Businessman who went on the run sentenced to four years in prison
A Leicester businessman who was last year found guilty of selling fraudulent franchise licences to victims across the UK and who went on the run before the trial, has been sentenced to four years in prison and banned from being a company director for 15 years.
Nazir Abdul Rashid Daud, formerly of Landseer Road, Leicester, was previously found guilty on three counts under the Fraud Act 2006 in relation to false representations made between 2015 and 2018 and a further charge of fraudulent trading under the Companies Act 2006, and was convicted in his absence at Leicester Crown Court on 2 December 2022.
He had gone on the run before the trial, and was arrested on 25 October 2023 and remanded to prison to await sentencing.
He appeared at Leicester Crown Court on Wednesday 31 January, where Judge Ebrahim Mooncey imposed the four-year prison sentence as well as ordering Mr Daud to pay prosecution costs of £30,046.
His company, Payrolls Direct Ltd, was fined £973,000.
The prosecution was brought following an investigation by Leicestershire County Council Trading Standards Service, which received statements from 18 victims.
The court heard that Mr Daud was the sole director of Payrolls Direct Limited, which he set up in 2014. Mr Daud had advertised franchise licences for a new cloud-based payrolls system, which he was selling for between £5,995 and £9,995.
Franchisees would sign up clients, process payroll for each employee of the company they signed up, and Payrolls Direct would take 20 per cent of the fee, with the franchisee keeping the rest.
Mr Daud claimed that buying a franchise licence would allow people to earn between £250 and £2,000 per month, depending on how much time they put into the business and how many clients they signed up. Advertising for Payrolls Direct also promised franchisees initial training, ongoing unlimited support, marketing materials and networking opportunities with successful franchisees.
But the court heard that statements from 18 franchisees who spoke to Trading Standards during the investigation revealed that only one was able to sign up any clients, and as the promised unlimited help, support and training was never provided, the franchisees were unable to use the payrolls system, leading to the contract with the clients being terminated.
In all, the cash value of the fraud was put at more than £320,000, with witnesses describing further ‘out of pocket’ losses, including thousands of pounds spent on advertising and months of work spent fruitlessly working to gain clients.
Harpreet Giani, representing Mr Daud, said that Payrolls Direct was originally conceived as a legitimate company, but it spiralled out of control.
He said: “Mr Daud wants to come clean now. He understands he’s probably going to receive a long prison sentence.”
Passing sentence, the judge said: “A lot of people had dreams of making it work. They invested a lot of time and made decisions that affected their families. It wasn’t just a monetary value.”
Mr Daud’s co-defendant Anthony Raybould was previously sentenced to 22 months imprisonment, suspended for two years, after he pleaded guilty to the offences when he appeared at Leicester Crown Court in December 2022.
Gary Connors, head of Leicestershire Trading Standards, said: “This form of fraud provides a quick financial return for the perpetrators, leaving the victims in financial and emotional turmoil.
“The franchise sector is heavily reliant on trust rather than regulatory controls and by nature potential new entrepreneurs must be persuaded to make a significant ‘down payment’ for the promise of financial success.
“These are often complex and resource intensive investigations, but the legitimate UK franchise industry is a major contributor to the UK economy and must not be undermined by this form of fraud operating within the sector.”
The Secretary of State for Transport signs off Compulsory Purchase Order and Side Road Orders for A614
A multimillion-pound scheme to improve five junctions along the A614/A6097 corridor edges one step closer following confirmation of the Compulsory Purchase (CPO) and Side Road (SRO) Orders for the scheme from the Secretary of State for Transport.
Nottinghamshire County Council is now in a position to formally secure land at Ollerton Roundabout, Lowdham Roundabout and Kirk Hill, East Bridgford as well as temporary rights of access to facilitate construction of the new areas of highway along the major road network.
Whilst plans have been designed to minimise the amount of land needed and use land that is already owned by the council, 57 plots of land will be required, of which 19 are owned by private individuals.
Nottinghamshire County Council Leader, Councillor Ben Bradley MP, said: “This is fantastic news for Nottinghamshire. We’re already negotiating with landowners to try and acquire the necessary land and rights by agreement where possible and I’m pleased to say that negotiations have so far been very positive. I’m thankful to those landowners for working with us.
“Now the legal processes have been formally signed off, we can move to purchase the land needed in preparation for work to start, which I’m delighted to say should be early Autumn, subject to Government approval.”
The scheme, funded by the Department for Transport (DFT) and Nottinghamshire County Council, is a key element of the council’s strategy to improve local and regional connectivity and support growth and investment in the area.
Councillor Keith Girling, Cabinet Member for Economic Development and Asset Management at Nottinghamshire County Council, said: “Improving access to training and jobs and helping businesses to move goods more efficiently is central to making the county’s economy stronger.
“Residents will be able to view the latest plans, find out more and meet the contractors at events in the summer.”
Sherwood MP, Mark Spencer said: “I’m delighted that we are making progress with the A614 improvements. The residents of Bilsthorpe, Ollerton and Edwinstowe have waited long enough. I’m grateful to the County Council for all their help.”
The works are expected to last 24 months and it is anticipated that improvements to Ollerton Roundabout will be complete and open to traffic by November 2026. Improvements to Mickledale Lane junction will be progressed separately and funded by the council at a cost of approximately £5m.
New Lubbesthorpe hits major milestones
Blaby District’s community at New Lubbesthorpe is celebrating a whole series of major milestones.
Construction is starting on the first local centre with work already underway on the 66-bedroom care home which will feature in the mixed-use scheme.
Progress on the centre’s two-storey building, which will house a Sainsbury’s Local store, three additional retail units, a café and bistro and GP surgery, is expected to begin within weeks.
