Kirklees Business News

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KIRKLEES BUSINESS NEWS The business NEWS paper for Kirklees 30, August, 2011 INSIDE examiner.co.uk Full story - Page 8 Full story - Page 5 The most trusted news brand in the business SUE MORRIS Full interview - Page 3 Pensions and savings Column - Page 4 An EXAMINER publication Direct approach A DIRECTOR of supermarket firm Morrisons is to address this year’s Women’s Business Forum. Norman Pickavance, group human resources director for the Bradford-based retailer, will speak to a 600-strong audience at the event in September, which has been organised by Holmfirth-based Heather Jackson. Pounding ahead RETAILER Poundworld is investing almost £500,000 in employee benefits after two of its directors appeared on Channel 4’s Undercover Boss series to find out what employees really thought about the company. KAREN WYNARD Kitchen supplier lands £2.1m deal A FIRM providing kitchens for the social housing sector has landed a £2.1m four-year deal. Dewsbury-based Rixonway Kit- chens is partnering building contract- ors Apollo and Wates in the work, which will provide more than 3,000 kitchens to homes in Sedgemoor, Somerset. Award-winning company Rixonway will provide kitchens from its Trieste range for the project, which is being run under the Government’s Decent Homes programme. Ministers have set a target to ensure all social housing should be decent, including being water-tight and warm with modern facilities. Rixonway chief executive Paul Rose said: “We are delighted to be involved with such a significant refurbishment scheme. “Rixonway has worked with Wates and Apollo as an agreed supplier on a number of projects and shares a com- mitment to tackling environmental challenges. “Indeed, earlier in the year Rixon- way was named Manufacturer of the Year at the Wates Living Space inaug- ural Supply Chain Awards.” Said Mr Rose: “This contract is the latest in a series of strong wins for Rixonway in the public sector with Ipswich, Tower Hamlets and Lew- isham councils being the latest. “Rixonway continues to weather the economic downturn, investing in new technologies to ensure we are well-placed as a business to secure and fulfil new contracts with existing and new clients.” The contract comes on the back of Rixonway’s entry into the Sunday Times Buyout Track 100 earlier this year – for the second year in a row – and into the Profit Track 100 for the first time. Rixonway made the biggest leap up the Buyout Track 100 of companies backed by private equity in the region – rising 46 places from 62nd in 2010 to 17th in 2011. The company also entered the Profit Track in 36th position in the table that ranks Britain's 100 private companies with the fastest-growing profits. Rixonway was named the 2010 Environmental, Social and Gov- ernance Management Team of the Year in the Yorkshire region British Venture Capital & Private Equity Association Awards. The awards recognise the positive impact of private equity and venture capital-backed companies on UK and global economies and celebrate the achievements of the management teams that create, nurture and lead them. The company has also received a gold accolade for the second year in the RoSPA Awards, which acknow- ledge companies’ strong commitment to employee health and safety. Formed in 1978, Rixonway Kit- chens has more than 30 years’ experi- ence supplying kitchens to affordable housing and the public sector. It is the only UK kitchen manufacturer dedic- ated to community regeneration. NEW CLIENTS: Rixonway chief executive Paul Rose says the firm has weathered the economic storm 5,000 Kirklees firms benefit from rates rebate MORE than 5,000 Kirklees business premises have benefited from dedic- ated double tax breaks, according to official figures. Some 5,087 business properties in the district received a rate reprieve in 2010-11 under government measures to help areas of the country with a high proportion of small companies. Kirklees came 63rd in a list of 330 local authority areas, which are getting additional help worth on average £670 for each qualifying firm – with the average total cost of relief now at £1,340. About 330,000 business premises will pay no rates at all over this period as a result of the extension of the Government's discount scheme. The area with the highest concentra- tion of small businesses is Tendring, Essex, where six out of every 10 firms are getting a rate reprieve. Elsewhere in West Yorkshire, almost 6,000 small firms in Bradford are getting the discount; with 3,500 in Wakefield, 2,800 in Calderdale and 6,300 in Leeds, Local government minister Eric Pickles said helping small shops and businesses grow was a crucial part of rebalancing and rebuilding the eco- nomy. Small businesses report that business rates are the third biggest outgoing for local firms after rent and staff. Last autumn, the government announced the doubling of the Small Business Rate Relief discount available for a year. The extension of the scheme is expected to offer an additional £340m worth of help for about half a million business ratepayers in Eng- land. The doubling of the Small Business Rate Relief discount was introduced in October as part of the Government's commitment to support local enter- prise and growth. The extra relief, which was announced in the Budget, will now continue until the end of September, 2012. It’s the healthy option! www.chadwicklawrence.co.uk Huddersfield | Wakefield | Halifax | Leeds Solicitors for business in Yorkshire

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Kirklees Business News

Transcript of Kirklees Business News

Page 1: Kirklees Business News

KIRKLEES BUSINESS NEWSThe business NEWSpaper for Kir k lees30, August , 2011

INSIDE

exam

iner

.co.

uk

● Full story - Page 8

● Full story - Page 5

Themosttrustednewsbrandin thebusiness

SUE MORRIS

Fu l l i n te r v i ew - Page 3Pensions and savings

Co lumn - Page 4

An EXAMINER publication

DirectapproachA DIRECTOR ofsupermarket firmMorrisons is to addressthis year’s Women’sBusiness Forum.Norman Pickavance,group humanresources director forthe Bradford-basedretailer, will speak to a600-strong audience atthe event in September,which has beenorganised byHolmfirth-basedHeather Jackson.

PoundingaheadRETAILER Poundworldis investing almost£500,000 in employeebenefits after two of itsdirectors appeared onChannel 4’s UndercoverBoss series to find outwhat employees reallythought about thecompany.

KAREN WYNARD

Kitchen supplierlands £2.1m dealA FIRM providing kitchens for thesocial housing sector has landed a£2.1m four-year deal.

Dewsbury-based Rixonway Kit-chens is partnering building contract-ors Apollo and Wates in the work,which will provide more than 3,000kitchens to homes in Sedgemoor,Somerset.

Award-winning company Rixonwaywill provide kitchens from its Triesterange for the project, which is beingrun under the Government’s DecentHomes programme.

Ministers have set a target to ensureall social housing should be decent,including being water-tight and warmwith modern facilities.

Rixonway chief executive Paul Rosesaid: “We are delighted to be involvedwith such a significant refurbishmentscheme.

“Rixonway has worked with Watesand Apollo as an agreed supplier on anumber of projects and shares a com-mitment to tackling environmentalchallenges.

“Indeed, earlier in the year Rixon-way was named Manufacturer of theYear at the Wates Living Space inaug-ural Supply Chain Awards.”

Said Mr Rose: “This contract is thelatest in a series of strong wins forRixonway in the public sector withIpswich, Tower Hamlets and Lew-isham councils being the latest.

