Construction at Sherwood Observatory hits new heights
Historic first meeting for new East Midlands Combined County Authority
The first meeting of the new East Midlands Combined County Authority (EMCCA) took place this week – with council leaders making a series of decisions that establish the organisation’s constitution, budget and plans to improve the lives of everyone who lives and works in the region.
The EMCCA Board, made up of the four leaders and deputy leaders from Derbyshire, Derby, Nottinghamshire and Nottingham councils debated a number of key reports at their first meeting on 20 March at Chesterfield Borough Council.
They were joined by representatives from district and borough councils across the area, who will join the Board at the next meeting planned for after the mayoral election.
The meeting was chaired by Cllr Barry Lewis, Leader of Derbyshire County Council, who said: “Our shared ambition for our place and the people we serve has united us over the past few years and will continue to be the driving force behind all we do as EMCCA develops and grows.
“The £4 billion of government funding on the table for us through the devolution deal is just the start.
“We aim to attract more investment by making things happen and turning round historic under-investment in the East Midlands so the regional economy is stronger and better for local residents.”
The board meeting took place in Chesterfield ahead of elections for the region’s first Mayor, on Thursday 2 May. After the election future board meetings will be chaired by the Mayor.
Following the board meeting more than 100 partners and stakeholders joined political leaders in a launch event to hear more about EMCCA’s future plans.
The group discussed the strategic framework that focuses on the importance of growing the region’s economy for everyone’s benefit by targeting investment to speed up economic growth, improving transport links to towns, cities and major employers in the East Midlands and improving skills support and training in key sectors.
The launch event was supported by SCAPE, one of the UK’s leading public sector procurement authorities, which is wholly-owned by six local authority shareholders, including the four constituent councils involved in the EMCCA.
End of production at Alstom in Derby would be a “death-knell for the city”
A key member of the Midlands rail industry has described the news of how Derby’s Alstom train-building plant could stop production this week as “a death-knell” for the city – and the tragic result of a long history of short-term economic thinking.
Malcolm Prentice, group chairman of rail maintenance firm MTMS and former managing director of Derby rail engineering firm Garrandale, said it would take many years for the city to recover should the factory have to close, with the loss of 3,000 jobs.
His comments follow an interview on BBC Radio Four with Alstom managing director Nick Crossfield, in which he said that production at the firm’s Litchurch Lane site was nearing the end, with an 18-month gap until the next order.
He added that the firm could no longer guarantee a presence in the city, admitting that any loss of work and jobs in Derby would have a knock-on effect on the local and national supply chain.
Mr Prentice, whose company is based in Moira, Leicestershire, and maintains depots across the country for a host of train operating companies, said its fortunes would not be affected by the lack of work at Alstom.
But he could not say the same for Derby, where he worked for the majority of his 40-year career in the rail industry and whose fortunes and identity rely heavily on its train-making industry.
And he said it was another sign of how under-investment in the UK’s railways over the past decades is now starting to catch up with the country, which has already seen the HS2 project heavily scaled back due to cost-cutting.
He said: “This is a death knell for Derby, and for Derbyshire, in so many ways. We’ve gone from being at the heart of the Industrial Revolution to being on the verge of losing the very industry that helped to build the city because there has been a lack of investment in home-grown manufacturing building trains for our own rail network.
“That’s a legacy of a political and business approach that has focussed on the short-term economic gain from cutting costs and selling off assets to overseas companies rather than investing for the long term.
“Once these factories are gone and the skills are gone, they’re either gone for good, or it takes many years to build them back up again. If we lose Alstom and those 3,000 jobs, plus all the jobs in the supply chain, then it will take Derby very many years to recover.
“I certainly don’t think I will see its recovery in my lifetime, and that makes me feel very sad.”
MTMS, which services and maintains rolling stock and equipment at more than half of rail depots across the UK, serves such familiar names in mainline rail as First MTR South-Western Railway, Govia ThamesLink Railway, Arriva and Siemens.
It is also a patron of the Midlands Rail Forum, which is the biggest forum of its kind in the UK.
Malcolm added: “This isn’t just about manufacturing. Transport is an important part of our country’s infrastructure and vital to us being a strong nation. Our economy relies on being able to transport the goods we import around the country and rail should be a big part of that, especially since the UK wants to cut emissions and become more sustainable.
“I don’t see the electric lorries, or the fleet of electric Amazon vans, that will deliver that to us, but I do know that rail is far more environmentally friendly than road haulage and should be at the heart of our national transport strategy.
“That isn’t happening, but it is across the rest of Europe, which has invested in their rail industry and are now way ahead of us.”
Plans for entertainment hub in Northampton given the green light
Bank of England holds interest rates at 5.25%
Anna Leach, CBI Deputy Chief Economist, said: “The Bank of England has as expected chosen to keep interest rates on hold for the fifth occasion, following February’s inflation number which came in at its lowest since 2021.
