Nottingham is to benefit from an extra 12 state-of-the-art surveillance cameras as part of a project to keep people safe and catch criminals.
The Home Office has approved plans for the installation of 10 new fixed CCTV cameras across the City Centre and two re-deployable cameras that can be moved throughout the City when necessary.
The cameras, which will cost almost £45k to install and are expected to be in place next month, are being funded by the City’s Safer Streets project and come in addition to the CCTV camera already installed at Bridlington Street Play Area through the scheme.
They will be monitored at Nottingham City Council’s existing CCTV control room based at Woodlands in Radford, which has direct access to Nottinghamshire Police via radio link. Safer Streets funding will also cover the £17,600 costs to maintain the cameras for the next five years.
Last summer, Nottinghamshire Police and Crime Commissioner Caroline Henry secured £432k from the Home Office’s Safer Streets Fund to improve safety in the Arboretum and Lenton Triangle areas of the city.
The funding is being invested in a series of physical and environmental improvements in the areas to combat crime including free security upgrades and Ring doorbells at hundreds of residential properties in the City.
Before Christmas, the team submitted new plans to invest some of the £432k into additional CCTV in the City, which have since been approved.
Cllr Neghat Khan, Portfolio Holder for Neighbourhoods, Safety and Inclusion at Nottingham City Council, said: “Tackling crime in Nottingham is one of our top priorities. People should feel safe living or visiting the city, the additional CCTV will help protect more of our residents.
“The Council and its partners take a hard approach to crime in the city and working closely together I know we can do more to tackle the issue, and this new CCTV is just one of the ways of doing just that.”
Welcoming the move, Commissioner Henry said: “These cameras are great news for the City and will make it much harder for offenders to get away with their crimes.
“Local people have had enough of criminals bringing misery to their lives and deserve to feel safe and protected when going out their daily lives.
“Criminals should take note; if you continue to plague our city streets, you will be caught.”
Chief Inspector Amy English, from Nottinghamshire Police, said: “Expanding the city’s CCTV network is great news for both us as officers and most importantly for residents.
“CCTV plays an important role in our work, particularly in our continued proactive work to prevent crime, as well as in our investigation of offences, and expanding this coverage in the city will only help us and make it harder for offenders to get away with their crimes.
“A number of the cameras are also mobile and residents can be assured that we will continue to listen to any information or concerns and put resources where we are being told they are needed.”
The new cameras are being installed on existing lighting columns.
The proposed new fixed CCTV camera sites are as follows:
Harworth Group plc, a regenerator of land and property for sustainable development and investment, has announced the freehold acquisition of a 133-acre strategic land site in Staveley, Derbyshire, capable of delivering 600 new homes, extensive green space and other amenities.
The brownfield site is located off Works Road, close to the A619 to the west of Staveley, and in an area known as the Staveley & Rother Valley Corridor. This area has been identified by Chesterfield Borough Council’s Local Plan as a Strategic Site allocated to deliver 1,500 new dwellings and employment opportunities, alongside a HS2 maintenance depot, primary school and energy generation opportunities.
The site is also located along the Chesterfield Staveley Regeneration Route (“CSRR”), a proposed single carriageway road connecting Chesterfield to the M1, which is planned for completion in 2025.
Harworth will work collaboratively with Derbyshire County Council, Chesterfield Borough Council, adjacent landowners and other local groups to bring forward a comprehensive delivery plan for residential development along the CSRR. As part of this, Harworth will leverage its placemaking skills to transform the 133-acre land parcel, delivering 600 homes, including a mixed tenure product, alongside new green open spaces, a retail hub and other amenities in the vicinity.
Harworth will also manage the closure of the landfill currently located on site, reclaiming the land for new habitat creation as well as the retention of the ecology biodiversity net gain.
The site benefits from its proximity to Staveley, which last year was awarded funding by the UK Government’s Towns Fund programme to regenerate Staveley town centre, construct a new railway station and deliver additional employment land. Harworth will work with the Staveley Town Deal Board to ensure that the development complements and enhances these wider regeneration plans.
Submission of an outline planning application for the development is expected in 2023, to coincide with proposed timescales for the commencement of the CSSR.
Andrew Blackshaw, Chief Operating Officer, Harworth Group plc, said: “Staveley is one of a number of recent acquisitions by Harworth as part of our strategy to grow our strategic land portfolio. We look forward to working with local authorities, landowners and other local groups to unlock the significant potential of this brownfield site.”
Andy Roberts, acquisitions manager for Yorkshire & Central, Harworth Group plc, said: “Our freehold acquisition of Staveley presents an opportunity to take a leading role in delivering regeneration in the Staveley Corridor, building relationships with local stakeholders and using Harworth’s unique skillset to deliver new homes and amenities for the community.”
It’s that time of year, when Business Link Magazine invites the region’s business leaders to offer up their predictions for the year ahead. It has become something of a tradition, given that we’ve been doing this now for over 30 years.Here we speak to Russell Rigby, Managing Director of commercial property specialists Rigby & Co.
I predict 2022 will be the year when we will see rapid change and churn in the office market. Almost two years on from the start of the pandemic and after going through two national lockdowns and local and regional restrictions, companies and their employees have had time to test out the lessons they have learned and start putting new office accommodation strategies into practice.
Whilst working from home is definitely here to stay, it remains critical for many staff to maintain access to their physical workspaces in order to improve collaboration, productivity and foster a strong sense of company culture. With this in mind, the decisions over how ‘conventional’ office spaces function this year will be crucial.
In parallel, the serviced office and flexible workspace sector is booming and continuing to mature, and it is clear this is no longer the domain of start-ups and tech companies. Big businesses are now rethinking their property strategies to support flexibility and diversity to help retain and attract talent.
In Derby, new Grade A city centre accommodation is badly needed. The question is, which scheme will come forward first, and when, and who will deliver it?
