New Derby primary school hits construction milestone
A topping out ceremony has taken place to mark the progress made on a new Derby school. Oak Grange Primary School will open in September, ready for the new academic year.
The school at Boulton Moor is being built within the Snelsmoor Grange housing developments, The Meadows and Holbrook Grange. New developments at Snelsmoor Grange and Fellow Lands Way in Chellaston are creating 990 new homes, creating more demand for primary school places in the area.
Morgan Sindall Construction started work on the Oak Grange project last August. The topping out ceremony celebrated the completion of the external structure and roof of the building, which has been funded through Section 106 contributions from the housing developer.
East Midlands Education Trust, a partnership of 22 high-performing schools in Derbyshire, Nottinghamshire and Leicestershire, has been chosen to open the school. Oak Grange Primary will build pupil numbers incrementally, increasing by one year group each year. When it opens in September, admissions will be for Nursery and Reception children only.
The school will then increase in size gradually each academic year until it reaches its capacity of 315 pupils, aged from 4 to 11 years, in September 2029.
The new school building has been designed to allow community use at evenings and weekends and the school’s facilities will be made available for out-of-hours use by local community groups.
Councillor Evonne Williams, Cabinet Member for Children, Young People and Skills at Derby City Council, said: “It’s wonderful to see Oak Grange Primary School reach this exciting milestone. The school will be at the heart of this new neighbourhood, becoming a hub not just for the children but the wider community.”
Richard Fielding, area director for Morgan Sindall Construction, said: “We’re incredibly pleased to mark this important milestone at Oak Grange Primary School. It’s great to see the building take shape and to have completed the external structure and roof.
“This project is particularly exciting as it hasn’t just been designed with pupils in mind, but for the whole community to utilise at evenings and weekends too. This will make it a real focal point for the area when it opens later this year. It’s a place we hope all local residents can enjoy.”
Race car manufacturer to open new corporate headquarters at Donington Park
Radical Motorsport, the race car manufacturer, is opening new corporate headquarters within Britain’s oldest motor racing circuit, Donington Park.
The facility will be located at the main entrance to Donington Park, just 100 metres from the circuit itself at the Melbourne Hairpin entry.
The move into the former Formula E headquarters comes after Radical Motorsport’s most successful year in its 25-year history, and marks an historic moment for the company, moving the customer-facing sales and marketing teams away from its factory in Peterborough for the first time since its incorporation.
Radical Motorsport’s manufacturing and production base will remain at the Peterborough factory, with customer-facing and commercial departments expanding to the new Donington Park facility. The factory in Peterborough has been home to Radical Motorsport since it was founded 26 years ago in 1997, and the company remains fully committed to its roots in Cambridgeshire.
The new Radical Motorsport corporate HQ is set to become a destination for owners and fans alike, a venue for automotive events and a unique meeting space for business partners and corporate reservations. Open to the public throughout the year Monday to Friday (9 am to 5 pm) and on selected race weekends, Radical Motorsport will open its doors to welcome all visitors to Donington Park.
Behind the scenes, in addition to the office space for its sales, marketing, and motorsport staff, the premises will be able to provide the expanding Radical Motorsport dealer network with dedicated training opportunities to be able to better serve its growing customer base across the world.
Joe Anwyll, Radical Motorsport CEO, said: “We looked at a number of non-circuit-based locations in the UK to host our expanding commercial team. However, with British motorsport tracks widely known as being some of the best in the world, we had to take this opportunity, as a British motorsport manufacturer, to be right on the doorstep of the action.
“As well as our expanding team and record production numbers this year, this move to Donington Park will allow us to pursue ventures we’ve been unable to from our factory. Our cars belong on track, so it’s only fitting we be present there too.”
Jonathan Palmer, Chief Executive of circuit operator MotorSport Vision (MSV), said: “I’m delighted that Radical Motorsport has decided to move its corporate headquarters to Donington Park. Since MSV took over the running of the venue in 2018, it’s been our ambition not just to create an improved competitor and spectator experience, which we’ve already achieved through numerous venue improvements, but also to elevate the circuit’s standing as a major national hub of motorsport businesses.
“Radical Motorsport is a much-admired and globally recognised manufacturer of sports racing cars, and I’m delighted it’s recognised the significant benefits of being based at one of the UK’s leading race circuits. With the addition of Radical Motorsport alongside a growing portfolio of businesses, and further developments planned at the estate, including the renovation of Donington Hall as an incredible mansion house hotel, the future for the site is looking very bright indeed.
“I extend a very warm welcome to Joe Anwyll and his team and look forward to seeing the completed facility soon.”
Plans are afoot for the new facility to complete and open to the public Spring 2023.
Warsop Health Hub works fully approved to begin in the summer
A new community hub will now be able to move ahead at full speed following successive decisions by Mansfield District Council and recent funding grant success.
The council has been offered a £1.8m capital grant by Sport England to kick-start the Warsop Health Hub project, based at Carr Lane Park, off Carr Lane.
The scheme is one of six projects included in the council’s bid to the Government’s Towns Fund.
Of the £12.3m awarded from the Fund to the district, £3m is allocated to the health hub plan. The council will provide £1.5m from reserves and the £3.5m shortfall will be made from council borrowing to bring the project to fruition, making the final project cost £9.2m.
On February 3, the council was also successful in its bid to create a Changing Place at the hub, and was offered £103,967 of funding. The decision to accept this funding was taken on 17 February by the Head of Health & Communities.
On March 13, the planning committee met again following a site visit the previous week to discuss the application for the hub and gave it full planning permission.
