trentbarton and Kinchbus Managing Director Jeff Counsell is to retire in February 2023 after 24 years with the company and almost half a century in the bus industry.
And in March trentbarton group commercial director Tom Morgan will step up to the newly created role of Managing Director (buses) for all the bus operators of trentbarton’s parent company Wellglade.
Jeff started as a 15-year-old engineering apprentice at Lancashire United Transport in the 1970s. He joined trentbarton in 1999 as engineering director and progressed to director of service delivery before becoming Managing Director in 2009.
His role directing both operations and engineering also encompassed the two companies’ relationships with national and local government, an aspect which has been of prime importance during the coronavirus pandemic and beyond.
Jeff said: “Throughout my years the industry has seen many opportunities and challenges including deregulation, recessions and the pandemic. But our industry is all about people and our people at trentbarton and Kinchbus always pull together.
“It’s a great team – from the bottom to the top. Our frontline staff are always impressive. Our drivers, our engineers, everyone, they never flinch from the challenges. I’m deeply proud of them and will miss being with them.”
Wellglade chairman Brian King said: “Jeff has played a key role in keeping trentbarton and Kinchbus at the forefront of the bus industry.
“They have won numerous awards from not only the bus industry but also the business community. When he retires next February, he will be able to look back proudly on his career in buses.
“Tom’s new role will cover the commercial, operational and external relations activities of our bus companies. He knows the businesses and the area well from his current and previous positions.”
Tom Morgan joined Wellglade in 2009 to work on the Nottingham Tramlink project and has subsequently been trentbarton’s assistant operations manager for Derby and the general manager at Kinchbus.
Tom Morgan
Tom said: “I’m very grateful to Jeff for his guidance and faith since bringing me into the business in 2009 and for the chances to progress in my career. I’m incredibly excited about what lies ahead.
“The bus industry has gone through a difficult time, but the future is full of opportunities which we are well placed to grasp by listening to our customers, maintaining our high standards, continuing to innovate, embrace new technology and by investing in and empowering our dedicated and passionate team members.”
Burton-based commercial property agents Rushton Hickman and their joint agent Gareth Holland & Co. have sold the former Atherstone Hunt kennels in Witherely, near to Atherstone in Leicestershire, on behalf of the Thorpe Estate.
The site became vacant in October 2019 following the Atherstone Hunt announcing they would cease hunting activities after nearly 200 years.
Outline planning consent was granted in January 2022 for redevelopment of the site’s existing historic buildings into a complex of six two-bedroom homes and a trio of three-bedroom properties as well as a new cottage style three-bedroom home.
Following a short marketing period for the sale of the property by method of informal tender with a guide price of £1,200,000, a local housing developer purchased the site with a winning bid of £1,250,000.
Rushton Hickman director Mark Richardson said: “The competition to purchase this site was fierce. Interest in residential schemes is still high as the continued upward trajectory of house prices and Gross Development Values is able to offset this.
“The end product of something as unique as this scheme was also obviously going to fetch a premium. The fantastic result we’ve had for our client in achieving in excess of the guide price is testament to that.”
Graham Bancroft, director of Rushton Hickman, added: “The interest in residential development sites remains strong. We have achieved sales on several land opportunities over recent months and I am pleased to say we have yet more we are still to bring to market.”
Leicester University Law Society has announced that I. Stephanie Boyce will act as its president for the next academic year, starting in October 2022.
Each year the society appoints a senior member of the judiciary or legal sector to take up the position to represent the standards and values of the society.
I. Stephanie Boyce made history when she became the first person of colour to become the president of the Law Society of England and Wales in March 2021. She is also the sixth woman to hold the position.
Graduating from London Guildhall University in 1999, Stephanie was admitted as a solicitor in 2002.
Her legal career has focussed on corporate governance, public and regulatory law advising some of the largest not-for-profit bodies, charities, regulators and government bodies.
