Safe and Sound CEO shortlisted for national award
The CEO of Derbyshire’s specialist child exploitation charity Safe and Sound, has been named as a finalist in a national awards scheme recognising and celebrating the role of women in business and society.
Tracy Harrison is a finalist in the leadership category of the Women Who Awards 2022 which is in its sixth year. The winners will be announced at an event at Coombe Abbey Hotel in Warwickshire on 1 July 2022.
Safe and Sound celebrates its 20th anniversary this year as the county’s only dedicated charity which supports children, young people and families whose lives have been affected by exploitation including sexual exploitation, trafficking, County Lines, modern slavery and radicalisation.
Tracy Harrison said: “I am obviously delighted to be shortlisted for these awards but a leader is only as good as the team around them.
“I therefore look forward to representing all the amazing people who work so hard to support and protect children, young people and families in our local communities.
“Furthermore, a key priority for us as a charity is to raise awareness of the issue so platforms such as this are important to engage and educate more people that any child is in danger of exploitation both online and in person – regardless of their sex, age, family background or culture – but that help and support is available should they have concerns.”
£570m set aside to support Derbyshire regeneration schemes
Around £570 million is being set aside for 50 Derbyshire regeneration schemes designed to improve the county’s economic prospects.
Derbyshire County Council said it is supporting the funding over the next few years, which will help deliver major projects, including new homes, employment land, infrastructure.
The money will come from a combination of the county council, government pots and local private and public sector partners.
It will support projects including the South Derby Growth Zone, which the county council will deliver in collaboration with Derby City Council.
At a recent meeting of the county council’s cabinet, members were updated on the progress of the county’s key regeneration schemes.
Councillor Carolyn Renwick, the county council’s cabinet member for infrastructure, said: “This regeneration programme demonstrates good growth in Derbyshire with major regeneration projects across the county to support job creation and keep Derbyshire moving.
“We’re proud to be a driving force for regeneration and levelling up in Derbyshire and welcome much-needed investment from Government to improve our county’s economic prospects.”
Some of the regeneration schemes being supported are already underway.
They include £6 million for the Ashbourne airfield expansion, opening up land for employment and housing and adding a new roundabout on the A52.
And almost £11 million has been committed to a new road into Chesterfield Station, with a planning application now in, while £2.4 million will be put into a new roundabout and access to a housing development in Buxton, along with a new a section of the White Peak Loop cycle trail.
Among the projects being prepared is the £55 million South Derby Growth Zone, which involves building a new junction off the A50 and a link road, supporting commercial development and housing at Infinity Garden Village.
An outline business case for funding is due to be submitted to the Government later this year, requesting £49 million to help fund the project, with a further £6 million expected to be contributed by local partners.
Some £35 million could also be put into the restoration and transformation of Elvaston Castle, a project which in consultancy Planning & Design Practice is involved.
One of the biggest schemes is the £125 million Chesterfield-Staveley Regeneration Route.
The project involves reclamation works and construction of a 3.7-mile road connecting Chesterfield with Staveley, opening up land for jobs and housing.
The Government would be asked for £106 million to help fund the project with a further £19 million expected to be contributed by local public and private sector partners.
Elsewhere, more than £20 million would be needed for the Ashbourne Relief Road project, around £50 million to improve access to Shirebrook and a similar figure to find a solution for Swarkestone Causeway, across the River Trent.
The Staveley Town Deal Investment Plan could get £25 million, as could the Long Eaton Town Deal Investment Plan, while Chesterfield Borough Council is leading a £20 million project to improve the town centre.
The county council said it was also supporting a bid for £25 million to build on work already done to establish the East Midlands Freeport, which is the UK’s only inland freeport.
Rising prices cause major dent to business confidence in the East Midlands
Confidence among East Midlands firms is rapidly declining amid a price squeeze that is causing a “cost of doing business crisis,” new research reveals.
East Midlands Chamber’s Quarterly Economic Survey (QES), which gauges the health of the region’s economy, found that only a net 8% of companies in the region expect profitability to increase over the coming year, down from a net 31% at the start of the year.
A net 42% of those surveyed during the second quarter of 2022 anticipate turnover to improve, down from a net 62% in the previous quarter.