Whilst I can’t answer that one yet, what is a given, is the fact that any scheme’s ECG credentials will become an increasingly important factor for office occupiers, particularly in the run up to 2023, when new Government regulations are introduced.
The £15.8 million restoration of the University of Leicester Business School (ULSB)’s home was formally opened with a special ceremony on Thursday.
Leicester’s Brookfield campus, set in seven acres in the historic Stoneygate Conservation Area, has been sympathetically restored to offer a variety of state-of-the-art learning and teaching spaces, including a Harvard-style lecture theatre and the ULSB Trading Room – home to 16 dual-screen Bloomberg terminals – all focused on creating an outstanding environment for students and researchers alike.
The ceremony was lent special significance in the University’s Centenary year as Brookfield was once home to Thomas Fielding Johnson, founding benefactor of the Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland University College.
Brookfield House was built in 1870 and served as Fielding Johnson’s family residence. Descendants of the prominent Victorian business leader unveiled a specially-commissioned portrait in his honour.
The event also featured a keynote speech and Q&A by guest of honour Sam Barnett, a Leicester alumnus and successful entrepreneur in the field of technology and big data – areas of strategic focus for the School of Business.
Speaking at the ceremony, President and Vice-Chancellor Professor Nishan Canagarajah said: “The transformation of our Brookfield Campus has been a flagship project for the University, and I am delighted to see the tremendous facilities already being put to great use by our students and researchers.
“For us to cut the ribbon here in our Centenary year is especially significant; this campus is directly linked to one of our founding fathers, and we have been conscious to honour the legacy of Thomas Fielding Johnson in this sympathetic renovation of his former family home.
“We hope that, through a mix of old and new, these facilities may also stand for the next 100 years in providing research-led education for our future leaders and entrepreneurs.”
Sam Barnett, who graduated from Leicester with an LLB Law in 2004, is a former President of $200m technology talent investment fund Entrepreneur First, and has worked with not-for-profit organisations transforming the lives of refugees through technology and pathways to digital opportunities.
After selling his ecommerce marketing business Struq to Quantcast in 2014 – where he was retained as the Chief Product Officer until 2019 – Sam later co-founded RESOLVE, which aims to provide scientists with the most effective path to roll out carbon capture and storage solutions.
Speaking at the event, Sam Barnett said: “I look back on my time at Leicester with real fondness. The environment that you’re in is like an invisible hand that shapes you, in many ways.
“One of the things the School has done so well with these facilities is in the blending of the traditional with the new.
“It felt like walking through the doors of a technology company – it’s a great environment for students to be in and can only help their transition into business, in ways that they might not even realise until they make that move.”
Professor Daniel Ladley, Dean of the University of Leicester School of Business, added: “The Brookfield campus offers a flagship home for ULSB, and is a fitting centre of excellence for our community of leaders, innovators and change-makers.
“These restored facilities – reflecting on our past as well as looking to the future – will help enable continued, high-quality education and pioneering research across our internationally renowned areas of expertise.”
Charnwood Borough Council could explore the creation of two solar farms to reduce its carbon footprint.
The Council has identified two locations on land it owns in Loughborough and its Cabinet will consider a proposal to carry out feasibility studies.
The Council says the idea is in a very early stage and at this point it is only considering gathering further information to understand the investment needed and level of energy generation possible from solar installations.
Cllr Roy Rollings, Lead Member for Transformation with responsibility for the Council’s commitment to be Carbon Neutral by 2030, said: “One of our strategic priorities is to care for the environment and we are committed to making our operations carbon neutral by 2030.
“We have reduced our carbon footprint by 40 per cent since 2015 but we recognise that we need to go further in the coming years. The proposal at the moment is to explore the feasibility of adding solar installations on land we own and possibly to some of our buildings before any further decisions are made.
“Further investment would clearly be needed but that is not a decision we can make without firm evidence to support that. We would also look to ensure that any investment pays for itself.”
The report to Cabinet, which meets on February 10, says two primary sites for solar farms have been identified. One is a 21-acre piece of land at Nanpantan, near to where the new cemetery is being created. The other is a 40-acre site at Allsopp’s Lane in Loughborough. Both sites are owned by the Council.
The feasibility study will also consider the potential of rooftop installations on Council buildings and at Council car parks.
Cabinet is being asked to approve £150,000 of funding from a budget which has already been allocated to help reduce the Council’s carbon footprint. However, the report says a significant contingency is built into this cost and not all of the funding may be needed.
Trading is “comfortably ahead of expectations” at Belvoir Group, the property franchise and financial services Group with its central office in Grantham, according to an update for the year ended 31 December 2021.
Revenue was up 36% to £29.6m (2020: £21.7m), a record level, and consequently it expects that the financial performance for the year, including profit before tax, will be comfortably ahead of management’s expectations.
2021 was one of the busiest years in recent times for estate agency, with residential property sales transactions up 41% on 2020 and 22% ahead of the six-year average to 2019.
In addition to achieving strong growth in the underlying business, the Group expanded both its property and financial services networks through the acquisitions of Nicholas Humphreys, a specialist student lettings franchise, and Nottingham Mortgage Services, the mortgage arm of The Nottingham Building Society (The Nottingham).
Revenue from the financial services division increased significantly by 49% to £14.4m (2020: £9.7m), having grown the network of financial advisers by 20% to 243 (2020: 202), 17 of whom were advisers for The Nottingham. Financial services benefitted from the buoyancy in the residential property sales market throughout most of 2021, and towards the end of the year experienced a strong period for remortgage activity.
Revenue from the property division was up 27% to £15.2m (2020: £12.0m). The acquisition of the Nicholas Humphreys network added £2.2m from its 17 franchised and three corporate-owned offices. Having franchised out five of the Lovelle corporate-owned offices towards the end of 2020 as planned, £0.9m of sales and lettings fees were replaced by £0.1m of Management Service Fees and overheads were reduced by £0.8m.
