KIRKLEES BUSINESS NEWSThe business NEWSpaper for Kir k lees1, Febr uar y, 2011

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COLIN MCNEILL ALEXANDER UDEWhy life at Planet’s sweet

Fu l l i n te r v i ew - Page 3Pit fa l l s await the unwar y

Fu l l s to r y - Page 6

An EXAMINER publication

Start-upadviceTHREE top businesspeople have joinedforces to help start-upconsultancies get offthe ground.Judith Cork, HeatherJones and StephenMoulds have set upYour Firm Foundations,a mentoring andsupport programme forstart-up consultancies.

LegalnicetiesTWO firms have linkedup to spell out the legalduties of being acompany director.The HowarthPartnership and WilbyRisk Management willstage seminars duringthe spring.

FTSE 10018.43

5862.94

Food firm stocks up the supermarket shelvesA KIRKLEES food and cookery busi-ness has landed a deal to supply asupermarket chain.

Dewsbury-based Curry Cuisine willprovide its branded Chutnee’s Hand-made premium pickles and chutneysto food and drink retailer Booths.

The supermarket wi l l s tockproducts from this month in 19 storesspread across Yorkshire, Cumbria,

Lancashire and Cheshire.The award-winning pickles and

chutneys to be listed include SpicedBeetroot Chutney and Rhubarb &Mango Pickle, which uses locallysourced rhubarb. Booths will alsostock Lime Pickle.

Paresh Tejura, operations directorof Curry Cuisine, said: "We aredelighted to be supplying Booths,

which has a strong reputation for goodquality regional food that offers realp rove n a n c e, t ra c e ab i l i t y a n dsomething a little bit different.”

Booths buyer John Gill said: “Weare delighted to be working with CurryCuisine as the products are superb andthe company shares our passion fortop quality food with real regionalorigin.”

The success follows Curry Cuisinelanding a contract last year to supplyproducts to more than 270 Asdastores

Leeds-based Asda is stocking thecompany’s award-winning premiumLuxury Mango Chutney as well as itsBeetroot Chutney.

Curry Cuisine also runs cookerycourses and visits schools.

Company reachesnext ‘green’ target

A COMPANY in Huddersfield hasfurthered its environmental creden-tials.

Independent vehicle incidentmanagement and roadside assist-ance company FMG Support hasachieved another major businessaccreditation from the BritishStandards Institution by success-fully completing ISO 14001 certi-fication.

ISO14001 is an internationallyaccepted standard that sets outguidelines for putting in place aneffective environmental manage-ment system . It aims to address thebalance between maintaining prof-itability and reducing environ-mental impact.

The certification process was alengthy and detailed one thatinvolved audits, planning, pro-cesses and implementation, includ-ing putting a formalised stafftraining programme and environ-mental policy in place.

During the 12-month certifica-

tion process, FMG worked withCalderdale-based Green BusinessNetwork, the award-winningnot-for-profit business supportorganisation which delivers envir-onmental advice and projects inWest Yorkshire.

The network helped FMG assessits environmental business prac-tices and set clear benchmarks bywhich to measure its performance.

FMG, based at St Andrew’sRoad, also set up a steering groupmade up of members of staff, whowere given the task of carrying outa detailed risk assessment and ascoring system to measure its per-formance levels.

A group of internal representat-ives, known as “eco warriors” hasbeen appointed to ensure compli-ance on a day-to-day basis and willreport to FMG Support’s facilitiesand procurement manager – tocollate the data collected andidentify action plans.

Mark Scanlon, managing dir-

ector of FMG, said: “We aredelighted to have added anotherBSI certification to our portfolio.

“Certifying the company’s envir-onmental management system toISO 14001 means that FMG Sup-port can not only demonstrate itscompliance with environmentallegislation to regulators and gov-ernment, but also demonstrate itsenvironmental commitment to cus-tomers and business partners.

“The qualification process hasprovided us with a fantastic oppor-tunity to refine our environmentalbusiness practices and to improvethe environmental knowledge ofour employees.

“The result is a more environ-mentally aware and energy efficientoperation, which will not onlybenefit our staff, but also our cus-tomers, suppliers and ultimately,the environment.

“Achieving this certification isanother step on the company’s‘Journey to Excellence’.”

■ JOURNEY MAN: Mark Scanlon.managing director of FMG Support

www.chadwicklawrence.co.ukHuddersfield | Wakefield | Halifax | Leeds

Solicitors for business inYorkshire

KIRKLEES BUSINESS NEWS national Page 2

SHARE PRICESLocal shares

FTSE closed at

5862.94Down 18.43

TOURIST RATES

Tourists going abroad can expectthe following rates for sterling:Australia...................... 1.51 dollarsBangladesh................. 105.85 takaBrazil.............................. 2.39 realsCanada....................... 1.51 dollarsChina ............................. 9.36 yuanCzech Republic ...... 25.99 korunasDenmark....................... 8.26 kroneEuro................................ 1.11 euroHong Kong................ 11.74 dollarsHungary ................... 285.95 forintsIndia.......................... 64.27 rupeesJapan........................... 123.98 yenMexico ....................... 17.22 pesosNew Zealand .............. 1.91 dollarsNorway ......................... 8.79 kronePakistan.................. 127.63 rupeesPhilippines ................. 60.18 pesosSouth Africa................. 10.62 randSouth Korea.............. 1550.00 wonSri Lanka ................ 166.51 rupeesSweden......................... 9.87 kronaSwitzerland.................. 1.42 francsTaiwan ...................... 40.25 dollarsTurkey....................... 2.38 new liraUSA ............................ 1.52 dollars

Carclo 2981/4 +33/4Marshalls 114 -5National Grid 5521/2 +61/2Weir Gp 1584 -35

Race under way for ToteTHE long-awaited sale of the Toteneared the finishing line as the Gov-ernment announced the next stage ofits £200m auction.

Tourism and heritage minister JohnPenrose said a shortlist of bidders hadbeen drawn up after receiving 18t a k e o v e r p r o p o s a l s fo r t h eState-owned betting group.

The statement from the Depart-ment for Culture Media and Sport didnot reveal the suitors, but added thatanother update is due in the spring.

Favourites are said to include book-makers Gala Coral and Betfred, aswell as a consortium led by formerLadbrokes chief executive Chris Bell

and another bidding team headed byBritish Airways chairman Sir MartinBroughton.

The Government fired the startinggun on the sale during June’s Budget.The Tote, set up by an Act of Parlia-ment in 1928, has now been lined upfor sale for 10 years.

Ministers aim to resolve the futureof the Tote by the end of June andhave pledged to share 50% of the netcash proceeds from a sale with theracing industry.

But the Government said the pro-ceeds will be spread out over theperiod of its spending review as itseeks to slash Britain’s national debt.

Ryanair profits hitby winter weather

Greencore considers bid optionSUPERMARKET sandwich makerGreencore told shareholders it wasstill considering whether to launch acounter offer for former merger part-ner Northern Foods.