This was followed by an executive decision by Mayor Andy Abrahams on March 14 to confirm the total project costs, the council’s borrowing amount, make Serco Leisure Ltd/More Leisure Community Trust the centre operator and for works to begin on the site in the summer.
Councillor Andy Burgin, Portfolio Holder for Environment and Leisure, said it was brilliant news to see the project begin to take shape.
“We are absolutely thrilled not to have just been successful in our bid for funding to progress our plans at Warsop,” he said.
“I’m pleased to say our work doesn’t stop here in trying to secure further funding to support this project, which may reduce the council’s borrowing level further.
“We are committed to improving health and wellbeing facilities in the area, and with the offer of a grant from Sport England and full planning permission, we can now press ahead with these exciting plans for Warsop.
“Following a consultation with residents in 2020 about what their priorities were and what they wanted to see in the area, we are delivering this new health hub that’s packed with new facilities inside and outside with the new and improved multi-use games area.
“I want to thank the whole team – both at the council and our wider community groups and partners – who put the case together for this successful bid, and I look forward to the project moving to the next stage.”
Once complete in October 2024, the hub will see a new 15×8 metre swimming pool, splash play area, a changing village, a fitness suite, a multi-purpose hall, café viewing and IT area, Multipurpose meeting / Community space and a new and improved multi-use games area created in the parish. The decision to press ahead with the project aligns with the delivery of three of the council’s corporate priorities: wellbeing, aspiration and place.
Elected Mayor of Mansfield Andy Abrahams added: “With the additional offer of a grant from Sport England, plus confirmation of our additional borrowing, I am thrilled to see our plans for providing improved health hub facilities to support health and wellbeing activities for the residents of Warsop moving ahead with pace.
“This health hub will make a real difference within the immediate and wider community in the district, and I look forward to seeing works begin in the summer now we have full planning permission.”
Connect Derby has best start to the year for five years
Connect Derby, the city’s primary managed workspace provider, has enjoyed the best start to a year for five years, with 6% of space currently under offer.
78,000 sq ft of office and studio accommodation is currently let, with 5,600 sq ft under offer – the highest level in the past five years and a clear indication that the managed workspace provider has recovered from the downturn following the pandemic.
In the current financial year, the workspace provider has let more than 7,600 sq ft of space.
The success comes as a result of Connect Derby’s strategy of responding to the changing nature of the workplace with the introduction of new, flexible ways of working.
A diverse range of businesses have already taken space at Connect Derby buildings this year, including property, construction and infrastructure consultancy Pick Everard who have left their former home on Queen Street in the city to join Sadler Bridge Studios.
Launched in 2014, Connect Derby supports small and medium enterprises, providing them with the flexible accommodation, advice, and guidance they need to support growth. A variety of accommodation is available, including conventional offices and studios, along with co-working space, hot desk facilities and virtual tenancies.
Connect Derby continues to innovate in order to support businesses following the pandemic. Fully furnished offices were introduced in 2021, giving businesses the opportunity to rent offices on a short-term basis of up to six months.
A new hybrid office scheme is soon to be launched at Friar Gate Studios for businesses who want to combine the flexibility of remote working with having an office base.
Businesses will be able to occupy a hybrid office for up to three days a week, with another business occupying the space on the remaining days. They will occupy the same office on the same days each week.
Commenting on its success so far this year, Ann Bhatti, head of Connect Derby, said: “To see such growth across the Connect Derby portfolio is a fantastic achievement and is a testament to the quality of our offer.
“Over the past couple of years, we’ve introduced a number of new, flexible ways of working to support businesses as they navigate the new world of work, the cost-of-living crisis, and rocketing energy bills.
“Our diverse workspaces and the flexible packages we offer mean that all types of business can join us, regardless of their size.
“We will continue to innovate as we help businesses face the new challenges presented by the evolving nature of the world of work.”
Free places for 200 SMEs at Growth Hub ‘cost-of-business’ expo
Businesses have been invited to a free business expo to learn more about reducing costs, saving on energy use, and recruiting more effectively.
Delegates will be able to build networks and gain business support advice at the event being staged by the Business Gateway Growth Hub next month.
Its purpose is to signpost business owners to available support, whilst also providing practical tools and tips to help manage the current cost of doing business crisis.
Businesses can register now to attend the one-day conference, which will take place in Leicester in April.
The expo is aimed at small and medium-sized businesses in Leicester and Leicestershire which are looking for tools, tips, and information as they head into the new financial year.
Glynis Wright MBE and Sonia Baigent, both Members of the Leicester and Leicestershire Enterprise Partnership (LLEP) Board, will host the event.
Subjects to be covered are set to include:
- What small businesses need to know about saving on energy costs
- Effective recruitment, onboarding, and engagement of employees
- Navigating debt and maintaining financial resilience
- Leadership in challenging times
- An anonymised Q&A session offering free practical advice to your questions.
Government “coming after” developers failing to sign Gove’s building safety contract
Michael Gove has secured the signatures of the country’s biggest housebuilders on the developer remediation contract, a major step toward ending the building safety scandal.
Thirty-nine developers – including the top ten biggest housebuilders in the UK – all put pen to paper on the legally binding document before this week’s deadline and irreversibly committed themselves to fix unsafe buildings they developed or refurbished.
Signatories represent a substantial proportion of the housing market, and the signed agreements will raise at least £2 billion for remediation costs.