Both are scheduled to be finished by next spring, completing the Tay Road feature square which includes New Lubbesthorpe Primary School.
Developers have also reported a major residency achievement – as at the end of December some 1,022 homes were occupied. And one of the partners, Davidsons Homes, has begun work on the next 163 properties as part of Phase 2 of the scheme.
Another developer, David Wilson Homes, recently received planning permission to install solar panels on its houses – the first advance of its kind at New Lubbesthorpe.
Other sustainable features making a difference to the community are dedicated bus services – NovusDirect, running into Leicester city and NovusFosse which journeys to Fosse Park.
The popularity of NovusDirect has seen the number of buses on the route increase from two to three, running up to every 20 minutes on weekdays. Residents are also able to rent a car through the Enterprise Car Club. These initiatives are coordinated by GO Travel Solutions and funded by landowners, the Drummond Estate.
The very latest development approved is the restoration and conversion of the historic but derelict Abbey Farm. Old buildings on the site, which would otherwise have fallen into further decay, will be transformed into homes and offices.
Councillor Ben Taylor, Blaby District Council Portfolio Holder for Planning Delivery and Enforcement and Corporate Transformation, said: “It’s exciting to see the progress being made at New Lubbesthorpe with all these milestones being achieved. I’m sure residents are delighted work is commencing on the new local centre. It will be a most welcome addition.
“With new homes under construction it’s fantastic to see the neighbourhood growing and evolving. We now have more than 1,000 homes occupied and people report a real sense of community. Clubs and groups are thriving and residents enjoy social activities and events as well as sustainable travel options.”
New Lubbesthorpe will eventually feature more than 4,000 new homes and is being developed in phases over two decades. Ground was broken in 2015 and the first families took residence in 2017.
Edwalton development land sold for executive homes
FHP, working with sister company FHP Living Limited, have completed the sale of a development site on Melton Road in Edwalton, for housing on behalf of a private client.
David Hargreaves of FHP said: “The site was 1.5 acres and had the significant benefit of planning consent being in place for 9 detached executive homes, each of 4,500-5,500 sq ft each.”
Jules Hunt of FHP Living, who has sold a number of similar houses in the area over the past couple of years, said: “This is one of the best small development sites to hit the market for a long time and unsurprisingly attracted a lot of developer interest.”
Hargreaves said: “Despite the undoubted strength of the site in terms of its location and planning permission being in place, our clients had a pretty rough ride with this sale, as indeed did many vendors selling development sites this past 18 months, with 2 sales collapsing.
“This was due firstly to the Russian invasion of Ukraine and the subsequent levels of inflation which fed into much higher build costs.
“Thereafter we had the Liz Truss budget and the resulting record increases in base rates from 1.00% to 5.25% which undermined confidence and made developers and their funders pretty nervous about any form of property development.
“However, despite these ‘head winds’ the many hours we put in to selling this site, the hundreds of phone calls and our dedication to the job we were eventually rewarded with a sale to a local family development company who, once terms had been agreed, exchanged contracts and completed the acquisition quickly.”
Hargreaves concluded by saying: “The buyers and their solicitors were great, they were quick and they did exactly what they said they would do, which was a nice change after the previous sales had collapsed – I guess we got our due reward in the end as did our clients.”
The price achieved equated to circa £285,000/plot or £1,700,000/acre.
£1.5m funding boost for university partnership with ITP Aero
The University of Nottingham, Manufacturing Technology Centre and ITP Aero are celebrating after being awarded £1.5m in Government funding to support a three-year Laser Welding research and development project.
The three-year project, known as LADDER (Laser Automation and Design Development for future Engine Requirements), will see a total investment of £2.59m, both from ITP Aero itself and the Government’s Innovation Funding Service. This significant milestone reflects a shared commitment to investing in technology across the East Midlands.
Also a research partner on the project is the Manufacturing and Technology Centre (MTC) in Coventry. Together with the university and ITP, they will bring world-class expertise to the project, with the aim of developing and implementing an innovative laser beam welding (LBW) solution, as a robust joining technology for complex sheet-metal aeroengine fabrications.
The use of laser beam welding produces narrow welds with a small heat-affected zone, at high production rates. The highly repeatable process offering low-distortion will be used in the short term to reduce the costs associated with non-conformance. In the longer term, it is recognised that stringent new emissions targets will necessitate further increases in engine temperatures, meaning higher performance and more complex products will be needed. Design specifically for LBW will enable increased functional capability to be achieved on a range of commodities, while at the same time increasing integrity and cost competitiveness.
Rob Mitchell, Head of Engineering for ITP Aero UK, said: “This is a real milestone for us in ITP Aero UK. We are a young company in the UK, but a site with a huge amount of aerospace heritage.
“This is our first stand-alone project where we have sought and secured Government funding and underlines our commitment to invest in the UK in line with our research priorities. I am delighted we are able to work closely with our partners in the MTC and University of Nottingham to develop this industry leading capability in the UK.”
Professor Chris Bennett, Director of the Institute for Aerospace Technology at UoN, said: “This is an exciting opportunity to work with a company with a growing presence in the aerospace sector in the UK and globally.
“This project builds on existing strengths and a history at Nottingham in the field of welding modelling, while being at the cutting edge of Aerospace manufacture and allowing us to consider some of the challenges associated with the production of real components.”
Matthew Kite, Director of Power and Energy, Industrial Sector at the MTC, said: “After a long association with ITP Aero’s Hucknall site, it is a real pleasure to accompany them on the next stage of their new journey, whilst also having the opportunity to work closely with the University of Nottingham, one of our founding partners.