The findings, from a questionnaire filled out by 322 businesses across Derbyshire, Leicestershire and Nottinghamshire between 16 May and 10 June, show that the low confidence stems from weakening overseas sales and orders, alongside a flat UK market.
These issues are driven by spiralling inflation and costs for energy, raw materials, people and fuel – and are now affecting business investment, which is crucial to driving the productivity gains that can help to beat inflation.
Chris Hobson, director of policy and external affairs at East Midlands Chamber, said: “Issues with supply chains – which have been readjusting since the pandemic impact and surging demand as we emerge into this post-pandemic period – alongside changes in trading conditions resulting from the UK leaving the EU and, more recently, the impact on prices following the Russian invasion of Ukraine, have all combined to hit business confidence and activity levels.
“This dent to confidence has knock-on effects on investment, with intentions to invest in training (down 3% quarter-on-quarter) and equipment (down 6%) both being scaled back, and at a time where 40% of businesses report operating at full capacity – a record for the survey in recent times.
“The underlying concern here is, for an economy to grow, businesses need to invest. A struggling economy isn’t being driven by a lack of demand, but rather a hindered ability to respond to that demand. This in turn puts further pressure on prices, risking a situation that continues to deteriorate as the months progress.”
East Midlands Chamber QES Q2 2022 data
Key findings from the Quarterly Economic Survey Q2 2022 for the East Midlands included:
· UK sales flatlined between Q1 2022 and Q2 2022, with a net 27% of businesses reporting these increased in both periods, while there was a net 4% drop in advanced orders between the quarters
· Overseas sales and orders were down for a net 9% and 11% for companies respectively
· While a net 11% of businesses increased their workforce in Q2, this marked a 9% drop compared to the previous quarter. Similarly, a net 33% of firms believe they will aim to increase their labour force over the coming three months, but this was 3% down on Q1
· Two-thirds (66%) of businesses attempted to recruit in Q2 but, of this cohort, four in five (82%) encountered problems with filling vacancies
· There was positive movement in cashflow, which had been down for a net 3% of firms in Q1 but had increased for a net 4% in Q2 – a 7% swing
· Six in 10 (62%) businesses expect they will be forced to raise prices over the next three months, although this was a 4% drop compared to Q1
· A lack of room at the margins means investment intentions in plant and equipment are down by 6% compared to the beginning of the year, while intentions for investing in training dropped by 3%
· Business confidence nosedived, with the proportion of businesses expecting profitability to increase dropping by 23% and those anticipating improved turnover falling by 20%
How Government can support businesses to invest and ease inflation
Chris called for the Government to urgently address key financial challenges faced by businesses that will eventually be passed on to consumers.
“Businesses need an injection of confidence to enhance their investment plans and respond to the challenges they’re facing,” he said.
“Given that many of these issues are external, this is easier said than done, but there are levers the Government can pull to support business. On fuel, it should act to further cut duty and reduce VAT applied to fuel purchases, while the HMRC mileage rate should be increased from 45p per mile to 60p.
“Small businesses should be offered greater grant support on fuel bills, similar to that received by consumers, and those struggling with repayments linked to coronavirus-associated support schemes should be given more leeway for repayments to be made.
“Finally, incentives should be given to businesses looking to invest in their people, similar to schemes that already exist for capital investment, which themselves should be extended.
“These are not usual times, but the current state of affairs is also not permanent. It is right that Government should act to introduce special measures at a time when the economy needs it, with the knowledge that once there are calmer waters ahead, businesses will continue on their growth trajectories and drive a competitive UK economy.”
Deskbound staff put their best feet forward with 1,202 mile walk to support refugees
A team of employees from a Derbyshire marketing agency are taking on a whopping 1,202 mile walk to support refugees in troubled parts of the globe who must trek many miles in search of safety.
A group of ten staff members from MacMartin, a full-service marketing agency based at the Bartonfields Centre in Church Broughton, are putting their walking shoes on during lunch breaks and evenings in order to get their miles in before the end of June.
MacMartin is completing the challenge to raise money for the British Red Cross and its Miles for Refugees campaign. The campaign offers participants the opportunity to walk, swim or cycle a range of distances, which are all based on the number of miles that refugees in different situations around the world are having to travel to reach safety. One distance is 22 miles – the length of the English channel – while another 108 miles, which is what it takes to get from Lviv in Ukraine to Lublin in Poland.