Developers will be legally bound to pay to fix their unsafe buildings and eligible developers who fail to sign will not be able to operate freely in the housing market. Developers who have yet to sign the contract include: Abbey Developments, Avant, Ballymore, Dandara, Emerson Group (Jones Homes), Galliard Homes, Inland Homes, Lendlease, London Square, Rydon Homes, Telford Homes.
Following the contract deadline passing, Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, Michael Gove, said: “I have been clear all along – those that are responsible for this crisis must pay. So, I am grateful to those developers who have done the right thing today by signing this legally binding contract.
“We will be monitoring their progress on remediation very closely, to ensure this work is completed urgently and safely. For those developers that have taken responsibility, today offers the chance for a reset, so we can get on and build more of the safe, decent and affordable homes we so desperately need.
“To those developers that have failed to sign the contract without good reason, let me be very clear – we are coming after you. If you do not sign, you will not be able to operate freely in the housing market. Your investors will see that your business model is broken – only responsible developers are welcome here.
“But today should not be about developers, or about government. Today is about innocent leaseholders. I want to put on record my apology to all leaseholders for the years of misery and hardship you have endured. You should never have been ignored, asked to pay and let down.
“Today marks a turning point – and an important step towards resolving this crisis. There is so much more to do, but I will always act to protect leaseholders and end this injustice.”
Signatories are required to fix all life-critical fire-safety defects in all English buildings over 11 metres they had a role in developing or refurbishing. It also requires them to reimburse the taxpayer where government funds have already paid for remediation, with that money being used to make other buildings safe faster.
For developers who have signed, their obligations start immediately. Leaseholders will benefit from a common framework of rights and responsibilities that will get their buildings fixed without them having to pay, and developers will be required to inform residents in affected buildings how they will be meeting these commitments.
The Government will publish further information next week on how developers will be prohibited from carrying out major development or from receiving building control approval unless they sign and adhere to the contract, using Building Safety Act 2022 powers.
Regulations will establish the Responsible Actors Scheme and set out the criteria for eligibility and the conditions of membership. Eligible developers who do not sign the contract will not be able to join the Scheme and will be subject to the prohibitions.
CAPITAL Seating secures succession plan through Santander UK-backed management buyout
Swann Systems, the holding company for CAPITAL Seating, has undergone a management buyout in a deal supported by FRP Corporate Finance and Santander UK.
Based in Leicester, CAPITAL Seating was established in 1968, and specialises in the supply of suspension seats and accessories to improve driver safety and comfort for all types of vehicle, as well as vehicle trimming services under the AUTO-TRIM Systems brand.
The company is an official distributor for major seat brands including Grammar, KAB and Recaro, and supplies a wide range of sectors, catering to trade and retail customers across the UK and Europe.
The sale to a new holding company will see the existing, long-serving management team led by Joe Beales, Darren Tuckley and Melinda Tyack assume control of the business, as part of the next stage in the company’s long-term succession planning. The buyout funded by Santander will also provide finance for further growth of the successful company into the future.
The deal sees an exit for the Swann family, who have been involved in owning and managing the business since its inception, with current Managing Director, Stephen Swann, transitioning into a consultancy role to provide on-going non-executive support for the management team.
FRP Corporate Finance was appointed to assist CAPITAL in raising new debt facilities to support the management buyout. Led by corporate finance partner Harry Walker and senior manager Fahim Kassam, the team sourced a number of competitive offers from several traditional and alternative debt funders and worked closely with the team at CAPITAL to identify Santander as the funding provider that would best suit the business’s ambitions.
Commenting on the deal, Harry Walker, director at FRP Corporate Finance, said: “For any business owner, formulating a viable succession plan is a key step in ensuring that the vision they have worked so hard to deliver is continued into the future.
“With this in mind, we’re glad to have been able to support CAPITAL with its management buyout and financing in anticipation of future growth. We’re excited to see where they go next and wish the Swann family, the management team and everyone at the company the very best.”
Stephen Swann, Managing Director at CAPITAL Seating, said: “Since the business’s founding more than 50 years ago by my father, we’ve prided ourselves on being a local employer that strives to deliver the best client service in our industry.
“I am proud to be handing on the business to a management team that have worked alongside me and led the business for a number of years now. The company is in a great place for further growth and development in the future and this deal will provide a fantastic platform for the team to take it forwards.
“Fahim and Harry at FRP Corporate Finance exceeded our expectations in securing a range of attractive funding options for the buyout, whilst ensuring the deal was transacted smoothly for the benefit of all parties. We’re very thankful for their support and really appreciate the value that their involvement in the deal added.”
Simon Clewlow, director, Growth Capital, at Santander UK said: “We are delighted to provide this exciting business with funding to support its management buy-out and look forward to working with it as it grows over the years to come.”
FRP Corporate Finance provided fund-raising, project management and deal structuring advice, with tax advisory support from Rowley’s Chartered Accountants.
A team from BHW Solicitors led by Steve McElhone provided legal advice to the vendors, with a team from Howes Percival led by Jahid Ali, Oliver Brookshaw and Haydon Simmonds supporting the MBO team and company.
A team from Browne Jacobson led by Emma Hinton and Chereta Edmeade provided advice to the Santander UK team, led by Simon Clewlow and Paul Elliott. Pippa Miller-Hawkes and Phil Todd from BSN Associates provided financial due diligence to Santander UK.
Business insolvencies hit four-year high
The number of insolvent businesses in England and Wales has hit a four-year high, with company directors choosing increasingly to shut down their companies voluntarily.
This is according to the Midlands branch of insolvency and restructuring body R3 and follows statistics published [14/3/23] by the Insolvency Service which show that corporate insolvencies rose by 6% in February to 1,783 compared to January’s total of 1,682, and by 17.5% in comparison with February 2022’s figure of 1,518.