Greencore had agreed a tie-upwith the maker of Goodfella’s pizzaand Batley-based Fox’s Biscuits.

But the deal was scuppered whenthe Northern board accepted anoffer from Ranjit Boparan, owner offish restaurant chain Harry Rams-den’s.

Dublin-based Greencore, whichsupplies ready meals and conveni-ence food, told its annual generalmeeting that it is still considering itsoptions.

The company said it would make afurther announcement in due course– even though 10 days have passedsince Mr Boparan made his offer.

Greencore, which operates 17factories in the UK, also reportedthat sales increased by 7.6% to£179.7m in the three months toChristmas Eve – despite disruptioncaused by heavy snowfall.

The company said it benefitedfrom the trend of people eating outless after it reported a 22% rise insales of chilled ready meals.

A vote by Northern shareholders,which was due to take place yester-day, was postponed following arequest from Greencore.

Contractsin the canDRINKS can makerRexam saw its sharesrise by 7p to 341.5pyesterday after it sealedcontract negotiations inNorth America.

The company – whichalso signed a long-termcontract with its largestcustomer in Brazil – saidthe move would enable itto widen its customerbase and help rebuildsales volumes to 2010levels by 2013.

CloverleaftakeoverPUBS and brewerygroup Greene Kingrevealed a £55.8m pushfor a bigger slice of thecarvery market followingits takeover of pubrestaurant groupCloverleaf.

The deal adds another12 restaurants to GreeneKing’s existing estate,which includes theHungry Horse carverychain, as well as LochFyne sea foodrestaurants, Scottishbusiness Belhaven andthe Old English chain.

Greene King, whichalso makes alesincluding Greene KingIPA cask ale and OldSpeckled Hen, plans tospend about £25m onopening 10 newCloverleaf sites withintwo years.

Cloverleaf, founded in2004 by formerWhitbread executivesGary Douglas and JohnWinder, operates acrossthe North and Midlands.

NORTH AMERICANAmerican Express £27.20 -0.16Gannett 919.81 -27.44Hess Corp £52.01 +1.18Microsoft 1718.63 -11.91Motors Liquidation 46.77Wal-Mart Stores £34.74 -0.61

AEROSPACE & DEFENCEAvon Rbbr 2171/2 -3BAE Systems 342 -67/8Rolls-Royce Gp 638 -5

AIMBrady Plc 771/2Dawson Intl 11/2Man Brnze 40 -13/4

AUTOMOBILES & PARTSG K N 2017/8 -41/2

BANKSBarclays 2933/4 -41/2HSBC 6805/8 -41/4Lloyds Banking Gp 631/8 +11/4Ryl Scotland 415/8 -1Stan Chart 1629 +11/2

BEVERAGESDiageo 1202 -19SABMiller £201/4 -1/4

CHEMICALSCroda 1490 -35Elementis 98 1297/8 -3Johnsn Mat 1925 +1

CONSTRUCTION & MATERIALSBalfour Beatty 3351/2 +5/8Costain 220 +11/4

ELECTRICITYDrax Gp 388 -35/8

Intl Power 4223/4 -121/4Scottish & SthrnEnergy

1159 -7

ELECTRONIC & ELECTRICAL EQUIPMENTLaird 1617/8 -33/8

EQUITY INVESTMENT INSTRUMENTSAlliance Trust 364 -25/8

FIXED LINE TELECOM SERVICESBT Grp 1751/2 -15/8Cable & WirelessComm

461/4 +1/4

Cable & WirelessWwide

703/4 +1/2

Colt Group 145 -11/2KCOM 571/2 -11/4Talktalk Telecom 1611/4 +5/8

FOOD & DRUG RETAILERSMorrison W 2661/2 +21/2Sainsbury 3811/2 +103/8Tesco 4023/4 +45/8

FOOD PRODUCERSAB Food 1062 -3Nth Foods 741/2Tate Lyle 5511/2 -3Unilever 1816 -11Uniq 53/4

GAS, WATER & MULTIUTILITIESCentrica 3197/8 -35/8National Grid 5521/2 +61/2Pennon Grp 603 -8Severn 1368 -23United Utils 5431/2 -31/2

GENERAL FINANCIAL3i Group 310 -53/4ICAP 5361/2 -19London StockExch 846 -171/2

Man Group 2941/4 -21/4Provident Financial 943 -51/2Schroders 1803 -23Schroders NV 1408 -19

GENERAL INDUSTRIALSCooksn Grp 6641/2 -13REXAM 3411/2 +7Smiths Grp 1360 -7

GENERAL RETAILERSAshley L 233/4Carphone Whse 403 -2Dixons Retail 203/8 +1/8Home Retail 2157/8 +51/4Inchcape 3717/8 -103/4Kingfisher 252 -35/8M & S 3561/2 +11/2Mothercare 538 +4Next 1977 -17WH Smith 463 +11/2

HEALTH CARE EQUIPMENT & SERVICESSmith Nph 694 -31/2

HOUSEHOLD GOODSAga Rangemaster 1201/4 +21/4Barrat Dev 921/8 +1/8Persimmon 4085/8 +63/8Reckitt Benckiser £34Taylor Wimpey 345/8 +1/8

INDUSTRIAL ENGINEERINGCharter 8071/2 -71/2I M I 871 -16

INDUSTRIAL METALSFerrexpo 4223/4 -145/8

INDUSTRIAL TRANSPORTATIONBBA Aviation 223 -21/8Forth Ports 1365 -13

LIFE INSURANCEAviva 4423/4 -73/8Lgl & Gen 111 -21/4Old Mutual 1255/8 -11/8Prudential 676 -21Resolution 2613/8 +1/2Standard Life 2291/4 -13/4

MEDIABSkyB 755 -5Chrysalis 1593/4D Mail Tst 560 -10ITV 773/4 -11/4Johnston Press 101/2 -1/4Pearson 1024 -15Reed Elsevier 5521/2 -6STV Group 1281/2 -11/2Trinity Mirror 831/2 -21/4Utd Business 7021/2 -31/2UTV 133 +2WPP 7721/2 -8Yell Group 11 -1/4

MININGAnglo American £305/8 +3/8Antofagasta 1406 +8BHP Billiton £233/4Eurasian NaturalRes

1007

Fresnillo 1296 -20Kazakhmys 1506 +1Lonmin 1654 -20Rio Tinto £423/4VEDANTARESOURCES

£223/4 -1/4

Xstrata 1385 +30MOBILE TELECOM SERVICES

Inmarsat 6801/2 -1Vodafone Group 1753/8 -23/4

NONLIFE INSURANCE

Admiral Grp 1643 +6RSA Insurance Gp 1357/8 +5/8

OIL & GAS PRODUCERSBG 1401 +67BP 4847/8 -2Cairn Energy 4141/4 -47/8Royal Dutch Shell A £22Royal Dutch Shell B £213/4 -1/8Total £361/2 +3/8Tullow Oil 1328 -6