As president of Leicester University Law Society, I. Stephanie Boyce will make an annual Presidential Address at University of Leicester’s law school in March.
Previous presidents to have addressed students at the University of Leicester have been Sir Nicholas Green KC, Sir Terence Etherton and Lord Neuberger. Former president Ms Justice Cheema-Grubb addressed students during their graduation in 2020.
I. Stephanie Boyce said: “I am deeply honoured to become president of Leicester University Law Society. I follow in a line of remarkable presidents, and I resolve to build upon their legacy.
“Studying Law at university should be an opportunity open to all talented prospective students irrespective of their background.
“I will not only seek to encourage applicants from a broad range of backgrounds to apply to study Law at Leicester but as importantly, to demystify Law as a subject for anyone who might be contemplating studying it at degree level but for those who do to connect and seize brilliant opportunities.”
Professor Sally Kyd, Head of Leicester Law School, said “That I. Stephanie Boyce has accepted the position of President of LULS is excellent news for the School and our students.
“Her commitment to demystifying the law aligns perfectly with our ethos for legal education at Leicester, and the opportunity to hear directly from someone who has achieved such a high standing in the legal profession will no doubt provide valuable inspiration to our diverse student body.”
Ben Follows, Chairperson for Leicester University Law Society, said: “We gratefully welcome I. Stephanie Boyce to the position of LULS President for the upcoming academic year.
“She is an exemplary figure in her field for campaigning for a stronger and more diverse legal sector, as well as improving access to justice, and supporting legal education.
“In addition, I believe her story and career overcoming challenges will without a doubt provide a shining source of inspiration for our members as they begin their careers.”
“We look forward to welcoming I. Stephanie Boyce to the Law School in March for the annual Presidential Address.”
Residential land specialist Terra has submitted a hybrid planning application for a mixed-use scheme of up to 320 new homes and a care home in Boston, Lincolnshire.
Located on land off Toot Lane, less than two miles from Boston town centre, the £67m hybrid scheme is for a detailed first phase of 153 one, two, three and four-bedroom homes, with the proposed care home and balance of 320 homes submitted in outline form.
The 11Ha (27.3 acre) site, which is shown as a Housing Commitment in the South East Lincolnshire Local Plan adopted in 2019, is located within the Settlement Limits of Boston. Terra has undertaken pre-application engagement with local residents, parish and district councillors.
Two areas of Public Open Space and a fully equipped play area will create focal points for the scheme, while tree, hedgerow and shrub planting will deliver net biodiversity gains.
Jordan Langdon-Bates, land and development director of Terra, said: “We are very pleased to be submitting a Hybrid application for this much-needed mixed-use scheme. With so many employment opportunities close by, Boston is an attractive and affordable place to live, and this highly sustainable scheme will add to the vibrancy of the local area.
“The scale of this well-located site will enable the creation of a high-quality new community of eco-efficient modern homes, within easy reach of town centre amenities and local schooling. Subject to planning approval, this immediately available site could help to meet South East Lincolnshire’s annual housing targets at a time when there is a considerable shortfall in the number of new homes being built across the UK.
“We are looking forward to continuing to work with Boston Borough Council officers, the parish council and all stakeholders as our plans are considered.”
A total of 153 apartments, bungalows and houses are proposed for phase one of the development, comprising 123 build to rent dwellings and 30 affordable housing properties, which represents 20 per cent.
On-plot parking could comprise a mix of driveways, frontage parking, and rear parking courts. The proposed two-storey care home has been specifically designed to be positioned in the north-east corner of the site, covering approximately 0.6Ha (1.5-acres). Hawthorn Tree Primary School is located opposite the entrance to the site, while the rest of the immediate area is predominantly residential.
Planning and design specialists Nineteen47, engineers M-EC and ecology experts fpcr worked with Terra on the plans, which include pedestrian and vehicular access created from Toot Lane.