Management service fees (MSF), the key underlying return from franchisees, was up 18% for the year to £10.7m (2020: £9.1m).
Sales MSF increased significantly by 56% to £2.5m (2020: £1.6m), with the extension of the stamp duty holiday ensuring that the residential sales market remained highly active until September. Thereafter, the market returned to more normal transaction levels with unfulfilled demand continuing to fuel house price inflation.
Lettings MSF increased by 10% to £8.2m (2020: £7.5m) of which £0.3m related to the Nicholas Humphreys acquisition and newly franchised Lovelle offices. The underlying lettings MSF increase of 6% reflected a strong lettings market. The demand for more space and a return of young people to UK cities as offices re-opened post lockdown resulted in insufficient supply of available properties to rent and as such rents on new tenancies were seen to rise by around 8%.
Dorian Gonsalves, CEO, said: “All of the Group’s business units performed exceptionally well in 2021, ensuring that our franchisees and advisers were best-placed to take advantage of a strong property market. In addition, the Board furthered Belvoir’s successful growth strategy through two corporate acquisitions to enlarge our franchise and mortgage adviser networks.
“With our significant recurring lettings revenue stream and our substantial financial services client base to draw upon during what is currently a strong market for remortgages, we believe the Group is well insulated from what could be a more challenging market in 2022.
“Given the resilience and diversity of our business model, we remain confident that we will continue to perform well relative to the market as a whole. Meanwhile, the Board continues to identify suitable acquisition targets to support continued growth and enhance shareholder value still further.”
The East Midlands is one of only two English regions forecast to close the economic gap to London by 2025 when compared to pre-pandemic performance, according to EY’s latest Regional Economic Forecast.
The East Midlands economy, measured by Gross Value Added (GVA), is expected to be 9.5% larger in 2025 than it was in 2019 – the biggest increase among all English regions, ahead of the South West (9%) and London (8.9%). The UK’s GVA is forecast to have grown 8.3% relative to its 2019 performance by 2025.
The East Midland’s robust forecast is in part thanks to the region’s resilience during the initial stages of the pandemic, with the region’s GVA declining by just 1.7% between 2019 and 2021. By contrast, UK GVA fell 3% over the same period, while London’s GVA fell 3.6%.
GVA and employment in the region are forecast to grow at a similar pace to the rest of the UK from 2022 to 2025, with average annual growth rates of 2.7% and 1% respectively.
However, the report sets out the scale of the task needed to level up the UK economy. While the research shows the pandemic has helped to narrow the UK’s regional economic divide, the gap between London and the rest of the country it set to grow again during the post-pandemic recovery. The capital is on course to regain lost ground to the East Midlands and South West beyond 2025 too.
The report also forecasts that the economic gap between cities and towns will continue to widen, with England’s major cities expected to grow 2.9% per year by 2025, compared to forecast growth of 2.6% in towns.
Simon O’Neill, office managing partner for EY in the Midlands, said: “The East Midlands economy has undergone a period of transformation in recent years, moving away from more traditional manufacturing to focus more on other sectors, including administrative support and services. While COVID-19 has undoubtedly had a significant economic impact on the region, the East Midlands’ mix of sectors has helped it weather the last few years better than other areas – and will set up the region up for a good recovery too.
“The region is set to see strong growth in professional services and health, as well as a robust recovery in administrative and support services and the transport sector. The East Midlands has long been a professional services, science and transport hub – and the region’s laboratories and vast delivery and fulfilment centres have become all the more important over the course of the pandemic.
“However, with the data showing London recovering from the pandemic more quickly than much of the rest of the of the country, action is needed to ensure places like the East Midlands don’t get left behind in the long-term. Greater flexibility on where people work, aided by the pandemic, could help things. Focusing on what attracts people and businesses to a region, attracting the right mix of sectors and job opportunities, and tackling issues that affect quality of life will be key to taking advantage of this.
“As previous EY research has shown, the UK’s Net Zero and levelling up ambitions go hand-in-hand: the billions of pounds of investment required to reach Net Zero present a golden opportunity to transform not only the environmental sustainability of the UK economy, but its regional balance too. The manufacturing and utilities sectors, for example, are key to the Net Zero agenda – and they are vital to regional economies.”
East Midlands locations set for average GVA growth
Between 2022 and 2025, GVA in Nottingham is expected to expand by 2.8% per year – the only regional location above the average for the East Midlands (2.7%). Growth in the city is forecast to be led by activity in the administrative & support service and human health & social work sectors. Employment in the city is expected to grow at an average rate of 1.2% per year between 2022 and 2025.
Locations in the East Midlands are expected to see GVA growth between 2.4% and 2.8% over the next three years. After Nottingham, the fastest growing regional locations are expected to be Leicester (2.7%) Mansfield (2.7%), Boston (2.5%) and Derby (2.4%).
According to EY’s analysis, the West Midlands, North West and London economies were the most affected by the initial impact of the pandemic, with 2021 seeing the West Midlands economy recover to just 94.5% of its 2019 size, the North West’s economy reaching 96.1% of its 2019 size, and London recovering to 96.4%. By contrast, the Yorkshire and the Humber economy had reached 98.8% of its pre-pandemic size by the end of 2021, while the North East was at 98.5%.
Relative to their pre-pandemic GVA levels, the West Midlands (up 5.3%), North West (6.8%), and North East (7.9%) are expected to grow at the slowest pace.
The East Midlands is one of only four UK regions expected to see working age populations grow by 2025, alongside London, the East and South East.
Sector mix key to long-term recovery
Across the UK, service and city centre activities are expected to be the fastest growing between 2022 and 2025, with accommodation and food service expected to improve its GVA by 8.6% per year, followed by other services (up 6.7%), administrative and support services (up 5.5%), and arts and entertainment (up 5.4%). The transportation and storage sector is expected to grow 3.8% per year. By contrast, manufacturing is one of the sectors expected to undershoot the overall annual UK GVA growth (2.8%), with 1.7% growth forecast.