OIL EQUIPMENT & SERVICESAMEC 1200 +7Petrofac 1566 +15Wood Group 547 -21/2

PERSONAL GOODSBurberry Gp 1074 -8

PHARMACEUTICALS & BIOTECHNOLOGYAstrazeneca £301/4 -1/8Axis-Shield 3041/4 -23/4GlaxoSmithK 15Shire 1647 -11

REAL ESTATEBrit Land 5181/2 -2Captl Shop Cent 3675/8 -71/4DTZ Hldgs 40 -3Hamrsn 4291/4 -21/2Land Secs 6741/2 -4SEGRO 2981/4 -23/8

SOFTWARE ETC SERVICESAutonomy Corp 1496 -21Invensys 3361/4 -21/2Logica 1353/4 -15/8Misys 3391/4 +131/4Sage Group 2951/8 -11/4

SUPPORT SERVICESBerendsen 4211/8 -73/8Bunzl 7601/2Capita 679 -81/2De La Rue 667 -191/2Electrocomp 2611/4 -21/4Experian 775G4S 2685/8 -1/8Hays 1211/8 -15/8Homeserve 438 -35/8Menzies J 453 -11/4Rentokil 1001/8 -23/8Smiths News 99 +1/4Wolseley £213/4

IT HARDWAREARM Hldgs 516 -3Psion 911/2 -11/2Spirent Comms 1383/8 +15/8

TOBACCO

Br Am Tob £23Imperial Tobacco 1784

LEISURE & HOTELS

Carnival £281/2 -1/2Compass Grp 5551/2 -11/2easyJet 379 -1Enterprise Inns 1071/4 +11/8FirstGroup 3741/8 -41/2Go-Ahead Gp 1245 -4Greene King 4721/4 +233/4Intercontl Htls 1315 -14Intl Cons AirlinesGp

2563/8 -45/8

Ladbrokes 1303/4 -1/4Mitchells & Butlers 3443/4 -13/4Natl Express 2441/2 -1PartyGaming 1903/4 -57/8Rank Org 126 +5/8Stagecoach Group 2097/8 +3/8TUI Travel 253 -63/4Whitbread 1735 -16

INDEXFTSE 100 5862.94 -18.43

INDEXFTSE 250 11471.51 -74.51

BUDGET airline Ryanair reportedlosses for the final three months of 2010after it was forced to cancel more than3,000 flights.

Chief executive Michael O’Learysaid the carrier had expected to breakeven in the third quarter, but insteadmade losses of £8.5m as strikes andsevere weather grounded its aircraft.

However, a 15% rise in average faresto £29, a surge of 20% in ancillaryrevenues, such as in-flight sales ofrefreshments and entertainment and a6% hike in passenger numbers helpedoffset the impact of strikes in Europeand heavy snowfall in the UK.

The airline faced a 37% rise in itsthird-quarter fuel bill.

But Mr O’Leary said the group wason course to hit full-year net profits at

the upper end of its forecast range of£325m to £340m.

He said the “small” third quarter losswas disappointing but said earningswere hit by a series of air traffic controlstrikes in the third quarter and a spateof bad weather airport closures inDecember.

Mr O’Leary said that 3,000 flightswere cancelled during the third quartercompared with 1,400 in the whole ofthe previous financial year.

Although oil prices had risen signi-ficantly in recent months, the airline’s“fuel hedging strategy” was continuingto pay off, with 90% of fourth-quarterfuel bought at a reduced rate.

Mr O’Leary said he was surprisedthat recent comments about the Irisheconomy had clouded analysis of

Ryanair, adding: “Ryanair has littleexposure to the Irish economy.”

In light of the adverse weather dis-ruption, the chief executive hit out atEuropean regulations which require

airlines to compensate passengers dur-ing widespread cancellations.

Mr O’Leary criticised the directivesafter the volcanic ash cloud crisis,which led to airlines forking out mil-lions in compensation to customers.

He said: “It is inequitable that air-ports enjoy a boost to their restaurantand retail revenues from stranded pas-sengers when their runways close, yetthe airlines are obliged to pay for meals,drinks and hotels when these cancella-tions are outside our control.”

Ryanair is not the first airline to flagup the cost of severe weather disrup-tion.

Earlier this month, low-cost rivaleasyJet said the snow chaos cost it£18m, while British Airways estimatedthe disruption will cost it £50m.

■ TAIL PIECE: Ryanair chief MichaelO’Leary has hit out at EU regulations

KIRKLEES BUSINESS NEWS profile Page 3KIRKLEES BUSINESS NEWS profile Page 3

ColinMcNeill

HENRYK ZIENTEK

Role: Managing dir-ectorAge: 42Family: Partner Jilland children Luke, 13,and Olivia, 12Holidays: Lanzarote –training for the next IronMan TriathlonCar: Mitsubishi L200First job: Lifeguard atHuddersfield SportsCentreBest thing aboutjob: The satisfactionthat comes fromexceeding customerexpectationsWorst thing aboutjob: Going through theaccounts and paper-work generallyBusiness tip: Beconsistent. Do the smallthings well andeverything else takescare of itself

Work: Creative designagencySites: Birkby andDubaiEmployees: 38Phone: 01484 321000Email: c.mcneill@planet-group.co.ukWebsite:www.planet-group.co.uk

PlanetGroup

IntoorbitwithPlanet

COMPANY director ColinMcNeill is a man of iron!

The 42-year-old managingdirector of Birkby-basedcreative design agencyPlanet Group is a dedicatedcompetitor in the Iron ManTriathlon – a competition,which tests the strength andstaying power of athletes bycombining swimming,cycling and running in onegruelling event.

“I train six days a week,”says Colin. “I split thetraining up betweenHuddersfield and Leeds.Before work, I swim for anhour at Leeds AquaticCentre. That means gettingup at about 6am. I also trainafter work and I try to fit insome running at lunchtimes.When I’ve a race coming upI will train 20 hours a week.”

Looking relaxed in theboardroom at Planet’s BayHall offices, it’s difficult tobelieve that Colin is buildingup to his next Iron ManTriathlon, which takes placein May in Lanzarote. Thecompetition is made up of a3.8km swim followed by a180km bike ride and then a42km run – all to becompleted in under 17hours.

“It all started out about sixyears ago when mybusiness partner EddieRayner and I decided wewanted to get fit,” Colin says.“We decided to enter a sprinttriathlon, so we had to trainfor that. The whole eventtook about an hour, but Istarted doing more andmore training coveringlonger distances. I wasbitten by the bug.”

Colin has been competingseriously since 2006 andhas taken part in Iron Mantriathlons in Germany,Florida and Australia. Theevent in Lanzarote will beColin’s fourth. He plans tospend a week thereacclimatising before theevent – and stay on for awell-earned holidayafterwards.

Colin is also taking theopportunity to drum upsponsorship to raise moneyfor Kirkwood Hospice atDalton.

