- A shared vision for improving the economy of Nottingham
- A plan to help the city grow in a fair and sustainable way that benefits all citizens of Nottingham
- A framework of activity to help focus ambition and investment in our city
- A plan for all partners in the city to work towards to create sustainable and inclusive economic growth
New plan launched for Nottingham’s economy
A new plan has been created to help boost Nottingham’s local economy over the next ten years.
Nottingham City Council have worked with partners across the city to create the Economic Plan for all private, public and third sector partners, residents, and stakeholders.
The vision is to deliver a vibrant, sustainable, and investment friendly Nottingham that promotes inclusion, secures resilience and unlocks prosperity for residents and businesses.
The Nottingham Growth Board, which is a partnership of some of Nottingham’s key businesses, educational institutions, and public sector organisations, will oversee the plan.
The idea behind the Economic Plan is to have:
Fashion logistics provider lets 587,000 sq ft unit at Magna Park Corby
GLP has signed a new lease agreement with Bleckmann, a logistics provider for companies in the fashion and lifestyle industry, for its 587,662 sq ft MPC 3 unit at Magna Park Corby.
A milestone for Bleckmann, MPC 3 is now the largest building in Bleckmann’s portfolio, and now the third occupied building with GLP, with the first two in Magna Park Lutterworth, bringing the total occupied space with GLP to over 965,000 sq ft.
Founded in 1862, Bleckmann has evolved from a transport company into a full supply chain solutions provider with a specific expertise in e-fulfilment solutions in the fashion and lifestyle industry.
Mark Van Onna, General Manager Real Estate at Bleckmann, said: “The combination of availability, capacity and sustainability was unique and perfectly matched our requirements. The 588,000 SQ FT footprint of the building and an internal clear height of 18 meters, enables us to utilize the cubic meters of the building in a very efficient way.
“With a BREEAM Outstanding certificate, this is a future proof building which we have added to the Bleckmann UK portfolio. This is our third transaction with GLP in the UK which clearly demonstrates our professional partnership.”
James Atkinson, Development Director at GLP, said: “Magna Park Corby’s importance as a logistics hub is strengthened by this significant agreement with Bleckmann. Their decision to establish a presence at Magna Park Corby recognises the UK as being a crucial growth market for their business.
“We continue to see strong demand for modern best-in-class, sustainable logistics warehouses and are delighted to see Magna Park Corby continuing to grow.”
Travis Perkins names new CEO
Northampton-based builders’ merchant Travis Perkins has appointed Pete Redfern as a Director of the company and Chief Executive Officer with effect from 16 September 2024. Pete succeeds Nick Roberts, who will step down as CEO and from the Board on the same day.
Pete brings over two decades of leadership, operational and finance experience in the construction sector, including 14 years as Group Chief Executive of Taylor Wimpey plc until 2022.
During his time at Taylor Wimpey, Pete oversaw the transformation of the company into one of the largest housebuilders in the UK, and its elevation to the FTSE 100, restructuring the Group post its merger, building a strong financial position after the global financial crisis, refocusing the company on its UK operations and delivering a strategy that created significant shareholder value through a focus on organic growth.
Alongside his sector experience, Pete also benefits from a deep understanding of Travis Perkins Group, having served on the Board as a Non-Executive Director for nine years to September 2023.
Jez Maiden, Interim Chair, said: “I am delighted that Pete Redfern will be joining Travis Perkins as CEO. Pete brings a combination of deep sector knowledge, operational delivery capability, commercial acumen and listed company expertise.
“He is focused on operational rigour and driving a performance culture, prioritising customers, quality and people. He has demonstrated his skills in managing costs, margins and cash generation, complemented by a rigorous approach to capital allocation.
“Pete joins at an important time for the Group as we focus on improving profitability and enhancing cash generation, as well as accelerating changes to our operating model to create a simpler, more efficient business.
“I am confident that, together with Duncan Cooper, Chief Financial Officer, the executive leadership team will accelerate the ongoing transformation of the Group and deliver strong shareholder returns.
“I would like to thank Nick Roberts for his leadership of and dedication to Travis Perkins as CEO over the last five years. Nick has led the modernisation and simplification of the Group, whilst navigating a challenging trading environment, and we wish him every success in the future.”
Pete Redfern said: “It is a privilege to become the next Chief Executive Officer of Travis Perkins. In addition to my time as a Non-Executive Director, I have operated as both a customer of, and a supplier to the Group and have a strong sense of its inherent potential.
