KIRKLEES BUSINESS NEWSThe business NEWSpaper for Kir k lees23, October, 2012

INSIDE

● Full story - Page 8

● Full story - Page 6

ROZINA REHMAN

Fu l l i n te r v i ew - Page 3

Do you owe the taxman?Co lumn - Page 4

An EXAMINER publication

CookerycourseA CATERING supplierhas partnered with aleading hospitalitycollege to put its salesstaff through a “TopGun” inspired trainingacademy. Dalton-basedTotal Foodservice isputting nine of itsyoung workers throughtheir paces on a15-month trainingprogramme with KendalCollege. The coursewill arm them with anNVQ Level 3 inbusinessadministration and helpthem live and breathethe food industry.

AfricanadventureA TRAINING companywhich began in a housein Honley has movedinto the internationalmarket with contractsin Africa. Now AstraAccess Safety TrainingLtd, which was set upin 2008 by director MickAston with the help of a£2,000 grant, is aimingto further expand itsbusiness overseas aftercompleting amonth-long project todeliver training inscaffolding use inUganda and Cameroon.

KAREN WYNARD

exam

iner

.co.

uk Themosttrustednewsbrandin thebusiness

FTSE 100- 13 .245882.91

Planning rules ‘hampering regional growth’PLANNING rules will be ahindrance to economic growthin Yorkshire, says a report.

The latest Enterprise Surveyfrom the Institute of CharteredAccountants points to aboveaverage expectations for finan-cial growth in Yorkshire andHumber.

Although turnover and grossprofits growth fell in 2012 tobelow UK average levels, theexpected bounce-back in thecoming 12 months is higherthan the UK average.

However, the strong rise incapital investment growth seen

in 2012 is not expected to con-tinue and staffing levels lookset to remain flat.

The report said Yorkshirebusinesses were likely to haveprofitability as their top prior-ity, followed by increasing cashbalances and paying downdebt.

Chris Manners (pictured),regional director for the insti-tute, said construction firmswere most likely to focus onbuilding up cash and cuttingdebt.

He said: “Half of the region’sbusinesses believe the UK’s tax

and regulatory system is busi-ness-friendly – in line with theUK average.

“However, Yorkshire andHumber businesses have shif-ted their opinion since 2011 toa much greater extent than theUK average. In 2011, barelyone third agreed that the UKtax and regulatory system wasbusiness-friendly.

“And while employmentlegislation and employment taxare hindrances to about six in10 businesses UK-wide, withYorkshire and Humber beingno exception, planning regula-

tion is considered a drawbackby higher than average propor-tions here – 61% comparedwith a UK average of 48% – afurther reflection of theregion’s above average con-struction industry base.”

The institute said it wantedto see new measures to boostfirms – including improve-ments to the UK regulatoryenvironment, more help forfirms looking to export beyondtraditional markets and moregovernment support forstart-ups to help them developand improve survival rates.

Kirklees targetedby manufacturersA RISING tide of manufacturers areseeking quality industrial land andbuildings in Kirklees, claims a WestYorkshire-based property expert.

Mike Dove, partner of Dove HaighPhillips in Leeds, said meeting thispent-up demand and unlocking“deliverable” land is the key to therecovery of the Yorkshire economy.

He said: “We are being besieged bymanufacturers who want quality newpremises in Kirklees.

“This isn’t just idle talk. These man-ufacturers have instructed their engin-eers and architects to draw up detaileddesigns and their lawyers are alreadypreparing draft documentation.

“They are raring to go.“At the same time, the more for-

ward-looking local councils in York-s h i r e , e m b o l d e n e d b y t h eGovernment’s relaxing of the planninglaws, are pro-actively identifying sitesfor inward investment.

“All this adds up to a very brightfuture for the Yorkshire economy,provided the right land becomes avail-able.”

Mr Dove said manufacturers’requirements for land ranged from3,000 sq ft to 50 acres.

He added: “It is invidious to pickout particular councils, because mostare doing their best to encourageinvestment, but Kirklees, with its pion-

eering Huddersfield – The Place ToMake It campaign, has shown a tre-mendous lead.

“Kirklees aren’t just talking the talk,either. They are paying a major part infacilitating the relocation of DavidBrown Engineering from its historic,but increasingly unsuitable, premisesin Huddersfield to a purpose-built,state-of-the-art factory and office sitein nearby Mirfield.

“The new David Brown site is aclassic blueprint for what most manu-facturers now require.

“They want quality premises closeto their workforce, which providemodern and flexible manufacturingand office space.

“They want premises which reflectand represent the values of their busi-ness.

“In Leeds, the new Aire ValleyEnterprise Zone has world class qual-ities and looks set to deliver for theregion.”

Mike Dove said that inquiries werecoming from across all manufacturingsectors, including precision, medicaland nautical engineering, robotics,packaging, electrical controls andgreen fuel delivery.

He said: “All this is potentially tre-mendously good news for Yorkshire,which is already a centre of excellence.The county’s workforce, with its

can-do attitude, is our greatest asset,backed up by an improving transportnetwork.”

Mr Dove said that Dove HaighPhillips was well-positioned to facilit-

ate developments across the county inthe coming years.

He said: “Our aim is to providequality, focused advice, filling a gap atthe top end of the commercial prop-erty market in Yorkshire and the northof England, providing the bespokeservice that our clients need.

“We provide the access to keydecision makers, we spot commercialopportunities that pass others by andwe originate creative solutions forcommercial property deals.

“Delivery is the key. We believestrongly we have delivered, even inthese difficult recessionary times, sofar, and will continue to do so.”

Dove Haigh Phillips was foundedfive years ago by Mike Dove, MikeHaigh and Jonathan Phillips, all previ-ously partners at Knight Frank inLeeds.

It has established itself as ahighly-successful niche player in theYorkshire property market and boastsa string of quality clients.

Mr Dove is a specialist in commer-cial real estate and strategic develop-ment, while Mr Haigh is one of theleading industrial and commercialproperty agents in the north of Eng-land and Mr Phillips is an acknow-ledged expert on property valuationsand investment funding.

