November 2011 Archives | North Somerset Business Leader

Archive for: November 2011

Record turn out for 20th annual Bakers Dolphin reunion

Nov. 30 Events, Latest News, Leisure, Transport no comments

Bakers Dolphin Record turn out for 20th annual Bakers Dolphin reunion Holiday-makers turned out in force to attend the 20th annual Bakers Dolphin customer reunion, this year held in North London.

Over 500 travellers from across the South West joined the coach company for its get-together which, this year, had a medieval theme.

The reunion is held by the Weston-super-Mare based company every year, to bring its regular customers together and have one last knees-up before Christmas.

Bakers Dolphin Sales and Marketing Director Amanda Harrington said: “The reunion is always great fun but this year we had a record turn-out with over 500 people joining us in Elstree.

“We like to hold a reunion to get the chance to see our regular customers and spend some time with them, while doing what we do best – holidays! This is the 20th reunion we have held and the customers said it was the best one yet!

“We visited several local landmarks and stayed in a lovely hotel but the highlight was definitely the medieval banquet where we all dressed up in traditional medieval costumes.

“This year we welcomed people who had travelled with us for the first time as well as people who use us a dozen times a year.

“The whole weekend is about having fun and visiting some nice places, it’s a great way to make new friends and join up with old friends and we’re already planning next year’s reunion in North Wales!”

The four-day trip included a visit to Woburn Safari Park and Abbey, a day at the RAF museum at Hendon and an evening at the Hatfield House Banquet.

Bakers Dolphin has been in business since 1889, providing pick-up points across the South West and offering holidays, short-breaks and day-trips to locations in the UK, on the continent and further-afield.

The latest brochure for Summer 2012 can be ordered by calling 01934 415000 or visiting www.bakersdolphin.com

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North Somerset business networking group celebrates fifth birthday

Nov. 30 Events no comments

A Yatton networking group is celebrating its fifth birthday next week with a special meeting.

The 4N Cadbury group was originally formed five years ago in Clevedon, but is now based at The Club, Cadbury House, Yatton. 4Networking is a national business networking group, which has more than 300 groups who meet at various locations across the country.

Each breakfast focuses on building relationships with potential suppliers and customers, as well as sharing experiences and knowledge in a relaxed environment. There is also a specialist speaker at each breakfast, who gives an insight into their area of expertise.

4Networking was formed more than five years ago in Bridgwater, by Managing Director Brad Burton. He will be the guest speaker at Cadbury’s fifth birthday breakfast, which takes place on Wednesday 7 December from 8-10am. If you are involved in business and are interested in attending the breakfast, please contact group leader Morwenna Tudor, of Tudor Communication, on 07805 412414 or email Morwenna@tudorcommunication.co.uk

There are a number of other 4N breakfasts taking place around the North Somerset and Somerset area on a fortnightly basis. Here are a list of the meetings which will be taking place in the coming month:

Thursday 1 December – Bridgwater
Friday 2 December – Gordano
Wednesday 7 December – Cadbury-Clevedon
Friday 9 December – Taunton
Tuesday 13 December – Weston-super-Mare
Thursday 15 December – Bridgwater
Friday 16 December – Gordano

If you would like to find out more about 4Networking or if you would like to attend a breakfast, then please visit www.4networking.biz

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Knightstone gets approval for new HQ at Weston Gateway Business Park

Nov. 30 Latest News, Property no comments

Knightstone Planning

Dowlas UK has been granted planning permission by North Somerset Council for a new head office for Knightstone Housing Association, one of the largest independent providers of affordable housing in the South West.

The new state-of-the-art building on the Weston Gateway Business Park in Worle just off the A370 and close to junction 21 of the M5 motorway was designed by Bristol Architects, Barton Willmore.

Providing spacious new facilities from which Knightstone can serve its 23,000 residents, it will house 230 permanent staff and have space for 40 additional mobile workers.

Dowlas are expected to appoint Midas Construction to build the 40,000 square feet of offices on three floors with Knightstone occupying two floors by April 2013.

Chief Executive of Knightstone Housing Association Nick Horne said: “We’re delighted that planning permission has been granted. This forms the next stage in the implementation of our strategic review – to refocus our operational area, reshape our services and refresh our ways of working.

“It helps in our move to focus our services in a more concentrated geographic area covering nine local authorities in the West of England and Somerset which we announced earlier in the year.

“This modern, high performance building will replace six of our existing offices and will enable us to make cost savings. These savings will then be reinvested into our homes, services and communities.