“Rixonway continues to weather theeconomic downturn, investing in newtechnologies to ensure we arewell-placed as a business to secure andfulfil new contracts with existing andnew clients.”

The contract comes on the back ofRixonway’s entry into the SundayTimes Buyout Track 100 earlier thisyear – for the second year in a row –and into the Profit Track 100 for thefirst time.

Rixonway made the biggest leap upthe Buyout Track 100 of companiesbacked by private equity in the region– rising 46 places from 62nd in 2010 to17th in 2011.

The company also entered the Profit

Track in 36th position in the table thatranks Britain's 100 private companieswith the fastest-growing profits.

Rixonway was named the 2010Environmental, Social and Gov-ernance Management Team of theYear in the Yorkshire region BritishVenture Capital & Private EquityAssociation Awards.

The awards recognise the positiveimpact of private equity and venturecapital-backed companies on UK andglobal economies and celebrate theachievements of the managementteams that create, nurture and leadthem.

The company has also received agold accolade for the second year inthe RoSPA Awards, which acknow-ledge companies’ strong commitmentto employee health and safety.

Formed in 1978, Rixonway Kit-chens has more than 30 years’ experi-ence supplying kitchens to affordablehousing and the public sector. It is theonly UK kitchen manufacturer dedic-ated to community regeneration.

■ NEW CLIENTS: Rixonway chiefexecutive Paul Rose says the firmhas weathered the economic storm

5,000 Kirklees firms benefit from rates rebateMORE than 5,000 Kirklees businesspremises have benefited from dedic-ated double tax breaks, according toofficial figures.

Some 5,087 business properties inthe district received a rate reprieve in2010-11 under government measuresto help areas of the country with a highproportion of small companies.

Kirklees came 63rd in a list of 330local authority areas, which are gettingadditional help worth on average £670for each qualifying firm – with the

average total cost of relief now at£1,340.

About 330,000 business premiseswill pay no rates at all over this periodas a result of the extension of theGovernment's discount scheme.

The area with the highest concentra-tion of small businesses is Tendring,Essex, where six out of every 10 firmsare getting a rate reprieve.

Elsewhere in West Yorkshire, almost6,000 small firms in Bradford aregetting the discount; with 3,500 in

Wakefield, 2,800 in Calderdale and6,300 in Leeds,

Local government minister EricPickles said helping small shops andbusinesses grow was a crucial part ofrebalancing and rebuilding the eco-nomy. Small businesses report thatbusiness rates are the third biggestoutgoing for local firms after rent andstaff.

Last autumn, the governmentannounced the doubling of the SmallBusiness Rate Relief discount available

for a year. The extension of the schemeis expected to offer an additional£340m worth of help for about half amillion business ratepayers in Eng-land.

The doubling of the Small BusinessRate Relief discount was introduced inOctober as part of the Government'scommitment to support local enter-prise and growth. The extra relief,which was announced in the Budget,will now continue until the end ofSeptember, 2012.

It’s the healthy option!

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

Solicitors for business inYorkshire

Page 2: Kirklees Business News

KIRKLEES BUSINESS NEWS local Page 2

Nicky’s set to stepinto the spotlight!

Heard the word about Michelle?A FORMER publicist to writers andcelebrities from Whoopi Goldberg toIain Banks is launching a newbusiness in Huddersfield with a freenetworking event.

Key Words Copywriting Journalism& Events brings all the activities ofwriter and events organiser MichelleHodgson under one umbrella.

Michelle built a successful career asa publishing PR, promoting books byWhoopi Goldberg, Iain Banks, DamonHill, Edwina Currie, Paula Yates andVanessa Feltz among others.

Following this, she worked as anational newspaper journalist at TheGuardian and The Independent.

Since moving to Huddersfield, shehas been working as a copywriter forboth national and Yorkshire-basedcompanies, including 315 Bar &Restaurant, Wellhouse Leisure, 2020Commercial Photography and MosaicVirtual Office.

She has also continued working as

a freelance journalist, interviewingluminaries such as Michael Parkinsonand bestselling authors AlexanderMcCall Smith and Jodi Picoult.

Said Michelle: “All local businessesneed copy for their websites, salesbrochures, marketing and e-marketingmaterial.

“But many don’t have time to write itor struggle to look at their productsand services from the outside. That’swhere I can step in.

“Professional copywriting can begood value for money – it can saveyou time and help you win newclients.”

Under the Key Words banner,Michelle has also set up a “Dinner &Conversation With…” series of authortalks at The Keys restaurant inHuddersfield with Joanne Harris,Sophie Hannah and Iain Banks as wellas a musical event “From TheStranglers to Sinatra” with formerStranglers’ frontman Paul Roberts.

Said Michelle: “I’m delighted to bebringing bestselling authors to TheKeys and I’m hoping that anyone inthe area who loves reading will comealong to support these events, samplethe wonderful food at The Keys andenjoy an interesting and entertainingevening.”

Michelle is also keen to hear fromany aspiring writers in Huddersfieldinterested in taking part in a newseries of creative writing courses.

The first, “How to Write & Sell YourNovel”, will take place at The Keys onNovember 20.

The Networking and Launch Eventfor Key Words is from 4.30pm to 6pmon Wednesday, September 14, andwill provide the opportunity for localbusinesses and those interested in thecreative arts and literature to network.

The event is free but places arelimited and tickets should be booked athttp://keywordsevents.eventbrite.com

■ COPY DESK: Michelle Hodgson,of copywriting, journalism and eventsbusiness Key Words

Slump forservicesBUSINESS volumes forUK service sector firmsfell at the fastest ratefor almost two yearsduring the past quarter.Firms in business andprofessional services,which had beengrowing slowly, sawvolumes contractunexpectedly. Volumesof business inconsumer servicesalso fell and at thefastest rate sinceNovember, 2009.The August quarterlyCBI Service SectorSurvey polled 162 firmswith respondentsdivided into businessand professionalservices, such asaccountancy, legal, andmarketing firms, andconsumer services,such as hotels, barsand restaurants, travel,and leisure.Among business andprofessional servicesfirms, balances ofminus 22% wererecorded for both thevalue and volume ofbusiness. This is thefirst fall in volume andthe fastest fall in valuesince November, 2009,when both balanceswere minus 27%.Firms said theyregarded both the valueand volume of businessas well below normal atminus 38% and minus41% respectively.Firms predict a slowerrate of decline – minus14% – in both the valueand volume of businessin the coming threemonths, the weakestexpectations since thefirst half of 2009.In Consumer Services,the ongoing decline inbusiness volumesintensified at minus25% – recording thestrongest fall sinceNovember, 2009, whenthe figure was minus35%. Values also fell at– to minus 15% – at apace similar to thatseen since the start ofthe year.Firms said that thelevel of activity waswell below normal –minus-38% for bothvolume and value.Expectations are thatthe volume of businesswill be flat – minus1% –and the value ofbusiness will increaseslightly at plus 7% nextquarter.Richard Woolhouse, ofthe CBI, said: “Thisquarter, we’ve seenmore evidence of theongoing decline inconsumer servicesspending, as peoplewith increasinglysqueezed householdincomes are forced tocut back theirdiscretionaryspending.”