Simon O’Neill added: “These sector mixes will dictate the longer-term recovery. The North East’s public sector helped the region’s economy weather the pandemic but may mean slower post-pandemic growth. Conversely, city-friendly sectors like digital, science and technology, and services will eventually bounce back, taking places like London and Manchester with them after a slow start.”
Rohan Malik, EY’s UK&I managing partner markets & accounts, concludes: “Long-term ambitions and sustained, coordinated action are needed to balance growth across the country while ensuring that ‘levelling up’ isn’t simply moving activity elsewhere at London’s expense. The right actions now will bear fruit eventually, but policymakers need to be in this for the long haul.”
Business confidence in the East Midlands fell four points during January to 33%, according to the latest Business Barometer from Lloyds Bank.
Companies in the East Midlands reported lower confidence in their own business prospects month-on-month, down 13 points to 27%. When taken alongside their optimism in the economy, up three points to 38%, this gives a headline confidence reading of 33%.
The Business Barometer, which questions 1,200 businesses monthly, provides early signals about UK economic trends both regionally and nationwide.
A net balance of 35% of businesses in the region expect to increase staff levels over the next year, down one point on December’s reading.
Overall UK business confidence remained steady in January, dropping just one point from December’s reading of 40% to 39%. Firms remained positive about their future trading prospects, despite a two-point dip month-on-month to 41%, and were optimistic about the economy overall, reporting a reading of 38%, up one point on December’s result. The net balance of businesses planning to create new jobs in the next twelve months decreased marginally by four points to 29%.
Every UK nation and region maintained a positive overall confidence reading in January, with four reporting a higher reading than last month. Yorkshire and the Humber (up 13 points to 48%), Scotland (up 13 points to 37%), the West Midlands (up nine points to 39%) and the South West (up eight points to 37%) all had stronger confidence readings month-on-month, with Yorkshire and the Humber now the most optimistic region.
Amanda Dorel, regional director for the East Midlands at Lloyds Bank Commercial Banking, said: “Despite the small dip, overall business confidence remains steady in the East Midlands and there is much for the region’s firms to be optimistic about. The end of Plan B restrictions should boost consumer confidence and create new opportunities for hospitality and leisure businesses who’ll see more footfall as people return to offices.
“It’s also promising to see hiring intentions remain strong, which will undoubtedly benefit the local economy in the long-term. We will be helping East Midlands businesses to capitalise on the opportunities that come their way as they lay the foundations for future growth.”
Industry sector performance was mixed during January with confidence among manufacturers increasing by three points to 43%, reaching its highest level for three months due to an easing of supply chain pressures. Retail confidence also rose (up one point to 44%) while confidence among firms in IT/communications remains particularly strong at 72%.
The impact of Omicron over the festive period meant the service sector extended its recent run of modest decreases in January, dropping one point to 38%. Positively, hospitality has recovered some of December’s decline, rising from 6% to 38%.
Hann-Ju Ho, senior economist, Lloyds Bank Commercial Banking, said: “January’s survey shows a continued resilience with minimal fluctuation as economic optimism remains at a historically strong level.
“A larger decline in confidence was potentially prevented by the reduction in Covid infection rates from early January and the prospects of the easing of restrictions across the UK.
“However, businesses remain cautious about the pandemic and are facing into challenges from rising cost pressures although many are raising their prices in response.”
Admin can take up a lot of time for small business owners. You may not yet have the funds to hire additional administrative staff, meaning you have to take on a lot of the admin work yourself. At the same time, you need to ensure that you’re giving your business the time and attention it needs to thrive.
Fortunately, there are plenty of ways to minimise the time that admin takes in the day to day running of your company. This article will explore some of the most innovative ways to stay on top of admin and run your business more efficiently.
Set Aside Dedicated Time For Admin
It can help to set dedicated times for you to catch up on admin. It can be tempting to focus on more high-value work at the expense of admin, but this can be detrimental. As time-consuming as admin can be, it is crucial to the smooth operation of your business.
It can help to set aside specific times of the day to catch up on admin. For instance, you could spend 30 minutes at the start and end of each day to get everything organised and sorted. This can help cut down admin tasks into manageable chunks and prevent them from building up.
Consider Outsourcing
Outsourcing can be a great way to save yourself time on admin without the commitment of taking on additional employees. You should look for outsourcing businesses that specialise in the kind of admin you need and have employees that will benefit your business.
It may help to choose a local outsourcing business that will be able to find you employees near to your business. You should check their customer testimonials to ensure their staff will be a good fit.
Automate Simple But Time-Consuming Processes
Automation can be a real time-saver in any business. Many admin tasks that take hours to do manually can be done in seconds using automation. Automation of admin tasks can be easy to do, and it is worth talking to a reputable IT support company to help you set up some basic automation. Some tasks that can be automated to save you significant time include appointment scheduling, sending out payment reminders, and data entry.
Choose A Reputable HR Management Platform
HR can create a lot of admin for a business leader. Getting the HR side of things right is important if you want your business to be a good place to work. HR also allows you to keep track of employee engagement and productivity. Finding a HR management platform to help you keep up to date with HR administration can therefore be invaluable.
There are many options out there, and it may help you do your homework and find the right fit for your business. Choosing a company that specialises in SMEs can also be beneficial. You can find some excellent HR software for small businesses from the industry leaders at myhrtoolkit.
Keep Meticulous Records
Record keeping is crucial to ensure your business is successful. You should put in place a process for record-keeping both digitally and in hard copy. The more closely you monitor your records, the better you will know your business. Allowing paperwork and other records to build up can lead to things being missed and a significant reduction in efficiency.
Review Your Processes Regularly
It is vital to be proactive when updating your internal business processes. Often what works in the first months of business may not be suitable as your company grows and changes. You should be ready to shift as your business does and regularly assess whether your admin operations are as efficient as they could be.