He draws comparisonsbetween the dedicationneeded for competitive sportand the commitmentrequired to run a business.“It is all about beingconsistent and doing thelittle things well,” says Colin.“That is what gets results.”

Colin grew up inHuddersfield and attendedKing James’ School atAlmondbury before taking anarts foundation course atHuddersfield TechnicalCollege and furthering hisstudies at Batley College ofArt.

“I went to work for anadvertising agency inLondon for a while,” he says.“But I came back toHuddersfield because I wasmissing the town. People inthe creative industries thinkLondon is where it’s all at. Igrew up in Kirkheaton and Iwas used to seeing fieldseverywhere. Instead, I wasin a concrete city where youhad to go to Hyde Park tosee some green.”

Colin joined forces withEddie to set up Planet

Group in 1997 – leaving therelative safety of employmentto go it alone by combiningColin’s design skills andEddie’s expertise inmagazine publishing.

“We took the plungebecause we believed wecould run a business betterourselves,” says Colin. “Atthat time, we weren’t in arecession and we had lots ofideas. A lot of creativebusinesses came out ofBatley Art College. Peoplewould buy an AppleMac andset up in a bedroom asfreelancers.”

Almost 14 years on andPlanet Group is wellestablished at Birkby – andin Dubai, where Eddie isbased alongside Colin’sbrother Paul, who is officemanager there.

“We set up the Dubai officeabout six years ago,” saysColin. “Eddie visited Dubaiduring his honeymoon andsaw how much constructionwas going on. Part of ourbusiness is publishing trademagazines for theconstruction industry, so itwas a good business move.

“When the recession

meant construction work inDubai slowed down, we wereable to switch to designwork.”

Says Colin: “I did have theoption of going to Dubai andrunning that side of thebusiness, but I have people Itrust implicitly out there inEddie and Paul. We have‘Middle East hours’ at theBirkby office with onedesigner starting at 6am tocorrelate with business hoursin Dubai. We can also handledesign work here ifnecessary, create a file andemail it over, so that ourpeople on the ground canpresent work to their clients.”

Planet has 28 staff basedin Huddersfield and 10 at theDubai office. It has clients inall sectors of industry, butspecialises particularly inconstruction, sport andleisure, food and drink andpharmaceuticals. Customershave ranged from BritishAirways and Virgin Trains toVivimed Labs at Leeds Roadand Kirklees Active Leisure.

“We are well-establishedand we have a goodreputation,” says Colin.“About 95% of our businesscomes from word-of-mouthand referrals. As far as weare concerned, it is all aboutproviding clients with a goodreturn on their investment. Ihave turned down workwhere I didn’t think we couldhelp them in the right way.

“It is not just aboutdesigning a logo or abrochure, it is about seeingthe bigger picture and doingthings that will bring inbusiness for the client.

“In the case of one client,which had been establishedfor 10 years, we revampedtheir whole marketingmaterial. The following year,they had their best-ever yearin business. The only thingthat had changed was themarketing material. Ten yearslater, they are still with us.”

Colin said the recessionhad shown the value offirms maintaining theirmarketing budget. “Thecompanies that havesurvived in this recessionare the ones who didn’t cuttheir marketing spend.They have set themselvesapart from thecompetition,” he says.

“If you cut back onmarketing, people don’tknow you are there. Youmight have saved yourmarketing budget, butyou’ve no sales.”

Planet Group has alsoemerged from therecession in good health.“At the moment, we arevery positive,” says Colin.“We have come throughthe worst of the recession.We continued to do goodwork for clients during therecession and that is

bearing fruit in referralswhich are coming back asnew contracts. We havepeople working long hoursand weekends. We havejust taken on anotherdesigner because of theworkload.”

Colin is always keen togenerate more business.

He is an active memberof a local BNI networkinggroup, which meets once aweek at The Hepworth,near Holmfirth. “It’s aboutmeeting the same peopleeach week and helpingeach other generateleads,” he says. “ I havebeen to networking eventswhere all they do isexchange business cardsand have a few drinks.That’s not how BNI works!”

■ IRON RESOLVE: ColinMcNeill is positive aboutprospects for Planet Group

KIRKLEES BUSINESSlocal Page 4

Neil Wilson is an employment lawyer at Chadwick Lawrence Solicitors

EMPLOYER’SBRIEFNeil Wilson

Meeting roomis at the readyAN accountancy firm in Huddersfieldis opening its doors to clients.Walker & Sutcliffe CharteredAccountants, based at GreenheadRoad, is offering free use of itsmeeting room facilities to clients.The firm said that the service, whichincludes tea and coffee machines,laptops, a 32-inch LCD monitor andflipchart for presentations to groupsof up to eight, was part of its drive toadd value to its clients and services.Practice development manager PeterLythgow (pictured) said: “We workhard to ensure that our clientsreceive exceptional service, but thisadds something a little more for thebusinesses that don’t have aconference room or need privacyaway from their place of business.”The new service follows on from thefree business health checks Walker& Sutcliffe has begun offering to alllocal businesses since December.

Experts establishfirm foundationsTHREE successful business peoplehave joined forces to help start-upconsultancies get off the ground.

Huddersfield-based consultantJudith Cork has linked up with,Heather Jones and Wetherby-basedStephen Moulds to form Your FirmFoundations, a mentoring and sup-port programme for start-up con-sultancies.

All three of them have themselvessuccessfully achieved the difficulttransition from permanent employ-ment to self-employment.

The mentoring and support pro-grammes have been developed toprovide cost-effective and practicalon-going support during the trickyfirst 12 months of running a newbusiness – when many businessesfail.

Key objectives are to help peoplefind their first clients, save moneyand avoid mistakes.

The three partners have comple-mentary expertise and experience inmarketing, human resources, legal

and financial areas, which are seen asthe foundations to success.

Heather, Judith and Steve wereinitially introduced through theSME network at Bradford School ofManagement and soon realised thatthey had common experience,interests and values.

Heather, who is HR businessmentor, said: “We realised that thereare likely to be many people, just likeus, leaving employment with yearsand years of valuable experience,who may now be thinking aboutconsulting but are not quite sure howto go about it.”

Steve, who is finance businessmentor, said: “We want to help themup the learning curve and take someof the pain out of the process as wellas reducing costly mistakes.”

Judith, the marketing businessmentor, said: “We see Your FirmFoundations as replacing the lostworkplace – developing the new con-tacts and partnerships vital for anybusiness.”

■ JOINT APPROACH: The Your Firm Foundations team of (from left)Judith Cork, programme co-ordinator Emma Wilkin-Jones, Heather Jonesand Stephen Moulds

DealerdoubleA CAR dealership inHuddersfield hasenjoyed its mostsuccessful year.Harratts VolvoHuddersfield, part ofthe family-runHarratts MotorGroup, smashedprevious records toboost total sales by50% in 2010. Usedcar sales more thandoubled comparedwith 2009 while newcar sales rose by anindustry-beating15%.David Mills, generalmanager at theBradley-baseddealership, said: “Weare delighted to postsuch positive salesfigures, smashingprevious records andconsolidating ourplace as one of themost successfuldealerships in thearea.“These fantasticresults are testamentto the sales team atthe dealership.Without exception,every member ofstaff has workedunstintingly over2010.”