“With our extensive experience in laser-based collaborative projects in the Aerospace sector, combined with ITP Aero’s commitment to the adoption of new technologies in this area, we have a real opportunity to boost the UK’s expertise.” Logicor expands UK footprint by forward funding 500,000 sq ft Derby distribution warehouse
Logicor, an owner, manager and developer of European logistics real estate, has expanded its footprint in the UK by agreeing to forward fund a 500,000 sq ft distribution warehouse on a prime logistics site in Derby.
Planning permission has already been secured for the warehouse on Infinity Park Derby.
Throughout the construction phase, and when the building is complete, there is the potential to create over 1,300 jobs.
The development will be sustainably built and will target EPC A and BREEAM Excellent certification. In addition to solar panels, LED lighting and air source heat pumps, there are plans for extensive landscaping with 112 trees, wetland habitats, bird boxes and bug hotels to improve the levels of local biodiversity at the site.
Employees on the site will have access to nature trails, cycleways and footpaths to promote sustainable travel.
Construction is due to start early 2024.
Charlie Howard, Managing Director, UK at Logicor, said: “Infinity Park Derby fits perfectly with our strategy of further growing our footprint in areas where we know demand for quality real estate continues to outstrip supply.
Plans submitted for new pedestrian and cycling bridge over the Trent
Plans have been submitted for a new pedestrian and cycling bridge over the Trent.
The Waterside Bridge project is being delivered using grant funding secured in 2020 from Central Government through the Transforming Cities programme.
While the Section 114 Report means that money Nottingham City Council can spend is currently strictly controlled, because external grant funding has previously been specifically allocated for this project, it will continue go ahead.
The new bridge, the first over the Trent since Clifton Bridge was built 60 years ago, will create new links between the expanding Waterside regeneration area, Colwick Park on the north bank, and the Lady Bay/West Bridgford area to the south.
By enhancing connections between communities, green spaces and riverside paths, the proposed scheme will make it easier for people living and working in the Nottingham area to travel in a more sustainable way.
In addition, new and enhanced connecting paths and crossing points will be developed, which will connect the bridge to the wider walking and cycling network, providing access to housing, employment and leisure opportunities across the city and beyond.
The new bridge will also provide strong links between exciting new developments in the Island Quarter, as well as significant housing growth taking place in West Bridgford, and Nottingham city centre.
It will also provide easier access to green and open space south of the river, as well as the sports grounds, for people living in communities such as Sneinton and the city centre.
The project is being led by Nottingham City Council, working in partnership with Rushcliffe Borough Council and in consultation with Nottinghamshire County Council.
Since funding was allocated in 2020, the City Council has explored location options for the new bridge, including looking at environmental and flooding factors and engaging with local people.
Feedback from residents led to the width of the bridge being increased and additional connecting routes being considered.
Rushcliffe Borough Council’s Cabinet Portfolio Holder for Leisure and Wellbeing, ICT and Member Development Cllr Jonathan Wheeler said: “The bridge could create further positive connectivity for residents on both sides of the river and we welcome government funding that has enabled the project to come to fruition.
“We have been pleased to work with our city colleagues on designs for this new community bridge so far and look forward to seeing the next stage of the project progress subject to an independent planning process.”
196 affordable new homes given green light for Kirkby-in-Ashfield
Gleeson Homes has received planning permission for the development of 196 new homes on Farm View Road in Kirkby-in-Ashfield, Nottinghamshire.
The site, named Hollinwell Heath, spans 16.2 acres and will include a range of Gleeson’s 2, 3, and 4-bedroom homes in a mix of rural and urban elevations.
As part of the development, and its ongoing commitment to community engagement, Gleeson will gift an existing barn to Ashfield District Council, which will be converted into a new Community Hall for local residents. This represents part of a donation of around £750,000 that Gleeson will provide to improve local facilities such as libraries, travel, and highways.
Gleeson expects to commence building in late Spring/early Summer this year, with plans to start welcoming viewings in early 2025.
Allen Marshall, Regional Managing Director at Gleeson Homes, said: “We are delighted to have secured this development, a key project for the region, and we can’t wait to get started. This development is in a great location and will showcase the best of our product offering to potential customers.
“We are passionate about supplying much-needed high-quality affordable homes, and will also continue to invest in the areas in which we build to make a positive impact for our local communities.”
Second floor let at i2 Centre, Mansfield
Anthony Barrowcliffe of FHP has let the entire second floor of the i2 Centre, Oakham Business Park, Mansfield, which comprised five office suites and totalled 10,243ft².
This was not a straightforward transaction with tenants vacating, dilapidations, landlord works and a phased move in by the new tenant.
The property comprises refurbished Grade A office suites which are located in close proximity to Mansfield town centre and the A38.
Anthony Barrowcliffe of FHP said: “I am particularly pleased with this letting as we have managed to complete the occupation of a full floor across five suites at the i2 Centre to a large local occupier. This was a fantastic deal to complete and entailed lots of moving parts, but I am delighted we could put all the jigsaw pieces together in the end.
“This is a deal I am very proud of, achieving good terms which both parties were happy with. I look forward to more success at the i2 Centre which I think is an absolutely beautiful building with so much to offer for the Mansfield area with great transport links, great connectivity to the Motorway alongside great parking ratios and a high quality internal specification. This is a high quality product with a fantastic line up of tenants, a sense of community and a feel of professionalism.
“I have the two final suites available currently at the i2 Centre available on flexible terms and suitable for a variety of uses. The ground floor suite extends to 170m² (1,832ft²) and the first floor suite extends to 200m² (2,159ft²).”
Martin Betts, of M7 Real Estate, the landlords, said: “We are delighted, in conjunction with FHP, to have achieved this significant letting at the i2 Centre. It demonstrates that there is clearly ongoing demand for well-located and well specified offices.”