Nottingham Trent University (NTU) has appointed Caroline Wayman as Pro-Chancellor and Chair of the NTU Board of Governors.
Caroline will be succeeding the current Chair, Neil Goulden, when he concludes his term in office in October 2023.
Caroline is a current member of the Board of Governors and works as a partner in Financial Services at PA Consulting. Formerly the Chief Ombudsman and Chief Executive of the Financial Ombudsman Service, Caroline was also a member of the Board and Chair of the Nominations and Governance Committee of the Crown Prosecution Service. She was the Senior Independent Director there until June 2022, having joined the board in June 2018.
Neil Goulden, Chair of the NTU Board of Governors and Pro-Chancellor said: “We are delighted to welcome Caroline as the new Pro-Chancellor and Chair of the Board of Governors. Caroline has been doing fantastic work since she joined us as a Board member in 2020 and NTU will really benefit from her leadership and experience in this role. I wish Caroline the best of luck with this new position.”
Caroline Wayman commented: “I am delighted to be appointed to this role and look forward to helping the University to go from strength to strength. I would like to thank Neil Goulden for his fantastic support and look forward to working closely with him over the next year.”
The Board of Governors oversees all of the University’s activities and has legal and constitutional responsibility for the conduct of NTU’s affairs.
Private sector activity fell in the three months to September (balance of -19%, from -5% in August), according to the CBI’s latest Growth Indicator, and businesses expect the decline to accelerate over the next quarter.
The fall over the past quarter was the fastest since February 2021 with activity declining across all sectors. Business volumes in both business & professional services (-14% from -1%) and consumer services (-57% from -37%) fell at a faster rate than in the quarter to August.
Meanwhile, distribution sales fell after having grown slightly in the quarter to August (-13% from 7%), and manufacturing output fell at a similar pace as last month (-4% from -7%).
Looking ahead to the next three months, private sector activity as a whole is expected to decline at an even quicker pace (-30% from -19%). Prospects have deteriorated across all sectors: services activity (-30% from -25%), manufacturing output (-17% from -4%), and distribution volumes (-44% from -13%) are all expected to decline at a faster rate in the next three months.
Alpesh Paleja, CBI lead economist, said: “Across the private sector, firms have had to contend with significant uncertainty surrounding energy costs as well as ongoing supply chain challenges and weaker consumer demand.
“While there are fears that economic activity may fall even quicker still next quarter, the Government has only [last] week made some significant moves to shield all businesses from high energy costs, while also setting out its plans to kickstart economic growth.
“These bold plays will help in building up fragile business confidence and get firms on the front foot once more.”
On Monday 14 November 2022 businesses will flock to the East Midlands Conference Centre, Nottingham for the East Midlands Expo.
An established event of over 20 years, the free to attend expo is a prime networking opportunity aimed at the construction, property, business, investment, finance, professional services and related B2B markets.
The day, for which Business Link is a proud partner, will begin with exhibitor breakfast networking, with the exhibition opening to attendees at 9am. A seminar will take place between 10:45am and noon with BSP Consulting’s directors Mark Rayers and Tony Goddard lined up to present ‘Sustainability and how engineering plays its part’.
A special networking lunch (for which tickets can be purchased here) will then take place between 12:15pm and 2:15pm, and the exhibition will close at 3:30pm.
For more information on exhibiting at the event click here.
To register to attend the event for free click here.
To secure tickets for the networking lunch click here.
From property agents to developers, architects, contractors, investors, PR firms, and more, see the list of current exhibitors here.
Sales and pre-tax profits have risen at Next, according to the retailer’s half-year results for the 26 weeks ended 30 July 2022.
The business has reported a “good first half, with overall sales ahead of expectations.” Next says this was driven by the over-performance of its retail stores and a strong performance from the formal parts of its clothing ranges.
Full price sales were up 12.4% versus 2021 and 22.3% against 2019. The company meanwhile posted a profit before tax of £401m, up 16% on 2021 and 22% against 2019.
