Rutland County Council refuses rabbit farm planning application
Rutland County Council has refused a planning application for a temporary workers’ dwelling and separate agricultural building on land near Hambleton, submitted by T&S Rabbits.
The design for the proposed agricultural building was deemed by Planning Officers to be inconsistent with existing buildings or landscape features in the local area and would appear particularly prominent – causing significant harm to what is a sensitive and largely undeveloped landscape.
Without the agricultural building there would be no way of operating a commercial enterprise at the site and therefore no need for a workers’ dwelling, as was also proposed.
The Council says proposals for this development were also directly at odds with current local planning policy relating to the Rutland Water Area (Policy CS24). This states that any new development which is near to Rutland Water but falls outside of five clearly defined ‘Recreational Areas’ must be small-scale development for recreation, sport and tourism facilities. Such development would also have to be considered critical for nature conservation, fishing or the essential operation of existing facilities.
Shop front fund to help revamp South Wigston high street
Businesses in South Wigston are being offered the chance to receive matched funding to help revamp their shop frontages.
High quality shop fronts are proven to attract customers to individual businesses and the high street as a whole and Oadby & Wigston Borough Council’s Shop Front Improvement Fund is designed to encourage just that.
This scheme was previously launched in 2019 and helped a number of businesses to make improvements to and smarten up their shop front. This ranged from new windows to improved signage and in some cases a simple lick of paint. By re-launching the scheme, the council is hoping more businesses will now come forward to further enhance the look and feel of the area.
Business can apply for up to £2,000 and must match the funding with their own investment into the shop frontage. The funding for the scheme comes through Section 106 contributions from other developments close by and is therefore restricted to businesses in the centre of South Wigston.
Cllr John Boyce, Leader of Oadby and Wigston Borough Council, said: “Shop fronts are important in attracting in shoppers but also in improving the look and feel of our towns. We are fortunate to have secured this funding through developer contributions and we want to see the maximum benefit for businesses in South Wigston.
“We are keen to ensure that none of the funds go back to the developer and therefore encourage eligible businesses to come forward.”
Businesses are encouraged to read the guidance on the Council website and submit applications to the Economic Regeneration team. The use of the funds is limited and business will need to match the funding, up to a maximum grant of £2,000.
The fund will remain continuously open until further notice.
Erewash Borough Council to keep rates reduced for small and medium-sized businesses
Erewash Borough Council looks set to keep rates reduced for small and medium-sized businesses in the borough for the upcoming financial year.
Council Executive will meet on 6 April when it is recommended that it approves use of the council’s discretionary powers to award Transitional Relief and Small Business Rate Relief to qualifying businesses to reduce their National Non-Domestic Rate liability for the 2022/23 financial year.
The two schemes were introduced to protect small and medium-sized businesses from large increases in their National Non-Domestic Rates, which are based on the rateable value of the business premises. The rates are normally reset by the government every five years but this has been delayed until 1 April 2023. The government has therefore asked councils to use their discretionary powers to provide the relief.
Councillor Wayne Major, Erewash Borough Council’s Deputy Leader and Lead Member for Resources, says: “We aim to provide continued support to small and medium sized businesses in Erewash. Approving these schemes for another year will provide continued support to local businesses without any direct cost to the council or other local ratepayers.”
Phoenix Brickwork to build state-of-the-art training academy in Derbyshire
Brickwork, scaffolding and drywall business, Phoenix Brickwork, has revealed its intention to create a state-of-the-art training academy for apprentices in Derbyshire.
Chairman of Phoenix Brickwork, Christian Watson, said the Phoenix Brickwork Training Academy, which is in the early stages of planning and development, will invest in young people who have a passion to work in scaffolding, drylining and bricklaying. He believes the new facility will boost the number of Derbyshire-based teenagers taking up apprenticeships and wanting to launch their careers in the industry.
Christian said: “It is my ambition to see more youngsters learn real, practical skills in scaffolding, drylining and bricklaying. Some people find academic study a struggle, but they often thrive when they learn on the job.
“Establishing a Phoenix Brickwork Training Academy means we can invest in our industry and provide young people with genuine trade skills, and not just a certificate.”
Apprenticeships are now a popular career option for young people and for Dylan Tewson, Oliver Thomas and Jordan Crofts, starting at Phoenix Brickwork has changed their lives – and their outlook on employment – for the better.
The trio make up a cohort of 20 apprentices at Pinxton-based Phoenix Brickwork.
Dylan Tewson, 21, is a trainee quantity surveyor at Phoenix and loves learning on the job. He says he is most excited about getting a degree and becoming a fully qualified quantity surveyor with ambitions to advance into a commercial manager role.
“Working for Phoenix has been good for me,” said Dylan. “I joined Phoenix to gain more knowledge and practical experience in the job, and I fitted in straight away. I really enjoy being an apprentice. This opportunity provides me with hands-on experience and I’m earning money.”
A positive attitude and a genuine desire to work is why Oliver Thomas, 21, is another success story at Phoenix. He says he is excited about gaining recognised practical qualifications, furthering his knowledge, and starting his career.