The government statistics also show that corporate insolvencies in England and Wales increased by 160.3% against February 2021’s total of 685, and by 32.6% compared to 1,345 in February 2020.
R3 Midlands committee member Stephen Rome, a director of Thursfields Solicitors in the region, said: “Corporate insolvency numbers are at their highest level in four years due a rise in Creditors’ Voluntary Liquidations. Numbers for this process exceed those for 2022, 2021, 2020 and 2019 as more and more directors are deciding to close their businesses.
“After nearly three years of lockdowns, supply chain issues, rising costs and falling revenues, many business owners have simply had enough, and are shutting up shop before they are forced to.
“Trading conditions remain tough in the region – and it seems like the traditional Christmas and New Year trading period didn’t give them the boost they needed to survive.
“People are still very worried about money and the economy and are reluctant to spend on anything other than the basics. At the same time, the costs of energy, fuel and wages continue to be a major concern for businesses.
“Now is the time for directors to be aware of the signs their company is struggling and to seek appropriate professional advice. Cashflow issues, payment delays and rising stock are all indicators of a business in distress. The earlier directors seek help, the more options are available to address the challenges they face.”
Fundraising target quadrupled as MHR employee shaves head in support of mental health charity Mind
20-year-old Nottingham local, Martin Bassey, has ‘braved-the-shave’ this week and raised over £1,200 for mental health charity Mind – more than four times his fundraising target of £300.
Martin works in the marketing department at Ruddington-based HR, payroll, and finance specialists MHR. Contributions have come from friends, family, colleagues and a £500 donation from MHR itself.
Martin’s mobile barber arrived at MHR’s office on Monday morning where the transformation to his new, sleek look was filmed live for his JustGiving page.
At any given time, one in six working-age adults have symptoms related to mental ill health, yet mental health services are often lacking funding. Mind states that care services are largely under-resourced, understaffed and overstretched, and that is despite significant awareness being raised around mental health during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Martin recently understood what it is like to be negatively impacted by poor mental health and realises the importance of a strong support network of friends and colleagues. He is an advocate for those without this structure and for the lifesaving support charities like Mind offer the vulnerable, particularly young men with the male suicide rate standing at 15.8 per 100,000 – almost three times higher than for women (ONS).
Mind is a mental health charity that focuses on tackling the stigmas of mental health in all areas from healthcare, work life, and law. The charity offers informative and supportive services that in the last year were accessed 21.4 million times. Mind also lobbies government and local authorities on behalf of people suffering from poor mental health.
Jessica Mills, chairman of MHR, said: “Martin’s openness about his recent mental health struggles and his efforts raising money for Mind have been an inspiration for the team at MHR. His charitable nature has really shone through in the last few weeks and Monday was an exciting culmination for his fundraising campaign.
“As an employer we believe in raising awareness about mental health issues and ensuring people get the right support, so we’re delighted to back this initiative and know that the funds will go to Mind, towards helping those in need.”
Martin Bassey, business development representative at MHR, said: “I might be sporting an ‘interesting’ new look, but I know this has all been for a very worthy cause. Mental health services have suffered from lack of funding in recent years, but charities like Mind play a critical role helping to support those in need. If shaving my head helps just one individual in difficulty, then that can only be a positive thing.”
You can donate to Martin’s fundraising efforts here: https://www.justgiving.com/page/martin-bassey-1676990126679
Macildowie invests in new hires to strengthen executive search business
Nottingham-headquartered recruitment and retention consultancy, Macildowie, has welcomed the return of former employees Joanna Riley and Jo Garside, bolstering the company’s dedicated executive search team.Jo Riley re-joins the consultancy as business director of Macildowie’s CFO and Finance Director Practice, specialising in headhunting Executive Board Level Finance Leaders across the Midlands.Having previously worked for Macildowie for nearly ten years, between 2003 and 2012, Jo has since headed up executive search teams at various East Midlands agencies.
Jo Garside returns to the consultancy after 14 years, having previously worked for Macildowie between 1997 and 2009. Also joining the Executive Search team, Jo has taken up the role of Executive Search Associate.With a focus on the Midlands, Macildowie’s Executive Search team has helped businesses to hire into crucial leadership positions for almost 30 years.Speaking about the two new appointments, James Taylor, CEO of Macildowie, said: “At Macildowie one of our greatest strengths is our culture – recognised by achieving the highly coveted three-star ‘world-class’, employer status by the ‘Best Companies To Work For’ for the seventh time.
“We understand that maintaining a fantastic culture for our own employees drives them to produce amazing results for our clients. It speaks for itself that Macildowie has been awarded the much coveted ‘World Class’ status every time we’ve entered the Best Companies accreditations.“The two Jos, Riley and Garside, have both seen how Macildowie has evolved and continued to grow whilst enhancing our strong and dynamic culture, a key aspect of what drew them back to us. It’s rare for any business to have employees return, so it’s a great privilege to welcome Jo and Jo back, helping us to develop the next stage of growth for our Executive Search business. We are excited to see what they can achieve and wish them both the very best for the next chapter of their Macildowie careers.”Managing Director of Executive Search, Richard Haaker added: “It can’t be overstated how important it is to find and retain strong, effective leadership. We know that businesses rely heavily on individual leaders who can devise, develop and deliver a vision – and we know the importance of getting it right the first time.“We are extremely proud of the Executive Search team we’ve built, bringing together the best recruitment experts who are passionate about helping our customers to find the perfect executive candidate, in doing so also helping them to achieve their strategic goals. What we do is crucial and often helps to elevate our client’s Leadership Team to the next level.
