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Welcome to Derwentside Business Network
Helping to Link Businesses Together!
CLUB NEWS
- Summer Sizzler!
Derwentside Business Network held their first Summer Social Event ‘Summer Sizzler’ BBQ at the South Causey Inn, near Stanley. Despite the inclement weather the event was attended by over 40 local business people and their guests.
DBN member Fran Williams commented “Whoever named our summer do a ‘Sizzler’ obviously put a curse on the weather, as we froze serenely in the grounds, chatting, musing about how quickly it would rain, what flavour sausages we’d have and about life and the universe in general. It was nice to see familiar faces and also to meet new people.”
Maccine Hall chair of DBN said “I was overwhelmed with the response to our raffle and
auction with all proceeds going to Willowburn Hospice a local hospice that is committed to improving the quality of life for adults who have a life limiting illness and their families.
Willowburn is the chosen charity for DBN for this year and I am proud to say £361 was
raised and thank you to everyone who took part”
Despite not being able to control the weather and having to have an indoor BBQ everyone enjoyed the event and whilst Derwentside is ‘out in the sticks’, as some say, DBN is growing so to dispel a couple of myths:
- Yes there are successful new and established businesses within Derwentside
- No Derwentside isn’t in the wilderness
- No it really doesn’t snow in July
- Yes it is worth networking in Derwentside
So why not come along and see us at DBN? We’re a friendly lot. If you are based out of
the area, why not pop up and see us – you’ll enjoy some spectacular scenery on the way.
By the way, if you do decide to visit in January, please do pack a flask, snow shovel,
Kendal mint cake and a good book – we may end up keeping you longer than you
intended!
MEMBER NEWS
- Mid Life Crisis!!
Ever thought you would do something totally out of character?
Then wake up one morning and wonder why?
Well maybe you too have had a mid life crisis!
That’s exactly what happened to Maccine Hall from designs unique when she had a mad idea to enter the Great North Run with only 10 weeks to prepare having never run in her life before, to raise funds for Willowburn Hospice in Lanchester.
Maccine said “ For a long time now Willowburn has been special to me personally, so
Graeme my husband and business partner and I have fund raised over the years for them.Graeme completed the C2C, W2W, then together in 2009 we completed the Great North Bike Ride which was hard to say the least, it was only meant to be 60 miles and was actually 64, those last 4 miles were awful especially as it was a blowing a gale and raining! From that experience I vowed never to do any thing like that again, until now! You should never say never!”
The running will be made more difficult for Maccine because in 2002 she suffered an
assault whilst working as a Paramedic for North East Ambulance Service which ended her career and left her with a chest injury, despite this she is determined to complete the 13 miles even if she has to power walk.
If you too have had a Mid Life Crisis you will totally understand, if you haven’t watch out!
To donate and provide Maccine with some much needed support and encouragement
please visit. www.justgiving.com/Maccine-Hall
- Chapmans on the Move
After almost six years at their current offices Chapmans Accountants have decided it is time for a change of scenery; so they are moving.
(Not far though, only about half a mile down the road.)
Their new address is:
Unit 35, Derwentside Business Centre,
Consett Business Park,
Consett.
DH8 6BP
01207 585410
enquiries@chapmansaccountants.co.uk
- The Music Pod designs a pod....
As in its very own PODCAST! As seen gracing the airs of the finest of radio shows, the podcast is a thing of beauty, of elegance and of downright entertainment... An opportunity to listen to music, views and interviews, podcasts are the “de rigueur” of the music industry.
So Neil Bankhurst, owner of The Music Pod, rehearsal studios in Langley Park, Durham, sat down with a friend from Ambicon Records, Malcolm Clarke, whom he has just teamed up with to produce Ambipod.com that aims to be the biggest gig arranger in the North East and they designed their own podcast; 'if it’s good enough for radio 1, then it’s good enough for us' they cried and set to work on their very first podcast....... after many hours of hard work, tears and the odd tantrum, it was finished.
They did such a good job; internet radio station ‘splashradio.org’ played their podcast on Monday 23rd May. The reaction was immense, with hits galore to The Music Pods website and downloads of the now famous PodCast.
“I don’t have the voice for radio, so to have such a successful response from our first Podcast is amazing” said Neil.
- move over Chris Moyles....!
The Music Pod offers an affordable rehearsal studio, and will offer a 10% discount to all new customers who mention this event. Also carry out recording, gig arranging, CD duplication, courses and a whole lot more.
BUSINESS NEWS
- Driving for Work
The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) have estimated that up to a third of all road traffic collisions involve an at work driver. Some employers believe that providing vehicles have a valid MOT certificate and drivers hold a valid driving licence this is enough to ensure the safety of their drivers and compliance with the law.
However, health and safety legislation includes all work related driving activities. Therefore companies who have staff who drive while at work need to ensure they have driving for work policies and procedures in place. The Road Safety Team offers guidance to companies with the development of their driving for work policies, driver assessments and driver related policies.
The team have secured funding from the Mid Durham Area Action Partnership to offer driver taster sessions to companies from within the the partnership area who have staff who drive for work. So if your company is within the Castleside, Lanchester, Esh-Winning, Ushaw Moor, Brandon or Meadowfield area then you could benefit from these free courses.
Funding has also been secured from the governments Local Sustainable Fund to enable the Road Safety Team to deliver safe and fuel efficient driver training courses to companies in the Newton Aycliffe to Bishop Auckland corridor. If your company is based in this area and you have staff who drive light commercial vehicles, company cars or private vehicles for work purposes then you are eligible for these courses.
Please contact the Road Safety Team on 0191 383 3769/4758 or e-mail at road.safety@durham.gov.uk for further details.