“My initial focus will be on implementing and adding to the actions already underway to improve operational execution and increase the focus on efficiency and cash generation, whilst also starting to develop the Group’s strategy for the years ahead.
“I am looking forward to working with Geoff, Duncan and the Board, together with all colleagues across the Group, to position us for the opportunities our changing environment will offer and to drive significant value for our shareholders.”
The appointment comes alongside that of Geoff Drabble as a Non-Executive Director of the Company with effect from 1 October 2024. He has also been appointed Chair (designate) from the same date and will take up the position of Chair as soon as his capacity allows.
Geoff brings unrivalled experience in publicly listed businesses across the building materials distribution, equipment hire and tools markets in which the Travis Perkins Group operates, gained from both executive and non-executive roles.
Geoff is Chair of Ferguson plc, the building materials distribution business listed on the New York and London Stock Exchanges, which primarily operates in North America. He is also currently Chair of DS Smith Plc, the international packaging company. He was a Non-Executive Director of Howden Joinery Group plc, the specialist kitchen supplier, from 2015 to 2023, serving latterly as its Senior Independent Director.
In his executive career, Geoff was Group Chief Executive of Ashtead Group plc, the FTSE 100 listed international equipment hire company, from 2006 to 2019 and previously held senior executive positions in Laird Group plc and Black and Decker Corp.
York research consultancy joins Leicester group
York-based research, evaluation and insight consultancy, Qa Research has joined Leicester’s EMB Group.
EMB Group provides a range of professional services designed to drive meaningful change through business information & advice, grant & transaction processing, and research & insight services. This latest acquisition increases the number of people working in the research division of the business to over 60.
For Qa, the sale represented an opportunity to become part of a larger group of companies and tap into a sophisticated infrastructure, whilst continuing to operate as a stand-alone business under the well-respected Qa Research brand, retaining the current team of experts.
Richard Bryan, Managing Director of Qa, said: “Over the past few years, Qa has been growing steadily and we wanted to find a partner with the right systems and culture to underpin this growth.
“As a business that is already engaged with many of our sectors and which understands how research agencies operate, EMB Group is a great fit for us. We’re excited to be part of the Group and working alongside the other research teams.”
Danielle Gillett, CEO of EMB Group, said: “Since entering the research market in early 2023, we have been steadily increasing our capability and the sectors we cover.
“Through their wide range of qualitative, quantitative and data collection services, Qa bring a new dimension to our offer, as well as strengthening our existing research and insight expertise and we’re delighted to welcome them to the Group.”
Qa Research will sit alongside Blue Marble Research and Pye Tait Consulting and continue to operate from their base in York.
Churchill Environmental Services appointed to duo of public sector frameworks
Churchill Environmental Services (CES), the specialist environmental and water arm of Churchill Group, has been appointed to two new frameworks. The frameworks are with Efficiency East Midlands (EEM) and Consortium Procurement (the commercial trading arm of the non-profit Northern Housing Consortium).
EEM, a not-for-profit procurement consortium, provides compliant products and services in repairs, maintenance, and new builds for its members in the public sector. EEM appointed CES for its reputation in water and environmental compliance, which complements EEM’s existing facilities services framework.
Consortium Procurement provides compliance services and dynamic purchasing to its 400 public sector members across the UK. Its members include organisations in construction, asset management, independent living accommodation, and financial inclusion. CES was selected for this framework because of its bespoke solutions for public-sector organisations.
Spencer Culley, director at Churchill Environmental Services, said: “We’re delighted to be appointed to these frameworks. Both EEM and Consortium Procurement provide high-level management strategies and we’re excited to broaden our network of partner organisations in the public sector. The appointments further imbed our position as a leading service provider across multiple industries.”
Sutton building given clean and green transformation
A former empty charity shop on Low Street, Sutton, has been transformed into a clean and green building by Ashfield District Council.
9-11 Low Street, the former YMCA shop, is being renovated as part of the Council’s £6.27million Future High Streets Fund, from empty eyesore to an attractive, green, commercial unit.
The buildings eco credentials come from the installation of photo voltaic panels on the roof, insultation, innovative sun tubes that provide natural light inside the building, and a living, green roof. The roof has been planted with sedums that will not only help capture carbon emissions, and absorb rainfall, they benefit pollinators when flowering during summer.
