A Derby man, prosecuted for producing and selling counterfeit t-shirts for around four years, will have to use equity from the valuation of his property towards paying back the rewards of his crime. In September 2023, Mr Juri Frolov was sentenced to four months imprisonment, suspended for 18 months, and an application made under the Proceeds of Crime Act to recover any money he made from the illicit business. Some of this is now set to be paid from Mr Frolov’s share of equity on a house purchased through the Right to Buy scheme, following a hearing at Derby’s combined court centre on Thursday 11 January. The total benefit amount of £36,891.61 can only partly be met through the release of Mr Frolov’s equity in the property and the sale of seized items, including a heat press, printer and blank t-shirts. Together, these total £22,640, leaving a further £13,000 to be found. Councillor Shiraz Khan, Cabinet Member for Housing, Property and Regulatory Services, said: “This case is a perfect example that crime doesn’t pay, and shows that we are prepared to use whatever powers necessary to tackle illegal activity in Derby. “This type of firm action through the courts serves as a warning and deterrent to anyone operating criminal enterprises in the city.” Mr Frolov was prosecuted in September 2023 after printing and selling T-shirts of famous brands without the consent of the trademark owners. Investigations discovered he had been selling the T-shirts for around four years leading up to December 2019, when a search warrant was carried out at his home in the Arboretum area of Derby City. Trading Standards seized equipment including a T-shirt printer, a large amount of blank T-shirts, and customer returns. The shirts were advertised on eBay and printed to order from Mr Frolov’s home address. Previously Mr Frolov had received a letter from an anti-counterfeiting organisation requesting him to stop selling T-shirts which were produced without the consent of the trademark owner. He had failed to acknowledge the content of the letter and take appropriate action to stop producing and selling the T-shirts.

D2N2 Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP) has been delivering Department for Education funded Skills Bootcamps, which have been developed by the Government as part of the Skills for Life programme. Following successful applications in four previous waves of Skills Bootcamps, D2N2 LEP has secured almost £5 million funding from the Department for Education to boost and broaden its Skills Bootcamps offer, as part of the fifth wave of Skills Bootcamps allocations. Funding of £4,967,950 represents an increase of almost £1.5 million on D2N2 LEP’s previous allocation in Wave 4 (£3.5 million). Skills Bootcamps are free, flexible courses of up to 16 weeks for adults aged 19 or over. They give people the opportunity to build up valuable sector-specific skills based on local employer demand and provide a direct path to a job on completion. With this funding boost D2N2 LEP intends to broaden the range of sectors that its Skills Bootcamps support. For example, it will for the first time, offer Skills Bootcamps in leadership and management for small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs). D2N2 LEP will also work with providers to offer a wider range of Skills Bootcamps programmes in its priority areas of digital, construction, engineering and green skills (construction and electric vehicles). As the lead partner, D2N2 LEP will be working with Derbyshire County Council to open the procurement window to allow providers to apply for delivery contracts for Wave 5 Skills Bootcamps programmes. D2N2 LEP will make an announcement as soon as this window opens, expected to be later this Spring. Employment and Skills Manager, Richard Kirkland, said: “I’m absolutely delighted that we’ve succeeded in our application to be a Wave 5 Skills Bootcamps provider, following our successful track record of delivering Skills Bootcamps in all four of the previous waves. “It’s fantastic that through the increase in funding we’ve secured, we’ll be broadening our offer to include new programmes, such as leadership and management for small and medium sized businesses. “This is really positive news as I look back on my 40 year career in education and skills and prepare to retire; it’s such a proud moment for me. I would like to thank all my colleagues, all our providers and partners for their support over the years and I wish all the Skills Bootcamps learners all the very best in their future careers.”

Small and medium-sized businesses in Leicestershire are being urged to take advantage of a government-funded scheme designed to boost leadership skills and business performance in 2024. The Help to Grow: Management Course at De Montfort University’s Leicester Castle Business School (LCBS) runs for 13 weeks from March 12. The programme, worth £7,500, is 90% funded by the government and 10% through a bursary from Leicester Castle Business School, however places are limited. Delivered online and in person at Harborough Innovation Centre in Market Harborough, Help to Grow: Management is delivered by expert tutors with real world business experience and is designed to fit in alongside full-time work. Combining online and case study workshops, 1-2-1 mentor support and peer networking, the programme covers key areas for development. These include leading innovation in your business, developing a growth plan, managing and motivating your team, building resilience as a leader, creating new opportunities and leading a culture of responsible business practice. As well as the chance to learn practical skills from business experts, the course offers the opportunity for businesses in different industries and at different stages of their development to learn from each other by sharing experience and offering support. “As a Small Business Charter accredited business school, we’ve been helping businesses across a wide range of sectors grow and develop through Help to Grow: Management since 2020,” says LCBS’s Help to Grow: Management programme director, Dr Danny Buckley. “While over 200 businesses from our region to date have taken advantage of this chance to grow their business, it remains the case that some organisations are still unaware of this fantastic, fully-funded opportunity. So, with some places still available for this spring’s cohort, we’re encouraging businesses in our region to join us for this limited-time opportunity to take their company to the next level in 2024.” To be eligible for Help to Grow: Management at LCBS, participants must have decision-making responsibilities and at least one direct report in a UK-based business with between 5 and 249 employees that has been operational for at least a year. Help to Grow: Management also offers participants an important space to reflect on the bigger picture with their business by devising a tailored Growth Action Plan, supported by a carefully matched mentor. 2023 participant Leanne Martin, director of Tenders UK, says: “The focus is on what’s practical, workable and useable for your business. With the help of my mentor, who was wonderful in supporting me to come up with a plan based on realistic expectations, I’m now thinking strategically about the business and where it’s going next. This means I’m now confidently leading the company with a clear vision and plan.” Nationally, 90% of participants reported improved leadership and management of their business after six months, with 80% stating employee engagement had improved in the same time period following Help to Grow: Management. “As a tried and tested provider of Help to Grow: Management we’re proud of our strong roots in vocational education and we’re looking forward to delivering more great results for businesses in our community this spring,” adds Dr Danny Buckley.

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 Ann Bhatti, head of Connect Derby. 2023 was another challenging year, with the on-going cost of living crisis leading to intense pressure on SMEs. This has had a significant impact on how businesses view their workspaces, making many businesses cautious about committing to long-term accommodation leases and opting for a more flexible approach instead. Last year we experienced a sharp rise in the hybrid working model following the pandemic. Going forward, I believe larger companies will continue to embrace hybrid working and demonstrate a growing preference for serviced offices and flexible working solutions. This shift reflects a move towards businesses prioritising operational efficiency which allows them to scale their operations swiftly, whilst accommodating remote or hybrid work set ups. I predict that over the next 12 – 24 months, serviced offices will experience another significant surge, particularly in city centre locations. This will be fuelled by the evolving needs of businesses seeking spaces that offer convenience, scalability, and access to city centre amenities. Derby city centre in particular is in need of more large Grade A office accommodation. This is crucial if we are to attract new investment, increase footfall and foster economic growth, positioning Derby as an attractive hub for businesses and investors alike. The evolving business landscape calls for adaptability and innovation in 2024. While small businesses navigate economic challenges, larger ones are re-assessing and reshaping their operational models. Entrepreneurs and small business owners will need to demonstrate financial discipline again this year and seek more flexible arrangements to make the best use of office spaces as well as operational delivery models as we continue to navigate uncertain economic conditions.