Create A Productive Workspace
The space you work within can make all the difference to your productivity and motivation. You should ensure that your workspace is clear of any clutter and organised to promote productivity. It is also important to ensure that you avoid overworking, as this may lead to burnout.
You can make your office a more efficient space by using interior design. A place that is relaxing and enjoyable to be in will help keep you and your employees motivated. You should decorate in relaxing, neutral shades and include plenty of greenery, which can help boost motivation.
Don’t Allow Basic Tasks To Build Up
Tasks like data entry can be time-consuming, and it is often tempting to leave these basic processes for another time. It can be beneficial to do data entry as and when needed. This will ensure you don’t end up with hours of admin work to do at the end of the week.
Get On The Cloud
Digitising your documentation can make it significantly easier to keep on top of. Having all the documents you need at your fingertips, wherever you are, can be invaluable to help you keep on top of admin. Ensure you choose a reputable cloud hosting provider to ensure your company data and documentation will be secure.
CarShop Express Leicester, which is situated on Blackbird Road and opened its doors to the public at the start of May, has announced that – despite being a completely new concept store for the used car retailer and opening amidst a global pandemic – it has had an extremely successful year.
The store was an exciting development in the area, due to it being the UK’s first ‘Express’ car store. What this means is, unlike CarShop’s main stores which have large showrooms, expansive forecourts and different colleagues to help with every stage of the car buying journey, an Express store is a bit different. It has a small and friendly feel and its colleagues are all ‘Express Specialists’ who help customers through the whole car buying journey, from start to finish – making for a really personalised experience.
“Of course, we were a bit apprehensive to start with”, said Michele Williams, the store’s Branch Manager, “Would people know we were a car store without the hundreds of cars sitting outside on the forecourt? But as soon as we opened our doors, those worries were quickly put to rest.”
The main feature emphasised at CarShop Express Leicester seems to be convenience – customers can tailor their car buying journey depending on what they prefer. This could be browsing CarShop’s entire range of makes and models online and then transferring their favourite to the Leicester store for a test-drive, or collection, or it could be coming into the store at a time that suits them to speak to an Express Specialist about their options and the best finance method for them.
And the concept seems to have gone down a treat amongst local residents – with its sales figures increasing by 60% in the last four months, compared to the four months before that.
Feedback provided on Google Reviews also seems to be overwhelmingly positive when it comes to customer service. In fact, it has gained itself an impressive 4.9 stars out of 5, with feedback including: “Kyle stayed back an hour and a half after closing to answer all our questions without rushing us. This experience is normally so daunting but I felt so relaxed”, and “It was easy and straightforward with no fuss, from viewing the car, test-drive and paperwork, I was then driving away in my new car in just over an hour. Everything was explained step-by-step too”.
It has also already won prestigious trade awards, including at the Car Dealer’s Used Car Awards 2021.
“I’m thrilled to see it succeeding”, said Michele, “It’s a concept I really believe in, knowing that not everyone feels the need to walk between rows and rows of cars before deciding they’ve got the right one. Some are happy enough to browse online, in their own time – especially knowing they can take the car for a test-drive and return it if it doesn’t end up being the right one for them.”
The store has also made huge strides in helping the local community too – having launched its ongoing partnership with Help the Homeless Leicester a few months ago. This partnership involves CarShop donating £1 for every customer who buys a car from the store through its Pink Coin Scheme.
Its team members are also currently collecting their old hats, scarves, gloves and anything else that might help, to donate to those on the streets this winter.
Businesses will benefit from a £3.8 million support programme delivered by Nottingham Trent University (NTU) that has been designed to boost the local economy by almost £19 million over the next 10 years.
The Enterprising Ashfield project – funded by the Government’s Towns Fund – will provide businesses in the Sutton and Kirkby areas with direct access to university expertise and facilities. It also provides support for local residents and local employees to enhance their skills.
The project builds on the ongoing commitment of NTU to the Ashfield and Mansfield areas as well as the University’s strong track record of delivering growth, innovation and skills programmes to small and medium sized enterprises successfully. It will deliver support designed specifically to meet the needs and challenges facing Ashfield residents and businesses.
Delivered over the next 4 years, Enterprising Ashfield consists of the following project strands:
A ‘Headstart’ programme – offering intensive coaching and mentoring to potential and existing entrepreneurs; equipping them with the skills and knowledge to establish, sustain and grow a successful business
‘Breakthrough’, ‘Accelerator’ and ‘UpScaler’ programmes – offering support to businesses at different stages of growth; enabling them to increase their productivity, access new markets, develop new products, and/or implement a plan for growth
Access to graduate talent on short-term placements in local businesses to support projects and growth plans
Collaboration opportunities with the University to undertake specific research & development activities using NTU’s world-leading facilities and academic expertise
Access to flexibly delivered short courses; designed to meet local skills gaps and boost employment prospects.
Over the course of the project, Ashfield’s economy will benefit from the establishment of 225 new businesses in the area and almost 300 businesses will grow and increase productivity as a result of the support given.
900 Ashfield residents will have the opportunity to enhance their skills through training and courses provided by NTU and 150 graduates will join businesses bringing their talent and skills to the workforce.
This will result in an additional £19 million boost to the local economy over the next 10 years.
Michael Carr, Pro Vice-Chancellor, Enterprise and Knowledge Exchange, said: “NTU has a proven experience of driving enterprise and innovation within businesses successfully. Over the last 3 years, we have already supported over 2,700 companies, helped nearly 300 entrepreneurs to start and develop a business, and assisted 4,000 people to enhance their skills and job prospects.
“Together with our expanding presence in Ashfield, which includes a potential £1 million investment by NTU to support the planned Automated Distribution and Manufacturing Centre, Enterprising Ashfield will contribute to future economic prosperity of the area by bringing our values and our expertise and experience to its businesses and residents.”