“With this in mind, we’re thrilled to welcome back Jo Riley and Jo Gardside to the business, bringing a combined 25 year’s worth of knowledge and experience to the team. It’s fantastic to see Executive Search growing and we’ve got an exciting year ahead with some great projects in the pipeline.”
New UK ‘Space City’ cluster launched in Leicester
A new ‘Space City Leicester’ cluster has been launched in Leicester that will create one of the largest and most connected Enterprise Zones for space-related activities in the UK.
Space City Leicester represents up to £233 million of investment in new and planned facilities on the former Pioneer Park development to the north of Leicester city centre. This includes the University of Leicester’s science and innovation hub Space Park Leicester, the award-winning National Space Centre visitor attraction and the flexible working space and high-tech business incubator facilities at Dock and Dock 2.
Workspace will be expanded in the near future to include Dock 3 innovation workspace, and newer industrial and business incubator facilities at Abbey Court.
Space City Leicester is dedicated to space research, production, manufacture and development, and will make Leicester a key part of the UK’s Space Spine. The cluster will also be home to non-space related knowledge economy businesses, those working towards decarbonisation, innovative start-ups and established businesses looking for grow on space.
The Space City Leicester partnership includes DOCK, Leicester City Council, Leicester and Leicestershire Enterprise Partnership (LLEP), National Space Centre, Space Park Leicester and the University of Leicester. Space City is part of the Loughborough and Leicester Science and Innovation Enterprise Zone.
Research scientists at the University of Leicester have a long and distinguished record of discovery in space science with around 300 academics and researchers working on space and Earth observation, one of the largest groups in the UK. Every single year since 1967 has seen a Leicester-built instrument operating in space and their work today includes x-ray and observational astronomy, radio and space plasma physics (including space weather) and planetary science and instrumentation development.
Building upon the heritage and space-science excellence of the University of Leicester, Space Park Leicester is a world-leading space and Earth observation cluster that has built a collaborative community of industry, academics and students working together to drive growth in the space sector. Space Park Leicester is forecast to contribute £750 million per year to the UK space sector over the next decade and is expected to support more than 2,500 direct and indirect jobs in the East Midlands. The launch of Space City comes as Space Park Leicester, the city’s hub for space research and innovation, marks the first anniversary of its opening.
The new Space City Leicester cluster will be promoted to an international audience for the first time at the world’s leading real estate event, MIPIM in Cannes, France from 14-17 March 2023.
Leicester City Mayor Sir Peter Soulsby said: “Space City Leicester has put our city firmly on the map for research production and manufacture in the space industry, but the good news doesn’t end there as further expansion is planned to meet the demand from businesses keen to locate here from the UK and overseas.”
President and Vice-Chancellor of the University of Leicester Professor Nishan Canagarajah said: “This is the launchpad for an exciting new chapter in our city’s space history. From its beginnings 60 years ago at the University, we have grown space activity to unlock its huge potential to advance learning, to stimulate inward investment, innovation and growth and to address the challenging problems of our time. Space City Leicester is exciting, it is bold and it is built upon a heritage of success. I would like to thank all our supporters, industrial partners, LLEP and the Leicester City Council for their steadfast commitment to this ambitious endeavor.”
Andy Reed OBE, Co-Chair, Leicester and Leicestershire Enterprise Partnership (LLEP), said: “Space City Leicester combines world-leading expertise with major assets such as Space Park Leicester and the National Space Centre to boldly build on what we have here in Leicester and Leicestershire.
“It will create a world-leading cluster of research and development that will bring growth, investment, and many hundreds of jobs to our region.”
Henry Brothers appointed on Ministry of Justice Framework
Contractor Henry Brothers has been appointed on the Ministry of Justice Constructor Services Framework for the first time.
The company has been chosen on both national and regional frameworks in support of construction work across the entire justice sector, including courts, prisons, and the Home Office.
Managing Director of Henry Brothers Construction, Ian Taylor, said: “Being appointed to the Ministry of Justice Framework for the first time is excellent news for Henry Brothers. Henry Group has a long history of working in the justice sector, and more recently delivered a new £50m prison Block at HMP Maghaberry.
“We are excited to have been appointed on both the national and regional frameworks, which will give us an extensive pipeline of opportunities.
“Henry Brothers is on numerous frameworks, including the Crown Commercial Services Framework, so we are very familiar with working for Government organisations, such as the Defence Infrastructure Organisation (DIO). We look forward to partnering with the organisations under the MoJ Framework to support future construction projects in the justice sector.”
Henry Brothers has been appointed on two Lots in Framework B – construction projects valued at between £5m and £10m. These cover the North region and the Wales and Central England region.
In addition, Henry Brothers has been appointed as one of eight contractors on Framework C for national construction schemes valued at between £10m and £30m.
Both Frameworks run for five years and cover work for MoJ Corporate, HM Courts and Tribunals Service, HM Prison and Probation Service, Legal Aid Agency, Office of the Public Guardian, and the Home Office.
The anticipated value of Framework B is expected to be £0.75bn over four regions, while the anticipated value of Framework C is expected to be £0.625bn.
Howes Percival delivers £700m of corporate deals
Howes Percival’s corporate, commercial, and banking (CCB) team completed over 150 deals with a combined value of £700 million in 2022.
The growing team advises clients on significant and transformational acquisitions and disposals and the full range of contractual matters. It also provides a dedicated banking and finance service to banks, financial institutions, funds, and other lenders.