■ GOOD NEWS: Mike Dove, ofDove Haigh Phillips, says Yorkshire isalready a centre of excellence

Reaching for success

KIRKLEES BUSINESS NEWS national Page 2

SHARE PRICESLocal shares

FTSEclosed at

5882.91down 13.24

NORTH AMERICANAmerican Express £35.40 -0.07Gannett 1134.44 -3.43Hess Corp £34.04 +0.17Microsoft 1750.16 -36.49Motors Liquidation 46.79Wal-Mart Stores £47.12 -0.05

AEROSPACE & DEFENCEAvon Rbbr 3131/2 -11/2BAE Systems 3131/4 -4Rolls-Royce 869 +1

AIMBrady Plc 1031/2Man Brnze 9

AUTOMOBILES & PARTSG K N 210 -1/4

BANKSBarclays 2353/8 +11/2HSBC 618 +23/4Lloyds Banking Gp 407/8 +3/8Ryl Scotland 2811/2 +1/2Stan Chart 1480 -8

BEVERAGESDiageo 1772 +31/2SABMiller £263/8

CHEMICALSCroda £231/8 -1/8Elementis 98 2271/2 -21/4Johnsn Mat £223/4 -1/2

CONSTRUCTION & MATERIALSBalfour Beatty 312 -3/8Costain 2353/4 +83/4

ELECTRICITYDrax Gp 5211/2 -11SSE 1442 -8

ELECTRONIC & ELECTRICAL EQUIPMENTLaird 2163/4 -1/4

EQUITY INVESTMENT INSTRUMENTSAlliance Trust 3731/2 -2

FIXED LINE TELECOM SERVICESBT Grp 2193/8 +1/2Cable & WirelessComm

373/8

Colt Group 1183/4 +1/2KCOM 77 +3/8Talktalk Telecom 1903/4 +31/4

FOOD & DRUG RETAILERSMorrison W 2693/4 +1/4Sainsbury 3573/4 -3/4Tesco 315 -41/8

FOOD PRODUCERSAB Food 1373 +12Tate Lyle 7191/2Unilever £231/8 -1/8

GAS, WATER & MULTIUTILITIESCentrica 326 -5National Grid 7051/2 -11/2Pennon Grp 729 -51/2Severn 1663 -5United Utils 723 -6

GENERAL FINANCIAL3i Group 2203/4 +7/8ICAP 3233/4 -21/4London StockExch 9861/2 -151/2Man Group 81

Provident Financial 1423 -11Schroders 1555 -8Schroders NV 1237 +5

GENERAL INDUSTRIALSCooksn Grp 5691/2 +51/2REXAM 4613/8 +21/4Smiths Grp 1076

GENERAL RETAILERSAshley L 283/4Carphone Whse 1633/4 -1/2Dixons Retail 211/2Home Retail 1071/4 -21/8Inchcape 3851/8 +1/4Kingfisher 2853/8 +7/8M & S 3901/4 -27/8Mothercare 269 +4Next £36 -1/4WH Smith 6411/2 +7

HEALTH CARE EQUIPMENT & SERVICESSmith Nph 650

HOUSEHOLD GOODSAga Rangemaster 57 -21/2Barrat Dev 192 -11/2Persimmon 794 -15Reckitt Benckiser £363/4 -1/4Taylor Wimpey 601/2 +1/4

INDUSTRIAL ENGINEERINGI M I 932 -3

INDUSTRIAL METALSFerrexpo 1991/4 +11/4

INDUSTRIAL TRANSPORTATIONBBA Aviation 210 -11/4

LIFE INSURANCE

Aviva 3415/8 +43/8Lgl & Gen 1355/8 -11/8Old Mutual 1767/8 -3/4Prudential 8581/2 -21/2Resolution 2201/2 +5/8Standard Life 2901/2 +3/4

MEDIABSkyB 724 -51/2D Mail Tst 4791/4 -3/4HIBU 1/2ITV 89 -1/2Johnston Press 107/8 -3/8Pearson 1212 -6Reed Elsevier 6071/2 -1/2STV Group 933/4 -1/2Trinity Mirror 713/4 +23/8Utd Business 670 -151/2UTV 1401/2 +1/2WPP 838 -2

MININGAnglo American 19081/2 +12Antofagasta 1309 +6BHP Billiton £201/4Eurasian NaturalRes

3453/4 -31/8

Fresnillo 1916 +24Kazakhmys 7561/2 -61/2Lonmin 507 +87/8Rio Tinto £32 -1/8VEDANTARESOURCES

1142 +7

Xstrata 9923/4 +2

MOBILE TELECOM SERVICESInmarsat 5691/2 -5Vodafone Group 177 -1/2

NONLIFE INSURANCEAdmiral Grp 1147 -2RSA Insurance Gp 1151/2 -1/8

OIL & GAS PRODUCERSBG 13421/2 -8BP 4431/2 -7Cairn Energy 2811/4 -61/2Royal Dutch Shell A £211/2Royal Dutch Shell B £22Total £32 -1/4Tullow Oil 1458 +3

OIL EQUIPMENT & SERVICESAMEC 1105 -16

Petrofac 1578 -37Wood Gp(J) 8601/2 -15

PERSONAL GOODSBurberry Gp 1172 -16PHARMACEUTICALS & BIOTECHNOLOGY

Astrazeneca £293/8 -1/8GlaxoSmithK 51/2Shire 1822 -33

REAL ESTATEBrit Land 5351/2 -3Captl Shop Cent 3361/4 +21/4Hamrsn 4791/2 -37/8Land Secs 810 -2SEGRO 2365/8 -1/2

SOFTWARE ETC SERVICESInvensys 2241/4 -5/8Sage Group 3071/8 -17/8

SUPPORT SERVICESBerendsen 565 -31/2Bunzl 1037 -1Capita 734 +51/2De La Rue 1071 +2Electrocomp 2121/4 +3/4Experian 1047 -24G4S 2643/4 +3/4Hays 82 +13/8Homeserve 2391/8 +81/8Menzies J 612 -71/2Rentokil 875/8 -3/8Smiths News 1451/4 +11/4Wolseley £265/8 -5/8