ALL business is show business, accord-ing to Nicky Pattinson.

The sales specialist, who hails fromHolmfirth, says firms need torazzle-dazzle their customers.

And she will be explaining howcompanies can do just that when shespeaks at the Kirklees Business Con-ference in Huddersfield next month.

Danny Matharu, of Birstall-basedevent organiser Hillrich, said: “If youaren't aware of her, Nicky Pattinson isprobably not what you expect. Theaccent certainly isn’t Queen’s English –and she has, well, ‘a way with her’.

“Her story reads like a blockbustingfilm – and she reckons there’s no doubtthere is a destiny to how she landed inthe place she’s in and that her purposein life is exactly what she’s doing.

“She will describe herself as ‘TheUK’s number 1 sales assistant – rankedin the world’. She’s joking, but sheprobably is! She laughs and says if she’dbeen given a quid for every timesomeone asks, ‘how do you do that?’she could liberate every supermarkettrolley in England!”

Nicky has been responsible for trans-forming sales performances foreverything from kitchens and walkinggear to legal services and dental insur-ance.

Said Nicky: “The world got stuck onthe phrase customer service. That’s notthe same as SELLING in the firstplace. Part of the reason we are in thismess is because nobody ever SELLSanything to anyone anymore.

“In show business every nuance isconsidered – the music, the costume,the magic words – the character isunderstood. We have a lot to learnfrom those components.”

Said Danny: “Nicky has effectivelyrewritten the books on introducingnew money and new people into com-

panies, without ever once dropping herunmistakable Yorkshire accent.

“She now flies between the UK andthe US to work with both lone businessowners and the largest conglomeratesto integrate Show Business Selling intoenterprise.

“Her involvement at this year’s Con-ference came about from a telephonecall where she was telling me what shehad been doing in the US and it justblew me away.

“Show Business Selling will excite allthose who want to start selling again

and stop just hoping it will happen.”Nicky Pattinson joins a line-up of

high-profile speakers for KBC 2012.Other speakers are Town chairmanDean Hoyle, Dragon slayer and healthfood queen Kirsty Henshaw and trebleparalympic and world judo championSimon Jackson.

The event on Thursday, September29, offers a full-day programme ofbusiness specific seminars, an exhibi-tion involving 60 local businesses, aclinic where visitors can cure theirbusiness ailments and unlimited net-working.

All delegate places are free and canbe booked by visiting www.kirklees-businessconference.co.uk

■ SALES STAGE: Nicky Pattinson, who will be among the speakers at theKirklees Business Conference 2012 organised by Danny Matharu (right)

Page 3: Kirklees Business News

KIRKLEES BUSINESS NEWS profile Page 3

Sue Morris

SM&MS

HENRYK ZIENTEK

Role: Managing dir-ectorAge: 48Family: Married toPhilip with daughtersCharlotte, 21, and Jes-sica, 19Holidays: We have anapartment in Portugal.We went to New Yorklast year and go skiingregularly. My dream isto go to India or ChinaCar: Porsche BoxsterSFirst job: I wentpotato picking aged 13during the half-term hol-iday – and spent myfirst wage packet shop-pingBest thing aboutjob: Being in control ofmy own destinyWorst thing aboutjob: As an employer,feeling responsible foreveryone else’s des-tinies!Business tip: Takeone step at a time anddon’t look too far ahead

Work: Workplacecompliance, health andsafety and employmentlawSite: BradleyEmployees: 56Phone: 01484 452349Email: [email protected]:www.sm-ms.co.uk

Firmis insafehands

FOR businesswoman SueMorris, safety definitelycomes first.

The managing director ofBradley-based SM&MS –standing for SafetyManagement & MonitoringServices – has built up thebusiness from its origins in aspare bedroom in the familyhome to a firm with animpressive headquartersbuilding and a national clientbase.

However, Sue admits to afew “false starts” beforefinding her forte.

“I come from a smallmining town in the NorthEast called Blyth,” she says.“When I went to school, notmany of us stayed on to doA-levels. Our sixth form wasthe biggest they had everhad – with about 50 of us –and only about half a dozenwent to university.

“I wanted to do medicineor dentistry, but I didn't getthe grades so I went toPortsmouth Polytechnic todo pharmacology. I realised itwas a mistake and ended updoing a degree inenvironmental health atLeeds Polytechnic.

“That led to me being anenvironmental health officerand I thought I would spendmy entire career in localgovernment.”

On qualifying, Sue went towork for the city councils inBradford and later Leedsenforcing environmentalhealth regulations. At Leeds,Sue specialised on thecommercial side, foodhygiene, health and safetyand environmentalprotection.

“I worked there for aboutfive years and gained postgraduate qualifications inhealth and safety at Leeds,”she says. “I had wanted todo a post graduate diplomain acoustics with a view togoing into private sectorconsultancy, but at my boss’suggestion I went to SalfordCollege of Arts andTechnology and did a postgraduate diploma in healthand safety.

“I wasn’t looking to moveon particularly, but afterhaving two children andgaining promotion, I couldnot see what the next movewould be in localgovernment.

“In Leeds, they wererestructuring the departmentto split the disciplines andthere was no ‘next level’.”

Sue applied for and got ajob for a consultancy calledLPMS in Shipley. She wasthere for about four monthsbefore going to ARK Healthand Safety in London whereshe was involved in salesmeetings, productdevelopment and staffrecruitment as well asconsultancy work. She leftafter eight months to set upher own consultancy.

“That was in August,1994,” she recalls. “What Ireally needed to do wascover my part-time salary,which was £12,000 a year atthat time so I took on a salesguy. I had contacts from ARKand some of theircommercial property clientscame with me. The first wasRichard Ellis, now CBRE, inLiverpool. I got all the workfor the Liverpool and

Manchester region. That wason September 1, 1994. OnSeptember 2, I got the northof England work forWeatherall Green and Smith,now Sanderson Weatherallin Leeds.

“Suddenly, I had morework than I could handle, soI took on another consultantand administrator. Weworked out of the sparebedroom at my home inRedwood Drive – printingand stapling documents!

“Richard Ellis wanted meto set up their health andsafety policy and thatbecame the template for theothers.

“I borrowed £1,000 frommy mother-in-law becausethe banks would not lend tome. I didn’t have a car, so Iborrowed my dad’s old Astravan to get about until I couldafford to buy a car.