“Nonetheless, services inflation, though falling in line with expectations, remains relatively high at 6.1%. And wage inflation, while likewise having fallen back is still running too hot to sustainably deliver 2% inflation, with risks that the forthcoming rise in the national living wage may yet spur renewed wage pressures.
“The CBI’s own surveys have shown the downward trend in price expectations stall across much of the private sector recently, amidst a renewed uptick in cost pressures. And the ongoing conflicts in the Middle East and Ukraine present further risks to the inflation outlook.
“Unsurprisingly therefore the Bank has reiterated that they’re looking for further evidence of sustained declines in domestic inflationary measures in particular in the coming months before they’ll consider dropping rates, with markets expecting the first downward move to come in June.”
Silverstone electric vehicle firm shuts down commercial arm
Nottingham City Council forges ahead with Forest Recreation Ground Sports Zone improvements plan
Derby communications specialist acquired
Derby Civic Society names Nightingale Quarter as Conservation Winner at ABCD Awards
Leading AI voice and former Dragons’ Den investor partners with Champions (UK) plc
Former Dragons’ Den investor and AI expert Piers Linney has partnered with growth consultancy firm Champions (UK) plc.
He joins the Costock-based company as ‘AI & Technology Lead’, in another key management appointment to the organisation’s team.
Mr. Linney’s entrepreneurial and investment experience spans across technology, automation and communications. He is the co-founder of Implement AI, a next generation consultancy dedicated to helping small and medium-sized businesses understand and implement artificial intelligence.
He is also the co-founder of Atherton Bikes, a producer of titanium and carbon-constructed mountain bikes which were used to win the World Championships 2023.
He said: “I’ve been working with the Champions family for around seven years now, and we’ve really built a business together which has been my speaking profile and my keynotes, which has gone incredibly well.
“The Champions business and the ambition has expanded, and I’m really excited to be partnering with them on bringing my AI experience and Implement AI’s capabilities into the fold.
“We’re going to be bringing together the strategy to help companies grow, to expand, to understand how they can extract the most out of their business to increase profitability and valuations. It is critical that every business includes artificial intelligence in their growth strategy and operational planning before their competition does.”
Mr. Linney is best known for his time on Channel 4’s The Secret Millionaire, and Dragons’ Den between 2013-2015, where he sat alongside other renowned figures such as Peter Jones and Deborah Meaden as an investor. The former Dragon is a qualified corporate lawyer and former M&A banker at Credit Suisse.
He acted as a Non-Executive Director to the British Business Bank during the £90 billion roll out of COVID business support loan schemes, and was also a trustee of Nesta, the UK’s largest innovation foundation with a £600m endowment.
Mr. Linney was recognised as one of the UK’s Top 20 Ethnic Minority Executives in 2020, and is a D&I adviser to Sky, following his experience as a former future strategy adviser to one of the world’s leading luxury automotive manufacturers.
As AI & Technology Lead, Mr. Linney will be leading projects regarding business automation, AI implementation and investment solutions, helping organisations navigate through Champions’ audit to activation process.
The business adviser and influencer will be bringing over vital experience in technology, modern manufacturing and M&A investment banking, which will provide Champions’ clients with industry leading insights into growth and automation.
Champions (UK) plc Managing Director Matthew Hayes said: “I’m very pleased to announce our new AI & Technology lead, Piers Linney.
“Piers will lead our clients’ efficiency and competitive difference via helping them navigate the complex landscape of AI and integration.
“His passion for supporting businesses with tech-first strategies has seen him become a globally recognised AI expert, with the world’s number one AI for Business podcast and LinkedIn appointed ‘Top AI voice’.
“We’re excited to see what our clients’ future holds as they reap the benefits of our powerful, technology-led solutions.
“Welcome to the family Piers.”
Mather Jamie appoints new planning manager
Conference urges business growth and collaboration to boost Chesterfield’s economy
Businesses in Chesterfield are being encouraged to explore ways in which they can grow, as part of ambitious plans to improve the town’s economy and create higher-value jobs for residents.
Speakers at Destination Chesterfield’s annual Celebrate Chesterfield Business Conference highlighted ways in which local businesses can harness support to innovate and create new jobs.
They also identified that if all organisations in the town currently categorised as ‘low growth’ experienced just a 1% uplift, it would significantly boost the local economy.
Helping businesses to grow and ensuring people have the right skills are key objectives of Chesterfield Borough Council’s Growth Strategy (2023-2027). To support this, delegates at Celebrate Chesterfield heard from businesses which are innovating and overcoming challenges to boost growth.