IT HARDWAREARM Hldgs 5941/2 +31/2Psion 873/4 -1/8

Spirent Comms 1497/8 -1/8

TOBACCO

Br Am Tob £321/8 +1/4Imperial Tobacco £231/8 +1/4

LEISURE & HOTELS

Bwin.Party Digital 1213/4 -11/8Carnival £245/8Compass Grp 685 +1/2easyJet 608 -91/2Enterprise Inns 751/4 +1/4FirstGroup 1901/4 +7/8Go-Ahead Gp 1374 +30Greene King 5971/2 -11/2Intercontl Htls 1592 +6Intl Cons AirlinesGp

1593/4 -21/2

Ladbrokes 1801/4 -7/8Mitchells & Butlers 3231/4 -11/4Natl Express 2087/8 -1Rank Org 1513/4 +1/2Stagecoach Group 2761/4 -2TUI Travel 2557/8 +37/8Whitbread £231/4 -1/4

INDEXFTSE 100 5882.91 -13.24

INDEXFTSE 250 12040.01 -34.29

Carclo 3721/8 -73/8Marshalls 88 +2National Grid 7051/2 -11/2Weir Gp 1778 -19

TOURIST RATES

Tourists going abroad can expectthe following rates for sterling:Australia...................... 1.47 dollarsBangladesh................. 122.87 takaBrazil.............................. 2.90 realsCanada....................... 1.52 dollarsChina ............................. 8.96 yuanCzech Republic ...... 28.00 korunasDenmark....................... 8.71 kroneEuro............................... 1.17 euroHong Kong................ 11.79 dollarsHungary ................... 306.18 forintsIndia.......................... 75.83 rupeesJapan........................... 121.48 yenMexico ....................... 18.37 pesosNew Zealand .............. 1.83 dollarsNorway ......................... 8.64 kronePakistan.................. 143.92 rupeesPhilippines ................. 56.83 pesosSouth Africa ................. 12.97 randSouth Korea.............. 1542.00 wonSri Lanka ................ 195.79 rupeesSweden....................... 10.07 kronaSwitzerland.................. 1.41 francsTaiwan ...................... 40.96 dollarsTurkey....................... 2.72 new liraUSA ............................ 1.53 dollars

OIL giant BP is to take a near-20%stake in what will become the world’slargest publicly listed oil producer aspart of a £16.7bn deal.

State-backed Russian energy firmRosneft has agreed to buy BP’s 50%stake in its troubled TNK-BP jointventure for £10.7bn in cash and £6bnworth of Rosneft shares.

The deal, which is subject to stateand regulatory approvals, will see BPgrab a 19.75% stake in Rosneft, whichwill become the world’s biggest publiclytraded oil company with daily crudeoutput of more than 3m barrels.

BP chairman Carl-Henric Svanberghailed the move as “an important dayfor BP”.

BP will reinvest £2.9bn of the cashreceived in the deal to buy part of itseventual stake in Rosneft, equal toaround 5.66%.

Signing of the definitive agreementsis conditional on the Russian govern-ment agreeing to the sale of this part ofthe stake.

BP expects to have two seats onRosneft’s nine-person main board aspart of the deal.

BP and Rosneft now have an exclus-ivity period of 90 days to negotiatefully-termed sale and purchase agree-ments.

Completion is also subject to certainclosing conditions, including govern-mental, regulatory and anti-trustapprovals, which is currently expectedto happen in the first half of 2013.

Mr Svanberg said: “Russia is vital toworld energy security and will beincreasingly significant in years tocome. Russia has also been an import-ant country for us over the past 20years. Our involvement has moved with

the times. TNK-BP has been a goodinvestment and we are now laying a newfoundation for our work in Russia.”

Rosneft and the four Russian billion-aires who own the other half ofTNK-BP – known as Alfa-Access-Ren-ova (AAR) – have also signed a memor-andum of understanding that would

see Rosneft acquire their stake at a laterdate.

BP said it supports Rosneft in itsplans to acquire additional equitystakes from other shareholders inTNK-BP.

TNK-BP is Russia’s third largest oilproducer. It employs about 50,000 staffand has assets across Russia and theUkraine. It had an average daily pro-duction in 2011 of 1.987m barrels of oilequivalent a day.

BP has had a fraught relationshipwith AAR, although the joint ventureis thought to have earned the Britishfirm £11.8bn in dividends.

A dispute between BP and AAReffectively sank a proposed tie-upbetween the British super-major andRosneft last year, which included Arcticexploration plans.

ROLLS-ROYCE has secured a “sig-nificant” contract to power the USNavy’s upcoming fleet of new hover-craft.

The UK manufacturer will workwith a subsidiary of US defence firmTextron Systems to build the craft,which will be 11% more fuel efficientthan the existing fleet.

The hovercraft are used by the USgovernment in a number of roles,including supporting the deploy-ment of military personnel and inhumanitarian relief efforts wheredocks or fixed ports are not avail-able.

The Ship-to-Shore Connector pro-gramme aims to replace the US

Navy’s current fleet over the next 20years and could extend to 73 in total.If the full fleet is built, it would lead tothe manufacture of more than 300gas turbines, according to the com-pany.

Andrew Marsh, president ofRolls-Royce’s naval division, said:“This is an exciting and significantproject for Rolls-Royce to beinvolved with.”

Rolls has not disclosed the valueof the project.

E a c h S S C w i l l u s e f o u rRolls-Royce MT7 gas turbines,derived from the same engine whichpowers the US Marine Corps’ V-22Osprey tilt-rotor aircraft.

Claims work hits staffingBUSINESSES that have taken on PPImis-selling claims processing forbanks are struggling to retain con-tractors – with up to 50% of employ-ees leaving every year, it is claimed.

BrightPool, the specialist financialservices recruiter, said PPI mis-sellingclaims more than doubled in the firsthalf of 2012..

Banks have outsourced the pro-cessing of PPI mis-selling claims asthe banks do not have the capacity toprocess the volume of claims beingmade.

BrightPool said the annual “churnrate” for PPI claims processing con-tractors has reached 50% – because

businesses were hiring inexperiencedcontractors who were quitting ormoving to different claims handlingteams due to the pressure to clear theenormous backlog of claims.