“I worked from home forabout eight months and thentook space in RevenueChambers in Huddersfield in1995. I took on twoconsultants and weexpanded from there. Wewere there for a couple ofyears before moving to LionChambers.”

SM&MS moved into itsthree-storey self-built officesat Bradley in 2006 – and in

Sue's words "became adifferent company".

“We raised our game,”says Sue. “We were workingin a better environment andbecame more professional.

“Now we have more than50 staff with people based athome and working acrossthe UK from southernEngland to Scotland andWales.”

SM&MS has also started anew department under theSimple brand to offer healthand safety and employmentlaw consultancy to SMEs.

“We have taken on moresales staff and consultantsfor that purpose,” says Sue.“We had all our eggs in theproperty basket and it is atough world out there. Thereare big shifts in the propertysector and there have beenhigh-profile casualties as aresult of the recession.

“We had a lot of clients,but our turnover was £3.2mand our biggest clientaccounted for £1.2m of that.

“We also wanted to domore work locally. Our targetfor the new SME service isWest Yorkshire, so we canserve those clients from herequite easily and offer a goodservice to local people.

“If a small firm has tomake redundancies, it has tobe done properly. Ifcompanies are creating jobs,they have to get theemployment contractcorrect."

Says Sue: “We are stillexpanding. We havevacancies for at leastanother four posts in areaslike water hygiene andasbestos risk assessment aswell as health and safety. Wehave expanded into NorthernIreland and the IrishRepublic.”

She adds: “I am hands-onwith the clients and go tomeetings in London quite alot. I also have a couple ofprojects ongoing. I have anoperations manager whoruns the consultantsday-to-day, sends them out

on jobs and makes thingsas efficient as possible.

“I set up Simple and gotthe recruitmentorganised.”

Sue, whose husbandPhilip is also a director ofthe firm, says: “I have cutback from the long hoursthat were routine when Ifirst set up the business.

“We worked into theevenings and put togetherour health and safetymanuals on the livingroom floor!

“But I'm often sitting infront of the televisionworking on riskassessments on thelaptop and I work on thetrain.

“I went on a BusinessLink course at the OldGolf House in Outlanesome time ago. It was allabout the work-lifebalance. It was aboutlooking at yourself and

what you do at work andwhat you do outside work –and having a life! Now I takeMondays off , although I stillfeel I should be at work. Iwouldn’t want to pack in workaltogether. I like doing what Ido and coming into theoffice.

“I’m a member of theMonday Club, a group ofgirls who get together onMondays to walk the dogs orgo cycling – and occasionallyshopping.”

Another pleasure for Sueand Philip is walking pet dogTilly, who spends the daysettled in a corner of theiroffice and lunchtimesenjoying walks along nearbywoodland paths. Says Sue: “Iused to run a lot in theevenings and I did theLondon Marathon five yearsago. I still keep fit, but I’vegiven up the long distances!”

■ SAFE HOUSE: Sue Morris atthe SM&MS offices

On the board with

01484 538 [email protected]

www.revellward.co.uk

Jennifer DaviesPartner

National PayrollWeek

During Monday 5 to Friday 9September help us promote National

Payroll Week by sending us your payrollqueries and we will answer them for you,

free of charge.We will have payroll software

demonstrations and surgeries which willcover topics such as dividend vs salary,

P11d’s and company cars.

Revell Ward Tip:Visit our website for more information orto book an appointment give us a call.No problem too big or too small.

Page 4: Kirklees Business News

KIRKLEES BUSINESSlocal Page 4

TAXTALKColin Barratt

Colin Barratt is tax partner at Wheawill andSudworth chartered accountants, Huddersfield

FINANCIALFOCUSKaren Wynard

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

Time is of the essenceAT this time of year, the

completion of Tax Returnsmay not be high on your listof priorities.

However, important changes tothe Self Assessment tax systemhave come into effect for 2010/11,which people should be aware of.

The first deadline for submittingSelf Assessment Tax Return isOctober 31, 2011. This is for thosewanting to send in their paperforms to HM Revenue & Customs(HMRC) or wanting them to cal-culate their tax bill.

For individuals and partner-ships, filing returns over the inter-net will mean that they have afurther three months to finalisetheir tax affairs, in order to meetthe January 31, 2012, filing dead-line.

Failure to meet these deadlineswill result in an automatic £100late filing penalty, subject to anappeal if you have a reasonableexcuse.

In previous tax years, the pen-alty could be reduced to nil if anindividual’s tax liability for theyear was paid in full by January 31following the end of the tax year orif they were due a tax refund.

Also, where an individual tax-payer had an outstanding tax liab-ility of less than £100, the latefiling penalty was “capped” at thislower amount.

For 2011 and future Self Assess-

ment Tax Returns, the full penaltyof £100 will always be due if yourreturn is filed late even if there is notax outstanding. The capping ofpenalties is abolished.

Capping has never applied topartnership Tax Returns andwhere these are submitted lateeach partner of the business faces a£100 penalty.

For those who, in the past, havetraditionally been tardy in submit-ting Tax Returns, further penaltiescan be charged as follows:

● More than three months late –a £10 daily penalty up to a max-imum of £900

● More than six months late –an additional £300 or 5% of the taxdue if higher

● More than 12 months late – afurther £300 or a further 5% of thetax due if higher. In particularlyserious cases, there is a penalty ofup to 100% of the tax due.

New late payment penalties willbe introduced which are similar tothe previous penalties (surcharges)

which mean that from January 31,2012, HMRC may charge the fol-lowing penalties if tax is paidlate:

● A 5% penalty if the tax due onJanuary 31, 2012, is not paidwithin 30 days

● A further 5% penalty if the taxdue on January 31, 2012, is notpaid within five months after thepenalty date

● Additionally, there will be athird 5% penalty if the tax due onJanuary 31, 2012, is not paidwithin 11 months after the penaltydate.

These penalties are additional tothe interest that is charged on alloutstanding amounts, includingunpaid penalties.

These increases in penalties andinflexibility over those who do notowe anything could not come at aworse time. If time to pay is genu-inely required do not delay filingbut negotiate instalments inadvance.

