemployment law, but to a much morelimited extent than originally anticipated.

The proposal is that protected conversa-tions will only relate to an unfair dismissalclaim, so a tribunal will not be entitled totake into account the contents of any suchconversation when determining whether adismissal is unfair or not.

However, it is made clear that the ruleswill not apply to discrimination cases,breach of contract claims or any of theautomatic unfair dismissal situations, suchas whistleblowing.

Furthermore, the rules on protectedconversations will not apply where thebehaviour of the employer has been“improper”.

It is expected that there will be a wealthof case law on what amounts to improperbehaviour in due course but the legislationappears to try to limit the ability of theemployer to hold a discussion which is nota genuine attempt to settle a dispute.

The bill which the above proposals arecontained in is being scrutinised by theParliamentary Committee currently andfurther news is expected shortly.

Elsewhere, there has been an importantruling in relation to sick leave and holi-days. There have been a number of similardecisions on this issue in the past few yearsin the European Court of Justice; previ-ously confirming that an employee on longterm sick leave does still accrue annualleave and is entitled to take it either duringthe sick leave year or on his return towork.

A further recent ruling has confirmedthat employees who fall sick during annualleave are entitled to take correspondingpaid leave at a later date.

So, for example, if an employee is partway through their holiday and theybecome ill, assuming they can provide thenecessary medical evidence to confirmtheir incapacity, an employer must allowthe employee to take holiday at a latertime.

The rationale for the decision is that,under the Working Time Directive, itstates that the purpose of annual leave is toenable workers to have a period of rest andrelaxation away from work, whereas thepurpose of sick leave is to enable a workerto recover from illness.

If an employee is on sick leave, theycannot enjoy a period of rest and relaxa-tion so should be entitled to take that leaveelsewhere in the year.

It is unclear whether the Governmentwill step in and legislate further on thispoint but, given the power of EU laws, itwould in theory be very difficult to intro-duce regulation in defiance of these caselaw decisions.

usiness

ted moreor its

s in the past six months

oup since itsugust last

e in

or

y

ed

Help for beauty businessA BATLEY woman has turned her back onthe search for a job to set up her ownbusiness from home.Maryam Allad looked to self-employmentas a way to pursue her dream ofbecoming a beautician after finishingwith top marks in beauty therapy atKirklees College.Just days after celebrating her 21stbirthday, she signed-off JobseekersAllowance to start her new business,Elegant Beauty UK, with the support of aGovernment enterprise scheme.The national scheme is being run in WestYorkshire by West Yorkshire EnterpriseAgency in partnership with Job CentrePlus on behalf of the Department forWork and Pensions.It is designed to give jobseekers with aviable business idea the financial supportand professional advice that they need toget their idea off the ground.As part of her place on the scheme,Maryam will receive a weekly payment forher first 26 weeks of trading to help takethe financial pressure off as the businessgrows.She said: “I can’t wait to get going andthe payments through this scheme willhelp to support me while I start to slowlybuild-up the business over the next sixmonths.“My parents have also helped me to cover

the costs of my materials and they’ve putaside some space at home where I cansee clients for treatments.”As well as the support of her parents,Maryam has also benefited from havingher own business mentor assigned to herby West Yorkshire Enterprise Agency.Beverley Lyn, director of Lyn Consultingin Wetherby, was matched to Maryambecause she has experience of setting upand running her own business.All the mentors are volunteers from thebusiness community who have offered togive up an hour every fortnight tosupport a participant as they prepare tostart trading and beyond.Maryam has put together a Facebookpage and a website –www.elegantbeautyuk.co.uk – which shewill be using as a platform to promote hernew business.In September, she plans to return toKirklees College to take the NVQ level 3 inbeauty therapy so that she can add to hertreatments with things like hot stonesand Shellac nails.And with three sisters, Maryam isn’t shortof people to practice on as she gears upfor the future. She’s already lookingforward to a possible booking for awedding later in the year.

Neil Wilson is an employment lawyer at ChadwickLawrence Solicitors

EMPLOYER’SBRIEFNeil Wilson

y has been set up

y has

usinesseselop their talented people

, as the

e so high.er

y people of

■ HELPING HAND: Beverley and Maryam put their heads together on the business

Bank provides extra £60m for start-upsBARCLAYS has announced additional funding ofup to £60m for start-ups in England over the nextthree years.