The number of completed transactions in 2022 was a further increase on the firm’s record deal volumes in 2021, with levels of M&A, financing and restructuring activity remaining high.
The growth was also driven by the ongoing investment in the Howes Percival CCB team, over the last three years. The team is now 60% larger than in 2019, as a result of a series of quality lateral hires including Chris White, Chloe Bristow and Deb Hay Davison (all formerly at Dentons), James Stephen (BDB Pitmans) Will Taylor (EMW) and Bradley Johnson (Machins) all joining in 2022. Tom Maksymiw also qualified into the team during the year.
Andy Harris, partner, and head of Howes Percival’s CCB team, said: “2022 was a record-breaking year again for Howes Percival’s CCB team and I’m incredibly proud of what we have delivered, both in terms of the volume of deals and the quality of the service the team has provided to clients. We hope we are increasingly seen as one of the go-to firms for corporate transactions in our key regions and we are getting more and more referrals across a wide range of sectors, as word spreads.
“We have seen a really good flow of instructions from some of our key sectors such as Automotive (particularly motor dealer M&A), Development, Food and Beverage, Healthcare, Leisure & Tourism and Technology & Innovation with significant transactions in each of these areas. We think these clients come to us not only because we are capable corporate, commercial and banking professionals, but also because of our relationship-driven approach, as well as our deep sector knowledge.
“In addition to the lateral hires we are proud to have attracted, we continue to place great emphasis on recognising and promoting home-grown talent within the team, and offering a complete career path, from developing great trainees through to creating new partners. We’ve also expanded the firm’s services to clients. Paula Dumbill, who joined us from Browne Jacobson, established and has grown our dedicated Commercial team, while we also now have a dedicated Company Secretarial and Governance team headed by Chloe Bristow.”
Andy Harris continued: “Of course, the ongoing situation in Ukraine, the cost-of-living crisis and the potential for recession in the UK are still major concerns this year, and we will all be keeping a close eye on things. As a general observation, transactions are taking longer to deliver, but the situation does vary by sector and we are still seeing plenty of activity and new opportunities.”
Significant milestone reached at new £9.2m East Leake School
A topping out ceremony has marked a major milestone at the new £9.2m school in East Leake which will create vital school places for the village.
Millside Spencer Academy is part of a £14m investment in education in East Leake by Nottinghamshire County Council.
The academy is being delivered by Morgan Sindall Construction, designed, cost-managed and project managed by Arc Partnership, a joint venture between SCAPE and the County Council, and run by Spencer Academies Trust.
The two-storey building includes 8 classrooms, a nursery, a library, a food-tech room, a hall and dance studio.
Once the keys to the school are handed over this summer, it will provide 350 primary and 26 nursery places in the heart of the new David Wilson Homes housing development, The Skylarks.
Councillor Tracey Taylor, the county council’s Cabinet Member for Children and Families, who recently had a progress tour at the site, said it was wonderful to see how the school was taking shape and to chat to staff and pupils about how much they’re looking forward to moving in for the new academic year.
Cllr Taylor said: “I am delighted to be working with our partners to deliver this fantastic project and Millside Spencer Academy will be a great addition to the county’s family of schools – as well as a huge benefit to a village where many new families have moved to.
“The County Council is committed to investing in our children’s futures by building new schools where needed across the county, and we’ve also set aside more than £9.5m over the next two years to refurbish schools in every borough and district of Nottinghamshire.
“The Council’s major investment in delivering the new Spencer Academies Trust-sponsored East Leake primary school reinforces our commitment to ensuring all Nottinghamshire children have access to the best education and have an opportunity to succeed.”
Located on former farmland on Rempstone Road, ground level works at the school is now complete and this will be followed by the installation of foundations and the erection of the steel frame. The first-floor planks, windows, doors and internal partitioning have also been fitted and the contractor is now turning its attention to the mechanical and electrical fixtures and external bricklaying and rendering.
Councillor Reg Adair, Deputy Cabinet Member for Economic Development, said: “This school will be a wonderful asset for the families of East Leake and the feedback from everyone involved points to an excellent advert for partnership working at its very best.
“Once the school is handed over, the Temporary Learning Village will be removed and used elsewhere to make way for the delivery of a new school field which will complement existing outdoor play areas.
“I’m also delighted that the 30% target for the contractor to use and spend with local subcontractors within 20 miles has been exceeded.”
This is the third successful project between the County Council, Arc Partnerships and Morgan Sindall following the successful joint delivery of Bingham Primary School in August 2022 and Rosecliffe Spencer Academy in May 2021.
Sara Williams, head of pre-construction at Arc Partnership, said: “We are proud to be working in collaboration with Nottinghamshire County Council and Morgan Sindall to design and manage the project delivery and bring much-needed school places to the local community.
“Supporting the council’s move towards low carbon solutions, the school has been designed to be Net Carbon Zero in operation. It will have high levels of building fabric insulation, and a range of sustainable features including an all-electric strategy, meaning no fossil fuel will be burnt on site and as the National Grid decarbonises, the carbon emissions associated with the building will reduce.”
Principal Sophia Thorne, at the Spencer Academies Trust, said: “The Millside Spencer community is amazed at the speed that our new school building is progressing. These facilities – alongside our existing on-site Forest School area, dedicated staff team, supportive parents and inspirational children – will continue to make Millside Spencer a happy school where everyone can shine.”