New year bringsanother awardYORKSHIREBuildingSociety hasbeenrecognised forits range ofcompetitivemortgagedeals by beingnamed theBest OverallLender awardat the Moneynet Awards 2011.The Bradford-based society, whichhas its roots in Huddersfield, hasalready announced that it receivedmore than 1,500 “best buy”mentions for mortgages alone lastyear.Yorkshire’s fixed rate deals toppedthe tables throughout 2010, alongwith its products specially tailoredfor first-time buyers or thosewanting to borrow up to 90%.The society launched its innovativeRollover Mortgage to help thosecoming to the end of their mortgageas well as promoting its Offset Plusfacility, which allows familymembers to help first-time buyersonto the ladder by offsetting theirown savings.Chris Smith (pictured), group directmortgage manager, said: “We aredelighted that the great productsand service we offered to ourmortgage customers in 2010 havebeen recognised in the MoneynetAwards and we’re committed tocontinuing our efforts in 2011.”Andrew Hagger, of Moneynet, said:“It has been another extremelychallenging year for banks, buildingsocieties and credit cardcompanies, but some have gone theextra mile to outperform their rivalswith excellent deals for theconsumer.”

Tumultuous times to comeTHIS will be a tumultuous year

for employment law changes,with many radical options sugges-ted already.

But the nature of a coalition Govern-ment means there will be a lack ofcertainty about what will change andwhen. Certain provisions will come intoeffect as commented on below, butmedia reports suggest further proposalsare on the horizon.

On January 13, 2011, the Governmentconfirmed it will phase out the defaultretirement age of 65 from April 6, 2011.The default retirement age will thereforebe abolished completely with effectfrom October 1, 2011.

The Bribery Act 2010 was due tocome into force in April, 2011. The Actintroduces a new strict liability corpor-ate offence of failing to prevent briberyby individuals acting on behalf of anorganisation. The only defence for anemployer is where they have “adequateprocedures” in place to prevent briberyand corruption.

However, the Government recentlyannounced that this Act is under reviewand may not come into force as part ofthe drive to reduce the regulatory bur-den on businesses.

Some provisions with the EqualityAct 2010 did not come into force onOctober 1, 2010. However, with effectfrom April, 2011, employers will beallowed “to apply voluntary positiveaction in recruitment and promotionprocesses when faced with two or morecandidates or equal merit, to address

under representation in the work-force”.

It does appear, however, that the draftprovisions relating to the socio-eco-nomic duty on public authorities, com-bined discrimination and gender payreporting will not now come into forceas previously expected.

New regulations will apply to parentsof babies born on or after April 3, 2011.Eligible employees will have the right totake up to 26 weeks of paternity leave ifthe mother returns to work early.

The government intends to extend theflexible working rights to allow parentswith children under the age of 18 tomake a request. The regulations areexpected to come into force in April,2011, although they are still only indraft form currently.

The maximum amount of a week’spay, used to calculate statutory redund-ancy pay and the basic award in unfairdismissal claims, will rise from £380 to£400. In addition, the maximum com-pensatory award will rise from £65,300to £68,400.

From April 11, 2011, it is expectedthat the following rates will apply:

● Statutory maternity pay, statutorypaternity pay and statutory adoptionpay – increase from £124.88 to £128.73.The weekly earnings threshold will risefrom £97 to £102

● Statutory sick pay – rates willincrease from £79.15 to £81.60 with theearnings threshold rising as above

● Maternity allowance – this willincrease from £124.88 to £128.73 withthe earnings threshold remaining at£30.

The Government is consideringwhether to increase the period of quali-fying service required for ordinaryunfair dismissal claims from one to twoyears. An announcement is expectedshortly on its plans for the reform oftribunal services.

There has been speculation that theGovernment is considering introducinga fee for tribunal applications and againan announcement is expected on thisshortly.

The Government may be consideringa reduction to the statutory 28-weeksick pay period although no firmannouncement has been made yet.

KIRKLEES BUSINESS NEWS local Page 5

BANKER’SBLOGJill Hague

Jill Hague is HSBC area commercial director for Calderdale and Kirklees

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Serious fun for busy networkersMORE than 80 business peopleacross Kirklees and Calderdale metfor a networking event with adifference.

Cafe Ollo at the Media Centre inNorthumberland Street,Huddersfield, was the venue for theget-together, which was born out ofthe Kirklees and Calderdale

Business Group on LinkedIn.The free event, organised by

Ramsdens Solicitors, the MediaCentre and text messagingspecialist SMileS, involved livemusic and entertainment as well asthe chance to swap business cardsand discuss topics of interest..

Pictured at the event are (above,

from left) Media Centre programmeand marketing manager ClareDanek, SMileS businessdevelopment manager AndyEarnshaw and managing directorMark Evans, and RamsdensSolicitors marketing managerSinead Sopala.

New year brings Reasons to take keeninterest in loan ratesWITH today’s extraordinary low

interest rates, it can sometimes bedifficult to see the benefits of hedgingnow rather than waiting for Bank ofEngland base rate to start rising.

I have tried below to set out some of thereasons why now is such a good opportunityto hedge – not to be missed.

● Why protect now when interest rates areso low?

Today’s extraordinary low interest ratesmay not be around forever – don’t view this asa temporary windfall opportunity that youdon’t mind missing – it’s a cost like anyother.

The impact that higher interest rates haveon the profitability of your business may besignificant – run through some “what if”scenarios on your profit and loss account.

A rise in base rate from 0.5% to – forexample – 4% would represent an increase of700%, not 3.5%.

If you take a three to five-year view orlonger on your business, you may want toconsider the risk of where interest rates mightgo over this period, not just the next 12 to 18months.

The cost of doing “nothing” – that isstaying in a floating rate – may far exceed thecost of doing “something” – swap or cap – ifrates move higher.

● I’m not doing anything until base ratesmove higher

Market rates move independently of baserate. There is a real risk that market rates move

significantly before the first rise in base rate.Can you afford to take the risk of keeping

all your borrowing in floating rate? You arebuying finance without knowing the price.Instead of waiting until base rates move, whynot consider a forward-starting swap?

For example, agree today to stay on floatingrate for the next 12 months and then enjoy agreat low fixed rate for the following fiveyears. The rate we offer will be linked totoday’s market rate. If you think that doingnothing is doing something – you’re speculat-ing!

● Why consider fixing my rate with aswap?

Fixing the rate of interest that you payprovides certainty and protects your businessagainst future rate rises. Today’s fixed rates arenear all-time record lows – lock in a lowbudget rate.