This new funding is expected to support thecreation of 4,200 new businesses, providing themwith growth finance.

The funding from Barclays will support a newpartnership between the bank, a consortium ofenterprise agencies and the National EnterpriseNetwork, which has secured an additional £15mfrom the Regional Growth Fund to supportbusiness growth on top of the £60m already beingprovided by Barclays.

Alongside the new start-up fund, thepartnership between Barclays, NEN and theconsortium will also deliver a programme ofenterprise seminars in areas across the UKidentified as having been particularly affected by

the recession.It will provide the services and support to help

aspiring entrepreneurs take their first steps inbusiness.

The £60m of new funding provided by Barclaysis earmarked specifically for entrepreneurs whosuccessfully complete the programme of trainingand have a viable business plan in place whichhas been endorsed by a dedicated businessmentor.

It is estimated that this funding will enableBarclays to make up to 4,200 additional offers offinance to support the growth plans of newbusinesses, whilst the initiative as a whole willcreate 6,000 new businesses and 4,000 new jobsover a three-year period. It is also expected thatover 24,000 people will have the chance to attendthe “Barclays Get Ready for Business” seminars.

“The key danger point for a start up business isthe stage between setting up the business andgetting finance,” said James Cliffe, northerndivisional director of business banking at Barclays.“This is even more true when we are talking aboutbusinesses being set up in areasdisproportionately hit by the recession.

“Start-ups in these areas often have it toughand they can struggle with low turnover and lackof core business skills, but they are alsopositioned where they can do the most good foremployment and improving the local economy.

“With this funding we’re looking to help newbusinesses that are hungry for success. They willgo through a scheme that helps get them primedfor growth and then we will help the successfulbusinesses with the finance to help drive thatgrowth.”

■ HELP: James Cliffe aims tofind firms hungry for success

KIRKLEES BUSINESS NEWS property Page 6

Increasedincentives

Chartered status achievedSURVEYORS in Yorkshire and Humberare celebrating after achieving thehighly-acclaimed “chartered” status withthe Royal Institution of CharteredSurveyors.They have successfully completed theRICS’ Assessment of ProfessionalCompetence, which typically takescandidates two years to complete.It involves structured training, includingpractical experience and exams, leadingto full membership and increasedearning potential.Some 49 surveyors in the region wereentered for the most recent RICS APC –with 22 being referred. That meansYorkshire and Humber achieved a 55%pass rate.This is slightly lower than other northernregions – the North West scored a 67%pass rate, while 61% of surveyors in theNorth East successfully completed the

APC.Those that have passed can now carrythe letters MRICS after their name, whichis the world’s leading qualification whenit comes to land, property andconstruction.This is maintained by RICS which acts inthe public interest, setting andregulating the highest standards ofcompetence and integrity among itsmembers.David Varley, RICS regional trainingadvisor said: “The APC is designed to bedemanding, as on successful completionof it, these new professionals – many ofwhom have already completed aproperty degree – get to becomechartered surveyors.“This will set them apart from othersurveyors as being more qualified andexperienced; therefore it’s likely they willearn better salaries too.”

A GROWING number ofretail landlords in Yorkshireresorted to offering incent-ives in order to let theirpremises last quarter, says areport.

With occupier demandhaving fallen for the past 12months, the number of land-lords offering inducementpackages – such as rent-freeperiods or financial incent-ives – on retail premises con-tinued to increase, said thelatest RICS UK CommercialMarket Survey.

Last quarter, a net balanceof 29% more respondentsreported rises.

The survey showed thatwith interest in retail floorspace falling, Yorkshire sur-veyors’ expectations forfuture rents were downbeat –as a net balance of 35% morerespondents in the regionpredicted values to continueto fall over the coming threemonths.

Overall demand for com-mercial property in the regionremained relatively subdued,with 9%t more surveyors see-ing a fall rather than a rise ininterest from potential occu-piers.

The survey said uncer-

tainty over the economic pro-spects for the UK in the lightof the continuing turmoil inthe euro area was clearlyaffecting the appetite of busi-nesses to take on morespace.

As a result, expectationsfor rents continued their slidefor the 19th consecutivequarter.

But Graeme Haigh, ofBramleys in Huddersfield,

sa id : “Owner occupierdemand particularly forindustrial property below5000sq ft remains comparat-ively good and suburbanretail is also holding up wellbut offices remain an uphillstruggle.”