Richard Fielding, area director at Morgan Sindall, said: “We are thrilled to mark the progress at Millside Spencer Academy with a topping out ceremony which highlights another significant project through Arc Partnership. We are delivering a school which will not only create vital pupil places, but also inspiring and modern learning environments. We will continue to engage with the local community through our social value initiatives and work towards our net zero goals as we near completion this summer.”
Plastribution Group acquires Leicester-based Eagle Plastics
A plastics raw materials distributor, Plastribution Group, has acquired another Leicester-based business, thermoplastics sheet supplier Eagle Plastics.
Plastribution Group’s core business is the distribution of thermoplastic pellets for injection moulding, extrusion and blow moulding industries and the acquisition fulfils the company’s growth strategy to offer a wider range of plastic products, to include a sheet business, in their products division.
Based in Thurmaston, Eagle Plastics supplies semi-finished thermoplastic materials to a diverse client base including blue-chip organisations. The business has eleven employees who will be retained at their existing site in Leicester, along with Managing Director Darren Clarke.
Leading the deal from Geldards’ Corporate team was partner Debra Martin who was supported by solicitor Hugh White, who advised on all elements of the transaction.
Debra Martin, partner, Geldards, says: “We were delighted to act for the Plastribution Group on their acquisition of Eagle Plastics, the deal is a great fit for both companies, aligning their core values and seamlessly integrating their operations. We wish them every success for the future.”
Trading Standards probe uncovers £200,000 fake car-parts scam
Two Nottingham men have been given suspended prison sentences after an investigation by Trading Standards officers found they made more than £200,000 selling fake car parts.
Nasir Abdulla, aged 35, of Chalfont Drive in Aspley, and Sayed Mahmoud, aged 34, of Haselmere Road, Bobbers Mill, admitted selling the counterfeit items when they appeared at Nottingham Crown Court on Friday 3 March.
Nottingham City Council’s Trading Standards discovered that the pair started two companies around 2013 trading as ‘g-customz’ and ‘nf-designz’. They were importing thousands of counterfeit car parts from China, mainly Audi, Volkswagen and Mercedes.
These were then advertised on Facebook as genuine parts and sold to unsuspecting consumers. Abdulla and Mahmoud made a substantial amount of money from the scam, benefitting to the tune of £150,000 and £60,000 respectively.
The car companies involved made test purchases from g-customz and nf-designz after seeing their parts being advertised and confirmed they were counterfeit before contacting Trading Standards, which began an in-depth investigation.
Abdulla and Mahmoud pleaded guilty to the unauthorised use of trademarks between 2013 and 2018.
Abdulla was given an 18-month prison sentence, suspended for two years and ordered to do 200 hours’ unpaid work. Mahmoud was handed a nine-month prison sentence, suspended for two years and ordered to do 120 hours’ unpaid work.
Councillor Neghat Khan, Portfolio Holder for Neighbourhoods and Safety, said: “I commend Nottingham City Council Trading Standards for bringing these perpetrators to justice.
“This was a difficult and complicated investigation over a long period of time which has resulted in the companies being closed down. The sentences handed out by the judge reflect the serious nature of their offending and are fully deserved.”
Microlise snaps up Vita Software in £2.06m deal
Microlise Group, a Nottingham-headquartered provider of SaaS based transport technology solutions to fleet operators, has acquired Vita Software, a provider of transportation management system (TMS) solutions, for £2.06 million.
The acquisition will expand Microlise’s suite of transport technology solutions and is expected to immediately enhance earnings.
Established 2012 in the UK, Vita Software is a SaaS based TMS who are highly regarded and profitable, adding recurring revenue to the Microlise Group. They provide a range of order management products to fleet logistics operators, which includes resource and transport costing, subcontractor management and invoicing solutions. Business and product integration will begin immediately, with all existing staff being retained.
Microlise’s existing solutions manage the safe, compliant, and efficient execution of the transport movements through its range of subscription services, offering the tracking and execution of generated orders.
Vita Software’s TMS capabilities provides upsell and cross-sell opportunities, embedding Microlise even further into its existing customers’ operations. The software only system is applicable to fleets of all sizes, supporting the group’s strategy to expand its value proposition further into medium sized fleets, with an enriched product offering.
Microlise CEO Nadeem Raza said: “We are excited to announce the acquisition of Vita Software, as part of our strategic plans to grow the Microlise product portfolio using funds raised via our IPO.
“This is the first of a number of targeted acquisitions that are being progressed, driving our long-term plan to offer a comprehensive suite of solutions that cater to fleets of all sizes across our strategic geographies.
“Through combining TMS technology with our existing offerings, we are providing our customers with an accessible and enriched end-to-end solution that is designed to optimise operations, increase cost visibility, and improve profitability.
“This acquisition will also provide us significant opportunities for upselling and cross-selling, enabling us to further strengthen our relationships with our customers and reinforce our position as a leading provider of transport technology solutions.
“We remain committed to delivering innovative products and services that add value to our customers’ businesses, and we look forward to leveraging our expanded capabilities to achieve further growth and success.”
Yü Group reports “fantastic year”
The CEO of Yü Group, the independent supplier of gas, electricity and water to the UK corporate sector, has hailed “another fantastic year,” with record breaking financial performance and significant strategic progress.
According to the Nottingham firm’s final audited results for the year to 31 December 2022, revenue grew 79% to £278.6m, up from £155.4m in the year prior.
Pre-tax profits, meanwhile, rose 72% to £5.8m from £3.4m.
Bobby Kalar, Group Chief Executive Officer, said: “I’m pleased to report another fantastic year for Yü Group. We have once again clearly demonstrated our ability to surpass financial performance metrics and, with the strong momentum we have in the business, we are confident of this recurring theme continuing into 2023.