The fix doesn’t have to be for the fullamount of the borrowing – you can hedge aproportion of your borrowing today andreview the situation again in a few monthstime.

There is no premium or fee to pay to fixyour borrowing with an Interest Rate Swap.

Fix to lock in profit margins and gaincertainty of costs. Fix to protect - not to beatthe market.

You don’t have to fix, there are plenty ofother flexible solutions. If you wish to cancelor reduce the amount of your fix, there may bea cost involved. because you decide to fix at anagreed level, you will not benefit shouldinterest rates fall.

● Why would I bother paying a premiumfor a cap?

A cap gives you the best of both worlds.A cap is a flexible solution that protects you

should rates move above your chosen caplevel. You will benefit from today’s low rateswhen base rate is below your capped level.

The cap doesn’t have to be for the fullamount of the borrowing – you can hedge aproportion of your borrowing today at theseexceptionally low rates.

An upfront premium is payable but this canbe added to the loan.

The cost of cappremiums havecome down con-s i d e r a b l y i nrecent months.T h e y w i l l ,however, start to

rise as market interest rates increase. The cappremium is tax deductible at the marginal rateof corporation tax.

The cap is your asset – it will never have abreakage cost and may have value to you ifyou decide to repay your borrowings early.

What are your competitors doing? If theyhave hedged their interest rate risk, you mayrisk being uncompetitive when interest ratesstart to rise.

● I can’t hedge – my cash flow is tootight.

Cap premiums are similar to insurancepremiums - they help protect your businessprofits.

If cash flow is tight, there is even morereason to hedge your interest rate risk.

Interest Rate Cap premiums do not need tobe paid upfront, they can be paid in instal-ments, or may be added to the outstandingloan.

We can “step” the swap so that you pay alower fixed rate in the early years and a higherfixed rate in the later years of your interest ratehedge. Zero premium or forward-startingsolutions are also available.

So I hope this gives you food for thoughtand an opportunity not to be missed. If youneed any more information then please e-mailme jillhague@hsbc.com

Rocked in Hollywood.Made in Borehamwood.

Business

Issued by HSBC Bank plc. *Lines are open 9am to 5pm Monday to Friday (excluding public holidays).AC18837

It may sound like a quiet little town but Borehamwood is home toOrange Amps, which has been supplying the world’s music industryfor the past 40 years.

At HSBC we believe that a local business doesn’t have to stay local.By thinking about your business from a global perspective, we canhelp you thrive both locally and internationally.

Speak to Jill Hague, Area Commercial Director, on 07786 524353*,or email jillhague@hsbc.com

KIRKLEES BUSINESS NEWSKIRKLEES BUSINESS NEWSKIRKLEES BUSINESS NEWSKIRKLEES BUSINESS NEWSKIRKLEES BUSINESS NEWSKIRKLEES BUSINESS NEWS property Page 6KIRKLEES BUSINESS NEWSRising concernover regulationTHE number of small builders worriedabout the speed of regulatory change anddrive for sustainability doubled during thefinal quarter of 2010, says a report.Figures from the National House BuildingCouncil showed that 60% of small buildersfelt that regulatory change surroundingnew homes and sustainability washappening too quickly. That compares withjust 32% in the previous quarter.Following a period of Governmentspending cuts, 44% of small builders alsoclaimed to have no idea when the marketwill recover enough to have a positiveeffect on them and their business.Imtiaz Farookhi, NHBC chief executive,said: “Whether fuelled by a growingconcern about the future of the market oras a separate worry, small builders at theend of 2010 were clearly finding it hard tokeep up with regulatory changes relating tothe future of sustainable homes.“As we enter 2011, it is important that smallbuilders are offered increased informationon changes that will affect theirbusinesses.”

Law Society makesthe case for qualityTHE Law Society is launching acampaign to encourage solicitorsinvolved in residential conveyancingto join a new quality scheme.

The Conveyancing QualityScheme, which is supported by theCouncil of Mortgage Lenders, willprovide a recognised quality standardfor residential conveyancing practices.

The scheme opened forapplications in December. But thesociety said firms needed to havecompleted applications for CQSstatus by February 28 to get the mostout of its publicity push.

The society is planning to highlightthe benefits of the scheme to homebuyers and potential home buyersbeginning in April to coincide with the

Easter house-hunting surge.Law Society president Linda Lee

said that over the past three years,the society had led consumer PRcampaigns encouraging the public touse a solicitor rather than other legalproviders – all of which had beensuccessful.

She said: “We now plan to do thesame with CQS, a scheme which willbe of genuine benefit to anyonebuying a home.

“The aim is to generate publicity forlegal practices which have securedthe CQS mark of excellence andenable them to market their CQSstatus to the public effectively.

“Firms which have applied by theend of February will benefit most from

the society's initial wave of promotion,which is aimed at flagging up tohomebuyers the benefits of using aCQS accredited practice forconveyancing.”

Firms applying to join the schemewill undergo a “robust” assessmentand will be required to renew theirmembership of the scheme eachyear.

The aim is to reinforce consistencyof standards throughout theconveyancing process, reduce therisk of fraud and give consumerspeace of mind when it comes tohome buying.

Go to www.lawsociety.org.uk or ring020 73165550.

Cooking up some helpfor Ravensthorpe group

■ WINNING RECIPE: Rixonway Kitchens has supplied a kitchen for Ravensthorpe-based community group WomenFirst. Pictured are (back, from left) Shamin Akhder, Nila Hussain, Imtiyaj Khan and Nazia Khan with (front) HawaKhadbai, Sajidah Mehmood, Nasreen Hussain and Jennie Spence

A DEWSBURY kitchen manufac-turer has cooked up a treat for a localcommunity group.

Rixonway Kitchens has providedRavensthorpe-based Women Firstwith the donation of a large kitchen tobecome the focal point for activitiesand education in healthy eating.

Women First is part of the AddasCentre in Ravensthorpe and hasstrong links with the local community.It helps improve the quality of life andself-esteem of members with low levelmental health issues through training,education and recreation.

A spokeswoman for the group said:“Kitchens and hospitality play a keyrole in the centre’s activity so we arehugely grateful for this essential dona-tion.

“We have recently started a healthyeating course to help women in thecommunity to learn about nutrition infood – allowing them to support theirown and their family’s health andwell-being.

“It is well known that healthy eatingcombined with exercise plays a largerole in alleviating depression andother mental health issues.”

Nick Greenall, operations directorat Rixonway Kitchens, said: “We workhard to support the communities inwhich we work. This can be throughsupporting local charities, tacklingworklessness and reducing our envir-onmental impact in the region.

“Women First not only enhancesthe lives of women in Ravensthorpeand promotes understanding betweendifferent groups in the community, thecentre acts as a point for people tomeet, learn and engage with oneanother.”

Modern Industrial Units To LetLease terms available on request

PROPERTY MANAGEMENT • AGENTS • CONSULTANT • ADVISOR

TRAFALGAR MILLS • LEEDS ROAD • HUDDERSFIELD • HD2 1YY

Very modern unit on abusy site only 2 milesfrom town centre.Unit 17 – 4899 sq ft.