“Our priority is giving our residents and customers a great service and this new office will give our staff a working environment in which they can do exactly that.”

As well as the new office space the building will also include training facilities, meeting rooms and informal spaces. The design will maximise natural light to create a pleasant and healthy working environment.

With a 120 space car park and cycle storage the new office will be fully accessible for disabled visitors and staff.

The building will go beyond the minimum building standards and will achieve a BREEAM rating of very good. To save on energy costs, PV solar energy panels will be placed on the south facing side of the roof. Orientated on an east west axis, south facing windows will be shaded from the summer sun by Brise Soleil aluminium louvers.

Hartnell Taylor Cook LLP have been appointed as CDM coordinator and EC Harris as project monitoring surveyor.

Anyone interested in working for Knightstone should look at the recruitment website www.thewaytowork.co.uk

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New city ‘roof tax’ could impact on development sites

Nov. 30 Property no comments

Louise Seaman 257x300 New city roof tax could impact on development sites Developers have been urged to have their say on Bristol City Council’s Community Infrastructure Levy – which property experts believe could make some developments across the city more expensive.

Louise Seaman from the Bristol office of Colliers International said the levy – described as a new city roof tax – sets out the level of tax developers will be expected to pay when constructing new floorspace across the city from 2014.

She said: “Although offices and industrial development will be exempt from the proposed levy, it will still have considerable impact on the retail, hotels and student accommodation sectors which Bristol relies so heavily on.”

The Community Infrastructure Levy is a Government initiative aimed at replacing the present Section 106 agreement – under which developers undertake specific works on or around a site in return for their planning permissions.

Louise Seaman explained: “The proposed levy is intended to generate a single pot of funds that the council can use to pay for wider infrastructure projects across the City.

“Developers could find themselves paying toward a new road project miles away from the intended development site. In time, the new levy will replace site specific obligations imposed on developers through the Section 106 agreements developers will be familiar with. “

Louise Seaman said Bristol’s announcement of the charging schedule would be welcomed by certain sectors but will frustrate others as it could make sites more expensive to develop.

“Bristol City Council has said in the interests of job creation and economic growth it will not be applying the charge to new offices and industrial development.

“But the tax applied for other land uses such retail, hotels and student accommodation may discourage new investment in these key sectors.

“These all tend to be based on city centres and the levy could hinder companies looking at redeveloping sites and restrict wider regeneration of this area.”

The city council has identified two separate bands to cover residential development in the city. The inner zone based on the city centre, Clifton and Bristol’s sought-after northern fringe where development costs per square foot will be greater, alongside an outer zone encompassing the southern suburbs where development costs will be comparatively cheaper.

The consultation process allowing developers across all sectors the opportunity to submit representations will close on January 20 2012.

Louise Seaman concluded: “The accompanying CIL analysis shows that residential developers in most cases will be having to pay more under the new regime than the previous Section 106 system. Again, this will be not be viewed as good news in the housing market.

“We would therefore urge all developers with a stake in the regeneration of Bristol to have their say on the levy before it is too late.”

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Burton Sweet’s Rachel Finch reviews the Autumn statement

Nov. 29 Finance, Latest News no comments

burton sweet21 Burton Sweets Rachel Finch reviews the Autumn statement The Chancellor of the Exchequer George Osborne delivered a mixed bag in his Autumn Statement on the nation’s finances.

The review of the economy and the economic predictions made depressing listening and whilst there was good news for businesses, investors and motorists, there was bad news for public sector workers and tax credit claimants.

So what did he announce and how does it affect you? Below is a summary of the main points of his speech:

Pay, Pensions, Taxes & Allowances

• The Chancellor plans to cap increases to public sector pay to 1% per year over the next two years.
• The government’s Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR) has also increased its estimate of public sector job cuts, from 400,000 to more than 700,000.
• The unemployed will however benefit from an increase to state benefits of 5.2%, in line with inflation, from April next year.
• Personal allowance will be increased, with the intention of bringing up to a million people out of paying tax altogether.
• Tax credits will increase, however the increase will below inflation. In addition, the proposed increase in the child element of the child tax credit has been scrapped.
• The basic state pension will rise by £5.35 from next April up to £107.45
• However, young people will have to wait longer to get their pension, with the increase in the state pension age from 66 to 67 being brought forward to 2026. It is anticipated that this change will save £59bn.
• There was good news for motorists as the increase to fuel duty planned for January was cancelled, and August’s increase will be limited to 2p.