“What I love most about Phoenix is learning a variety of different skills and working alongside experienced tradesmen who are willing to pass on their knowledge to me.”
Jordan Crofts, 22, joined the team of apprentices in November 2021, and is determined to progress at Phoenix Brickwork.
He said: “I really love working on site and getting involved in different tasks. Having support from the team and gaining knowledge from site managers and bricklayers is so beneficial.”
Christian Watson said: “It is so encouraging to read what our current apprentices have to say – after all, with the disturbing decline in experienced tradespeople in our industry, mainly due to retirement, they are our future, and my mission is to ensure the trade has a strong pool of tried-and-tested talent.”
Bus firm in Alzheimer’s fundraising drive
Staff at bus firm trentbarton have chosen Alzheimer’s Research UK as their charity of the year for both 2022 and 2023.
Alzheimer’s Research UK is the UK’s leading dementia research charity, dedicated to causes, diagnosis, prevention, treatment and cure.
Trentbarton staff will now spend the next two years organising a wide variety of fundraising events and initiatives, including its Namesake programme where people can donate to have a bus named after a loved one.
Alzheimer’s Research UK topped the poll of trentbarton staff who chose from a shortlist of good causes drawn from nominations by colleagues and customers.
Caroline Bacon-Webster, one of trentbarton’s staff charity champions who organises fundraising, said: “We are all looking forward very much to fundraising for such an important charity.
“Most of us know people affected by dementia, and in particular Alzheimer’s, so I am sure our colleagues and customers will be both enthusiastic and generous in their support, so we can raise as much as possible for the charity’s vital work.”
Social Change UK certifies as a B Corporation
Social Change UK has been certified by B Lab, the not-for-profit behind the B Corp movement, as having met rigorous social and environmental standards which represent its commitment to goals outside of shareholder profit.
The B Corp certification addresses the entirety of a business’s operations and covers five key impact areas of Governance, Workers, Community, Environment and Customers. The certification process is rigorous, with applicants required to reach a benchmark score of over 80 while providing evidence of socially and environmentally responsible practices relating to energy supplies, waste and water use, worker compensation, diversity, and corporate transparency.
Social Change UK scored 109. Most businesses score between 40 and 100, with 80 points required to become certified. A score of over 100 is considered outstanding. The Lincoln-based agency is now part of a community of 4,600 businesses globally that have certified as B Corps.
The B Corp community in the UK, representing a broad cross section of industries and sizes, comprises over 600 companies and include well-known brands such as The Guardian, innocent, Patagonia, The Body Shop, and organic food pioneers Abel & Cole. Social Change UK is only the SECOND business in Lincolnshire to certify as a B Corp and one of only 14 businesses in the East Midlands certified.
Chris Turner, executive director of B Lab UK, said: “We are delighted to welcome Social Change UK to the B Corp community. This is a movement of companies who are committed to changing how business operates and believe business really can be a force for good. We know that Social Change UK are going to be a fantastic addition to the community and will continue driving the conversation forward.”
He continued: “We are pleased to have B Corps of all shapes and sizes as part of our community – from start-ups to multinationals and across many different industries. Welcoming Social Change UK is an exciting moment because they have an opportunity to lead the way within the marketing and research industry.
“We and the rest of the B Corp community are really pleased to support Social Change UK in paving the way for a new way of doing things. Their commitment to doing business differently will be an inspiration to others and will really help spread the idea that we can redefine success in business to be as much about people and the planet as it is about profit.”
Kelly Evans, Chief Executive of Social Change UK, said: “We are thrilled to certify as a B Corp and join a community of businesses who we greatly admire and respect for pursuing purpose and putting people and the planet ahead of profit. The values and ethos of B Corp have always been at the core of our business since it was founded back in 2010. In our heart we have always been a B Corp – but I wanted to officially certify to prove that we are true to our word and we will always pursue purpose before profit.”
Social Change UK is behind several successful social purpose driven campaigns in recent years. The agency scooped a prestigious Drum Social Purpose Award for their “Jiggle, Wiggle” sexual health campaign beating Dove, WWF, Mastercard, and the British Red Cross to the accolade back in 2019. Only a year later they were shortlisted for another Drum Social Purpose award for a breastfeeding campaign. The company has gone from strength to strength over the last three years becoming a leading behaviour change agency in the UK.
Growth prompts six-figure investment at conference centre
The Derby Conference Centre has made a six-figure investment in its facilities as business continues to boom post-pandemic.
The centre saw a 108% increase in business in the first quarter of the year after restrictions lifted.
This has allowed it to invest £120,000 in the building to support meetings, conferences, and events in the coming year.
The Derby Conference Centre, which is a Grade II listed building, houses an array of conference rooms and meeting rooms, as well as 50 en-suite hotel bedrooms and self-catering accommodation at its India House Hotel.
The refurbishment of all meeting rooms, conference rooms and bedrooms are planned to be complete by the summer.
The renovation includes a significant upgrade to the meeting room technology, with new high spec projectors, screens, speakers, and video conferencing equipment.