The MacMartin team has combined all distances on offer to trek the challenge as a team, resulting in a grand 1,202-mile target. Each member of the team is responsible for 120.2 miles.
This is the first time the growing company, which celebrates its fifth birthday this month, has taken on a charity challenge as a team effort, and they are planning more for different causes over the summer months.
Katie Redfern, marketing account manager at MacMartin, said: “We particularly wanted to support this campaign because of the British Red Cross’s work with refugees fleeing war-torn Ukraine. It’s a situation that is so horrifying to watch unfold on TV and we would like to do all we can to help. We’ve supported Ukrainians in crisis financially as a company too. We really wanted our first charity challenge to be relevant to a current global situation which is why we have chosen this particular one.
“As busy office-bound people we don’t naturally get that many steps into our normal working day. We might achieve 3,000 in the ordinary course of things. With this challenge we’re all having to up that to around 10,000 a day and it’s amazing how creative you can be when you’re having to reach that milestone on a daily basis! When I do the school drop off I’m parking the car further way so I can get some more steps in, and I think we’re all running upstairs as much as we can!
“But the nicest thing is that everyone is going for a walk together every lunch time which is actually a really good chance to get away from our desks into the fresh air. We do work in a lovely corner of Derbyshire and it’s nice to see the beautiful scenery surrounding us every day. We know how lucky we are to be able to walk safely in the countryside or head down to the gym. Those in the world who are having to walk miles from necessity are not so lucky.
“In the village where I live, Abbots Bromley in Staffordshire, some people have already welcomed Ukrainian refugees, whose children have also joined my son’s school. I know of more in nearby areas such as Uttoxeter and Denstone. It just brings it all so much closer to home, so we’re glad to do our little bit to try and help.”
MacMartin’s refugee challenge has an additional relevance for the company as they work closely with the Burton sexual abuse and rape advice centre, Sarac. With sexual violence often used throughout history as a weapon of war, today as much as ever, the team from MacMartin particularly wanted to show their solidarity for refugees who may be fleeing other forms of violence than bombs and gunfire.
To support MacMartin’s Miles for Refugees campaign, visit www.justgiving.com/fundraising/mac-martin1/
NTU researcher among the ‘Top 50 Women in Engineering’
NTU researcher professor Eiman Kanjo has been named among the Top 50 Women in Engineering by The Women’s Engineering Society (WES).The WES has revealed the list as part of International Women in Engineering Day 2022 to celebrate women who demonstrate the creation or improvement of a product or process that makes a difference. Eiman, professor of Pervasive Sensing and head of the Smart Sensing Lab in NTU’s School of Science and Technology, researches topics including mobile sensing, edge computing, data science and technology for wellbeing. Under the leadership of Professor Kanjo, her team at NTU won a 2021 Vice-Chancellor’s Outstanding Research Award. Professor Kanjo is also the award lead of the new NTU-Turing Data Science Network funded by the Alan Turing Institute.For 2022, the WES, in association with The Guardian and Ball Corporation, a global supplier of sustainable packaging, invited nominations on numerous factors, including their ability to support and combat climate change, work as an advocate for women in STEM, their drive to make a difference within the engineering industry and achieving beyond what would normally be expected.The number and standard of nominations were high, emphasising the exceptional achievements made by women in this field. The WE50 awards were judged by a panel of industry experts.This year more than ever, female engineers are applying themselves to sustainability and creating a built environment that is kinder to the natural world.Female engineers are working hard to combat global CO2 emissions by creating products that monitor, capture and reduce carbon emissions, as well as developing energy solutions to decarbonise entire countries.At the heart of many of the projects featured in this year’s list are those that help us to be more eco-friendly, whether it be infrastructure, transport systems and all types of equipment that help us to be more sustainable.
Professor Kanjo said: “My hope is that engineers and technologists, female and male, play a more prominent role in shaping the world’s future. We design and develop systems that respond to local communities’ needs and we work hand in hand with end users’ organisations to understand what we can do.“I am so grateful to WES for this award, and to my family and my late father who always believed in me and encouraged me to be the engineer I am. Also thank you to all the people who have supported me over the years, including my brilliant Smart Sensing team and colleagues at NTU, without whom this would not have been possible.”Elizabeth Donnelly, CEO of WES, said: “Once again WES is delighted to celebrate the achievements of women engineers. It’s a joy that so many innovative women are making a difference to our everyday lives and working to mitigate the impact that engineering has on the environment.”