Housing

• The Right to Buy scheme for council house tenants is to be reintroduced. Tenants will be offered a 50% discount on the Market Value of their property, with the money raised being used to build new homes to stimulate the construction industry.
• A £400m scheme will be introduced to jump start stalled construction projects in England.
• The Government will underwrite mortgages for 100,000 young families trying to get on the property ladder.

Business

• Businesses may also benefit from the changes the Chancellor announced, with business rate holiday being extended to 2013.
• A proposed reform of employment law may make it easier for businesses to hire and fire staff
• The new National Loan Guarantee Scheme is intended to cut the costs of borrowing for small businesses by up to 1%.
• The Chancellor confirmed that the Main Rate of Corporation Tax will be cut from 1st April down to 25%.
• A £1bn youth contract will subsidise six-month work placements for 410,000 young people

Local Impact

• The Chancellor’s list of planned infrastructure projects includes the construction of a new ring road to the south of Bristol, which should create more jobs.
• Families in the South West will have their water bills cut by £50

The Economy

The Chancellor’s announcements come against the backdrop of falling growth, with the OECD predicting Britain will fall back into recession. The OBR disagrees, but has drastically cut its predictions for growth in the nation’s economy from 1.7% in 2011 to a mere 0.9%. Next year is worse, with expectations of growth cut from 2.5 to only 0.7%.

The Chancellor blamed current poor expectations of growth on the previous government, saying that it was now clear that the boom had been even bigger than previously thought, and the bust would be even deeper.

He was forced to admit that public sector borrowing is not falling fast enough, and that the Government will not meet its target of balancing the nation’s books, and eliminating the structural deficit, by the end of this Parliament. Government borrowing will actually be £112bn higher than expected over the next four years, with debt peaking at 78% of gross domestic product (GDP) in 2014.

One thing is for certain – Britain’s economic growth will depend at least as much on what happens in the Eurozone as on what the Chancellor does.

Rachel Finch is the Tax Advisory Partner at Burton Sweet Chartered Accountants and Business Advisors. She specialises in providing advice to business owners and individuals on a wide range of issues from Income Tax and Corporate Tax through to International Tax and Corporate restructuring.

To find out more about Burton Sweet visit: http://www.burtonsweet.co.uk or call them on: 0844 225 0750

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Higher Education institution for North Somerset is ‘crucial’ says College Principal

Nov. 29 Education, Latest News no comments

Dr Paul Phillips

A bespoke Higher Education (HE) institution for North Somerset within the next five years is ‘crucial’ if the area is to thrive, according to Weston College’s Principal.

Dr Paul Phillips made the call at College’s annual Business Breakfast meeting for College partners, local business representatives and North Somerset Council officials, at which the Annual Report was launched.

He made no secret of Weston College’s ambitions to become a fully-fledged HE establishment, saying that it is already making significant progress in this area.

In front of an audience of 150, Dr Phillips said Weston College was already making significant inroads into the field of HE. He pointed out that this year there was a 100 per cent pass rate in the degrees offered by the College, with 21 per cent of graduates gaining a First Class Honours degree – much higher than the national average of eight per cent. In addition, 85 per cent of Weston College’s graduates have found employment.

He said: “The greatest accolade Weston-super-Mare could have is for it to become a university town. A HE establishment is crucial for North Somerset within the next five years.

“Already, a significant proportion of our undergraduates are coming from across the UK and this year we’ve noticed that more people are coming into North Somerset to study than are leaving it for the same reason.”

The idea of a Weston College developing new models of education chimes with the Government’s ambition to open new learning organisations across the UK. Next week, Lord Baker – former Education Secretary in Margaret Thatcher’s government of the 1980s – will visit Weston College to talk about its University Technical College aspirations, among other subjects.

Dr Phillips said: “The College, with North Somerset Council, the schools and its key business partners is determined to create the very best learning opportunity for the people of North Somerset and beyond.”

The breakfast meeting also heard from Graham Turner, North Somerset Council’s Chief Executive, who said that an alliance of public and private sector
interests was vital during ‘difficult times’ for the area.

“I was very pleased to read in the College’s literature that it is committed to listening and responding to individual needs,” he added, “and I think it is vital that people are treated as individuals. It is not easy to think about creating brighter futures when the recession is so dominant but this has to be the message.”

Jude Ferguson, Weston College Chair of Governors, said the College was continuing to expand even in difficult times, pointing to the construction of the new atrium and ‘Library Plus’ at the Knightstone Campus as examples of continued growth.

She said: “We continue to meet the needs of our learners and employers, and we try to remain innovative and flexible. Local and national recognition of our efforts is down to our staff, our learners and the people who support them.”