Cllr Matthew Relf, Ashfield District Council Cabinet Member for Regeneration and Planning, said: “It is fantastic to see the Enterprising Ashfield programme being launched. We have been working closely with NTU to deliver a programme that will have a really positive impact for businesses and residents of Ashfield, not just in the short term but for years to come.
“The Towns Fund investment is enabling programmes like Enterprising Ashfield to provide opportunities for business owners and entrepreneurs to access world class facilities, learning and support. Not only will this have a hugely positive impact on the local economy, but it will ensure there are high value jobs and training within the District for the next generation.
“This is a really exciting programme and we’ll be working with NTU to ensure that Ashfield businesses, entrepreneurs and residents take advantage of the fantastic opportunities available.”
Businesses interested in accessing support should contact workingwithyou@ntu.ac.uk .
It’s that time of year, when Business Link Magazine invites the region’s business leaders to offer up their predictions for the year ahead. It has become something of a tradition, given that we’ve been doing this now for over 30 years.Here we speak to James Pinchbeck, Partner at Streets Chartered Accountants.
At the time of writing this we are over halfway through the first month of 2022, therefore on looking at new year predictions it is perhaps worth looking at what the Chinese New Year might hold. Starting on 1st February 2022 is the Chinese zodiac year of the Tiger, symbolised by strength, exorcising evil and braveness.
In the face of the challenges individuals and businesses face over the year ahead the characteristics of the Tiger will probably mean 2022 will bode well. Certainly, the brave stand to do well if they embrace the opportunities that present themselves as we move from living with a pandemic to an endemic. These include the chance to re-imagine hospitality and leisure, create an exciting environment and conditions for returner workers and to retain staff, through to looking at innovative ways of addressing the productivity gap, skills and labour shortages. For leaders, managers and staff there is likely to be a real appetite to do this differently.
In the face of rising costs, not least energy and an increasing focus on net zero, the year ahead should be a great time to focus on business inputs but also looking to how a more sustainable and environmentally friendly approach is at the heart of strategic thinking.
Whilst not advocating a baby boom, the year of the Tiger is deemed to be a good year to give birth, it certainly is likely to see a boom in new business starts with growing numbers switching from employment to self-employment, along with those looking to bring new ideas, products and services to market – many inspired by experiences and challenges faced over the last 18 months to two years.
Finally, not least for those ardent networkers, those born in the year of the Tiger are believed to be good at socialising. Therefore, as we all start to get out and about more, you will be probably be able to recognise the Tigers!
It’s that time of year, when Business Link Magazine invites the region’s business leaders to offer up their predictions for the year ahead. It has become something of a tradition, given that we’ve been doing this now for over 30 years.Here we speak to Paul Morris, development director at St James Securities.
With the Omicron variant now hopefully largely under control and the booster campaign picking up speed, there are finally signs we will be able to return to some sort of normality in the coming months.
Unfortunately, though, 2022 is set to be another challenging year for the economy, with a cost of living crisis and record levels of inflation. Inflation hit the 30-year high of 5.4% in December and is likely to hit the 7% mark in April. It should then start to fall back and by the end of 2022, it shouldn’t be far off the government’s 2% target again.
The modest increase in bank interest rates from the historic low of 0.1% to 0.25% is likely to be followed by another this year, probably stabilising at 0.5%, which should help bring inflation down.
I am confident the property market will improve this year; Omicron hasn’t had the devastating effect that many predicted, and we must now find a way of living with Covid-19.
I expect to see a continued increase in confidence in a number of sectors, particularly ‘beds’ and ‘sheds.’ The Buy to Rent and student accommodation markets remain strong, and I think we will see this sector continue to grow even stronger over the next few years.
The ‘sheds’ distribution market is still very busy with demand and rents continuing to climb; however yields are the sharpest they’ve ever been and are likely to plateau.
I think the retail sector will start to improve during the course of this year in good locations, particularly areas where an integrated approach by Councils, BIDs and landlords are working together to create ambitious masterplans and public realm improvements.
This doesn’t mean we won’t see further casualties, although I believe these are more likely to be in the hospitality sector, which has suffered massively as a result of lockdowns and restrictions.
In the corporate market it is good to see businesses consulting properly with staff to adopt an effective back to the office strategy, with working from home evolving and becoming part of the fabric of the workplace.
Going forwards employers will need to make it attractive for employees to come back to the office and they will need to be best in class and offer a great working environment in order to attract the best calibre of staff. More importantly, businesses will need to look seriously at their long term carbon footprint and green credentials.
Government has confirmed that by 2030 non-domestic rented buildings will need to meet EPC Band B, which is a substantial raising of the bar and will, I hope, result in an overall improvement in the overall quality of accommodation.
UK car production in 2021 fell -6.7% to only 859,575 units, according to figures released by the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT), the worst total since 1956. Output was 61,353 less than 2020, which itself was badly affected by coronavirus lockdowns, and -34.0% below pre-pandemic 2019.
Despite this, British car factories produced a record number of battery electric (BEV), plug-in hybrid (PHEV) and hybrid electric vehicles (HEV), turning out almost a quarter of a million (224,011) of these zero and ultra-low emission vehicles, representing more than one-in-four (26.1%) of all cars made.
The overall poor performance can be attributed to several factors, most of them direct consequences of the pandemic. The shortage of semiconductors, a critical component in modern car manufacturing, was the principal cause of the decline, with factories having to reduce or even pause production while awaiting parts whose supply has been heavily constrained by the global pandemic.
Manufacturers also wrestled with staff shortages arising from the need to self-isolate and depressed demand with car showrooms closed for months due to lockdowns and despite the success of ‘click and collect’ services. There were also non-Covid issues behind this fall, most notably the closure of a major UK car plant in July, which accounted for around a quarter of the annual decline.
More positively, the shift to electrified vehicle manufacture continued apace as BEV production surged 72.0%, while hybrids rose 16.4%, as the UK industry – like the market – transforms into a low and, ultimately, zero-carbon industry.