Take a breakand get healthyALMOST four in 10 employees inYorkshire admit to not taking alunch break.And more than a third of employerwho offer food for their workersacross the UK do not offer healthoptions, according to a survey.The Aviva Health and the Workplacereport said employees’ eatinghabits were suffering due to stressAlthough employees and bossesrecognised the value of taking alunch break for wellbeing, longerhours and workplace pressureswere preventing staff from takingthe breaks they need.Some 39% of employees inYorkshire – the highest of anyregion – say they do not take alunch break.This compares to nearly a third ofemployees across the UK who sathey are unlikely to take a lunchbreak – only a marginalimprovement on the 37% who gavthe same response in 2009.A quarter will only take a lunchbreak if they feel their workloadallows it, while 13% of employeesskip meals in the workplacealtogether.For some employees, stress resultsin other poor dietary habits, with19% claiming they over-eat at work.To help encourage better eatinghabits in the workplace Aviva hasproduced an online guide to healthlunches at www.aviva.co.uk/healthoftheworkplace.Aviva also found that employers dorecognise the importance of luncbreaks and eating well. Nearly halfof workers are encouraged to taklunch break as employersrecognise the value of a goodwork/life balance.Of the 45% of employers who offerfood in the workplace, 38% mainlyoffer unhealthy options. As aresult, employees try to keepthemselves healthy with 35%stating they try to eat healthy foodand 30% usually bringing in theirown healthy lunches.However, as a result of longerworking hours, nearly 15% ofemployees believe their health isaffected because they are eatingunhealthily at work.Dr Doug Wright, head of clinicaldevelopment, Aviva UK Health said:“It’s well documented that eatingmore healthily can improve generwell-being and life expectancy, sothere are countless benefits toadopting this approach in theworkplace.“It’s also important for people totake a break from their desks wherpossible as this can help improveboth morale and efficiency foremployees.“Employers can help by offeringhealthy food options to support andencourage their staff to eat well andby removing those barriers that stillexist to taking a proper lunch break.“Employees too need to break thehabit of skipping lunch or eating atheir desks. A cultural shift in theworkplace towards proper lunchbreaks will improve overallemployee well-being as well asproductivity.”

Pension and fixedprotection posersCHANGES brought in by the

Finance Act 2011 mean thatfrom April, 2012, the maximumamount of pension savings thatcan be accumulated without liab-ility to the Lifetime Allowancecharge reduces from £1.8m to£1.5m.

For those who have pension savingswhich may exceed £1.5m there is asmall window of opportunity to keepthe Lifetime Allowance at £1.8m byregistering for Fixed Protection.

In order for Fixed Protection toapply, pension scheme members willbe required to meet a number ofcriteria, which are:

● Applications for Fixed Protec-tion must be received at HMRC by nolater than April 5, 2012

● Members must not already haveeither Primary or Enhanced Protec-tion

● Pension Scheme members inmost cases will not be able to accruefurther pension benefits for FixedProtection to be maintained (for

example, no further pension contribu-tions can be made to money purchasepension schemes such as personalpension schemes)

For those who believe that the totalvalue of their pension fund(s) mayexceed £1.5m Fixed Protection willreduce the amount of tax paid whenbenefits are taken.

The Lifetime Allowance charge is55% of the pension fund value overthe Lifetime Allowance if the benefitsare taken in the form of a lump sum or25% if taken as pension income.

The example below shows this inmore detail:

Suppose a pension scheme member

takes retirement benefits on April 6,2012, and has pension savings of£1.8m with no form of LifetimeAllowance protection.

As the revised Lifetime Allowancewill then be £1.5m, this means that ifall benefits are taken £300,000 will beliable to a Lifetime Allowancecharge.

If taken as a lump sum, the taxcharge will be as follows: £300,000 x55% = £16,5000. If taken as pensionincome, the charge will be £300,000 x25% = £75,000. The pension incomewould then suffer income tax at theperson’s marginal rate. This amountof tax could have been avoided if

Fixed Protection had been applied for,as the Lifetime Allowance would havebeen maintained at £1.8m.

In previous articles I have writtenabout how from 2012 employers willbe required by law to “auto-enrol”their employees into a pension schemeand make pension contributions ontheir behalf.

Those employees who have appliedfor Fixed Protection will lose theprotection if they subsequently makefuture pension contributions andtherefore if they are automaticallyenrolled they will lose their protectionunless the member opts out withinone month.

It is vitally important that thosewith Fixed Protection do so, andanyone who may be affected mustseek financial advice beforehand.

The tax treatment discussed in thisarticle depends on the individual cir-cumstances of the investor and maybesubject to change in the future.

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:

➢ Valuation advice

➢ Negotiating the deal

➢ Raising finance

➢ Due diligence

➢ Tax mitigation ideas

➢ Getting the job done

Our independent and partner-drivenapproach ensures clients receiveadvice they can rely on and trust.

To discuss your plans in confidence pleaseconatct David Butterworth

W&SWheawill & Sudworth

Experience you can count on

P: 01484 423691E:[email protected]

W: www.wheawills.co.uk

Page 5: Kirklees Business News

KIRKLEES BUSINESS NEWS local Page 5

Reference point for Premiere

Regional pictureremains gloomyYORKSHIRE businesses expect steadyUK growth over the next decade – butthey are less optimistic about prospectsfor the region.Barclays Corporate said companies inthe region predict steady growth, anincrease in GDP and a better businessclimate in the UK over the next decade.The bank’s Business in 2021 reportpolled 660 bosses on the conditionsthey expect their businesses to face in adecade.It found respondents were generallypositive about the UK's long termeconomic prospects – with halfexpecting the UK to be a better place todo business in 2021. Just 29% expect UKbusiness conditions to worsen and afurther 13% expect conditions to besimilar to today.However, views vary significantlybetween regions and surprisinglyYorkshire businesses were the leastpositive nationally about the Yorkshireregion future – with only 42% surveyedsaying that they expect Yorkshire to be abetter place to do business in 10 yearstime.Yorkshire and the South West were alsothe least optimistic about GDP percapita in 10 years time with only 47%expecting just a minor increase.Nationally, certain sectors are also farless confident about the future. Retailerswere the least positive over the longterm with 55% predicting the UK will bea worse place to do business in 10 yearstime. Conversely 63% of technologysector businesses see the UK asoffering a better place to do business in2021.Some 55% of businesses nationallypredict steady and sustained growthover the coming decade, although 31%expect zero or negative growth over thenext 10 years. When asked what will fuelthis growth, technology is cited by 88%of businesses as being a key driverwhile just 44% of businesses viewingimmigration and population growth asan economic driver.Lee Collinson, head of BarclaysCorporate in Yorkshire, said: “It is clearthat the majority of Yorkshire businessesbelieve in the fundamental strength ofthe UK as a place to do business andthis underlines the temporary nature ofthe challenges we are currentlyexperiencing.“It is also telling to see that Yorkshirebusinesses are generally less positiveabout their region than the UK as awhole, showing the importance ofregional development and a need for anincrease in confidence going forward.“To see so many businessesanticipating steady and sustained UKeconomic growth over the next decadeshould be welcome news for aGovernment that is focused ondeveloping a growth strategy.”

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TV appearancepays dividendsRETAIL giant Poundworld is investingalmost £500,000 in employee benefits afterthe discount retailer appeared on Channel4’s Undercover Boss series in order to findout what employees really thought aboutthe company.

Managing director Chris Edwards andmarketing director Martyn Birks, who wasbrought up in Huddersfield, took part in theshow, which sees high-flying executives goundercover in their own businesses.