Simon Rubinsohn, RICSchief economist, said: “Itseems that ongoing economicuncertainty is continuing totake its toll on the retail sec-tor in particular and land-lords across much of thecountry are having to encour-age would-be occupiers inany way that they can.

“Moreover, with demandset to remain relatively down-beat, it is unlikely that therental picture will see anysignificant improvement inthe near term.

“London still appears to bewhere the most activity istaking place. Prime officespace continues to be soughtafter and rental expectationsare still rising.

“Unfortunately, the morepositive story in the capitalwill only begin to ripple out ifthe economic news flowbegins to improve which, atthis stage, appears some wayoff.”

■ DEMAND: GraemeHaigh, of Bramleys

Town scheme completedAN Elland construction firm hascompleted its work on a £40m towncentre scheme.Broad Street Plaza – a much-anticipatedmixed use development in Halifax towncentre and one of few new developmentsto progress in Leeds City Region inrecent years – has reached practicalcompletion.Marshall Construction, of Elland, whichwas contracted to build the 280,000sq ftdevelopment, has completed the worksand attended an official handover to thescheme’s developer Gregory Projects,another local business.A number of top high street leisure

brands have now been granted access tofit out their units which are expected toopen in late summer/early autumn. Theseinclude Vue Cinema, Pure Gym, Nando’s,TGI Friday’s, Frankie and Benny’s, TheChinese Buffet, Wetherspoons, Harvesterand Pizza Express.The development also incorporates a100-bed Premier Inn hotel, a 429 spacecar park, a Meet and Greet centre forCalderdale Metro and an NHS drop-incentre.The regeneration project gained financialbacking from regional developmentagency Yorkshire Forward and Santanderand started on site in July, 2010.

Agency’s accoladeAN estate agency with offices in Dewsburyhas been commended by the Guild ofProfessional Estate Agents.

Holroyd Miller, which also has a branch inWakefield, was named one of the best estateagents in the North at the guild’s annualconference at Wokefield Park in Reading.

Holroyd Miller was in attendance tocelebrate the outstanding achievements ofthe guild’s 700-strong UK wide network andtake part in the Guild Estate Agent of theYear 2012 Annual Awards Gala.

Holroyd achieved recognition during theawards for its hard work and phenomenalgrowth during the past two years.

More specifically, it was commended forcustomer service and commitment toprofessionalism within the sector.

Marcus Whewell, chief executive of theGuild of Professional Estate Agents, said: “I

am once again delighted to celebrate theoutstanding achievements of our memberagents who are great ambassadors for theguild and the industry.

“The quality of award entries this year wasexceptional, indicating how the guild ismoving forward and assisting its agents togive a better service to the public.”

Simon Miller, of Holroyd Miller, said: “Weare overjoyed to have received thisrecognition.

“We are a young company compared toother guild members, but it seems ourpassion to provide a quality and sincereservice hasn’t gone unnoticed.

“This really is a fabulous commendationand I pass this on to our wonderful team ofprofessionals who have made the businesswhat it is.”

Thirteen appointmentsPROPERTY consultancy Jones LangLaSalle has announced the promotion of 13members of staff in its West Yorkshire office– its first round of promotions since themerger with King Sturge last year.

Mathew Atkinson has been promoted tonational director – the third highestmanagement tier within the property firm’sbusiness – while the newly-promoted local

directors are Paul Davinson, Colin Harropand Kaye Walker.

Jones Lang LaSalle has promoted sixpeople to associate director: Tom Asher,Tom Brammeld, Neil Jewell, James Laidler,Hannah Smith and Lily Wong.

Richard Gale, Ross Haywood and SallySookia – all previously surveyors – havebeen promoted to the role of senior surveyor.

Thinking… outside the booksIt’s timeyou got morefrom your accountantadded value services include…

Tailored programme to maximise profitability

Tailored tax efficient solutions

Regular updates & support to help your business

FREE use of our facilities for your meeting

Support all day, every day

Call Freephone: 08000 32 32 03and quote KBN /1211 to give us the chance to help youachieve your goals, or contact us through our website at:-

www.walker-sutcliffe.co.uk

KIRKLEES BUSINESS NEWS

Housebuilder hopesA DEVELOPER based in Huddersfield hasbeen shortlisted for a construction industryaward.