Global exports continued to be the foundation for UK car manufacturing, with some eight-in-ten cars made being shipped overseas. Although annual production for overseas markets declined -5.8% to 705,826 units, volumes for the domestic market declined even more steeply, down -10.6% to 153,749.
The European Union remained the UK’s largest market by some considerable distance, increasing to 55.0% of exports, from 53.5%, and representing 388,249 units (-3.0% vs 2020), despite frictions and costs arising from the new trading arrangements. While automotive businesses were as well prepared as they could be, an SMMT member survey in April revealed some nine-in-ten (91%) firms were spending more time and resource managing UK/EU trade than in 2020.
Shipments to several other major global markets also fell, with the US, our second ranked export destination, down -10.5% and Japan, our fourth largest export market, down -36.1%. China, in third place, fared better, with exports up 0.6% to 57,356 units, reflecting strong market conditions in the country and demand for iconic British performance, luxury and premium car brands. Exports to Canada, Australia and South Korea, however, declined, -5.3%, -31.1% and -29.7% respectively.
Despite the dismal overall performance, there were significant developments that give the industry increased confidence. Following the avoidance of ‘no deal’ and the signing of the Trade and Cooperation Agreement (TCA), publicly announced investment for the industry reached a potential £4.9 billion in 2021, the highest total since 2013. This included vital investment announcements in Ellesmere Port, Halewood, Norfolk, Sunderland and Surrey.
Moreover, a significant proportion of the announced investments was in support of electrified vehicles, with the expansion of existing facilities in the North-East and the proposed development of a new battery gigafactory in the West Midlands. The latter intention represents around half (£2.5 billion) of the total investment sum publicly announced in 2021. Realising such investments will be vital as the UK automotive manufacturing sector is expected to need at least 60 GWh of gigafactory battery capacity by 2030 if it is to remain globally competitive as trading requirements tighten.
This investment must also be matched by a package of measures to ensure manufacturing competitiveness across the supply chain, notably in training and reskilling, technology transition and urgent action to address the UK’s increasingly high energy costs.
Mike Hawes, SMMT Chief Executive, said: “2021 was another incredibly difficult year for UK car manufacturing, one of the worst since the Second World War which lays bare the exposure of the sector to structural and, especially, Covid-related impacts. Despite this miserable year, there is optimism.
“With Brexit uncertainty largely overcome with the TCA deal, investments have been unleashed, most of which will help transform the sector to its zero-emission future.
“This is a vote of global confidence in the UK but must be matched by a commitment to our long-term competitiveness; support for the supply chain in overcoming parts shortages, help with skills and training and, most urgently, measures to mitigate the escalating energy costs which are threatening viability.”
The latest independent production outlook for 2022 forecasts UK car production to increase to more than one million units, representing a 19.7% uplift on the 2021 total, despite the loss of production in Swindon. With favourable conditions, including an end to the global chip shortage, new models coming on stream and the avoidance of additional trade barriers, car production could continue to climb and reach 1.1 million in 2025, with further growth beyond.
EMR has been announced as one of the UK’s Top Employers for a sixth consecutive year.
Organisations certified as Top Employers are recognised for their commitment to providing the very best working environment for employees and helping them to develop and progress.
Despite the challenges that the COVID-19 pandemic brought throughout 2020/21, EMR was measured against the same high standards as previous years, benchmarking company practices against other top performers across the country.
Kate Holden, HR Director for EMR said “We are delighted to be one of the few companies to be officially recognised as a leading employer in the UK.
“At EMR we are committed to attracting and developing an excellent and diverse workforce.
“Working with Top Employers and being accredited for the sixth consecutive year is a real credit to the organisation and our people, showcasing all of the hard work that happens behind the scenes in helping us to achieve this standard and to equip our people with the right skills for a sustainable future.”
David Plink, CEO for Top Employers Institute said: “Reflecting on the demanding year that has, like the year before it, impacted organisations across the world, EMR has continued to show that it prioritises maintaining excellent people practices in the workplace. They continue to meet the challenges of the changing world of work while working tirelessly to make a positive impact on the lives of their workforce. We are pleased to celebrate and applaud the organisations that have been certified as Top Employers in their respective countries this year.”
As part of its drive to recruit 175 customer-facing roles within its security, car parks and passenger services teams, East Midlands Airport (EMA) is holding a virtual jobs fair on Tuesday 1 February, 10am – 1pm.
Three million passengers are predicted to use the airport this year as consumer confidence builds following a relaxation of travel restrictions.
Filling vacant security officer roles is the airport’s immediate priority as new starters need to undergo compliance training, while other vacancies will be advertised in the coming weeks.
Customer-facing roles such as those being currently recruited to are critical not only to ensuring safety and compliance but also for making people’s experience of travel a positive one. These roles are ‘front-of-house’ and are ideal for those who enjoy interacting with customers and working as part of a team. The hours offered are also ideal for job seekers looking for a positive work-life balance from a shift pattern.
The virtual jobs fair will allow people to find out more about what it’s like to work at EMA. Airport colleagues will be joined by representatives of other organisations based across the airport site who are also recruiting.
As well as joining a friendly and supportive team, airport employees enjoy many benefits including:
free on-site parking while on duty
retail discounts and savings
24-hour employee assistance programme
MAG pension scheme which doubles your contribution
discounts on some bus services
discounts on MAG products such as Escape Lounges and holiday parking at airports
career growth opportunities
Dave Gale, Airport Academy Coordinator, said: “The virtual jobs fair is a great opportunity to ask questions about the roles we’re recruiting to, and to find out what it’s like to be part of the team here. I would encourage anyone who likes the buzz of fast-paced, customer-focused working environment to check us out. Having done 44 years of service at EMA myself, I’ve had one of the most rewarding careers imaginable. I’ve loved every minute of my time here and I would thoroughly recommend working at the airport to anyone who is looking for a fulfilling a rewarding role.”