Mike Isherwood, Managing Director of event headline sponsor, System Q, explained how his business has evolved and adapted to become a supplier to major organisations, including the Ministry of Defence: “We are committed to providing our customers with the most innovative and advanced technology, ensuring their safety and security at all times.
“Our company is proud to be a part of the thriving high-tech community in Chesterfield, a town known for its innovation and progress. Despite the common belief that the best firms and talent are found in larger cities, this quaint town is home to a wealth of undiscovered talent.”
Ash Young, Managing Director of CarMats.co.uk, recently relocated his business to the town.
He said: “If we hadn’t done things differently, we wouldn’t have seen the growth that we have. When we set up the business we were aiming for 100 orders per day, but because we changed the way we marketed the products, we are now shipping around 150,000 orders per year and we’re going to turn over about £7.5m this year.
“We’ve managed to hire a really skilled team in Chesterfield and the transport links mean it’s easy for us to get out to couriers easily.”
Amy Revell, of We Are Spaces Ltd, recently expanded her business into larger office space at the Northern Gateway Enterprise Centre, having initially moved into the development last year.
She said: “We currently turn over around £7m and have 15 employees, and we are rapidly growing. Chesterfield has played a big part in our growth – we have a lovely office space here which we managed to grow from one of the smaller suites into a larger one.
“We’ve managed to recruit really good people in the area, and we are strategically placed really well. Being so central has allowed us to grow all of our core services nationally.”
At the conference, Destination Chesterfield also launched its ambitious new strategy and plan, which outlines the partnership’s aims to attract further inward investment, support businesses to grow and encourage more people to visit the town.
Peter Swallow, Destination Chesterfield Chair, said: “This plan reflects our town’s ambition, and where we collectively see the biggest growth opportunities. Recent research has identified 26% of revenues from tourism, inward investment and talent growth are shaped by people’s perception of a town or city. Meaning our collective work to promote the town are vital to achieving the town’s growth aspirations.
“Since 2010, Destination Chesterfield has worked alongside Chesterfield Borough Council and Chesterfield Champions to promote the area as a contemporary destination to invest, work, live and visit, and our public-private partnership continues to play a central role in the town’s success. We must continue working together to raise the profile of Chesterfield to realise its significant potential.”
Cllr Tricia Gilby, Leader of Chesterfield Borough Council, added: “Celebrate is always a fantastic event that showcases the very best that our borough has to offer. It was great to be able to meet with businesses to talk about how the council can support them to grow, but also to hear from them directly and discover what else we can do to drive growth and investment. “I was also pleased to see a strong reception the new Destination Chesterfield strategy and plan – this aligns closely with our own growth strategy and together we can help grow our local economy, attract more investment and deliver benefits for both businesses and our residents.”
The 2024 Celebrate Chesterfield Business Conference was also sponsored by Markham Vale and the University of Derby. The event also saw almost 40 businesses exhibiting across the East Midlands Chamber Business Support Zone and the Invest in Chesterfield Zone.
O’Brien Contractors signs first contract with Chesterfield Canal Trust
Double appointment for Nottingham fabrication company
Nottingham fabrication company, Essential Projects has recently expanded its team with the addition of David Extall and Jade Scully.
Specialising in manufacturing and installing bespoke architectural metalwork and glasswork for esteemed clients such as Next Plc, Morrisons, and Waitrose, Essential Projects also undertakes various commercial fit-out projects and residential staircase and balustrade projects.
This double appointment comes in response to a number of recent project wins, marking an exciting phase of growth for the company.
David Extall, boasting 16 years of experience in architectural metalwork, takes on the role of Design Engineer. His responsibilities include providing design and draughting services to support the company’s development efforts. Moreover, David will play a pivotal role within the technical sales team, overseeing procurement and assisting the site installation team.
Jade Scully joins Essential Projects as an Accounts apprentice and is currently pursuing her Level 3 AAT qualification with EMA Training. In her new role, she will collaborate with the management team to implement enhanced project administration and financial systems. Her focus will be on improving customer service, project efficiencies, and identifying avenues for increased profitability.
David reflected on his appointment, saying: “I sought to leverage my expertise to contribute to the development of a business where I could truly feel valued, rather than just being another employee number in a large corporation. I’m delighted to have found this sense of belonging at Essential Projects and eagerly anticipate playing my part in the company’s future growth.”
Jade added: “As part of my apprentice course, I wanted to integrate my classroom learnings into a practical business setting. Finding a role where I could bridge this gap was essential for me.”
Eliot Saxton, Managing Director at Essential Projects, said: “It’s great to have a David and Jade on board with us. Recruiting more team members means we can steadily implement additional supporting systems and processes and ensure we have the right skill sets available to meet the requirements of the projects and continue to grow our business.”