Global Brands makes changes to senior leadership team structure
Independent, Chesterfield-based ready-to-drink experts, Global Brands, has revealed continued growth plans, following changes to its senior leadership team structure.
Following Mark James’ decision to step down, Julian Atkins has been appointed as Global Brands’ Managing Director. Shaun Bacon remains Group Finance & Managing Director.
Previously holding the role of Commercial Director, Atkins has been with Global Brands for almost 15 years. During this time, he has played a major role in the resurrection and relaunch of premium mixer brand, Franklin & Sons, subsequently turning it into a £14m turnover brand. It has now launched into more premium channels, leading to a foothold in HORECA and wide-ranging distribution across 61 countries.
Most recently, Julian has championed the brand new, innovative ‘be.’ cocktail range, featuring several classic cocktail flavours, suitably served in ready-to-drink 200ml cans.
Other senior appointments include Matt Bulcroft stepping up from On Trade Sales Director to join the main board as Marketing Director, Mike Smith rejoining the business as UK Sales Director and Rebecca Jarvis-Hook taking on a newly crafted role as Head of People & HR.
The changes to the senior leadership team structure reflect Global Brands’ ambitious five-year growth plan, with the recent appointments aiming to further establish the business as the independent drinks experts in the UK, with plans to increase turnover to more than £135m and break into 100 international markets.
Founder and Chairman Steve Perez said: “I would like to thank Mark James for his outstanding contribution to Global Brands, who has been integral to the company’s development and success, since joining in 1993.
“As Mark transitions to pursue new opportunities, we are delighted to announce the appointment of Julian Atkins as the new Managing Director. Julian, a respected, well known, and popular figure in the industry, brings a wealth of experience and a proven track record of success to this role. Under his leadership, I am confident that the company will continue to thrive exponentially, to achieve new heights.”
The restructure comes on the back of substantial growth results for Global Brands, with the company increasing its net revenue since 2019, from £55m to £75m, and becoming the largest supplier of canned cocktails to the off-trade category in the UK (Nielsen RTD data 2023).
Julian added: “We have an ambitious 5 year growth strategy, which will see Global Brands expand on its export business and move into new categories within the drinks sector.
“I’m looking forward to working closely with Matt, Mike and our broader first class team, to develop our portfolio, through an exciting combination of acquisition, NPD and distribution agreements.”
Global Brands’ portfolio of brands now includes VK, Frankin & Sons, be., Hooch, All Shook Up, Shake Baby Shake, Beviamo, Kick Energy, Lustre and Amigos Tequila Beer.
Broad Marsh named site for Community Diagnostic Centre
Plans have been revealed showing that a new state-of-the-art Community Diagnostic Centre will be located in the Broad Marsh regeneration development in Nottingham city centre, and will be run and staffed by Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust.
The Department for Health and Social Care announced last year that it is funding 13 new Community Diagnostic Centres (CDCs), including one in the centre of Nottingham, to help reduce the backlog of patients waiting for diagnostic tests.
CDCs are designed as a one-stop shop which support GPs by providing direct access to diagnostics services such as MRI, CT, x-ray, ultrasound, echocardiography, ECG, and lung function testing. This allows for more rapid diagnosis of conditions such as cancer, which in turn will help patients access the life-saving treatments they need more quickly.
The building will be leased from Nottingham City Council, with an initial agreement in place to proceed with the £25m NHS facility.
The Broad Marsh regeneration has already seen the development of a new Central Library, car park and bus station, a new Nottingham College city hub and has transformed streets and public spaces in the area by increasing footfall, particularly supporting businesses on Lister Gate.
When the CDC opens in Spring 2025, it will provide an additional 100,000 diagnostic appointments each year. Once at full capacity it will provide in excess of 140,000 appointments annually, which will be available to patients through hospital consultants initially, and eventually also via GPs.
To help address the immediate backlog of diagnostics tests before the permanent CDC is open, temporary community diagnostics tests have been available behind NEMS Platform One near Nottingham Railway Station since December 2023.
Paul Matthew, Chief Financial Officer at Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust, said: “We are delighted that we can now share the news that our excellent, highly skilled and dedicated NUH staff will be running the future CDC facility in Nottingham city centre, which will help to change the lives of so many of our patients for the better.
“This centre will be vital in reducing the number of people in Nottingham and Nottinghamshire waiting too long for diagnostic tests so that they can then either have peace of mind they deserve, or can begin any treatment required sooner. It will also enable patients to access these tests without needing to travel to a hospital.
“We look forward to working with our partners to further develop plans to help more patients across the city access the care they need.”
Nottingham City Council Leader, Cllr David Mellen, said: “This is another major step forward in the transformation of the Broad Marsh area that has been taking place over the last couple of years.
“Following the opening of the new Central Library and with work underway on the new Green Heart city centre park, we’re really pleased to be able to announce with Nottingham University Hospitals that this fantastic new health facility will also be located at Broad Marsh.
“When the shopping centre closed following the collapse of intu, we said we wanted to see something different for Broad Marsh, not another shopping centre. This was underlined by the feedback we received from local people as part of the Big Conversation engagement exercise, the largest the council had ever undertaken.
“The Community Diagnostic Centre is exactly the kind of facility everyone wants to see at Broad Marsh. It will provide a boost for businesses and jobs in the area by increasing footfall. By reusing part of the frame of the old shopping centre, as proposed in the Broad Marsh vision, the building will support the city’s ambitions to be carbon neutral by 2028.
“It will also help address some of the significant health issues and inequalities Nottingham faces as a city. People will be able to access vital health services right in the centre of the city, near to the new bus station and car park and a short walk from the train station, in a state-of-the-art building surrounded by new people-friendly green streets and public spaces.”