Angela Hickmore, managing dir-ector of BrightPool, said: “Businessesprocessing PPI claims have been try-ing to increase the number of staffdealing with these claims, but they’reswimming against the tide.

“It’s becoming a real struggle tokeep staff, as PPI claims handlingdepartments tend to be veryhigh-pressure environments, withextremely repetitive and target-basedtasks.”

LLOYDS Banking Groupis reportedly consideringa shake-up of pay thatcould see it ditch annualbonuses for senior staffand extend long-termincentives to up to 10years.

The 40% state-ownedlender raised theproposals with investorsin a bid to calmshareholder anger overpay that has built up inthe last year, accordingto newspaper reports.

Lloyds is thought to beconsidering new triggerpoints for pay-outs,including one relating tothe bank’s share pricehitting the average priceof 74p – equivalent tothe price paid by theGovernment for itsstake.

The scrapping ofannual bonuses and the10-year timeframe forpay-outs, compared withthe standard three yearsfor typical long-termawards, were the mostradical of a range ofoptions.

A Lloyds BankingGroup spokeswomansaid: “We keep ourremuneration plansunder review at all timesbut have no currentplans to change ourstructures and do notexpect to do so in theforeseeable future.”

Some of Britain’sbiggest companies –including banks – weresubject to a shareholderspring earlier this year,which saw a series ofrebellions over pay.

Barclays was stungwhen nearly a third ofshareholder votes failedto back its pay awards.

Bank inlink topay plan

US Navy deal for Rolls-Royce

BP secures stakein Russian oil giant

■ OIL WELL: BP called its £16.7bndeal with Rosneft “an important day”

KIRKLEES BUSINESS NEWS profile Page 3

Howarths

HENRYK ZIENTEK

Work: Employment law special-istsSite: CleckheatonEmployees: 10Phone: 01274 864999Email: info@howarths-uk.comWeb www.howarths-uk.com

RozinaRehmanRole: Legal AssistantAge: 25Holidays: Paris, FranceCar: Renault ClioFirst job: Straight from collegeto Howarths!Best thing about job: Work-ing with the Howarths teamWorst thing about job: Theprinter being downstairs!Business tip: A little moreeffort into your work goes a longway

Brightfuture instore forRozina

THERE’S nothing like a little retailtherapy to lift the spirits.

Legal assistant RozinaRehman happily admits to beingsomething of a shopaholic.

Colleagues atCleckheaton-based employmentlaw specialist Howarths are wellaware of Rozina’s passion forshopping – and that the weekendwouldn’t be complete without atrip to the mall.

“As every girl on earth willknow, nothing gives you more ofa thrill then when you have justbought a new bag, dress, shoesor accessories,” she says.

“I have an obsession with retailshopping – and that’s thanks tomy mum who is equally asobsessed and made me fall inlove with it.

“I love the Trafford Centre andthe White Rose Centre is almostmy second home!

“It’s very therapeutic and betterthan relaxing at home – althoughit can be very expensive.

“With Christmas coming I willbe buying tons of gifts for familyand friends – as well as a fewthings for myself!.”

Rozina’s most recent holidaywas to Paris. “I did lots ofshopping,” she says. “I like seeingplaces rather than lazing on thebeach. I don’t mind half a day, butany more and I need to be doingsomething.”

Rozina is also a big film fanand enjoys various genres ofmovies.

“From an early age, as far as Ican remember, my father got meinto watching different genres ofmovies from spaghetti westernsto sci-fi movies,” she says.

“My favourite classic movie isBarefoot in the Park with RobertRedford and Jane Fonda, but Ilove lots of films.

“If I hadn’t been able to find myfeet with Howarths, I would havepursued a career in the mediaindustry, preferably as a moviecritic.

“But I’m happy now justwatching movies and enjoying mytime at Howarths.”

Rozina started work atHowarths in 2007 as anadministration assistant – her firstjob after leaving college with fourA levels.

Says Rozina: “After finishingmy A levels, I wasn’t sure whatcareer I wanted to pursue and

this didn’t help me in choosing adegree at a university.

“Having looked at variousdegrees being offered atuniversities, nothing jumped outto me.

“I therefore didn’t want toobtain just any degree and didn’twant to be doing a degree forthree years on something myheart wasn’t into.

“Then the job at Howarthscame along. I was delighted toaccept the administrationassistant role that was offered tome.

“This was my first ever job andI like the fact that my skills andknowledge have grown with thecompany.”

She says: “Law was one of myA levels at Dewsbury College andI enjoyed my studies, but I didn’tknow what kind of work I wantedto go into.”

Rozina, who grew up inCleckheaton and still lives in thetown, has now worked for

Howarths for more than five yearsand has progressed from being amember of the admin staff to alegal assistant role. She is nowtraining to be an adviser.

“As an admin assistant, Iwanted to put every effort into mywork no matter how big or small ajob was and produce results thatthe company was proud of,” shesays.

“At Howarths, from the verybeginning, I felt like part of theteam and very much as a familyand it meant a lot for us to makewhat we had a success.

“I worked in all parts of thebusiness, but I got reallyinterested in the law side ofthings.

“I managed to get hands-onexperience in various sections ofthe company including marketingand organising seminars andtraining courses before going intothe legal side.

“It made sense to step into alegal role as I had attained an ALevel in law, which I quiteenjoyed.”

Rozina is currently undertakingan Employment Law Diplomacourse at Bolton Royd College inBradford and is training to be anadviser.

She is also assisting withtribunal work, under thesupervision of Charlotte Lloyd,non-practising solicitor.

“This is the most wonderfulopportunity that Howarths hasgiven me,” says Rozina.

“Enabling me to find my feetwithin the company has helped

me find something that I reallyenjoy doing.

“Every day is different; I getto speak to different clientswho have various queries.

“Knowing that I have helpedand guided managers withtheir employee issues, givesme great satisfaction at theend.

“I am getting to the stagewhere I an able to provideadvice to clients and hopefully,my career will take off further.

“I also produce companyhandbooks and contracts ofemployment.