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Are you still owed a King’s Ransom?

Nov. 29 Columnists, Finance 2 comments

debt recovery Are you still owed a Kings Ransom? Debbie Urch, Owner of Nailsea based debt recovery specialists Kings Ransom kicks off her regular column with some tips to help minimise the stress of debt recovery.

The bad payer

You’ve worked round the clock to complete work for a customer. The finished product is on time and to your usual high standard so you send the final invoice to your customer and wait for them to pay what is owed. You wait a few days and you don’t receive a call. That’s fine you think to yourself, maybe they’ve been a little busy and they’ll get around to paying the invoice as soon as they get a spare moment. A week goes by and you still hear nothing, then another week, before you find yourself being passed from pillar to post and then finally hit a wall of silence. You realise that you’re not going to get paid.

If you are involved in business this is a situation you may have encountered. And if it isn’t, it may be one you experience in the future. I hope it isn’t because being owed money is stressful and a drain on your time and resources.

Here are two tips to consider regarding debt recovery.

Do you have the correct invoice details?

Do you have the correct invoice details? This means do you have the correct legal entity. For example, let’s say you are owed such and such amount by Fred Bloggs who sells kitchens. Is he actually called Fred or is his given name Frederick? Is he a limited company, a partnership or a sole trader?

I always call myself Debbie but my given name is Deborah May. If you issue a summons (claim form) to me in the name of Debbie I could reject it as there is no one in my business legally called Debbie.

There is a recourse though – you can apply to the Court and a pay a fee to get the name amended to the correct one. But it is always less costly and less time consuming to get it right in the first place.

When does an outstanding invoice become a debt?

The answer is often dictated by your terms and conditions, or the specific nature of the outstanding invoice. If you have chased it through your credit control system and have been lenient, kind, understanding and patient, and your patience has run its course – then it is time for debt recovery. If on the other hand you have not chased the debt through your credit control system, it is not actually a debt as there may be a specific reason for non-payment; which you may not be aware of because the correct procedure has not been put in place.

How would Kings Ransom recover you debt?

If you asked us to recover your debt we would take every measure to keep the debt out of Court – with this being the last recourse.

We will write to your debtor and advise that we are not responsible for the debt and that all future contact must be with us. Hopefully our letters will generate payment in full, or at the very least an instalment plan which we will monitor very closely to ensure that all promised payments are received in a timely manner.

If you have any questions regarding debt recovery please don’t hesitate to contact us on: enquiries@kingsransom.biz or telephone 01275 857399. Alternatively you can visit: http://www.kingsransom.biz/index.htm

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What a framing lovely new home!

Nov. 29 Retail no comments

Andy Hale hard at work

A popular Cleeve business wants to let its customers know it has not only changed its name, but also moved into a new home, where it will focus on supporting and promoting a dying art.

After seven years in Cleeve, Gallery 370 Picture Framers have moved a couple of miles down the road to Brockley Lane, Chelvey. To celebrate the move and the art of picture framing, they have also changed their name to The Picture Framers Chelvey.

The small team is delighted with their new building at Little Chelvey Farm, and feel it has come a long way from being a cowshed eight weeks ago. The team is able to take inspiration from the rural surroundings, as well as sharing the farm will other likeminded wood-based businesses.

The site is still being developed, with more businesses due to move in in the future.

Georgina Micklethwaite, who runs the business with framer Andy Hale, said: “Framing is a dying art and we’re keen to keep promoting it in North Somerset. We’re delighted with our new home and really pleased that we can now give our customers the opportunity to see what goes on in the workshop, which is something we’ve always wanted to do.

“Because we work with wood, we will be able to draw inspiration from our surroundings and expand our ideas.As well as being able to grow the business, the new site also offers exciting opportunities to work with talented and experienced wood crafters on future projects.”

Unlike some framers, The Picture Framers Chelvey don’t mass produce their frames. Each one is made from scratch, in close consultation with the customer, and is designed to fit their requirements. This has led to some unusual requests, including framing a life-size Brian May replica guitar and stuffed spiders.

Georgina added: “We pride ourselves on being able to frame pretty much anything our customers’ want. No matter how quirky the request, we still make sure the frame suits the item and delivers what the customer asked for. We take inspiration from the people and the objects and if you want it framing, we can usually do it.”

The Picture Framers Chelvey is based at Little Chelvey Farm, Unit 1B, Brockley Lane, Chelvey, North Somerset, BS48 4AB. You can conatct them by telephone on: 01934 832712 and email: info@gallery370.com.