In addition, the CDC will create 75 new jobs in Nottingham across a range of disciplines including consultant radiologists, radiographers, imaging assistants, physiologists and administrators. When the unit is at full capacity it will employ 135 staff.
Planning applications and formal contracts will now be drawn up to enable this new NHS centre to progress.
Public consultation sees mixed results for Retford market proposals
A report to Bassetlaw District Council’s Cabinet on 8th February is recommending that plans for semi-permanent market stalls on Retford market are scrapped following the results of a public consultation. The report calls for new proposals to be worked up instead, in collaboration with market traders and wider stakeholders.
However, the Cabinet report separately recommends that plans to repurpose the Buttermarket at Retford Town Hall to provide an additional indoor trading space are taken forward.
The Council launched a six-week consultation in November and received 571 formal responses. On the plans to install bespoke, semi-permanent, multi-purpose market stalls on the Market Square in Retford town centre, two thirds of respondents (66.38%) either disagreed or strongly disagreed with the proposal. This was largely due to concerns about new stalls being a target for anti-social behaviour, the long-term visual impact on the Market Square and the functionality of the proposed stalls. A petition opposing the proposal was also received by the Council.
In contrast, the plans to repurpose the Buttermarket were positively received with 64.10% of respondents either agreeing or strongly agreeing with the proposal. The Cabinet report recommends that the Council, therefore, continues to develop the Buttermarket project.
Outside of the main consultation, Council officers spoke to more than 80 traders across the Provisions, Antiques, Farmers and Craft Markets. Traders have provided a wide range of feedback and moving forwards, the Council will directly engage with traders from all markets, alongside the National Association of British Markets, to work up proposals and explore these ideas further.
Councillor James Naish, Leader of Bassetlaw District Council, said: “I’d like to thank everybody that took part in the consultation which showed how much people value their local market. It is clear from the responses that the plans for semi-permanent market stalls lack public support, and it is important that we listen to this and identify other options.
“I think we also have to acknowledge that we could have worked with a wider group of market traders to develop the proposals for the market in advance, and we will make sure that this happens moving forwards.
“I am pleased that the evolution of the Buttermarket did have public support, and I am looking forward to seeing these plans further developed to offer new trading opportunities in the future.
“We all want Retford Market to be sustainable in the long term, with the Market Square used for its historic purpose for many years to come. I will ensure that we work with our traders and key stakeholders to bring forwards new plans that help to safeguard the future of the market.”
Golf day secures hole in one for air ambulance
Lincoln-based Streets Chartered Accountants, a top 40 accountancy practice, hosted their tenth annual Charity Golf Day raising a record amount of more than £8,000 for the Air Ambulance.
The total amount fundraised will be divided between three regional charities; East Anglian Air Ambulance, Lincolnshire and Nottinghamshire Air Ambulance and Yorkshire Air Ambulance.
The winning team on the day was Varley Orthopaedics with Civil Recovery Solutions coming in second and The One Group in third place. The winners of the Longest Drive and Nearest the Pin competitions were Adam Aisthorpe and Paul Ward respectively.
Streets would like to say a huge thank you to all those people who sponsored, donated, gave their time and helped in some way, without whom the day would not be possible.
The event received fantastic support with 23 teams taking part and more than 30 local businesses sponsoring the day. There were Stableford team prizes as well as competitions such as Longest Drive, Nearest the Pin, Beat the Pro, All four hit the Green and Hole in One.
Commenting on the day, Streets Partner Mark Bradshaw said: “The support we have received has been truly overwhelming and has helped us raise a staggering £8,063 for our three local Air Ambulance services. We’re delighted to be able to support our local Air Ambulance Services, who are the true winners of the day.”
Streets’ 11th Charity Golf Day will take place on Friday 5th July 2024 at Lincoln Golf Club, Torksey. Once again this will be in aid of the three Air Ambulances for which Streets have raised nearly £70,000 for over the last ten years.
Vision set out to boost visitor economy and support local businesses in Northamptonshire
A new tourism strategy for Northamptonshire has been given the go ahead by West Northamptonshire Council (WNC) and North Northamptonshire Council (NNC) at their Cabinet and Executive meetings this month.
The Northamptonshire Tourism Strategy sets out a vision and approach to nurturing and enhancing the county’s visitor economy and aims to improve pride in place, generate inward investment and create new employment opportunities as well as reduce carbon emissions in line with both councils’ sustainability goals.
The strategy, which has been developed over an 18-month period and co-produced by WNC and NNC alongside partners and stakeholders from across the public, private and voluntary and community sectors, will be implemented between now and 2030 focussing on 4 key themes: Visits and Value, Great People, Better Business and Inspirational Places.
Plans also include the exploration of a new private sector-led Local Visitor Economy Partnership (LVEP) which will work with national tourism agency Visit England to oversee and drive the delivery of the strategy while playing a crucial role in promoting and marketing specific destinations to attract tourists. The LVEP will also be responsible for identifying and bidding for Government funding streams.
Similarly to Visit England, which focuses on showcasing the diverse attractions, cultural heritage, and experiences offered by different regions across England, a LVEP would work on developing and implementing strategic marketing initiatives to boost tourism, support local businesses, and enhance the overall appeal of Northamptonshire to visitors both domestically and internationally.
The development setting out what the LVEP could look like in Northamptonshire is a priority following the adoption of the Northamptonshire Tourism Strategy and will be explored in partnership with the private sector.
Cllr Daniel Lister, Cabinet Member for Economic Development, Town Centre Regeneration and Growth, at West Northamptonshire Council, said: “The visitor economy in Northamptonshire is diverse, robust and has extreme potential for largescale growth. By developing a Local Visitor Economy Partnership between the private and public sector, we can source support from Visit England to expand Northamptonshire’s tourism offer even further and realise growth for the entire county.