Talent management solutions provider Nicholas Associates Group has announced a merger with Main-Board to further expand its expertise in executive search.
Main-Board is an independent specialist executive search consultancy which provides nationwide expertise to SMEs, privately owned firms, private equity backed companies and PLCs. It specialises in fulfilling senior level roles such as CEOs, MDs, FDs, operations directors, sales directors and non-execs with salaries ranging between £80,000 to £180,000 per year. The consultancy operates across various sectors including manufacturing, logistics, FMCG and professional services.
Established in 1977, Nicholas Associates Group (NAG) is a high growth company offering apprentice to boardroom talent management solutions for SMEs through to international corporates. Headquartered in Rotherham, Group brands operate from a UK wide branch network based in the East Midlands and Yorkshire including Nottingham, Lincoln, Sheffield, Rotherham, Doncaster and Hull.
Main-Board founder Julian Woodman will continue to lead the division alongside co-founder Chris Sharp who will take on a consultancy role for the next twelve months.
Commenting on the deal, Julian said: “Securing the most talented individuals who will deliver in senior level roles and be instrumental in managing change and achieving successful strategic growth requires in-depth market insight. By partnering together with connections within the wider group we will be able to pool our resources to the mutual benefit of our clients and candidates.”
Paul Brammer, Managing Director of NAG’s permanent recruitment divisions, added: “By partnering with Main-Board we will benefit from Julian and Chris’s executive search knowledge as well as their expertise in other specialist sectors. This will enhance our existing specialisms in aerospace and manufacturing and create further opportunities for other group brands to work together.”
It is intended that Main-Board will continue to operate under its existing brand name and complement services offered by other brands within the Nicholas Associates Group which include Stafforce, Ashley Kate HR & Finance, Apprentice Employment Agency, Olano and Erango.
Over 100 council homes in the city will benefit from improvement works to increase their energy efficiency and reduce heating and energy costs for residents.
The works will see energy efficiency retrofits carried out on 103 homes in Radford.
Nottingham City Council and partners Nottingham City Homes are working with British Gas to potentially get over £530,000 of Energy Company Obligation (ECO) funding, which would go towards carrying out the work in Radford.
This funding will support the Energiesprong work currentl planned to be delivered through the DREeM (Deep Retrofit Energy Model) project, which is also part funded by the European Regional Development Fund. The project turns hard-to-heat council houses into ultra-low energy homes.
The houses and bungalows in Radford will receive improvements that will not only make the homes warmer and reduce energy bills for tenants, but also improve the environmental performance of the homes, helping towards Nottingham’s ambition to become carbon neutral by 2028.
The Deep Retrofit Energy Model (DREeM) improvements include:
Super insulated wall panels
New windows, including new internal window surrounds
Loft insulation
Solar panels
Solar battery for energy storage and distribution.
Nottingham was the first place in the UK to pilot the ground-breaking whole-house retrofit approach known as Energiesprong. This pioneering approach from the Netherlands, upgrades a home with innovative energy-saving and energy-generating measures. The end result is homes that are near net zero carbon. So far 59 number of homes in the city have benefitted from these retrofit measures.
Nick Murphy, Chief Executive at Nottingham City Homes, said: “Residents who have already benefitted from the Energiesprong project tell us the work has made a real difference to the warmth of their homes. The retrofits, which include super insulated wall panels, new windows, roofs and solar panels, helps residents to save money on their energy bills. This new funding means we can create even more warmer homes whilst working to tackle fuel poverty.”
Councillor Sally Longford, the City Council’s Deputy Leader and Portfolio Holder for Energy, Environment and Waste Service, said: “This funding will go towards important retrofitting work on colder council homes in the city. The improvements will create homes that produce almost zero carbon emissions, reducing bills and increasing the warmth and well-being for residents. Homes, and especially older homes, account for a large proportion of carbon emissions so tackling this helps us towards our ambitious target of becoming carbon neutral by 2028.”
The CEO of Mortgage Advice Bureau (MAB) is “delighted” with the business’s performance in 2021, with revenue rising.
According to a trading update for the year ended 31 December 2021, the group increased revenue to £188m, representing a 27% increase on 2020 (£148m) and a 31% increase compared to 2019 (£144m).
The Derby-based firm said the increase in revenue since 2019 is driven by the combination of a 23% increase in the average number of mainstream advisers to 1,649 over the two-year period and a 7% increase in revenue per mainstream adviser.
At 31 December 2021, total adviser numbers had grown to 1,885, an increase of 305 (or 19%) for the year (31 December 2020: 1,580).
Meanwhile the group’s adjusted profit before tax for the year is expected to be in line with Board expectations.
Peter Brodnicki, CEO of MAB, said: “I am delighted with MAB’s performance and we enter 2022 with a strong and growing pipeline of business, ARs, advisers and lead sources, and expect to have a very strong start to the year in terms of adviser numbers.
“We are delighted with the recent investments we have made which we believe will contribute strongly, along with those that have been maturing in recent years.
“MAB’s strategy of not only delivering growth in advisers, but also in adviser productivity driven by further enhancements in our technology platform, lead generation initiatives and our proposition for ARs and their advisers, will drive profitability and supports our plan for accelerated growth.”
Derby County has been given extra time to prove to the EFL that they can finish the season.
Following a formal review of revised financial forecasts at Derby County, the EFL and club administrators Quantuma have agreed a month-long extension to a deadline set for proof of funding to be provided.
The EFL Board had previously requested evidence by 1 February 2022 of how Derby County was to be financed whilst it remained in administration, alongside a financial plan that determined how the club would fulfil its fixture commitments until the end of the current season.
The new development will allow the club to meet its ongoing obligations whilst giving a further four weeks to continue sale discussions with interested bidders and relevant stakeholders.
It also provides additional time for clarity to be sought on claims from Middlesbrough and Wycombe.
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