Poundworld has 2,800 employees across129 stores – including ones at New Street inHuddersfield and Market Place, Dewsbury.It plans to open a further 120 new storesover the next three years which will createapproximately 3,000 new jobs.

Issues that arose during the showincluded employees being unhappy aboutstaff facilities, till discrepancies being takenout of wages and staff being deducted 15minutes pay for clocking in late.

Said Mr Edwards: “Our employees areour most important asset, but we’ve beenexpanding so quickly recently, creatingmore than 1,000 new jobs over the last twoyears, that whilst we have focused on recruit-ing people we haven’t always listened towhat’s important to them.

“Although we regularly ask for sugges-tions, some people are guarded in theirresponses which is why we decided to parti-cipate in Undercover Boss. The show gaveus completely honest comments and as aresult it has been invaluable.

“We’ve immediately started acting on thefeedback that we received.

“During the show we announced that wewould invest £250,000 to make sure thatevery store offers great break and lunchareas and we’ve already put a facilitiesmanagement team in place to oversee thiswork and we’re now planning to increaseour investment in this area further.

“In addition we’ve changed our clock-ing-in system so that people are always paidfor the time they work and we’re investing innew technology to identify where till dis-crepancies occur, which means employeesare no longer penalised for being late ormaking genuine mistakes.”

Said Mr Edwards: “Although we arerenowned for offering fantastic value formoney, providing great customer service isalso a key priority for us and hopefully

making these improvements for our employ-ees will in turn enable them to furtherenhance the experience for our custom-ers.”

Yorkshire man Chris Edwards foundedPoundworld on a Wakefield market stall 37years ago. The firm moved its HQ to a215,000sq ft warehouse in Normanton afterrecord growth and an expansion drive thatsaw the fast-growing budget retailer open 28new stores in the last 12 months alone.

■ INVESTMENT: Martyn Birks (left) and Chris Edwards at Poundworld’s headquarters

A PLASTERING company isskimming off more work afterjoining a technology-focusednetworking group.

Slaithwaite-based PremierePlastering Services hasincreased its weekly income by£569 since joining the ReferralsNetwork in January. So far, thecompany has made more than£11,000 as a result of developingrelationships and helping outfellow colleagues and businessowners.

The networking group enablesbusinesses to grow through anonline business referrals systemwhich allows members to referbusiness without the penalties ofcompromising day-to-daybusiness activity.

Scott Moore (left), owner ofPremiere Plastering Services,said: “I cannot express howpleased we are with these

results.“Networking is something we

never thought would be availableto us because we never havespare time. The beauty of this is itdoesn’t matter which day or whattime we refer! This fits in perfectlywith our business.”

Network members meetface-to-face to learn about theservices they provide. After that,they communicate online to passreferrals.

The Referrals Network hasgroups in Huddersfield, Leedsand Wakefield.

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local Page 6KIRKLEES BUSINESS NEWSKIRKLEES BUSINESS NEWSKIRKLEES BUSINESS NEWSKIRKLEES BUSINESS NEWSKIRKLEES BUSINESS NEWSKIRKLEES BUSINESS NEWS

Declinein M&AdealsTHERE were fewermergers and acquisitionsin the UK during the firsthalf of the year, accordingto a survey.Business informationgroup Experian reported a15% fall in the number ofdeals to 1,978 during thefirst six months of theyear compared with 2,316for the same period in2010.The value of transactionswas 7% up at £101.8bnagainst £95.6bn last time.Rothschild was the bestperforming financialadvisor by volume with 46deals, while Citigroup wasthe highest by value withdeals worth £23.3bn.DLA Piper advised on thehighest number oftransactions at 53 whilethe leading legal advisorby value was Linklaterswith deals worth £21.3bn.The majority of the UK’sdeals during HY11 werewith the USA, followed byGermany.In the USA, volumes weredown by 37% while valueswere up by 20% comparedto the first half of 2010.Asia Pacific saw declinesin both volume and valueby 17% and 12%respectively.Experian businessdevelopment managerWendy Smith said: “Thefirst half of 2011 showsthat there is still a degreeof tentativeness in themarket.“This is further impactedby the fact that there arefewer businessinsolvencies to createopportunities and liquidityin the market and – tosome extent – the fact thatvendors still have highexpectations on price.“The North West andWales are the only areasthat appear to be buckingthe trend at the moment,with both seeing slightincreases in the volume ofdeals.“Looking across Europeand the rest of the world,around a third of thecompanies involved indeals are based outsidethe UK, so it is very mucha global market place.“It is not surprising thatthe low activity can beseen across the board.“Nonetheless, we are in amore optimistic place thanwe were in a year ago and– as increasing numbersof businesses begin tofocus once again onstrategic growth ratherthan cost-cutting – wewould anticipate a smallrise in deal volumes in thecoming year.”

Buoyant demandfor tanks supplier

■ ON THE UP: Steve Firth (let), production manager for Chem Resist, with (from left) Richard Thompson, TomFretwell and Luke Booth

Tax officials get tough

A MANUFACTURING firm isworking overtime to meet domesticand export demand for its products.

Ravensthorpe-based Chem ResistLtd is a world leader in the design andmanufacture of thermoplastic chem-ical storage tanks and process equip-ment.

In addition to established marketshere in the UK, Algeria, Egypt, Aus-tralia and the Middle East, produc-tion manager Steve Firth said thecompany is also fulfilling orders fromHolland, Russia and Canada.

“The production teams are on fullovertime Monday to Saturday at themoment and we’re planning to put ona Sunday shift if things continue asthey are. I’ve been here at Chem Resistfor 10 months now and I don’t knowwhat a ‘quiet moment’ is!”

The company has taken twoapprentices on board in recent weeksplus an experienced fabricator andMr Firth confirmed the company isfirmly committed to “the apprentice-ship route”.

He said: “While steel fabricators arerelatively easy to find, we prefer totrain our own apprentices for ourspecialised product.

“We have a highly experiencedworkforce, many of whom have beenwith us most of their working life andwe continue to maintain strong linkswith the area’s technical colleges tohelp create our next generation ofproduction specialists.”

Export sales, building on an alreadyhealthy domestic order book, are alsohaving a positive effect on ChemResist’s “bottom line”.

Director Neil Williams said thecompany is currently running 10%ahead of projected annual turnoverwith one recent month alone deliver-ing 15% of annual projectedturnover.

“Constant product innovation andclose personal attention to our clients

across the globe is paramount.” saidMr Williams. “We operate in a spe-cialised market sector with a provenproduct range. Growing the reputa-tion of Chem Resist as a truly globalbrand.”

The company, based at Raven-sthorpe Industrial Estate, has been in

business for 45 years and has a world-wide reputation for designing andbuilding chemical storage tanks andinstallations for many of the UK’sleading companies.