Queens Mill, Queens Mill Road, Huddersfield

Modern units on a busy industrialestate. Good access to motorway

network. Good car parking availablewith spacious, secure yard area.

Unit 4 – 3934 sq ft.Unit 6 – 3260 sq ft.

Junction 25 Business Park, Huddersfield Road, Mirfield

Units for rental. Spacious parkingarea. Good units on a busy site

with good access to motorways.Units 8, 9 and 10985 sq ft. per unit

Brockholes Business Park

Fieldhouse Park, Leeds Road, Huddersfield

Recently acquired by MB Services,newly refurbished, modern,

self contained industrial unitsavailable for immediate occupation.Large secure yard and loading area.

Sizes range from4,453 to 13,195 sq ft.

Caldervale Works, Brighouse

Contact: Christine EcclestonMB Services01484 557102

Paul AndrewWalker Singleton01484 477600

New industrial units to let just offLeeds Road in Huddersfield. Primelocation for all major road networks.Secure site benefiting from CCTV.Unit 9 – 10,322 sq ft.Unit 10 – 13,706 sq ft.

KIRKLEES BUSINESS NEWS

Don’t getcaught outTHE growth of the residen-tial lettings market disguisesserious pitfalls for landlords,a Huddersfield solicitor haswarned.

Alexander Ude, of Armit-age Sykes, based at NewNorth Road, said: “Whilemortgage lending has slowedto first-time buyers and thenumbers of mortgages gran-ted hit a record low last year,the residential letting markethas been increasing.

“In 2011, it is expected thatthis market will again seestrong growth and the possib-ility of new residential land-lords coming to the market asinterest rates remain low.

“However, many landlordsdo not expect the issues theyface when a tenant falls intoserious arrears and they areforced to take the step ofevicting a tenant because ofnon-payment of rent.

“On average, it takes six toseven months for a landlordto regain possession of theirproperty, during which thetenant is permitted by law toremain in the property effect-ively rent free.

“I say rent free as there isno requirement or conditionimposed on the tenant to payrent during the time betweenserving notice to the tenantand the date the tenant isevicted.

“Indeed, many feel thatwhen it comes to the courts,tenants are favoured over thelandlord when a landlordpursues an eviction.

“There is a strong likeli-

hood that further arrears inrent incurred during this timewill not be paid by the ten-ant.

“The land lord cou ldembark on further legal pro-ceedings, but needs to con-s i d e r t h e r i s k t h a t afavourable court judgementdoes not necessarily equate topayment from the tenant.

“In all too frequent circum-stances, the landlord mustface the stark reality of hav-ing to cut their losses anda b a n d o n a n y f u r t h e rattempts to recover paymentfrom the tenant.”

Said Mr Ude: “The Gov-ernment’s proposed closureof 54 County Courts will res-ult in the overburdening ofthe remaining courts.

“Without radical review ofthe process to include a morepositive approach to the land-lord’s ability to obtain posses-sion, landlords will continueto suffer.

“So what is a landlord todo? Choosing the right tenantis now a must and if you dohave problems, act quickly.”

■ RISKS: Alexander Ude,of law firm Armitage Sykes

Market set to growHALF of mortgage brokersexpect to increase the level ofbuy-to-let business theyintroduce this year, accordingto a new survey.

Research by ParagonMortgages suggests that thereturn to health of thebuy-to-let mortgage marketcontinues to gather pace.

P a r a g o n’s F i n a n c i a lAdviser Confidence TrackingIndex – a panel-based surveyof mortgage brokers – foundthat 46% of intermediariesexpect to introduce morebuy-to-let mortgage businessduring 2011.

Nearly two out of 10 (17%)expect to see an increase inbuy-to-let business of 10% ormore with almost a thirdexpecting to do up to 10%more business.

Paragon’s FACT researchalso showed that 51% ofmortgage brokers reportedan improvement in the avail-ability of buy-to-let financeduring the final quarter of2010 – with 46% expecting afurther improvement duringthe first quarter of 2011.

The buy-to-let marketshowed strong signs of recov-ery in 2010 with the launch ofseveral new lenders and Par-

agon’s return to the market.The year saw an increase in

the number of products andlenders as well as a greaterlevel of innovation, leading torenewed competition andchoice in the sector.

The Council of MortgageLenders is expected to con-firm that gross advancesincreased during 2010 when itannounces its final year fig-ures for the buy-to-let marketin February.

John Heron, managing dir-ector of Paragon Mortgagessaid: “We are clearly now in a

more buoyant phase for thebuy-to-let market – 2010 wasthe turning point for the sec-tor and it enters this year onthe front foot and with con-fidence.

“As approximately nine outof 10 buy-to-let mortgagesare introduced via intermedi-aries, it is extremely encour-aging that nearly half ofbrokers expect to increasebusiness levels in 2011.

“This in turn should attracta greater number of lendersand borrowers to the mar-ket.”

■ HOUSE WORK: Paragon Mortgages said the buy-to-letsector is expected to strengthen further during 2011

FOR SALECar Sales & MOT StationWell Lane, Batley, WF17 5HQ1Garage and substantial car display area1 378m2 (4,071 sq ft)1 Site area of 0.22 ha (0.54 acres) approx1 Edge of town centre locationPrice: On Application

FOR SALEWorkshop/Office Building29-31a Bradford Road, Cleckheaton, BD19 3HJ1 Two storey workshop/office building1 Extending to 659.01m2 (7,093 sq ft)1 Together with two retail investment unitsPrice: On Application

FOR SALEWorkshop PremisesCalder Road, Mirfield, WF14 8NR1 Single storey workshop1 123.77m2 (1,332 sq ft)1 Rare, small commercial freehold opportunityPrice: On Application

FOR SALE– PRICE REDUCED

Land at Red Doles RoadHuddersfield, HD2 1AT1 Large surfaced secure yard area1 0.24 ha (0.60 acres)1 Redevelopment potential (STP)Price: Reduced to £300,000

TO LETOffice SuitesPennine House, Bradley Business Park,Longbow Close, Huddersfield, HD2 1RA1Office suites1 117 – 362m2 (1,260 – 3,900 sq ft)1Good quality specification1Generous car parking provisionRent: From £10 psf per annum exclusive

50%RENTAL

REDUCTIONYEAR 1

TO LETCharacter Town Centre Offices10 New North Parade, Huddersfield, HD1 5JP1Attractive character town centre offices1 66.1m2 (712 sq ft)1Newly refurbishedRent: On Application

TO LET (MAY SELL)Predominantly Single StoreyFactory PremisesVulcan & Victoria Works, Brighouse , HD6 1NB1 3,941m2 (42,416 sq ft)1 Subdivision possible1Close to J25 of M62 motorwayRent: From £2 per sq ft per annum

B&FOFFER BY12 NOON25 FEB ‘11

FOR SALESubstantial Mixed Use PropertyPecket Well College, Keighley Road, Hebden Bridge1 300.16m2 (3,231 sq ft)1 Rural location with stunning views1Accommodation over 4 levels, with passenger lift1WCs, shower rooms, car park and all mains services1 PP for residential conversionPrice: OIRO £200,000

TO LETMarshall Hall MillsElland Lane, Elland, HX5 9DU1 Refurbished, attractive office suites1 232.15 – 468.28m2 (2,499 – 5,041 sq ft)1Generous on-site car parking1 Ease of access to J24 of M62 motorwayRent: From £8 per sq ft per annum exclusive

KIRKLEES BUSINESS NEWS Movers and shakers Page 8

Town staff warming to their work

OUTDOOR clothing company TOG24 ishelping Huddersfield Town staff keepwarm this winter.