“Our strategic location in the country, boasting proud culture and heritage, along with world-class attractions and events, makes Northamptonshire the perfect destination for visitors and engagement. National statistics show over 18 million visits to the county spending close to £1 billion a year which supports over 30,000 jobs across the county and 3,000 businesses, including a wide range of attractions, hotels, pubs and other venues that visitors enjoy.
“We will work collaboratively and creatively to ensure every resident and visitor in Northamptonshire utilises the tourism offer of the county, and we will work with attractions and employers to overcome barriers and realise opportunities for growth.”
Both councils will continue to deliver specific tourism activities at a local level but will work with wider partners for larger initiatives when appropriate and necessary.
Cllr Helen Howell, Deputy Leader of North Northamptonshire Council and Executive Member for Sport, Leisure, Culture and Tourism, said: “We are extremely proud of the county we call home – it really is a hidden gem, which in the past may have been overlooked when people are looking for places to visit and stay.
“But that shouldn’t be the case at all, and this new strategy sets out how we can attract and improve visitor numbers, encourage people to return and boost the tourism economy. It also looks at how we can maximise future potential, where both councils can continue to work together and in close partnership with the tourism industry, education and other stakeholders to promote Northamptonshire.
“Our diverse offer gives visitors a huge variety of experiences and activities to enjoy, alongside beautiful towns and villages packed full of unique shops, cafes and restaurants to explore. We are also extremely fortunate to have some stunning countryside on our doorsteps, with routes and trails to help you get back to nature. We also want to encourage visitors to stay in our county and to do that we need to enhance our accommodation offering from camping, glamping, and budget to high end accommodation. We really need to shout about Northamptonshire and what it has to offer.
“A huge thank you goes out to everyone who has engaged in the process so far, this is the first stage of many and stakeholder involvement plays a vital part of this plan.
“Now that the strategy has been approved by both councils, we can continue to grow and develop the relationships between us, WNC and partners to put the strategy into action, alongside developing the LVEP, which will all in turn help us showcase this fantastic county.”
Funding boosts for Hinckley & Bosworth borough businesses
Hinckley & Bosworth Borough Council is urging businesses and organisations to apply for two new grants.
The Rural Prosperity Grant offers a pot of £400,000 in support for rural businesses and organisations, while the Business Prosperity Grant is worth £150,000 and is open to all eligible businesses across the borough.
The Rural Prosperity Grant is designed to help rural applicants boost productivity and improve community buildings, as well as to improve accessibility to tourist attractions and green open spaces that support local communities and businesses.
The scheme was originally launched by the Borough Council last year and will run until March 2025. The initiative has been made possible thanks to £400,000 of funds from the Rural England Prosperity Fund.
Those eligible for the grant include businesses and local organisations that wish to invest in new technologies and equipment that increase productivity; protect and improve local historic buildings and tourism venues, energy efficiency improvements and cultural offerings; provide diversification outside of agriculture and develop local tourism attractions.
There are a range of grants available, with funds from £7,500 to £22,500. The grants also have an intervention rate of 75%, meaning businesses and organisations need only find a minimum 25% of the total eligible project costs to apply. The Rural Prosperity Grant is only open to rural areas and excludes Hinckley and Burbage.
The first round of funding saw just over £100,000 of grant funding allocated to a range of projects investing in their business productivity, energy efficiency installations, improving accessibility to visitor attractions and green spaces.
The council has £300,000 of capital funding to invest and Round 2 will close on Tuesday 2 April 2024 at midday with all successful applicants being notified in May 2024. All projects must be able to spend their funding by 28 February 2025.
Executive Member for Rural Affairs at the Borough Council, Councillor Martin Cartwright said: “We are pleased to be able to offer these grants to support our rural communities and businesses, helping them to thrive especially given the challenging and difficult circumstances over the recent years. Our thanks to the Rural England Prosperity Fund for helping to make this possible. Good luck with your applications.”
Meanwhile, there are a range of grants on offer for the Business Prosperity Fund grants, with funds from £7,500 to £22,500. The grants also have an intervention rate of 75%, meaning businesses and organisations need only find a minimum 25% of the total eligible project costs to apply.
Businesses are being invited to apply for capital-only funding which supports micro and small enterprises looking to deliver innovative projects. The Business Prosperity Fund scheme is open to all eligible businesses throughout Hinckley and Bosworth including the urban areas of Hinckley and Burbage.
The fund welcomes applications from those who wish to invest in new technologies and equipment, while delivering innovative projects that can increase productivity or create local jobs. Tourism attractions and facilities that support the local economy can also apply, while businesses can also apply for funding to invest in green technology that will improve their carbon footprint.
This project has received £150,000 from the UK Government through the UK Shared Prosperity Fund.
The scheme is now open to applications and closes on Tuesday 2 April 2024 at midday. All projects must be able to complete their projects by 28 February 2025.
Council Leader, Councillor Stuart Bray said: “We are excited to be able to offer these grants to so many businesses across the borough. They offer exciting opportunities for micro and small enterprises who are looking to innovate, as well as businesses who help local tourism to thrive.
“There’s also an opportunity for companies who would like to reduce their carbon footprint, so please don’t hesitate to apply if you think you’d be eligible, or if you think you could benefit.”
Interest rates held at 5.25%
The Bank of England has held interest rates at 5.25%, for the fourth time.
With aims to meet the 2% inflation target, the Bank’s Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) has voted by a majority of 6–3 to maintain Bank Rate at 5.25%.
Two members preferred to increase Bank Rate by 0.25 percentage points, to 5.5%. One member preferred to reduce Bank Rate by 0.25 percentage points, to 5%.