“Our record breaking financial performance and significant strategic progress is a testament to the strength of the Group. Revenue increased 79%, EBITDA increased 359%, contracted revenue is up 57% and cash increased by £11.9m. Reflecting our continued confidence in the business we are also pleased to recommend the reinstatement of a progressive dividend policy. To achieve this despite the backdrop of a turbulent energy market is credit to the strong foundations we have in place and the ability and character of the team.
“It’s been a busy year! Developing and integrating our smart metering business, Yü Smart from a standing start to a fully functioning business performing at pace has been a particular highlight. I’m proud to lead a team who have seized this opportunity to build and grow new capabilities. I clearly see the ability for the Group to accelerate its profitability by leveraging off our growing revenues and providing new services. Cash flow and cash management will remain a key focus, including through our smart meter rollout.
“The EBRS scheme has worked well and rightly delivered support to our business customers. We will continue working with BEIS to champion assistance to UK businesses.
“Whilst our industry has been plagued by negative impacts and a lack of investment and support, I am immensely proud to report our progress and development. The market opportunity is huge, we have a scalable platform, and we are primed and ready to grow.
“We have got off to a fantastic start in 2023 with our exceptional performance continuing. Whilst we remain vigilant, we look forward to delivering continued shareholder value in 2023 and beyond.”
Nuclear reactors from Rolls-Royce to power Australian submarines
Rolls-Royce Submarines Ltd will provide the reactors for Australia’s first nuclear powered submarines.
The announcement will see thousands of jobs created for Rolls-Royce and across the UK supply chain.
Rolls-Royce Submarines, based in Derby, currently employs more than 4,000 people and designs, manufactures and provides in-service support to the pressurised water reactors that power every boat in the Royal Navy’s submarine fleet.
Steve Carlier, president – Rolls-Royce Submarines Ltd, welcomed the news, saying: “We are delighted to be asked to play our part in delivering this element of the AUKUS Agreement and are well prepared to support through our nuclear expertise and engineering excellence.
“For over 60 years we have provided the power to the Royal Navy’s nuclear submarines and we are proud to be playing a critical role in helping Australia acquire their own nuclear propulsion submarine capability.
“This is great news for Rolls-Royce and for the country as a whole with the creation of more UK jobs and an opportunity to showcase British innovation and expertise on the world stage.”
Rolls-Royce is currently supporting the existing Astute and Dreadnought boat build programmes through the delivery of reactor plant and associated components. Additionally, it provides frontline support across the world for reactor plant equipment from its Operations Centre in Derby and supports the submarines when in the Barrow-in-Furness shipyard and the naval bases at Devonport and Faslane.
To ensure a steady pipeline of future talent into the industry, Rolls-Royce last year opened a new Nuclear Skills Academy in Derby, which will provide 200 apprenticeships each year for at least the next decade.
Staff at science company with Derbyshire HQ vote to save lives after naming St John Ambulance their new charity
Hundreds of employees at a chemistry company with a Derbyshire headquarters will be helping save lives after nominating St John Ambulance as their next adopted charity.
Lubrizol, a science company whose research and development function and headquarters is based at Hazelwood near Belper, has now announced that the leading first aid organisation will be its next charity partner over all its UK sites.
The partnership means that Lubrizol’s employees will be undertaking a series of fundraisers aiming to raise thousands of pounds for St John Ambulance over the next two years.
Lubrizol has around 350 staff at its Hazelwood headquarters and hundreds more at a further four sites around the UK.
The company’s support for St John Ambulance comes after its previous two years of fundraising raised a phenomenal £28,282 for mental health charity Mind. The company’s achievement in raising the money was all the more remarkable because staff were forced to undertake many charitable activities on their own because of Covid lockdowns.
Representatives from St John Ambulance joined staff from Lubrizol’s charities and communities committee at a recent charity day, where they told how all money raised would go towards helping save lives.
Eva Szabo, corporate partnership officer for the charity, told employees: “Every single donation that you raise will go towards saving a life. We are really looking forward to going on our fundraising journey together so thank you in advance!”
Eva was joined at the day by Heather Powell, volunteer unit manager at St John Ambulance in Derby.
Heather said: “One of our main aims at St John Ambulance is to make sure that as many people in the community as possible are trained in first aid so anybody can help in an emergency.”
Eva added: “CPR has been in use in some form since 1740 but still to this day not everybody is confident enough to know what to do to help save a life.”
In the UK, more than 30,000 people suffer a cardiac arrest every year. When this happens, every second counts and the key to survival is early chest compressions and early defibrillation.
Without lifesaving intervention the chances of survival start to decrease by about 10 per cent with every passing minute.
Eva said: “We need support from companies like Lubrizol to help us train and equip as many people as possible with the skills needed to help save lives. We don’t want anybody to have any regrets. Every single person has the potential to make a difference in an emergency, and every single donation raised has the potential to save somebody’s life.”
Tom Grazier, co-chair of the communities and charities committee at Lubrizol, said: “I’m delighted that we will be supporting St John Ambulance for the next two years. Our charitable work is very important to us at Lubrizol and we’re really looking forward to working with this fantastic charity in supporting their life-saving work.
“It’s very powerful to think that the money we raise will be put to good use in saving lives. Every charity we support has been voted on by employees here at Lubrizol and this time St John Ambulance emerged as a clear favourite.
“We’re very proud to be giving them our support. Staff from around our Lubrizol sites will be getting their thinking caps on and coming up with some great ideas as to how we can raise vital funds for this great cause.”