“This is something allbusinesses should have astribunals award costs againstcompanies that have notissued employees withcontracts.

“It encourages handbooksand polices to be put in placeto help managers follow thecorrect procedures that theywould face day-to-day.”

When she isn’t browsing theshops, Rozina can be found inthe kitchen.

“I started attending cookerylessons every Tuesday,” shesays. I decided to get into itand learn to cook decent foodproperly.

“I enjoy all the cookeryshows, particularly The GreatBritish Bake Off, althoughcakes aren’t my speciality yet!”

■ SHOP TALK: Rozina Rehman, legal assistant ay employment lawspecialist Howarths, says there’s nothing like a little retail therapy

KIRKLEES BUSINESS NEWSlocal Page 4

TAXTALKColin Barratt

Colin Barratt is tax partner at Wheawill and Sudworth chartered accountants, Huddersfield

Karen Wynard is head of corporate services at Eastwood & Partners (Financial Services) Ltd

FINANCIALFOCUSKaren Wynard

Here’s how to puton the styleTHERE’S food for thought tomorrowwhen style expert Deborah Ogdenpresents the latest Knowledge Sandwichsession at the Media Centre inHuddersfield.Deborah, who heads Honley-based StyleConfidence Ltd, will share advice withlocal businesses on how to make a greatfirst impression.She said: “Today's economic climatemeans more individuals are having to getout there and personally ‘sell’ theirbusiness and for many it’s a dauntingtask. I help by working on appearance,building confidence and non-verbalcommunication.”The event is free and runs from 12.30pmto 1.30pm. Book via the Media Centre on01484 483000.

Networking end toa busy weekBUSINESS people in Calderdale havebeen invited to an informal networkingevent.The Last Friday Club stages its nextget-together from 12.30pm to 1.30pm onFriday at Bar Eleven in Halifax.The networking group’s supportingpartners are the Lockwood-based MidYorkshire Chamber of Commerce,Ramsdens Solicitors, Begbies Traynorand Barclays.The lunchtime networking meetings arefree and run on the last Friday of everymonth.

Make some travellers’ checksIT is commonplace for employees to

undertake work-related business travel– often incurring significant travellingand subsistence expenses.

A potential problem, which can often beoverlooked, is whether such costs, particularlywith the use of an employee’s own car, qualifyfor tax relief.

Under normal circumstances, ordinarycommuting costs to and from an employee’spermanent place of work do not qualify for taxrelief. Where an employee chooses to live andhow far he has to travel to get to work is amatter of personal choice and no matter howfar the regular journey is, it will not be anallowable expense.

Where an employee is required to travel to atemporary workplace, for example to a clientor customer, then the cost of that travel will bea business expense.

So if an employee travels from his normalworkplace to a temporary one and thenreturns to the normal workplace, the whole ofthe expense of that return journey will beallowable.

If the employee travels directly from home tothe temporary workplace and returns directlyhome, the whole of that expense would beallowable as business travel, even if that tripwas less distance and less expensive than thenormal commuting trip to the permanent

workplace.From the above, it will be seen that for a

business journey to qualify for tax relief it mustbe a journey to or from a temporary workplaceand not to or from the permanent workplaceof the employee.

The important question therefore is what is apermanent workplace and what is a temporaryone?

A temporary workplace is a workplace towhich the employee goes only to perform atask of limited duration or for a temporarypurpose.

This would be the case where an employeeexpects to be at a place of work for less than 24months. The costs of travelling between homeand that temporary workplace will qualify fortax relief on the full cost.

So if an employee is required to work at aparticular client’s premises for a short periodof time it will be a temporary workplace. Thisis a particularly relevant for site-based employ-ees.

But those who work regularly at differentworkplaces, for example three days a week atthe Huddersfield office and two days a week atthe Halifax office will be regarded as workingat two permanent workplaces so that theexpenses of travel from home to either placewill be regarded as ordinary commuting.Travel between the two bases will, however, bebusiness travel.

In giving tax relief for business travel the fullcosts of the business journey will be allowedand this includes other costs integral to thejourney, for example parking fees, costs for anynecessary overnight accommodation andevening meals.

The rules for travelling and subsistenceexpenses can give valuable tax relief for manyemployees who are site-based, rather thanhaving a permanent workplace, but it isimportant to keep a note of all expensesincurred otherwise HMRC may deny tax reliefto which an employee is entitled.

Paying your dues!WITH a growing focus from HM Rev-

enue & Customs on closing downaggressive tax avoidance schemes, it isalso worth noting that current HMRCactivity is not simply constrained to tar-geting the wealthy.

Since HMRC launched an amnesty inrespect of undeclared offshore income in2007, tax amnesties have become even morecommonplace as attempts continue to ensureeveryone pays the tax they owe.

In July, HMRC launched a number of taxamnesties to encourage individuals to makegood any unpaid tax liabilities they may haveoutstanding with the latest amnesties alsofocusing on specific roles such as doctors oronline traders.

HMRC have even refined this to specificoccupations in specific regions to allow theirtaskforce to further focus their attentions.

Perhaps the main initiative of interest,however, is the Tax Return initiative launchedon July 3 which is targeted at individuals whopay tax at 40% or above and who should havesubmitted a Self-Assessment tax return. Thequestion is, are you affected and should youtake advantage of the amnesty?

Should I have completed a tax return? Thiscampaign is primarily targeted at individualswho have been sent a Self Assessment taxreturn or have been told they are required tocomplete one but have so far failed to do so.

The first phase is focused on individualswho have failed to complete returns for2009/10 or earlier.

Do you owe any unpaid tax? HMRC aretargeting people who they know to be higheror additional rate tax payers, as quite oftenthey know this through the PAYE system(utilised for employed pay and for pensionincome by pension providers).

The expectation is that these people may

also have additional income which has notbeen declared - such as interest from bankdeposits or dividends from shares. It should beremembered that this quite often is paid net ofbasic rate tax and may need to be declared viaa self-assessment tax return.