A statement from the Bank of England says: “The Committee voted to maintain Bank Rate at 5.25%. Headline CPI inflation has fallen back relatively sharply. The restrictive stance of monetary policy is weighing on activity in the real economy and is leading to a looser labour market. In the Committee’s February forecast, the risks to inflation are more balanced. Although services price inflation and wage growth have fallen by somewhat more than expected, key indicators of inflation persistence remain elevated.
“As a result, monetary policy will need to remain restrictive for sufficiently long to return inflation to the 2% target sustainably in the medium term in line with the MPC’s remit. The Committee has judged since last autumn that monetary policy needs to be restrictive for an extended period of time until the risk of inflation becoming embedded above the 2% target dissipates.”
The Bank is anticipating a temporary fall to 2% for inflation in the second quarter of 2024, but note that it is likely to rise again after.
Anna Leach, CBI deputy chief economist, said: “The decision by the Bank of England to hold interest rates at 5.25% will come as a relief to households holding back on spending and businesses that have pressed pause on investment.
“While inflation is following a downward trend towards the 2% target, it’s not clear whether rates will follow suit. Relatively high wage inflation alongside an uptick in services inflation in December means that a rate cut before the summer is increasingly unlikely to materialise.
“However, that won’t stop pressure piling onto the Bank of England to reduce rates as weakness in the economy persists. A rebound in growth in November following the previous month’s decline is encouraging but masks the overall picture of a flatlining economy, still at risk of technical recession.
“The stakes are high for business bearing the brunt of higher borrowing costs and soft demand. They desperately need certainty on monetary policy alongside a package of measures from government to kickstart productivity and growth.
“The Spring Budget in a General Election year is the perfect opportunity for politicians to support credible solutions. The CBI’s Budget recommendations have the potential to unlock business investment, including a Net Zero Carbon Plan, a globally competitive R&D Tax Credits scheme as well as capping the increase in the business rate multiplier in England for another year.”
Sale of Pendragon’s UK motor and leasing business completes
Nottinghamshire car retailer Pendragon has completed the sale of its UK motor and leasing business to North American automotive retailer Lithia in a £367 million deal.
The company said in a statement to the London Stock Exchange: “Pendragon is pleased to announce the sale of the entire issued share capital of Pendragon NewCo 2 Limited completed on 31 January 2024 for a gross aggregate consideration of £367 million, subject to certain financial adjustments, following the satisfaction of all customary completion conditions, alongside the subscription by Lithia for an aggregate subscription price of £30 million and the entry into the strategic partnership with a wholly-owned subsidiary of Lithia Motors, Inc.”It marks the beginning of the transformation of Pendragon into Pinewood Technologies, a pure-play SaaS business, which operates the company’s dealer management software business.
The business believes that the growth prospects for the company will be enhanced materially as a result of becoming a standalone business, as well as through a strategic partnership with Lithia.
Chris Holzshu, Chief Operating Officer of Lithia, and George Hines, Chief Technology Officer of Lithia, have been appointed to the Board.
In addition, Mark Willis’ resignation as Director and Chief Financial Officer of the company will become effective today. He is replaced as a Director and Chief Financial Officer of the company by Oliver Mann, previously Director of Group Finance of Pendragon.
Nottingham Venues hosts launch of 2024 British Transplant Games
This summer, Nottingham will host the annual British Transplant Games and Nottingham Venues, the collection of independent venues within the University of Nottingham Campus, has announced that it is an official Games Partner for the event.
The flagship event of charity Transplant Sport, the 46th annual British Transplant Games, is a multi-sport event, which aims to raise awareness of the life-saving benefits of organ donation.
Nottingham Venues provided the Jubilee Hotel and Conferences on the University of Nottingham’s Jubilee Campus as the backdrop to the launch event last month. Welcoming Games stakeholders, sponsors, partners, donor families, doctors and transplant recipients from across the UK, the launch event started the official countdown to events running in Nottingham from Thursday 1st to Sunday 4th of August 2024.
Nottingham Venues will provide accommodation for the 2000+ organisers/athletes across its collection of independent venues, including the 4* Orchard Hotel and the Jubilee and Conferences Centre. In addition, they will set up a team of volunteers to help during the 4-day event.
Tom Waldron-Lynch, General Manager of Nottingham Venues, said: “We’re really excited about being a Tier 1 partner for the British Transplant Games 2024. We are incredibly proud of our region, our city and our accessible location, as well as our exemplary guest experience.
“This will be a landmark event for Nottingham this summer and we are looking forward to supporting the event and providing the perfect locations for members of the transplant community to prepare to compete, come back, relax and convene with other like-minded people.”
Seeking to reach and engage families and communities in Nottingham and the wider Midlands region, as well as spark vital conversations around organ donation and prompt people to share their decisions with loved ones, the Games will celebrate the gift of life and give the transplant community the opportunity to reconnect.
As well as promoting the organ donation, the event also encourages transplant recipients to stay active post-transplant. The Games Transplanted includes over 2,000 athletes ranging from ages three to eighty. Plus, more than sixty hospital teams across the UK will represent their transplant unit with the support of family, friends and volunteers to compete in the Games, uniting the entire transplant community.
Transplant Sport was delighted with the success of the 2023 British Transplant Games in Coventry and the Nottingham Games are set to be bigger and better than ever with events being held across Nottingham Trent University (NTU) Clifton Campus, University of Nottingham David Ross Sports Centre and Harvey Hadden Sports Village. Nottingham Tennis Centre, Bowls Club and Wollaton Park Golf Club are also hosting events.
Dr Paul Harden, Chair of Transplant Sport, said: “I’m sure I can vouch for everyone involved in the Games in saying that we are all really looking forward to a wonderful event hosted in Nottingham as we know the facilities will be first class.