Towngate Homes, part of theBrockholes-based Conroy Group ofCompanies, is among the finalists in theHousebuilder of the Year Awards 2012 for itsBroomfield Avenue residential developmentin Halifax.

The scheme, which overlooks Savile Park,has been shortlisted in the category for bestDesign for three storeys or fewer.

The three-storey properties represent amodern reinvention of the traditionaltownhouse and were built with traditionalmaterials, including FSC-rated hardwood,Yorkshire stone and high-performance glass.

The interior is designed to maximise

natural light and blur the boundariesbetween internal and external spaces.

Large windows, glass feature walls, glassbalustrades and a stairwell top lit by askylight, allow light to flow through theproperty, while larger than normal entrancehalls and corridors create a sense of spaceand airiness.

The development has proved to be highlysuccessful, with all townhouses now sold orreserved.

The quality, design and flexibility of thesehomes has also attracted a mix of customersincluding downsizers relocating from otherparts of the country, a mother and daughter,and the Church of England, which haspurchased a home for use by visiting clergy.

More job cutsin the pipelineEMPLOYMENT prospectsfor small and medium-sizedenterprises in the construc-tion sector are continuing todeteriorate, said a survey.

More than a third of build-ers reported lower employ-ment levels during the secondquarter of 2012, according tothe latest State of Trade Sur-vey from the Federation ofMaster Builders.

The outlook is little betterwith 30% of constructionSMEs expecting to reduceemployment levels over thenext six months.

Brian Berry, chief execut-ive of the FMB said: “Theresults from the latest FMBsurvey are particularlydepressing.

“After four years of con-tinuous recession in the SMEconstruction sector we wouldhope to be seeing signs of areturn to growth and new jobcreation, not on-going heavyjob losses.”

He said: “The problemsaffecting the constructionsector pose real problems forthe wider economy, not justbecause of the direct cost ofunemployment but because

o f t h e i m p a c t o n t h eindustry’s skills base.

“Evidence from past reces-sions shows that when peopleleave the construct ionindustry they tend not toreturn when the economyrecovers.

“This leaves the construc-tion industry short of skillswhich in turn delays projectsand forces up prices whendemand returns to the mar-ket."

Said Mr Berry: “To helpconstruction SMEs createjobs and promote growth inthe construction sector, theGovernment needs to bem a k i n g b o l d e r p o l i c ydecisions on a range of policyissues such as reform of thecurrent procurement rules,incentives to promote theforthcoming Green Deal ret-rofit initiative and a targeteddrive to increase house build-ing.

“Construction industryprocurement is a particularlyonerous and costly processfor small building companiesand more must be done toprevent the exclusion of thesmall businesses that typic-ally use local materials, locallabour and promote thedevelopment of local skills.

“Both central and localgovernment need to recog-nise that value for money isnot just about the lowestcost.”

Sector’s role crucialEMPLOYERS’ group the CBI has highlightedthe crucial role that the construction sectorhas to play as a job-creator and key player inthe infrastructure renewal urgently neededfor economic growth.

Speaking at the launch of the UKContractors Group’s new campaign,Creating Britain’s Future, Rhian Kelly, CBIdirector for business environment, said: “Ouranalysis shows that the construction sectorhas the potential to create 215,000 jobsacross the UK and throughout the supplychain.

“It is more important than ever that werecognise the role of construction, both as a

catalyst for local job creation across the UKin the short-term, and as the lead mover inthe £250bn infrastructure renewal needed tounderpin economic growth in the long-term.

“To get spades in the ground oninfrastructure delivery, there must be anurgent focus across the UK on bringingforward repair, maintenance andimprovement projects, for example on roads,to deliver immediate and tangible results interms of local jobs and growth.”

The CBI recently published a report on theconstruction sector’s potential for growthcreation, called Bridging the Gap – Backingthe Construction Sector to Generate Jobs.