Plans for new solar farm approved in Leicestershire
Plans for a new solar farm that will generate enough electricity each year to power all of Leicestershire County Council’s properties and thousands of its streetlights have been approved.
The green energy complex is to be built on a 55-acre farmland site on land north of the A6 near Quorn.
The £5.9 million scheme will be developed by the county council to generate electricity from sunlight which would then feed into the grid.
The landscaped solar farm, on county council-owned land at Poole Farm, will create nearly 10,000 megawatt hours of electricity a year and will save nearly 5,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide emissions annually.
It will help the council achieve its target of becoming an organisation with Net Zero carbon emissions by 2030 and its wider aim of the whole county producing net zero carbon emissions by 2045.
The solar farm could also save the council around £600,000-a-year in energy bills – making money available to pay for essential frontline services at a time when the authority is under significant financial pressure.
Clean energy created could also be sold back into the grid in the future to generate income for the authority.
County council cabinet lead member for resources, councillor Lee Breckon, said: “This project ticks so many important boxes for us.
“We are a green council investing in this environmentally-friendly project which will make a big contribution to creating clean and renewable energy while also providing considerable savings allowing us to fund vital front-line services.
“It is a key scheme in our Corporate Asset Investment Fund (CAIF) which we set up to use the council’s property and land innovatively to deliver savings.
“The money we make from CAIF protects key services at a time when there is much uncertainty around council funding.”
It is hoped construction of the solar farm will begin this autumn with it being ready to generate electricity from Summer 2023.
The land on which the solar farm is to be built will remain in agricultural use with livestock grazing alongside the panels.
Nottingham consultancy upsizes to fit team and business demands
National independent property, construction, and infrastructure consultancy Pick Everard has strengthened its presence in the East Midlands with the opening of a larger office in Nottingham city centre. The new space in Tollhouse Hill will cater for the firm’s growing team and business in the region.
Pick Everard is one of the UK’s leading multi-professional consultancies and has more than 600 employees supporting clients with multi-professional property and construction consultancy. Its clients hold leading roles across the public and private sectors of the UK.
The 156-year-old business has had a presence in Nottingham for more than 14 years. Now, to accommodate an agile and collaborative style of working and support its expanding Nottingham team, the firm has taken residence in a brand-new office space in the EastWest building.
The new office features a brand-new fit out specific to Pick Everard, including 28 desk workspaces and two meeting rooms equipped with modern equipment to facilitate hybrid meetings. There are also informal meeting spaces, supported by a café on the ground floor for employees and clients.
David Nisbet, partner at Pick Everard, said: “Over the past two years particularly, the growth in both the design and management services of the business meant a bigger office was the only logical next step.
“On top of the greater resources we can now put into such areas, the move also allows us the opportunity to include additional new capabilities to the Nottingham office, bringing us more in line with Pick Everard’s multi-disciplinary construction solutions. Ultimately, we believe this growth signals the beginning of more expansion heading into the future.”
Nottingham City Council responds to Government’s proposed intervention
Nottingham City Council has pledged that the major improvements it has been making to financial governance and management will continue in light of the Government’s announcement that it is minded to appoint Commissioners to take over some decision making functions to ensure compliance with the council’s best value duty.
These include strategic financial management, governance and strategic decision making and appointment of statutory officers.
Council leader, Cllr David Mellen said: “The Government’s decision to appoint Commissioners follows our discovery last December that Housing Revenue Account funds had been allocated unlawfully.
“This was a significant setback but it’s important to understand that we brought the matter to light ourselves as part of our work to tighten up our financial and governance arrangements and have already taken swift and direct action to address the issue, including seeking the necessary ministerial direction to pay the money back into the Housing Revenue Account.
“In light of the improvements we have been making, it’s clearly disappointing that the Housing Revenue Account issue has led to the Government taking the action it has. We understand that it will be a major concern for city residents, council staff, our partners and local businesses but we are committed to working with Commissioners on any further improvements we need to make.