The ski and outdoor clothingspecialist, which has its head office inHeckmondwike, gave Town’s ticket officestaff personalised Gilets to help stave offthe chilly conditions – and they havecertainly come in handy over the recentweeks and months!

Ticket office staff member JamesEaton is pictured (above) wearing one ofthe Gilets, which feature the TOG24logo and the Huddersfield Town crest.

Ticket office manager Sue Beaumontsaid: “The ticket office can be a fairlyinhospitable place during winter and the

Gilets that TOG24 have provided havebeen absolutely fantastic for our staff. Iwould like to thank them for theirassistance.”

Huddersfield Town commercialmanager Tracy Nelson said: “We firststarted working with TOG24 about thetime of the first Pedal for Pounds bikeride in August, 2009, and since weformed an official partnership in June,2010, our relationship has gone fromstrength to strength.

“This was a superb gesture fromTOG24 to the staff in our ticket officeand I’m looking forward to furthering ourrelationship over the coming months andyears.”

Alan Gazzard

ConnectionSEATING company Connection has appointedAlan Gazzard as sales director.

Mr Gazzard joins the Fenay Bridge-basedcompany with a wealth of experience from histime at Knoll, Herman Miller and latterly atSenator. At Connection, he will takeresponsibility for UK sales and manage thecompany’s sales team.

The appointment will enable managingdirector Kelvin Bromley to focus on export salesfollowing a successful showing at industryexhibition Orgatec. As part of its strategy for2011, the company has launched a newbrochure, which includes translations in Frenchand German.

Other developments include a move to largerpremises for the firm’s London showroom andadditional warehousing at Huddersfield, whichwill enable Connection to continue its productdevelopment programme.

Focus turns todirector dutiesTHE legal duties of being acompany director will bethe focus for two free sem-inars aimed at Kirkleesbusinesses.

C l e c k h e a t o n - b a s e dhuman resources andemployment law specialistThe Howarth Partnershipwill team up with Hali-fax-based Wilby Risk Man-agement to stage the eventon April 12 at The HowarthPartnership’s premises inLaw Street, Cleckheaton,and on May 10 at Wilby’soffices at Charles Street,Halifax.

Gavin Howarth, legal dir-ector at The Howarth Part-nership, said: “With all thepressures that come withbeing a director, it’s easy toforget that you have legalresponsibilities under theCompanies Act, 2006.

“The aim of the seminaris to remind directors ofthese duties by looking at

what they actually mean inpractice.”

Wilby, which provides arange of health and safetyservices to organisationsthroughout West Yorkshireand the UK, will deliver apresentation on businesscontinuity management.

Associate director MarkDalton said: “Business con-tinuity is something thatmost directors know theyshould have in place to pro-tect their businesses fromthreats and to recover fromdisasters, but often don’tknow where to begin.

“The seminar is designedto give attendees the skillsand awareness to start put-ting in place this essentialmanagement disciplineessential for al l busi-nesses.”

For further informationor to reserve a free placecontact Tracey Hopkins on01274 864999.

■ DIRECT LINK: Tracey Hopkins, of The Howarth Partnership, withMark Dalton, of Wilby Risk Management

Graham Holden

BITCBUSINESS in the Communityhas appointed Graham Holden,chief executive of Birkby-basedpaving supplier Marshalls plc,as chairman of its regionaladvisory board for Yorkshire.

Mr Holden (pictured)succeeds Stefan Barden,formerly of Northern Foods andnow UK chief executive of foodwholesaler Brakes Group.

Mr Holden has taken anactive role on the BITC regional advisory boardsince it was set up in October, 2008. Last year,he was named as the 2010 Prince’s Ambassadorin Yorkshire and Humber for his leadership andcommitment to responsible business in theregion.

At Marshalls, he has instilled a culture ofemployee volunteering and the company, whichalso has operations at Elland, is now a majorsupporter of Calderdale Cares.

Mr Holden has also been the driving forcebehind an award-winning carbon managementprogramme. To date, Marshalls has “carbonfootprinted” more than 2,000 of its domestic hardlandscaping products –enabling targetedreductions of emissions of energy-intensiveproducts. Marshalls was named as the Exampleof Excellence for Sustainable Marketing andInnovation at BITC’s Awards for Excellence in2010.

Liz Needleman, BITC regional director, said:“We are delighted to welcome Graham as ournew regional chairman. Under his leadership,Marshalls have been exemplars in many areas ofresponsible business and Graham’s enthusiasmand commitment have led to real impact on theground.

“BITC has a growing membership of 850companies supporting responsibility in theworkplace, marketplace, environment and thecommunity. And we share what we learn aboutdriving performance through responsiblebusiness practice through the campaigns,products and services we offer our members.”

Michael Sellers

BoultonsMICHAEL Sellers, a director of BoultonsChartered Surveyors in Huddersfield, hasbecome an approved member of the ExpertSurveyors Group.

Mr Sellers, a fellow of the Royal Institution ofChartered Surveyors, is already a member of theUK Register of Independent Experts.

He now becomes a member of the onlyUK-wide experts directory designed exclusivelyfor solicitors who need to instruct a charteredsurveyor to provide an expert valuation orproperty report.

Charlotte Grace

YorkshireBankA NEW businesspartner has beenappointed toYorkshire Bank’sCalderdale andKirklees businessbanking team.

Charlotte Grace(pictured) joins the13-strong team ledby senior partnerKevin Newson, which operates fromYorkshire Bank’s West YorkshireFinancial Solutions Centre inBradford.

Ms Grace, who lives in Halifax,has expertise in relationshipmanagement and businessdevelopment in the SME marketand will be working with tradingbusinesses throughout Calderdaleand Kirklees.

She joined Yorkshire Bank in1990 and has worked in retailbranches, business banking inBradford and Shipley, corporatebanking in Manchester, as a credittrainer and as a business partner atWatford FSC.

Her appointment comes asYorkshire Bank launches itsInvesting for Growth initiative thisspring which allows businesses torestructure existing loans to free upfunds to invest in growthopportunities such as recruitment,technological investment orupgrading premises.