What you may not realise though, is that thecampaign is also directed at others who per-haps should have completed a tax return butfailed to do so even though they were notinvited to do so e.g those who may haveincurred a chargeable event gain from encash-ing an investment bond, as this can have theeffect of pushing you into higher rate tax or ifyou are of a certain age (pensioners), impacton your age-related personal income taxallowance.

Both situations could mean additional taxwas payable, but this quite often needs to bedeclared to HMRC for them to know that thistax is due.

What is the benefit of responding to theamnesty? The standard penalties for not sub-mitting a self-assessment return are as fol-lows:

● £100 is charged when a return is late withanother £100 for returns that are still out-standing six months later. Interest and sur-charges are also payable on any tax paid late

● HMRC can also charge a penalty basedon the amount owed. This can be as much as100 % of the tax if you are affected, however,and you send in your completed tax returnsfor years 2009-10 or earlier and pay any tax

you owe before October 2, 2012, then, in somecircumstances the latter penalty (based on theamount owed) could be reduced to nothing

● By taking part in the campaign, peoplewill receive the best terms on offer and HMRCexpects that most will not have to pay thispenalty. It is always better to come to HMRCbefore they come to you.

Although the amnesty can assist those whodo owe tax to avoid greater penalties, thisneeds to be a timely reminder to ensure yourtax affairs are in order and that any claims youhave made were appropriate.

It should also be a reminder to make sureyour investments are held as tax-efficiently aspossible as it may be that, with better financialplanning, you can reduce or eliminate anyincreased tax liabilities.

For example use of ISA allowances ors i m p ly re - a r r a n g i n g ow n e r s h i p o fincome-producing investments to a lowertax-paying spouse could be simple yet effect-ive solutions.

As always please contact us for furtherguidance or if you require any advice on theabove issues.

Please note that the Financial ServicesAuthority does not regulate taxation advice.

The tax treatment outlined above dependson the individual circumstances of theinvestor and may be subject to change in thefuture.

Independent financialplanning services for

companies and individualsEastwood & PartnersEastwood & Partners

(Financial Services) Ltd(Financial Services) LtdPennine House, Lowfields Close, Lowfields

Business Park, Elland HX5 9DA01422 377737

www.eastwoodfinancial.co.ukAuthorised and Regulated by the Financial Services Authority

LOOKING TO BUY OR SELL A BUSINESS?Use our knowledge and experienceto guide you through the process:

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To discuss your plans in confidence pleasecontact David Butterworth

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KIRKLEES BUSINESS NEWS property Page 6

Buyers get adviceover older properties

A NEW service has been launched in York-shire to help buyers of older houses andthose undertaking renovation projects.

Consumers are becoming increasingly lessinclined to rely purely on lender informationwhen taking out mortgages, according to theRoyal Institution of Chartered Surveyors.

And older or more unusual homes oftenrequire a greater level of repair and improve-ment, it said.

Now the RICS has launched its BuildingSurvey to provide the buyer with a compre-hensive analysis of the property.

Armed with this information, the buyerthen has the option to renegotiate the priceor take or leave an offer with increasedconfidence about their investment.

In April, 2012, consumer magazineWhich? recommended that consumers com-mission RICS members to carry out struc-tural surveys when buying, selling orimproving a home.

The survey provides a comprehensive andeasy to understand report on all aspects of

the property, including a full breakdown onthe fabric and condition of the property,with a diagnosis of defects, and repairs andmaintenance advice.

RICS regional spokesman Bruce Collin-son said: “A home is the most expensiveasset most of us will buy and older or moreunusual properties often require morerenovation work than newer homes.

“So when purchasing a property like thisor taking on a development project, it isimportant that buyers know exactly whatthey are getting themselves into, otherwisethey could potentially lose thousands ofpounds.

“The new RICS Building Survey offers adetailed assessment of a property’s condi-tion and is designed with more unusualhomes in mind.

“Commissioning a survey helps home-buyers to make a more informed decision ontheir purchase, and gives them greater nego-tiating power, which could ultimately savethem thousands of pounds.”

Sky’s the limit forcompany followingAfrican contracts

■ ROOM FOR IMPROVEMENT: The RIC haslaunched a Building Survey to help people buying orrenovating older properties

A TRAINING company which began in ahouse in the Holme Valley has moved intothe international market with contracts inAfrica.

Now Astra Access Safety Training Ltd –which was set up in 2008 by director MickAston in his spare room at home in Honleywith the help of a £2,000 grant – is aiming tofurther expand its business overseas

Astra has just completed a month-longproject in Uganda and Cameroon after beingasked to deliver training in use of scaffoldingand working at heights at the two locations inthe African oilfields.

Mr Aston said: “ Our name had been givento the HR department at the London office ofthe oil company.

“When they asked if we would beinterested in the training, I presumed it wouldbe in the UK or offshore, but when the girlsaid it was in Africa, it was a bit of a shock.

“We sorted out the logistics of flights,accommodation and transport whilst inAfrica, then the next thing we were theredelivering the training courses.”

Said Mr Aston: “Although the training wasin Africa, the UK health, safety andscaffolding criteria was followed as it is highlyregarded as the benchmark throughout theworld.”

This year has also seen Astra delivering

overseas training in France, Ireland and on abarge in the North Sea that is installing windturbines.

Another trip to Africa looks likely andtraining in Dubai, America and Europe are inthe pipeline.

Back in Yorkshire the company hasinvested £100,000 at its 18-metre high,50,000sq ft workspace in Wakefield bycreating a full-size four-bedroom house and10-metre high steel-frame structure, both fordemonstration and scaffold trainingpurposes.

The firm has also put in a suite ofclassrooms and will incorporate new officessoon.

Said Mr Aston: “The huge base means wecan improve and expand our comprehensivepackage of health and safety consultancyand training services – all designed tosupport workers operating at height, whetherthat is on scaffolding, mobile towers,elevating work platforms such as cherrypickers and scissor lifts, or simply on laddersand steps.”

Astra has worked with clients in theconstruction, utilities, cleaning and otherindustries for the last four years.

Their services are targeted at any businesswhere people get their feet off the ground.