■ IMPACT: Brian Berry,FMB regional director

AUCTION – Thursday 19 July 2012 7pmAt The Cedar Court Hotel, Lindley Moor Road,Ainley Top, Huddersfield, HD3 3RH

LOT 12 Clough Ing BarnLumb Lane, Almondbury, Huddersfield, HD4 6SZLofty barn (150m2) with stable block, ripe for residential conversion.Stunning rural location with panoramic views.Guide Price: £175,000 – £225,000

LOT 2 58 Market StreetMilnsbridge, Huddersfield, HD3 4HTProminent commercial property in centre of Milnsbridge.Suitable for a variety of uses subject to planning permission.Refurbishment/conversion opportunity with good investment potential.Guide Price: In Excess of £35,000

LOT 3 42 Manchester RoadSlaithwaite, Huddersfield, HD7 5JADetached character dwelling in need of modernisation. Semi rural locationwith excellent views. Suitable for owner occupation/rental purposes.Guide Price: In Excess of £95,000

LOT 4 25-29 Market StreetHuddersfield, HD1 2HLSubstantial town centre commercial property/site opposite Sainsbury’s.Exciting development/conversion opportunity.Guide Price: In Excess of £95,000

LOT 5 Former Honley Council OfficesEastgate, Honley, HD6 6PAProminent landmark building with waterside frontage. Situated close tovillage centre, offering extensive accommodation on three levels.Planning application submitted for residential conversion.Guide Price: In Excess of £125,000

LOT 6 MoorlandsMoorlands Road, Marsh, Huddersfield, HD3 3UHModern detached three bedroom house in pleasant residential locationwith good sized gardens, in need of some refurbishment.Guide Price: In Excess of £100,000

LOT 7 31 Market StreetHeckmondwike, WF16 0EUSubstantial town centre retail/office building with secure yard.Upper parts suitable for residential subject to planning permission.Guide Price: In Excess of £45,000

LOT 10 11a The HoughStump Cross, Halifax, HX3 7AP4 bedroom secluded detatched property withstunning views over Shibden Valley and park.3 Reception rooms, double garage.Guide Price: In Excess of £160,000

LOT 11 Town Hall Hotel52 Huddersfield Road, Elland, HX5 9AHFormer public house, 213m2 (2293 sq ft), located close to Co-op supermarket,Berties Banqueting Rooms and La Cachette. Planning consent for extensionand change of use to C1 hotel and B1 office.Guide Price: £105,000 – £115,000

LOT 8 Dean Bottom WorksStorthes Hall, Huddersfield, HD8 0PPRange of industrial buildings 781m2 (8,406 sq ft) and land 0.34 Ha (0.84 Acres).Good investment/development opportunity.Guide Price: In Excess of £180,000

LOT 9 28 Waterhouse StreetHalifax, HX1 1UQTown Centre Shop requiring full renovation with residentialpotential on upper floors. Close to Yorkshire Bank and Broad Street Plaza.Guide Reduced To £40,000+

LOT 1 76 Ashbrow RoadSheepridge, Huddersfield, HD2 1DFStone built cottage requiring full modernisation in popular residentiallocation. Elevated position with superb views. Gardens to front and rear.Guide Price: In Excess of £35,000

KIRKLEES BUSINESS NEWS Movers and shakers Page 8

It’s time to getinto the swingKIRKLEES businesses people are being urged toget their golfing gear together and help raise cashfor charity.

Meltham Golf Club will host an exclusive golfday on Thursday, August 23, in aid of KirkwoodHospice’s Capital Appeal.

The fun-filled day out is the idea of CapitalAppeal marketing committee member LizBoardall, of Armitage Sykes Solicitors inHuddersfield.

Competitions and attractions on the day willinclude prizes for furthest distance, most accurateshot and best two players per hole, a puttingcompetition, prizes for the best-dressed playersand the most creative shot, a three-courseevening meal with wine and an after-dinnerspeaker.

Said Liz: “We are currently searching for teamsof four to register for the day at a cost of £40 perhead. This is the perfect opportunity for a spot ofteam building with your colleagues. Places arelimited, so please call and sign up your teamwithout delay.”

The hospice at Dalton is also looking forbusinesses and individuals to sponsor a hole onthe course at a cost of £100. Companiessponsoring a hole will also have their nameinscribed onto a single brick in the newpermanent path to be laid in hospice grounds.

Organisers are also looking for donations asprizes for competition winners as well as for araffle.

The money raised at the golf day will gotowards the £3m cost of the extension andre-development of our in-patient unit at thehospice.

For more information or to register your team,contact Marie Peacock on 01484 557911 or emailinfo@capitalappeal.org

Rebecca Hoult & Charlene King

RamsdensSolicitorsA LAW firm with offices in Kirklees hasannounced the qualification of two solicitors.