“I have no doubt this year’s Games will be the best yet through our ongoing support network from the stakeholder board, talented athletes and volunteers making it their mission to leave a legacy behind in Nottingham.”
The British Transplant Games are being staged with the help of continued support of Westfield Health, Kidney Care UK, Anthony Nolan, NHSBT and Extra Motorway Services. Local partners who have committed to financially support the Games include Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Charitable Trust, the Nottingham Organ Donation Committee Nottingham University and Nottingham Trent University, with Nottingham Venues committing to a Tier 1 partnership.
Tim Reddish, Chairman at the 2024 British Transplant Games, said: “This is a wonderful chance to express our gratitude towards the donor families and live donors who selflessly contribute to improving the quality of life for people all over the UK. I strongly encourage everyone in the vicinity of the Games to attend and witness first-hand the inspiring stories of the athletes and families involved this summer!”
For more information on the Westfield Health British Transplant Games and how you can get involved, visit: https://www.britishtransplantgames.co.uk/
East Midlands loses out on funding to protect against flooding
In the wake of recent storms, councils across the East Midlands are calling for more funding to protect against flooding.
Following A National Audit Office report which confirms that the region is losing out on much-need funding to protect against flooding, East Midlands Councils (EMC), a body which represents local authorities across the region, is calling on the Government to update the model for investment in flood defences.
The NAO’s analysis of the Environment Agency’s investment programme confirms that the East Midlands receives almost the lowest level funding per property at risk at £3,227, despite large areas of the region being vulnerable to fluvial (river), surface water, and coastal flooding. This compares unfavourably to North East which receives almost 4 times as much at £12,563 per property and the North West at £10,204. Cllr Martin Hill, Chair of EMC, and leader of Lincolnshire County Council, said: “For many towns and villages in the East Midlands, it is becoming almost impossible to secure the necessary investment to protect homes and businesses. “While proposed flood defence schemes in the East Midlands inevitably stall, we are seeing funding increasingly skewed to other parts of the country. “East Midlands Councils have written to the Government highlighting these concerns, including with the Government’s model for investment and business case appraisal that has made it increasingly difficult to secure funding despite a clear need and the obvious value for money that our region offers.” Cllr James Naish, EMC Executive Board Member and Leader of Bassetlaw District Council, said: “The NAO report clearly shows that it is time to overhaul the funding model for flood defences. “According to Environment Agency data, just 120 extra properties across Derbyshire, Leicestershire and Nottinghamshire were protected from flooding in 2022/23. This is a much lower figure than in other more affluent parts of the country. “This is despite East Midlands counties being some of the areas worst hit by recent storms and being promised millions of pounds of extra investment to make them more resilient. “Our communities are no longer willing to be treated as collateral damage for funding failures. It is time for the Government to overhaul the system to make sure that the shackles blocking the Environment Agency are broken, so they can invest where there is a demonstrable need to reduce frequent flooding.” In recent months, the East Midlands has battled Storm Babet, Storm Henk, Storm Isha, and Storm Jocelyn, which have caused major disruption due to flooding, leading to major evacuations, emergency responses and clean-up operations. Last year, the East Midlands All Party Parliamentary Group consisting of MPs from across the region published a report on the wider social and economic benefits of major infrastructure investment in the region which highlighted the need for more investment in flood defences.EMC has been warning about the dangers of increased flooding for some time, producing a major report with the Met Office in 2015 (Changing Nature of Flooding in the East Midlands) which outlined the key challenges facing the region over the next decades, and areas where an enhanced response will be required to protect against flooding.
IAB issues fresh Instructions for Nottingham City Council’s budget-setting process
Nottingham City Council has been issued with new Instructions relating to its budget-setting process to ensure financial stability in light of current challenges.
They have come from the Improvement and Assurance Board (IAB), which has been working with the authority for the past three years.
Like many others across the country, the council is facing significant pressures on its budget due to the cost of increased demand for children’s and adults’ social care and rising homelessness, which are major factors in an overspend of £23m forecast in the current financial year and a funding gap of £50m in 2024/25.
Following recent confirmation of the Local Government Financial Settlement, discussions are continuing with the Government about Exceptional Financial Support of up to £40m to address the budget gap for 2024/25 and up to £25m for the overspend forecast this year.
Exceptional Financial Support, if granted, does not represent new money or a grant, it would be likely to come in the form of capitalisation which would allow the council to use money from asset sales to deal with revenue pressures.
The new Instructions seek to maximise the number of savings options brought forward as part of the budget-setting process in order to minimise the amount required by the council in Exceptional Financial Support from Government.
The authority has a legal duty to comply with the new Instructions, and savings proposals will be brought forward by officers for discussion by councillors at the council’s upcoming budget meeting.
The significant number of responses received as part of the extensive consultation on these proposals will provide valuable insight which will help to shape implementation and mitigate negative impact as much as possible within the terms of the new Instructions.
The new Instructions from the IAB are set out below:
New Finance Instruction(s) for NCC
Flowing directly from the existing instructions – namely, ‘2.1,Approval of wholly realistic plans and budgets’ and ‘2.2, Establish and Maintain a sound and prudent reserves policy and practice’ – the IAB further instruct NCC as follows:
- The s151 officer, after consultation with the Chief Executive and fellow Corporate Directors, shall present his best professional view on a draft budget for 2024/25 in line with normally expected professional standards but which in particular maximises the level of savings options that Corporate Directors believe can be delivered and thus quantifies the minimum budget imbalance relying on the bid to Government for ‘Exceptional Financial Support’
- Subject only to any professionally required changes determined by the s151 officer, the draft budget for 2024/25 as defined in 1 above, shall be presented and recommended to the Full budget-setting Council meeting for its approval.