Cllr Jason Zadrozny, Leader of Ashfield District Council, said: “This project is a great example of how we are transforming former grotspots in town centres, in ways you can see, and those that you can’t. The green roof is a clever and easy way for the Council to increase biodiversity whilst helping the environment, helping us achieve one of our key priorities; cleaner and greener.
“Projects across Sutton and Kirkby are really picking up pace now with the start of works on Fox Street and Portland Square this month. It won’t be long until residents, businesses, and visitors start seeing real transformational change in Ashfield.”
The internal works to 9-11 Low Street are almost complete.
The Future High Streets Fund is also paying for the renovation of the theatre at Sutton Academy, the transformation of Fox Street, and the refurbishment at High Pavement House.
Affinity back on board with transport specialist Vectare in £3.5m funding deal
A Loughborough-based transport solutions company has made a second major investment after landing a funding deal through Nottinghamshire’s Affinity Asset Finance.
In November 2022, Vectare enhanced its environmental credentials by acquiring ten Alexander Dennis Enviro E200 low carbon emission buses after securing a £2m deal arranged by Affinity.
Now, they have partnered once again, with 15 new Alexander Dennis Buses being procured following a £3.5m deal.
Neil Kimberley, Director at Affinity Asset Finance, said: “We have built a proactive relationship with Vectare which has enabled us to not only be seen as a ‘preferred supplier’ but also offer advice and guidance on all areas of funding.
“Given the outlay in terms of deposit and the VAT amounts due, we structured a cash flow friendly way, meaning that assets payments are over the same lifespan as the contract.
“We have seen this business grow organically and via acquisition, with consistently improved and impressive cost management, fleet efficiency analysis and shrewd contract negotiations which in turn has meant they are being regularly awarded new contracts across the UK.”
Founded in 2016 by young entrepreneurs Dominic Kalantary and Peter Nathanail, who met at university, Vectare is a nationwide provider of mobility and transport technology solutions.
It now employs over 300 staff with a fleet of 200 buses, coaches and minibuses, working in partnership with 125 schools and 80 partner coach operators to deliver more than 600 daily home to school transport routes.
Earlier this year it launched its ‘Bigger Business – Better Buses’ strategy, setting out its plans for its next phase of growth.
Dominic Kalantary from Vectare said: “Thanks to Affinity Asset Finance, we’re able to invest further in a brand new fleet to improve the quality of journey we deliver to our customers.
“Outside of this investment, we are also restructuring our management team to bolster our resource levels, and analysing every aspect of our customers’ journey with us to identify opportunities to make journeys more reliable, more consistent and more enjoyable.”
Affinity’s package will see Vectare add 15 8.9m ADL Enviro200 MMC single-deck service buses to a bespoke interior specification.
Why you should not always be DeadHappy with publicity: by Greg Simpson, founder of Press for Attention PR
Greg Simpson, founder of Press for Attention PR, explains how there is such thing as bad publicity.
So, it’s happened again…. “There’s no such thing as bad publicity Greg” – someone said to me at a conference I was speaking at yesterday.
It was a room full of just under 400 business owners and I was there to lift the lid on the dark arts of PR. I was fielding a question about what to do in a PR crisis, which to me, starts way before the crisis occurs. Like, before you start any external communications at all. Get your ducks in a row before any detritus starts hitting any rotating blades.
Anyway, as I was explaining how to begin this process, a chap at the back cheerfully yelled out the old cliche. I laughed along as the room nodded sagely that they felt this to be true until I pointed out something very stark: “I promise each and every one of you in this room right now that I can make you famous before 5pm today. Just come and see me at the break and we will have a little chat and Robert’s your father’s brother. In fact, I won’t even charge you for it.”
Now, as you might imagine, this set of a ripple of excitement through the room. Not only was I GUARANTEEING them fame, I wasn’t even seeking a fortune for this game changing moment.
I let the dust settle before quietly adding a caveat: “Of course, I didn’t say WHAT I was going to make you famous FOR or HOW.”
That’s the crux of the problem with this old cliche. Gerald Ratner is famous for calling his own products and stores cr*p. Super famous. So famous it destroyed his business. Not so smart.
As I was setting out my column for this month, following a gentle reminder from Tess on the editorial team, a similar theme reared its ugly head. DeadHappy, the controversial insurance broker, filed for administration.
I’ve been at the sharp end of this media wise before and it is a time of huge stress and major uncertainty for everyone, especially the employees. So, I take no pleasure in calling them out on their marketing, but the fact remains that the way they courted controversy for the sake of column inches went way too far.