“Our staff do a great job providing vital services to city residents and we will support them to continue to do that in the months and years ahead.”
Chief Executive, Mel Barrett said: “We have been making good progress on our recovery and improvement plan over the last 18 months, working closely with the independent Improvement and Assurance Board appointed by the Government to oversee its implementation.
“We have had a positive relationship with the Board and its chair Sir Tony Redmond. Sir Tony’s appointment as the lead commissioner therefore provides reassurance and continuity. This, and the fact that commissioners have been appointed for two years rather than the normal three, is recognition of the progress we have already made over the last 18 months.”
The council has agreed a balanced Medium Term Financial Plan covering the next four years, a key requirement of the previous Non Statutory Review, and within that a balanced budget for this year without the need for any other financial support or intervention.
It says it is also continuing to bring down overall debt levels significantly and taking a strategic approach to disposing of property assets to bring an income to the council.
A review of council-owned companies is continuing and all the recommendations of two independent reports into the Housing Revenue Account issue commissioned by the council are being implemented, including bringing housing management back in-house, to ensure problems are resolved, the money is returned to the HRA and the same mistakes can never happen again.
Council’s plans to buy Freshney Place move a step closer
A plan for Freshney Place Shopping Centre to be bought by North East Lincolnshire Council has moved a step closer, following approval at the Council’s Cabinet meeting yesterday [22 June 2022].
The Grimsby centre went into receivership earlier this year, and the deadline for bids for its sale closed on Tuesday [21 June 2022]. The council has confirmed a bid has been submitted but the final decision to purchase the centre must have Full Council approval. The plan will be discussed at a special meeting in July.
Cllr Philip Jackson, leader of the Council, said: “It is vital that we take this course of action to make sure we can continue to deliver our transformation of the urban heart of Grimsby. If we don’t buy the centre, it could be bought by someone who is unwilling to invest and the decline of the heart of our town centre would be devastating.”
The centre makes up 60 per cent of the town centre’s retail offer, supporting one in five jobs within that area.
“The move to secure the centre will safeguard a critical part of Grimsby town centre’s economic and community infrastructure,” continued Cllr Jackson. “Ensuring it retains a competitive retail and service offer is key to safeguarding up to 1,700 jobs within Freshney Place and Top Town Market.
“If this is approved, subject to due diligence, we would be looking to appoint external asset managers with significant experience to run the centre on a day-to-day basis with the council taking an ‘arms-length’ approach.
“To enable this regeneration to continue, Freshney Place, a huge space in our town centre, must have a stable future. If this becomes Council-owned, this would mean that we could take Freshney Place into account when we’re looking at the transformation of the whole of our town centre, potentially bringing in different offers, using the centre in different and more modern ways to reduce its current over-reliance on retail.”
Grant funding from Central Government, including the Towns Fund, has already seen significant transformation in the town centre with projects still under way. These include Garth Lane, St James Square, the new Onside Horizon Youth Zone and the conversion of St James House into an E-Factor Group businesses centre and hub.
The plan, if approved by Full Council, is to acquire Freshney Place using the national Future High Streets Fund (FHSF) money. The Council would then bid for replacement money to continue the FHSF work at the western end of Freshney Place and Victoria Street through the ‘LUF (Levelling Up Funds) Round Two’ process.
Nottingham retail park snapped up in £15m deal
Custodian REIT, the property investment company, has acquired a Nottingham retail park for £15 million.
The 70,160 sq ft retail park consists of four units occupied by Wickes, Matalan, Poundland and KFC, with nearby retailers including Tesco, Morrisons, Lidl and McDonald’s.
The units have a weighted average unexpired term to first break or expiry of 9 years with an aggregate passing rent of £994,050 per annum, reflecting a net initial yield of 6.21%.
Commenting on the acquisition, Richard Shepherd-Cross, Managing Director of Custodian Capital Limited (the company’s discretionary investment manager), said: “Well located retail warehouses let off low rents are complementary to online retailing and have remained in demand during the restructuring of the retail market.
“This purchase, which was agreed off-market at an attractive net initial yield, offers long income from a very strong tenant line up with opportunities to enhance rents by developing a drive-through restaurant and installing electric vehicle charging points.”