Clients include Glaxosmithkline,Kodak, Corus, Agfa and ThamesWater.

A FALL in the number ofYorkshire businesses allowed todefer tax payments shows thatthe tax man is taking a tougherline with late payers, saysinsolvency trade group R3.

Figures from HM Revenue &Customs showed that 3,660businesses in the region wereallowed to defer tax to the tune of£61m under the Time to Payscheme in the six months to theend of July.

Since the scheme started inNovember, 2008, a total of 33,400Time to Pay agreements havebeen made in Yorkshire and theHumber with a total value of£550m. However, the number andvalue of arrangements has beenfalling since 2009.

Andrew Walker (pictured),chairman of R3 in Yorkshire, said:“The Time to Pay scheme has inmany cases provided a valuablebreathing space for strugglingcompanies. However, it has alsobeen responsible for keeping a lotof ‘zombie’ businesses artificiallyalive.

“The continued decline in thenumber and value of

arrangements shows that thetaxman is now taking a muchtougher stance.

“This is backed up by therecent sharp rise in companyliquidations, which indicates thatHMRC is now stepping in towind-up companies that havebeen given time to pay and stillnot done so or late payers withoutagreements in place.

“Companies with cash flowproblems should be aware thatthey can no longer rely on

deferring their tax bill as asurvival strategy, but must seekprofessional advice to get theirhouse in order.”

HMRC has announced thatthese latest Time to Pay figuresare the last ones that will bereleased.

Said Mr Walker: “We areconcerned that going forwardHMRC will no longer publishthese figures as we believe it is inthe public interest to do so.”

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property Page 7KIRKLEES BUSINESS NEWSKIRKLEES BUSINESS NEWSKIRKLEES BUSINESS NEWSKIRKLEES BUSINESS NEWSKIRKLEES BUSINESS NEWSKIRKLEES BUSINESS NEWS

Investment opportunities abound

Property owners mustprepare for the worstPROPERTY owners in Yorkshire have beenurged to ensure they are protected in the event ofa major incident such as the recent riots.

Sarah Hodgson, associate director with prop-erty agency DTZ in West Yorkshire, said planningfor the unexpected was essential.

She said: “The physical – and therefore finan-cial – impact on property and businesses as aresult of the civil unrest in London and other UKcities has been widely broadcast on news chan-nels, newspapers and across the internet.

“The damage has prompted some searchingquestions from a property perspective that carryresonance for all property owners.

“How do you plan effectively for the unexpec-ted and what should your priorities be when facedwith a major incident such as a riot?”

She said: “A major incident could be anythingfrom a gas main explosion, a bomb threat, atransport network failure, a fire, a fuel spillage orit could even be an outbreak of a contagiousdisease that temporarily debilitates a workforce.

“Where property is concerned, these incidentsfall into two groups – the direct physical andnon-directly physical threat to property.

“For the directly physical threat, you need toconsider preparing a major incident plan, whichmay either be stand alone or linked to thenon-directly physical business disaster recoveryplan.

“The major incident plan will affect bothinvestors and occupiers. Planning for the unex-pected is all about forethought, considering what

may potentially happen and then thinking howyou can best overcome or work around theeventualities to minimise or eliminate theimpact.”

Said Ms Hodgson: “The major incident plandefines an individual’s role, how they co-ordinatewith others and provides a single point of refer-ence in case of any doubt. You might know whatto do, but does your assistant when you are onholiday? What role will security play? Does thereplacement security guard know? How will youcommunicate with other occupiers?

“Creating a major incident plan may seem likea time-consuming activity, but the fact of thematter is that being impacted by a major incidentmay very well be extremely costly. Worse, that costwill not be planned for and may occur at anytime.

“Each property and each business will poseunique challenges, so seeking advice and assist-ance from a third party expert to either prepare orhelp guide you through the process can help youplan effectively.

“In context, the relatively minor cost of seekingprofessional input may be an excellent way ofmitigating a much bigger bill.”

Ms Hodgson said insurance was a prudent stepfor any asset, but added: “The issue is not yourinsured liabilities, but fulfilling your underlyingduty of care, mitigation of any interruption to‘business as usual’ and protection of your assetand your brand by taking positive steps that havebeen well thought through and practiced.”

■ WELL-PREPARED: Property owners need to make sure they have plans in place tocope with disasters such as the recent riots which brought major damage to several UKcities

Taxman provides a boostTHE building industry has been given aboost by the taxman.

A U-turn by HM Revenue & Customsshould benefit many new-build constructionprojects, according to David Butterworth(left), of Huddersfield charteredaccountancy firm Wheawill & Sudworth.

Mr Butterworth said that HMRC wasproposing to scrap the valuable zero-ratingstatus of design and build contracts.

“These contracts, if properly drawn, canzero-rate not just the construction work, butalso the services of architects, surveyorsand other related professionals, meaning

the whole contract value can be VAT-free,”said Mr Butterworth.

HMRC has been suggesting that in futurebuilders would have to split their invoicesbetween VAT-free building work andVATable professional fees.

Mr Butterworth welcomed the change ofheart from HMRC, saying: “This is verygood news for local charities, housingassociations and schools and collegeswhich cannot recover much if any of VATcharged to them and should secure theoutcome of a range of constructionprogrammes.”

INTEREST in property investmentis booming in Huddersfield, it isclaimed.Now the Property InvestorsNetwork has launched aHuddersfield-based group to helppeople find out more about the dosand don’ts of investing in property.A spokeswoman said: “Given thecurrent uncertainty in the UKproperty market and the difficultiesin securing finance, you may besurprised to hear that there isactually an increase in interest inproperty investing in theHuddersfield area.“Most people would agree that nowis not a good time to be selling aproperty. So if it is a bad time tosell, then conversely it must be a

good time to buy.“Right now, investment propertiescan be purchased at a great priceand rental demand is strong, whichmeans that investments not onlypay for themselves, but alsogenerate good cash flow.“However, it is possible to losemoney in property if you don’tknow what you are doing. Learninghow to invest from othersuccessful investors is far smarterthan making mistakes yourself.”Property Investors Network wasset up in 2003 to provide asupportive environment for peopleto learn about successful propertyinvesting.Now the largest organisation of itstype in the UK, it hosts regular

monthly network meetings for itsmembers in 21 different citiesaround the UK.The launch of the newHuddersfield group will be held onTuesday, September 6, at the CedarCourt Hotel, Ainley Top. Meetingswill be held monthly thereafter.The new Huddersfield monthlymeeting is being hosted by localproperty investor, Rachael Wilsonwho has built up an impressiveportfolio in the last 12 months.The speaker at the launch eventwill be Property Investors Networkfounder Simon Zutshi, author ofthe property investing bestseller“Property Magic”.Go to www.pinhuddersfield.co.uk

Page 8: Kirklees Business News

KIRKLEES BUSINESS NEWS Movers and shakers Page 8

Academyhas returnedDELEGATES willdebate the meritsof using socialmedia in businessat the nextHuddersfieldTown EnterpriseAcademy event.