It raised eyebrows for sure. It got them attention, that is beyond doubt. Did it make them some friends? Maybe. Did it get them clients? Yes. Did it also put up a great big ”Bargepole Alert” sign within a traditional industry that wanted to steer well clear of partnering with them? Yes.
It was a short-term approach to marketing that they saw as making a splash and being disruptive, but far too many people who made the business model feasible pushed back against or actively ran from. It was not sustainable but that didn’t appear to bother them.
Note that I said “appear” – who knows what they really thought but frankly, appearances are nine tenths of the PR law.
The Harold Shipman furore was the straw that broke the camel’s back but the response from DeadHappy’s founder was tone deaf: “Being provocative is different to being offensive and it is of course never our intention to offend or upset people. It is our intention to make people stop and think. If however you have been personally distressed by this advert we do sincerely apologise.”
Communication is all about what the listener receives, not what you say. DeadHappy have learned that lesson the hard way.
A former business journalist, Greg Simpson is the author of The Small Business Guide to PR and has been recognised as one of the UK’s top 5 PR consultants, having set up Press for Attention PR in 2008.
He has worked for FTSE 100 firms, charities and start-ups and conducted press conferences with Sir Richard Branson and James Caan. His background ensures a deep understanding of every facet of a successful PR campaign – from a journalist’s, client’s, and consultant’s perspective.
See this column in the July issue of East Midlands Business Link Magazine here.
Hinckley & Bosworth Borough Council makes £80,000 available to boost rural businesses
Rural businesses and organisations are being invited to apply for grants by Hinckley & Bosworth Borough Council.
The grants could help them boost productivity, improve community buildings or to improve accessibility to tourist attractions and green open spaces that support local communities and businesses.
The scheme aimed at boosting the rural economy launched Round three of funding on Monday (8th July 2024) with around £80,000 of capital only funding available. Applications will be treated on a first come first served basis until all funding has been allocated.
The scheme, made possible thanks to £400,000 from Rural England Prosperity Fund in 2023, has been extremely popular and has already seen a wide range of businesses and organisations funded to make business performance improvements, purchase new machinery and vehicles and install energy efficiency measures.
Those eligible for the grant include businesses and local organisations that wish to invest in new technologies and equipment that increase productivity; protect and improve local historic buildings and tourism venues which can include new kitchens, energy efficiency improvements and cultural offerings; provide diversification outside of agriculture and develop local tourism attractions.
There are a range of grants available, with funds from £7,500 to £22,500. The grants also have an intervention rate of 75%, meaning businesses and organisations need only find a minimum of 25% of the total eligible project costs to apply.
Executive Member for Rural Affairs at the Borough Council, Councillor Martin Cartwright said: “We are delighted to be able to continue to offer these grants to support our rural communities and businesses, helping them to thrive especially given the challenging and difficult circumstances over the recent years.
“Due to the amount on offer, we are expecting these grants to be very competitive, so please apply straight away if you think you’ll be eligible. Our thanks to the Rural England Prosperity Fund for helping to make this possible.”
Nottingham City Council sets out plan to bring about improvements
Nottingham City Council has drawn up a blueprint for how it will become a financially sustainable, resilient and better run organisation.
The Council’s Improvement Plan, due to be discussed by its Executive Board on 16 July, addresses the issues and challenges which led to the Government’s appointment of Commissioners to oversee the authority. The Plan has been developed and agreed with the Commissioners and will guide the improvement required across the Council over the next 2 years.
Delivery of the Plan will result in a Council that looks, feels and operates significantly differently to the way it currently does. It will enable the Council to be:
- A Council that delivers for Nottingham with a clear direction and purpose – a clear vision and purpose will guide the transformation of the organisation, its budget strategy, workforce development, and future priorities for the city and its residents; and clearly explain how the council will deliver, enable and influence others to achieve those priorities.
- A Council that is financially sustainable – The Council needs to ‘live within its means’ and be able to deliver a balanced budget and sustainable financial plan. This will be attained through the delivery of credible savings plans, robust financial management, improved commercial practice, and a programme of capital assets disposal.
- A Council that is well run with effective people, processes and systems – The Council will continue to modernise how it operates and improve its productivity and operational efficiency so it can deliver to the best of its ability. This includes strengthening governance, making sure roles and responsibilities are clearly understood, and looking at how service delivery is supported and enabled by business processes and systems.