Their current web address is: : www.gallery370.com and you can follow them on twitter: @framingfairy.

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Fund available to support sustainable travel

Nov. 25 Environment no comments

Sustainable Travel Fund available to support sustainable travel North Somerset Council has made a new grant fund available for employers in the district who want to promote sustainable travel.

This new fund to businesses for the 2011/12 financial year is the result of the council’s successful bids through the joint local transport plan and the local sustainable transport fund.

According to the Council the idea is to support employers and those running visitor attractions that are promoting sustainable travel, with the aim of reducing single-occupancy car use. This covers journeys to and from work, during the course of work, or to and from a visitor attraction.

Examples of eligible schemes include cycling facilities such as secure cycle parking and showers; pool bikes; improved on-site walking and cycling links; promoting car-sharing; and schemes or facilities to promote public transport.

Cllr Elfan Ap Rees, North Somerset Council’s deputy leader and executive member for transport said: “We hope this scheme will encourage more employers in the district to think about how they can persuade people to leave their cars at home, which will benefit everyone in helping to reduce congestion ,journey times and pollution. I’m very pleased that our officers have secured this funding which we can offer to North Somerset businesses.

“We have already contacted local employers once but will be reminding them again shortly about the scheme. Meanwhile we would encourage employers to apply as soon as possible as applications will be reviewed in December but the final deadline is Friday 10 February.”

Accepted schemes will be monitored for effectiveness to ensure grants prove their worth and schemes need to be implemented within six months of employers being awarded a grant.

North Somerset Council can offer up to 100% of the external costs (not your own staff time), up to a maximum of £5,000. Larger grants will normally need to include an element of match-funding from the employer. The size of the grant will be limited by how many staff are likely to benefit.

To see full details of the scheme and to complete an application form visit innorthsomerset.co.uk and look under the ‘business resources’ tab. Or call North Somerset Council’s sustainable travel and road safety team on 01934 426 404 or email sustainable.travel@n-somerset.gov.uk

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Bristol business chief says public sector strike will undermine recovery

Nov. 25 Events no comments

Bristol FSB Chairman Guy Kingston

Public sector workers due to strike next Wednesday as part of the latest TUC day of action risk being branded ‘selfish and greedy’ according to Bristol Federation of Small Businesses chairman Guy Kingston.

More than two million public sector workers are set to strike on November 30 in what is predicted to be biggest day of industrial unrest since the Winter of Discontent back in 1979.

FSB chief Guy Kingston said public sector workers were biting the hand that feeds them.

He said: “It beggars belief that at a time where excessive government spending is tipping other countries over the brink that public sector workers in the UK, who have generally done very well out of the boom in public sector spending, think vital austerity measures needed to save the British economy should apply to everyone else but them.

“They don’t seem prepared to do their bit to help save the country from going the same way as Greece and Italy.

“As a result, they risk being branded selfish and greedy at a time when many small business owners are not even making the national minimum wage.”

Public sector workers across the country will join Wednesday’s strike action which is expected to hit hospitals, schools, law courts, government offices, job centres and a range of council services, as well as affecting international travel arrangements.

The day of action – organised by Unite – aims to force the Coalition Government to rethink plans to change the pension system for civil servants and local authority employees. The union says more than one in five people in the South West will be affected by the Government’s plans to overhaul pensions.

Guy Kingston said the whole campaign was self-defeating.

“Small businesses are trying to do something for the economy, propelling the growth we need to get us all out of the present mess excessive spending on the public sector has created.

“But strike action only serves to undermine our ability to make money, which will eventually go to the Exchequer in taxes necessary to finance salaries and pensions in the public sector. The strikers seem to think money grows on trees.”

Guy Kingston runs a business in Bristol advising companies on entering the Russian market.

He said: “Small businesses will lead us out of the downturn but any recovery is being undermined by action such as the day planned next Wednesday.

“The strike will impact small businesses on every level – from having to take a day off to look after children because their school has been shut down to seeing legal or local authority cases disrupted because a clerk hasn’t turned up to work.”

Guy Kingston had little sympathy with public sector workers’ claims their pensions were under attack.

“Even the reduced pensions on the table are still far more generous than pension packages in the private sector.

“We’re in a vicious circle as businesses are being taxed to pay public sector salaries and pensions while the public sector workers do their best to undermine our ability to earn the money to pay to keep them in a lifestyle few of us can afford ourselves. It is ultimately self-defeating to clobber the small businesses in Bristol which are doing their best to get the country moving again.”

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