Alongside this, new coffee machines and a vending machine, have been installed so that guests are able to enjoy a selection of hot drinks and snacks in the newly redecorated meeting rooms.
Air conditioning is also planned to be installed across all meeting rooms and the sunken lounge before the summer heat arrives to ensure that the customer experience is comfortable.
Matthew Hutchings, managing director at the Derby Conference Centre, said: “If there was ever a positive from the pandemic, it is that it has allowed me to assess where we are as a business, and what we can do to enhance the customer experience.
“It is great news that we are able to undertake this large refurbishment, and with upcoming days at the DCC having sold all 12 of our meetings rooms, I am looking forward to seeing the conference centre busy and vibrant again.”
£24.86 million Acute Assessment Units plan approved for Northern Lincolnshire NHS Trust
New £24.86 Acute Assessment Units (AAU) will be created at hospitals in Grimsby and Scunthorpe following final approval of ambitious plans to transform emergency care in our area.
The units – which will be housed in what are now our Emergency Departments – will also house provision for Same Day Emergency Care (SDEC) and are a key element of our ongoing investment in our sites.
And this next phase of central government funding is now being released following approval from the Department of Health.
Divisional Medical Director of Medicine, Dr Anwer Qureshi, has been instrumental in designing not only the new units and facilities themselves but, with his team, has also defined the clinical pathways which determined how the facilities are designed to provide you and your loved ones with best possible care.
He said: “We have already made significant progress on constructing the new Emergency Departments, which will be used to provide care to you if you are seriously injured or ill. These facilities will also be hosting our Urgent care services- where you will be managed by our skilled practitioners for an urgent but non-life threatening injury or illness”.
“Having this final phase of funding approved will allow us to complement these units with our Acute Assessment units and short stay wards, all on one floor”.
“These AAUs will be staffed by expert clinicians trained in a wide variety of skills. This will allow us to see and diagnose you more quickly and get you on the right course of treatment, without necessarily having to admit you to a ward in the first instance.
“As a result, it’s less likely that clinically stable patients will need to be admitted and, if you are, you will probably spend less time in hospital.”
“It is a joint effort for which I am grateful to the ED, Acute Medicine, Surgical specialties and Family Services teams at NLaG. Together, we have already updated and implemented processes and pathways based on best practice, which will swiftly move us into the use of the new facilities when available, setting an example in the region”.
Divisional Medical Director of Medicine, Dr Anwer Qureshi, has been instrumental in designing not only the new units and facilities themselves but, with his team, has also defined the clinical pathways which determined how the facilities are designed to provide you and your loved ones with best possible care.
He said: “We have already made significant progress on constructing the new Emergency Departments, which will be used to provide care to you if you are seriously injured or ill. These facilities will also be hosting our Urgent care services- where you will be managed by our skilled practitioners for an urgent but non-life threatening injury or illness”.
“Having this final phase of funding approved will allow us to complement these units with our Acute Assessment units and short stay wards, all on one floor”.
“These AAUs will be staffed by expert clinicians trained in a wide variety of skills. This will allow us to see and diagnose you more quickly and get you on the right course of treatment, without necessarily having to admit you to a ward in the first instance.
“As a result, it’s less likely that clinically stable patients will need to be admitted and, if you are, you will probably spend less time in hospital.”
“It is a joint effort for which I am grateful to the ED, Acute Medicine, Surgical specialties and Family Services teams at NLaG. Together, we have already updated and implemented processes and pathways based on best practice, which will swiftly move us into the use of the new facilities when available, setting an example in the region”.
Surge in liquidations predicted as Covid protection measures come to an end
Compulsory liquidations of struggling UK businesses have surged 76% from 139 to 245 in the last three months, says international audit, tax and advisory firm Mazars.
The company says even more liquidations are expected in the next three months as the last temporary Government measure to protect companies from insolvency during the pandemic expires tomorrow.
Creditors owed £750 or more will now be able to submit winding-up petitions against businesses – previously companies had to owe £10,000 or more to be liable for winding up by creditors.
Michael Pallott, Partner at Mazars, says many firms have been struggling with the impact of interest rate rises, inflation and supply chain issues, driving up the number of businesses going insolvent.
The decision not to extend the remaining pandemic insolvency measures means that the insolvency regime for England & Wales will return to its pre-pandemic system. Measures the Government adopted to help shield struggling businesses from insolvency included:
- Additional hurdles to issue winding up petitions
- A ban on commercial landlord evictions
- Restrictions on exercising commercial rent arrears recovery
£50m of additional investment into Derby’s highways approved
Following a two-year investment of an additional £9m into the city’s highways, over £50m of additional investment has been approved.
The report presented to Cabinet detailed three different work programmes including:
- Highways and Transport
- Vehicles, Plant and Equipment
- Flood Defence (this is different to the Our City, Our River project)
- Work at Derby Bus Station to improve passenger experience with new seating, new flooring and installation of a changing places toilet
- Refurbishment of traffic signals at Spider Island to improve reliability and reduce energy usage
- New traffic management in Darley Village to address concerns raised during a consultation with local residents