Rebecca Hoult (above left) and CharleneKing began their training withEdgerton-based Ramsdens in January, 2011,and have received training at numerousbranch offices in a wide variety of areas oflaw.

Ms King will be working in wills and probateand will continue to be based at the firm’sDewsbury office. Ms Hoult will work in thefamily team and will be based atHuddersfield.

Paul Joyce, managing partner, said: “Weare pleased to have been able to offer bothCharlene and Rebecca positions as qualifiedsolicitors, even in the current economicclimate.

“We feel that it is key to the future growth ofthe firm that we recognise talent which willresult in our clients receiving excellent adviceand service from our firm.”

Big names foraward winnerA HUDDERSFIELD law firm has hon-oured a company producing videos andfilms for financial institutions, the arts,music and culture sectors, as well as organ-isations in the manufacturing, health andconsumer goods sectors.

The latest winner of the Eaton SmithBusiness of the Month Award is Hali-fax-based Limehouse.

The firm, launched in 2007 by NickHoward, a former TV producer, hasachieved four-fold business growth in thepast three years as well as a BAFTAnomination. Limehouse is now a 11-strongteam of talented producers, creatives andclient service managers.

Limehouse was recognised for its extens-ive number of blue chip corporate clientsand for putting Yorkshire on the map whenit comes to first-class British creativity.

Limehouse now works with First Direct,Halifax, Lloyds Banking Group, Bettys &Taylors, Morrisons, Glen Dimplex, SimplyPaving, the NHS and National MuseumsLiverpool.

In 2011, the decision was made todevelop three divisions of Limehouse –Corporate, LAB and Heritage – allowingspecialist teams to work in their particulararea of expertise and focus on expandingthese arms of the business. The former

manager of the band The Beautiful Southalso came on board to head up LimehouseLAB

The Business of the Month Award is runin association with the Mid Yorkshire

Chamber of Commerce and UKTI.It is open to firms in Calderdale, Kirklees

and Wakefield. Contact Ian Greenwood atEaton Smith on 01484 821389.

Dalbinder Ram, Chris Procter &Darren Isherwood

OrchardEnvironmentalWASTE management company OrchardEnvironmental has announced three newappointments as it continues to expand itsoperations across the North of England.

Dalbinder Ram (above, left) and ChrisProcter (centre) both have extensiveexperience in the waste and environmentalsector and will work on business developmentfor the Elland firm. Darren Isherwood (right)joins the sales team.

Justin Holley, of Orchard Environmental, saidthe appointments would support the firm’sgrowth strategy, which will see it offering itsone-stop waste management services to newsectors, including clinical, general waste andrecycling clients and promoting its specialistservices which include confidential waste,compacting, oil installation inspection andinterceptor maintenance.

Leader of the pack!

AN insurance product aimed atmotorcyclists has won a top award.

Wilby Ltd picks up one of theprizes at the British InsuranceAwards in London for its innovativeBike Dealer product.

Account executive Neil Kendall(centre) was presented with theCommercial Lines Broking Initiativeof the Year by sponsor’srepresentative Jon Hancock (right)and comedian Jimmy Carr at theRoyal Albert Hall.

Bike Dealer is a businessinsurance policy developed by WilbyLtd to meet the needs of motorcycledealerships.

Backed by QBE, one of the worldsleading insurers, it provides coverthat is specifically tailored to the

needs of motorcycle dealers.The nomination follows three

years of development work on thescheme which has taken it from astanding start to covering nearly 80dealers nationwide with morechoosing to join the Bike Dealerscheme every month.

Richard Blackburn, managingdirector of Halifax-based Wilby Ltd,said “We’ve always been committedto developing solutions for industrieswhere we feel we can offersomething innovative to givebusinesses the insurance cover theyreally need to do business. Thesuccess of Bike Dealer continuesthis tradition and we hope that it willcontinue to grow even further on theback of this award.”

■ ON CAMERA: Steven Pollitt (centre), of Eaton Smith, presents the award to AvramBuchanan (third right), of Limehouse, and colleagues Ruth Pearson (second right) andTracy Keates (right) watched by (from left) Steven Leigh, of the Mid Yorkshire Chamberof Commerce; Carolyn Atkinson, of Sheards; and Heather Guile, of UKTI