BusinessmenAnthony Heywoodand Andy Hobsonwill lead thedebate when theacademy meetson Tuesday,September 6, atTown’s Canalside training ground at LeedsRoad, Huddersfield.

The event will start at 4pm with tea andcoffee and informal networking before thedebate gets under way. The debate will befollowed by a Q&A session and morenetworking – before an optional bowlingtutorial on Canalside’s two bowling lawns at6pm.

Organiser Paul Scott (pictured), ofHuddersfield-based Yorkshire BusinessGrowth, said: “The Town EnterpriseAcademy is returning for the 2011/12season and will once again offer businessdelegates something a little bit different!

“The first season of the HTEA was atremendous success, with three verydifferent meetings taking place throughoutthe course of the campaign at theGalpharm Stadium and at PontefractRaces.

“For the first time, the HTEA meeting willtake place at Canalside, Town’s newtraining complex based at 509 LeedsRoad.”

Added Mr Scott: “We also have someextra bonuses in store this season, such asan improved post-meeting service anddiscussion via social media site LinkedIn.”

For details go to www.htafc.com or tobook go to htea.eventbrite.com

Balance is in the books!

AN accountancy firm in Holmfirth hasbeen heavily featured in a new bookabout the industry.

Balance Accountants proprietorAshley Barrowclough is quoted in thebook, The UK’s Best AccountancyPractices, which was written by StevePipe, founder and head of research atAVN, an association of more than 200pro-active accountancy firms.

Mr Pipe’s other books include 101Ways to Make More Profit, Stress ProofYour Business and Your Blueprint for aBetter Tax Practice.

Said Mr Barrowclough: “The book isabout excellence in the accountancyprofession and describes theexceptional things that someaccountancy firms are doing to improvethe operation of their own and their

clients’ businesses.“Balance have a six page spread in

the book detailing how our recentrebranding initiative, combined with newproducts and services, hasrevolutionised our business, generatingnew clients, improved profits and ahappy workforce.

“Being featured in this book is rewardfor all the hard work that our team hasput in over the last 12 months to takeour business forward and to enable usto stand out in the accountancyprofession.

“We have also recently been namedKirklees, Calderdale and WakefieldBusiness of the Month and we are inthe running for three national awards.

“At the moment the future looks verybright for Balance Accountants.”

■ VOLUME CONTROL: Ashley Barrowclough, of Holmfirth accountancy firmBalance and the book which features the story of the firm’s transformation

Fantastic to bewith you again!MARKETING agency FantasticMedia has renewed its sponsorship atHuddersfield’s Galpharm Stadium.

After a successful three-year partner-ship, the Birstall-based agency and sta-dium chiefs have agreed to “renew andrefresh” the deal to give FantasticMedia an increased presence at thevenue and provide the stadium with adefinitive marketing strategy and sup-port.

Through a strategic plan, Fantastic’steam of specialists will help steer thestadium’s marketing with web develop-ment, the creation of support materials,a PR campaign and dedicated con-sultancy to help the stadium achieve anumber of business ambitions.

In return, Fantastic will enjoy anenhanced presence at the stadium withthe Fantastic Media stand and suitecontinuing to be prominent features atthe venue. The marketing agency will

make use of match day promotion andnetworking opportunities as well as thevenue’s corporate facilities throughoutthe year.

Gareth Davies, stadium managingdirector, said: “We have strengthenedour relationship with Fantastic tomutual benefit.

“The company is ideally placed toprovide us with comprehensive market-ing support along with having the driveand experience to help us developstrategy.

“We look forward to a long andsuccessful partnership.”

Fantastic Media managing directorAndy Hobson said: “It’s an excitingtime at the stadium and we’re delightedto be part of both the team drivingstrategy forward and the businesseswho will benefit from improvements toone of our region’s premier sports ven-ues.”

■ GRANDSTAND: Galpharm Stadiummanaging director Gareth Davies (front) andFantastic Media managing director AndyHobson

Ruth Marshall & others

DTZPROPERTY agency DTZ hasannounced its latest batch ofpromotions.

The company has promoted 25individuals to director, 18 to seniorassociate and 77 to associatedirector across its globaloperations.

Some 36 individuals have beenpromoted across Yorkshire, thenorthern region, the Midland and south-westScotland with 11 of them at the firm’s Leedsoffice.

Tim Cameron-Jones (pictured), seniordirector and head of the Leeds office, said:“This level of success across a wide range ofsectors and skills is testament to the strength ofour regional business.”

Those promoted in West Yorkshire includeRuth Marshall, of corporate real estatemanagement, who takes up a directorship; JoHindle, of the HR team, Ben Hunter, ofcorporate real estate management, JavedPatel, of consulting and James Lawlor, whobecome associate directors.

Paul Northey, Daniel Latimer, Chris Jayneand Rory Flanagan have all been promoted tosenior surveyor.

Speaking outfor MorrisonsA TOP director at supermarket firm Morrisons is thelatest speaker to be announced for this year’sWomen’s Business Forum.

Norman Pickavance (pictured), group humanresources director for the Bradford-based retailer, willaddress an audience of 600 delegates on the topic“It’s Time to Mend the Leaking Pipeline of TalentedWomen.

He joins speakers including Chris Sullivan, chiefexecutive of RBS UK Corporate Banking; Allan

Leighton, non-executivechairman of Pace plc;Tim Solo, chairman andchief executive ofCummins Inc; and CarlaStent, chief operatingofficer at VirginManagement at theevent, which takes placeon Thursday, September29 at Rudding Park inHarrogate.

Heather Jackson,Holmfirth-based founderand chief executive ofThe Women’s BusinessForum, said: “I’m

delighted we’ve secured Norman to speak.“He is instrumental in Morrisons’ commitment as a

business to address the need for a gender balance –having recently announced a target of doubling itsnumber of female senior managers by 2014.”

The forum, entitled “It’s Time...to make adifference” will make the statement that the time hascome to stop just looking at the boardroom, but toaddress the personal, cultural and institutionalperceptions and realities that cause women to leavethe “talent pipeline”.

Said Ms Jackson: “Morrisons are leading byexample and have understood these issues from thestart, having set a target of 30% femalerepresentation on the company’s seniormanagement group – the top executives in thecompany – within three years.”

Mr Pickavance said: “Morrisons is tackling thisissue head-on. We believe passionately that all ourcolleagues have talent and we are totally committedto identifying issues and taking positive action toaddress them.

“We are also sowing the seeds with our suppliersto aspire to a similar ethos having already held aconference on this topic with them last month.”

Visit www.thewomensbusinessforum.co.uk