Following the half year results however, August trading was below the group’s expectations, although sales in September have improved. As a result Next has decided to reduce its forecast for full price sales in the second half from +1% to -1.5% versus last year.
Furthermore, profit guidance for the full year has been reduced from £860m to £840m, which would be a rise of +2.1% on last year.
Charlie Huggins, head of equities at Wealth Club, said: “Next is seen as a bellwether of the UK High Street and today’s cut to full year guidance lays bare the challenges being faced. Asos and Boohoo’s trading performance has been nothing short of dire. Even Primark’s recent trading update called out significant margin pressures. In this context, Next’s half year results are more resilient than most.
“The fact that many retailers are struggling shouldn’t be a surprise. This is arguably the most difficult trading environment since the 2008/09 financial crisis. Inflation is at levels not seen for four decades. Sterling is in the doldrums, trading at its weakest level against the dollar since 1985. Add to this, the war in Ukraine and the spectre of further interest rate rises. It’s not exactly conducive to consumers restocking their wardrobes.
“Perhaps the biggest issue for the whole sector is that while things look challenging right now, they look set to become even more so. This is due to the precipitous decline in sterling which will only exacerbate inflationary pressures.
“Next looks better positioned than most of its peers to weather the storm, and emerge stronger in light of its high margins, robust cash flows and strong balance sheet. But 2023 could be a very difficult year the way things are shaping up.”
The Nottingham Building Society says it will close a third of its branches due, it says, to “changing consumer behaviour”.
A total of 17 branches across East Midlands, including Lincolnshire will close by the end of this year .
In a statement, the Nottingham Building Society explain: “Following a detailed review of our branch network we can see the way members are using our branches has changed. People are visiting us less and less each year, reducing the number of times they visit, and using alternative ways to manage their money – over the telephone and online.
“In some of our locations there are days where we have very few members transacting in our branches. In others, less than 30% of members have transacted in the branch in the last 12 months. We also have decreasing customer numbers and savings balances in some branches. Whilst we know it doesn’t suit everyone there is a continuing trend towards having the ability to transact digitally and we’ve seen this trend continue post the pandemic.
“We have a responsibility to our members to make sure we have an efficient branch network and that we operate in locations where members need and use them the most. We’ve been very thoughtful, and done a significant amount of analysis, to understand the impact branch closures will have. We have looked at the distance to an alternative Nottingham branch, whether there are other financial service providers on the high street or whether we are the last remaining branch. We’ve also considered the impact on colleague morale of working in branches where they have little to no interaction with members. “
Dronfield-based financial planners, Belmayne, are offering free initial consultations with their experienced advisers to mark UK Financial Planning Week.
Local residents are invited to book face to face, online or telephone appointments during the week commencing October 3 to learn more about the importance of investing in their future.
The independent firm is supporting the national initiative to dispel myths around financial planning and encourage conversations about money. It will also be publishing a series of daily blogs, tackling common issues affecting consumer decisions about pensions and investments.
Run by the not-for-profit Chartered Institute for Securities and Investments (CISI), Financial Planning Week aims to help consumers build confidence, combat stress and anxiety and deal with the challenges that surround financial decisions.
Belmayne partner, Martin Birch, said: “When household finances are stretched to breaking point, many of us put retirement plans on the backburner. However, laying the foundations early is the only way to reach your life goals. We want to encourage consumers to learn as much as they can about the benefits of financial planning and consider their particular circumstances in more detail. Meeting with an independent planner is the best way to start a conversation about the future and the results could be life-changing.”
Sally Plant, CISI assistant director, financial planning and education development, added: “It has never been more important to get the message out – that financial literacy is an important tool for life, and financial planning is an essential part of wellbeing and mental fitness. Financial Planning Week helps raise awareness about the role of qualified financial planners in helping people from all walks of life, and all ages – and importantly, not just the wealthy – to think ahead and plan for the future.”
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