Workloads slumpfor housebuildersWORKLOADS among small housebuilding businesses have slumped,according to an industry survey.The latest State of Trade Survey fromthe Federation of Master Builders saidthe recession was continuing for smalland medium-sized enterprises in theconstruction sector.The survey said the continuingdeterioration in the SME housebuilding sector will be a big concernfor the Government – havingacknowledged that new house buildingis key to delivering jobs and growth inthe British economy.An alarming 39% of respondents to theFMB survey reported a decline inprivate new house building workloadsin the third quarter of the year while40% predict a further decline in the lastthree months of this year.Brian Berry, chief executive of the FMB,said: “There is little doubt that we arein the midst of a serious housing crisiswith fewer than half the number of newhomes being built to meet currentdemand.“The FMB survey results show that theSME construction sector remains indeep trouble.“This time last year we had hoped thatwe would be seeing at least somesigns of recovery on the horizon bynow. However, it is becoming clear thatthis situation is not going to resolveitself any time soon.”Said Mr Berry: “With the industry insuch a fragile state, the Governmentmust think very carefully aboutintroducing any new burdens on thehouse building sector.“Now is not the time to be pushing onwith policies designed during theeconomic boom. Instead, real progressis required on deregulation.”

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KIRKLEES BUSINESS NEWS

Showroom openingA COMPANY selling timber products hascreated four jobs with the opening of a newshowroom.

Timber Specialists has launched the5,000sq ft showroom as part of efforts toboost its presence in the retail market afterbeing known for many years solely as asupplier to the building trade.

The firm, which now has 20 employees,has also moved its office into new premisesat Queen’s Mill Road, Lockwood, hasdemolished old sheds to create space forcustomer parking and storage.

The new showroom was officially openedby company chairman Peter Jenkinsonwatched by staff.

Kevin Smith, director of Timber Specialists,said: “This is a massive development for us.We started in 1996 and for 15 years we have

been a trade-only business.“We have seen companies close and go

bust and we were taking a bigger slice of thepie – but that pie has been getting smaller.

“We decided to open ourselves up to theretail side as well. Until 12 months ago, youcould have driven past our premises and notknown who we were or what we did.

“Now we have flags and signs up and byspring next year we will be a one-stop shopfor either domestic or trade customers.”

Mr Smith said the company, which is alsolaunching a new website, also aimed toattract the agricultural sector with a newdepartment offering fencing – complementingexisting products such as decking, insulationboards and plasterboards, windows, doorsand door frames.

■ TIMBER FRAMED: Chairman Peter Jenkinson cuts the ribbon to mark the opening of thenew showroom for Timber Specialists as members of staff look on

Sue lands placein awards finalA WOMAN in a man’s worldhas been shortlisted for a topaward.

Sue Wimpenny (pictured),who has worked alongsideh u s b a n d Ja m e s i n t h eShepley-based Wimpennyconstruction business, isamong the five finalists in theWomen in Property and Con-struction category of theI n t e r n at i o n a l A s p i r i n gWomen Awards 2012.

She will compete with theother nominees at an awardsceremony to be held in earlyNovember at Villa Park inBirmingham.

The Aspir ing WomenAwards celebrate the achieve-ments of women throughoutthe world and inspires thoseto achieve at all levels in busi-ness and corporate life.

The Wimpenny Group, afamily business, traces its ori-gins to 1884 and is synonym-ous with landmark buildingsaround Yorkshire and theNorth of England.

Sue has set up her ownbrand, The Lady Builder,

which works mainly in centralLondon and specialises inproject managing houserenovations and extensionsfor women who are busy bal-ancing careers with familylife.

Said Sue: “Running TheLady Builder is exhilarating.Every job is different and Ienjoy working very closelywith my clients.

“If they want a Sex in theCity-style walk-in wardrobe

or a garden that becomes partof the day-to-day living spacethen that’s what I strive toachieve.

“I love designing and creat-ing and I appreciate I’mextremely lucky to love mywork.”

She said: “Women have akeen eye for detail and canmultitask; yet every week Imeet men who are curious asto why I work in the construc-tion field.

“I’m constantly enquiringh ow m a ny wo m e n a r eemployed within certain sec-tors of our business and itdoes make some of the malessit up and think that theyought to widen their horizonsand attitudes.

“It's a huge honour to havebeen nominated in the firstplace but I'm overwhelmed atbecoming a finalist.

“ I f yo u w a n t t o d osomething you can and will.Don’t let gender stereotypesin any industry make youdoubt your ability to reach thetop.”

FOR SALEHighfieldUnited Reformed ChurchEarlsheaton, Dewsbury, WF12 8BB1 Substantial detached church1GIA 384m2 (4,133 sq ft)1 Large private car park1Alternative use potential (STP)Price: Offers around £275,000

FOR SALEFormer Bradley Mills Social ClubLeeds Road, Huddersfield, HD1 6PA1 Substantial former club premises1 Prominent frontage to Leeds Road1Adjoinng Leeds Road retail park1 Suitable for a variety of uses STPPPrice: Offers around £120,000

TO LET24 Long CausewayPrincess of Wales Precinct, Dewsbury, WF13 1NH1Modern retail premises1 119.19m2 (1,282 sq ft)1 Prime town centre locationRent: On Application

FOR SALE/TO LETConcept HouseCowlersley Lane, Linthwaite, Huddersfield, HD7 5TQ1High spec. designer offices with adjoining workshop1 Pleasant working environment1Ample parking/expansion land1 Potential for residential redevelopmentPrice: Offers around £325,000Rent: £22,500 per annum exclusive

TO LETModern Industrial UnitsFieldhouse Business Park, Old Fieldhouse Lane,Leeds Road, Huddersfield, HD2 1FA1 Immediately available modern secure units1 Leeds Road corridor1Unit 6 – 10,362 sq ft, Unit 9 – 10,322 sq ft

Unit 10 – 13,706 sq ftRents: from £4.50psf exclusive

TO LETIndustrial UnitUnit 4c, Armytage Road, Brighouse, HD6 1QF1Modern single-storey workshop units1 10,000 sq ft1 To be refurbished1 Self-contained with yard/loading1Adjacent to J25 of M62 motorwayRent: On Application

KIRKLEES BUSINESS NEWS Movers and shakers Page 8

Andy Gabbitass

BirleyManufacturingHUDDERSFIELD man Andy Gabbitass hasbeen appointed to the project managementteam at Sheffield-based Birley Manufacturing.