Financial services firm adds Joseph to its wealth management team
Work underway on new affordable housing development in Northampton
Record pre-tax profits for Next as sales rise
Mazars sees third consecutive year of double-digit income growth across Midlands offices
Mazars, the international audit, tax and advisory firm, has revealed a third consecutive year of double-digit income growth across its offices in the Midlands as part of their annual financial statement report publication.
The Mazars team in East Midlands, across its Leicester and Nottingham offices, significantly contributed to this successful year, which saw an increase of 17% to £39.2m.
The headcount of its East Midlands team grew by over 10% over the year which included welcoming 20 news trainees and 4 new partners, as well as promoting many of its existing team into more senior positions.
The four new partners comprise three internally promoted members of the team – Andy Hickson (Audit), Claire Cowen (International Tax) and Mark Surridge (Audit), as well as recruiting in Hina Desai (Wealth Management). The new partners augment Mazars’ East Midlands senior management team to 10 partners, who oversee and cover the delivery of all of its services locally.
Steve English, Office Managing Partner for Mazars across the East Midlands, said: “We are incredibly proud of our achievements during FY 22-23 and contributing to the growth in our business across the Midlands region.
“We’re confident in continuing this success in the coming years and look forward to expanding and welcoming new talent to support our growth, while also providing opportunities for development for all our team members.
“Our upcoming Forvis Mazars global network gives us a great opportunity to service our existing clients that have, or wish to have, US connections, as well as providing our team members with stronger opportunities in that geography.”
Dedicated Postgraduate Centre completed at Nottingham Trent University
Nottingham Trent University has unveiled a multimillion-pound Postgraduate Centre, featuring state-of-the-art technology and modern teaching and social spaces.
The fully refurbished centre boasts three floors of cutting-edge facilities in the heart of Nottingham city centre.
It will predominately serve around 2,000 international and UK postgraduate students from Nottingham Business School (NBS).
The 4,700 square metre space has been designed to meet the diverse needs of students, including flexible teaching rooms specifically designed to accommodate NBS’ collaborative teaching style, study spaces, bookable meeting rooms, and a tiered lecture theatre alongside employability services, student support and a vibrant café.
A versatile outdoor space is also being created with an emphasis on supporting local wildlife and settings which promote wellbeing, it will also provide a distinctive venue for events.
The NBS Responsible and Sustainable Business Lab research centre and business development and support team will be located within the Centre to maximise collaboration between students, business, research and consultancy.
The Postgraduate Centre will also feature a lounge for MBA students and alumni. This dedicated space will serve as a hub for networking, mentorship, and knowledge exchange among graduates, fostering a sense of community and connection.
Nottingham Trent University Vice-Chancellor, Professor Edward Peck, said: “The Postgraduate Centre has been designed with an emphasis on collaboration and social interaction, providing all of our postgraduate students with an environment which fosters academic success, personal development and networking.”
Executive Dean of NBS, Professor Baback Yazdani, added: “The development of this Centre demonstrates the confidence we have in our postgraduate community and its growth. It will bring our executive education and postgraduate community together in one space and inspire the business leaders of the future.”
Employers urged to act now on immigration rule changes
Nottingham’s OTB Legal, a UK immigration law firm, has issued an update over changes announced by the Government that include new immigration rules.
The updates include issues that face both individuals and businesses, with the Government setting out some of the most significant reforms it previously announced as part of its five-point plans aimed at cutting net migration and the abuse of the immigration system.
The following changes have been made to the partner route:
– The minimum income requirement for partner immigration applications will go up from £18,600 to £29,000 for applications made from 11 April 2024 (if relying on savings only the required amount will increase from £62,500 to £88,500)
– Applicants who have made a partner (fiancé(e)/spouse/civil partner/unmarried partner) application relying on the current financial requirements before 11 April 2024 which is successful will be able to rely on the lower amounts for their subsequent applications
– It remains possible for those who cannot meet the minimum income requirement to raise exceptional circumstances if refusal would amount to a breach of Article 8 of the European Convention on Human Rights which protects the right to family and private life
Meanwhile, a new raft of Business Immigration updates have been published. Plans include:
– Abolishing the shortage occupation list and replacing it with a new Immigration Salary List
– Ending the 20% salary discount for shortage occupation roles
– Increasing the minimum salary threshold for skilled worker visas to £38,700
– Increasing the ‘going rate’ for many other jobs
– Roles on ‘national pay scales’ like NHS workers, teachers etc. being exempt from the salary increases as will be health and social care roles
OTB Legal’s business immigration director, Sally McEwen, said: “This announcement from the Government signals the most wide-ranging reform of UK work routes since Brexit.
“The Government has been clear that it wants to reduce net migration and businesses must act now to review potential applications and assign a certificate of sponsorship before 4th April 2024.
“We know from experience that there are processing delays that could slow this down, so it is imperative that business owners take the correct advice before it’s too late.”