Brighouse-born Mr Gabbitass (pictured) hasmore than 15 years experience in the sector,during which time he has secured maintenancecontracts with high street retailers includingPret a Manger and handled installation workwith Artform International, installing kiosks inTesco and Asda. Most recently, he has workedon Barclays Bank refurbishment projects.

Birley Manufacturing is one of the UK’sleading manufacturers of shop interiors and railcarriage equipment, working with major namesincluding Waitrose, Sainsbury’s, NatWest andEast Midlands Trains.

Outside work, Andy is a black belt karateinstructor, having competed at internationallevel and likes to keep fit running and weighttraining.

Birley Manufacturing managing directorSteve English said: “We are delighted to haveAndy on board. He brings with him a wealth ofexperience with key high street retailers. He willbe a great addition to our project managementteam.”

It’s a five-star winnerA HOTEL group withoperations in Huddersfield hasadded another prize to itstrophy cabinet.

Cedar Court Hotels, whichhas a hotel at Ainley Top, was awinner at Yorkshire’s WhiteRose Awards.

The group’s Cedar CourtGrand Hotel & Spa in York tookthe award for Large Hotel ofthe Year, completing aremarkable 12 months in whichit also received its formalfive-star certification from theAA and Two AA Rosettes forThe Grill Room at The Grandrestaurant.

Judges praised the hotel forits “sheer opulence” as well asits “highly professional, yetfriendly staff”.

Hotel general manager MariaFlorou said: ““We are so proudto win this award because weknow what a tough category itis. The White Rose Awards areconsidered a real barometer ofquality both in the tourismindustry and for consumers,and Large Hotel of the Year is

historically one of the hardestawards to win.”

The White Rose Awards arerun by tourism agencyWelcome to Yorkshire and arethe biggest tourism awards inthe UK.

Cedar Court Grand Hotel &Spa, York is Yorkshire’s only

five-star hotel. It has 107bedrooms, including 13 suitesand a penthouse. Many of therooms in the Grade II listedbuilding have views of thehistoric City Walls. Cedar CourtHotels also has four-star hotelsin Wakefield, Leeds/Bradfordand Harrogate.

■ ROOM SERVICE: John Horvath (front left), Cedar CourtGroup hotel director; and general manager Maria Florou (frontright), accept the award

Kitchen crew’sTop Gun tester!A CATERING supplier in Huddersfieldhas partnered with a leading hospitalitycollege to put its sales staff through a “TopGun” inspired training academy.

Dalton-based family firm Total Food-service is putting nine of its young workersthrough their paces on a 15-month trainingprogramme with Kendal College.

The course will see the cadets achieve anNVQ Level 3 in Business Administration,whilst helping them live and breathe thefood industry.

On successfully completing the course,the fully-fledged kitchen commanders willbe jetting off to an undisclosed location fora special celebration.

Simon Howarth, managing director ofTotal Foodservice, said: “This partnershipwith Kendal College will see our sales teamget the tools to not only understand thebusiness side of our customers’ operations,but also get to the heart of the hospitalityindustry and understand its inner work-ings.

“It’s the perfect combination for ourbusiness and I look forward to seeing theimpact our high-flying graduates have ontheir return to base.”

He said: “As a business, it is always ofparamount importance that we under-stand the pressures and challenges faced byour customers.

“Our approach to sales is to ensure thatthe customer can be innovative with theirmenus, can create the dishes they aspire toserve, and always have the service that theyrequire.”

Over the 15 months, the cadets willjourney through the whole catering processfrom field to fork, facing lessons in kitchenmanagement and workflow, food safetyand hygiene, food product and baristatraining.

They will also become experts in envir-

onmental awareness and sustainability, thechallenges the catering industry faces, salestechniques and innovation in business.

Mike Mounfield, director of enterpriseat Kendal College, said: “The bespokecurriculum for the course was developed toelevate Total Foodservice’s already com-

prehensive and successful sales operationsto instil an appreciation of the industry andwhat the customer faces day-to-day.

“We’re sure that our new recruits willfinish the course more confident sellers andable to offer an industry leading salesservice to Total Foodservice customers.”

Backing TownFINANCIAL and business adviser GrantThornton has renewed its support forHuddersfield Town.Grant Thornton first pledged its support to theclub when Dean Hoyle became chairman in 2009.More recently, it supported the HuddersfieldTown Enterprise Academy, which began duringthe 2010/11 season and has become a focalpoint for businesses in the Yorkshire area tocome together and exchange ideas on businesspractice and networking.Five meetings were held throughout last seasonincluding a “Pow-Wow in the Park” atGreenhead. Grant Thornton has continued tosupport the HTEA this season, which hasalready held its first event at the LawrenceBatley Theatre.Town commercial director Sean Jarvis (right) ispictured with commercial manager Tracy Nelsonand Grant Thornton partner Ian Marwood.Said Mr Jarvis: “We are delighted to announcethat long-standing club partner Grant Thorntonis going to continue its excellent support ofHuddersfield Town for a further year.”Mr Marwood said: “Huddersfield Town is a greatclub to be associated with.”

■ COOKING CREW: Total Foodservice cadets (from left) Mick Vaughan, BeckyHutchinson, Julie McWalters, Jess Williams, Steve Chadwick, Rachel Wheeler, StefanieO’Leary , Laura Walker and Andrew Rogerson

Success inthe balanceHOLMFIRTH-basedBalance Accountants hasbeen shortlisted for amajor national award forthe second time.The firm is a finalist in thecategory for IndependentFirm of the Year for theNorth of England in theBritish AccountancyAwards.The awards, which will beheld on Wednesday,November 21 in London,recognise excellenceamong accountancypractices with categoriescovering all sizes of firmsand the individuals andteams within them.Ashley Barrowclough, ofBalance, said: “It is atremendous achievementfor us to be shortlistednot just once but twiceespecially as no one elsein our area has beenshortlisted.”