- Local press offer free advertising to small firms
The Local Business Accelerator scheme, launched by The Newspaper Society, will offer free advertising, support and business mentoring to 1,500 small enterprises. The scheme will be advertised in 500 local and regional newspapers, to attract applications from the UK’s most promising young businesses. Firms whose bids are successful will win business support and a share of £15 million of free advertising in local newspapers. The initiative was launched by the Newspaper Society to demonstrate the "strength and value of local press advertising for business success." Entries close on the 14 November 2011.
There is more on this story at:
www.newspapersoc.org.uk/19/oct/11/local-businesses-to-receive-15m-injection
- HEALTH AND SAFETY MADE SIMPLE FOR NORTH EAST BUSINESSES
New web-based guidance has now been launched to help businesses understand what they must do to comply with health and safety law without getting tied up in red tape and bureaucracy.
‘Health and safety made simple’ has been developed by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) and business organisations and is one of a suite of tools aimed at making things easier for low risk small and medium-sized enterprises.
The website acts as an entry point for employers who need help knowing where to start in meeting their health and safety responsibilities or for those confused by what is expected of them. It takes users through the process step-by-step, explaining what to do and how to do it. It signposts users to detailed guidance on specific topics and useful interactive tools, such as a quick and easy online risk assessment for offices.
The website also links to the Occupational Safety and Health Consultants Register (OSHCR) through which employers can search for a reputable consultant for extra help or support, though the website makes clear they are likely to be able to manage most aspects of health and safety themselves or with the help of their staff.
Visit ‘Health and Safety Made Simple’ at www.hse.gov.uk/simple-health-safety
- Agency Workers’ Directive
The Agency Workers' Directive is one of the most important pieces of new employment law to be introduced for a considerable time. It will have major implications for employers, and as such with October now around the corner, organisations need to be preparing for this change immediately.
The new Directive will provide 'equal treatment' for temporary and agency workers, giving them equal rights to permanent staff after 12 weeks with an employer.
The new legislation is to be implemented by 1st October 2011 and will affect over one million temporary agency workers in the UK. It is therefore imperative that both public and private sector employers get to grips with the implications of the Directive, in order to have enough time to prepare and adapt their temp, agency and contract staff policies and procedures to avoid costly mistakes.
For more information http://www.lge.gov.uk/lge/core/page.do?pageId=1192366
- Changes to L&MAS announced
The Skills Funding Agency have announced some significant changes to the L&MAS which take effect immediately
For organisations with 10 employees and over, (NB not 50 employees and over as previously required) either the senior leader or another leader reporting directly to them will be eligible to receive support from the service.
The L&MAS will support development of the leadership and management skills of senior leaders so that they are able to fully engage and make full use of their workforce and therefore accelerate growth of their organisation OR areas such as Business Development Strategy which would impact directly on the performance of the whole organisation and its capacity to grow, i.e. activity focused on one function of the SME such as Finance, Sales or Marketing is NOT eligible
- Leadership & Management Advisory Service
What is new about the service?
On behalf of the Skills Funding Agency Northumberland Business Services Ltd (NBSL) has delivered and managed the Leadership & Management Advisory Service (LMAS) across the North East since 2004, and the new service is available from 1st April 2011.
The new Leadership & Management Advisory Service (LMAS) is aimed at supporting the senior leaders of businesses and social enterprises with the potential for high or fast growth, so that they in turn are able to fully engage and effectively deploy their workforce.
The LMAS will provide tailored advice and support to senior leaders within small and medium sized businesses, including social enterprises that can clearly demonstrate the potential for high or fast growth. An impartial and experienced Leadership & Management Skills Adviser (LMSA) will help them to identify personal development needs, relevant development solution(s) to meet their needs and assist them to identify the right training provider in a face to face meeting at their place of work or some other convenient venue.
A grant of up to a maximumof £1000 to help to pay for the training solution is available, this will be based on a 50% emplyer contribution 50% from the service.
For more information, visit www.nbsl.org.uk call 01670 813322 or email LandMreferrals@nbsl.org.uk
- Research & Development tax relief boost for SME’s
The recent Budget increased the relief available on R&D expenditure such that every £100 of qualifying expenditure incurred from 1 April 2011 will generate £200 of tax relief. From 1 April 2012 this will rise further to £225 for every £100 of expenditure.
Rob Ribchester of Ribchesters, Chartered Accountants, who specialise in R&D credit claims, explains “Many companies are surprised at the type of work that falls within the R&D framework and how much tangible benefit can be gained from the relief. It can be particularly useful where tax losses exist, or can be created by the claim, because the credits can produce a tax repayment even where no corporation tax has been paid. So real cash-flow benefits can be achieved, but there are strict date limits for claims and so timely action is important.”
Rob continues “Further beneficial changes are proposed from 1 April 2012 which will remove the £10,000 minimum expenditure limit and mean that repayments from cashing in the credits will no longer be restricted to the amount of PAYE and NIC a company has paid”.
- Changes to Solicitor's Accounts Rules
The legal profession is currently going through a period of change as a result of the Legal Services Act 2007.
Earlier in April, the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) issued a new Handbook for solicitors, which introduces the new 'principles based' regulatory regime with effect from 6 October 2011. Within the Handbook there are new, currently draft, SRA Accounts Rules 2011. Whilst the new Rules are overwhelmingly the same as the current Solicitors' Accounts Rules, there are some changes which will have an impact on the work carried out by Reporting Accountants.
Rule Changes
In summary, the key areas of change to the existing Rules are:
- Rule 6 - all firms of solicitors will be required to have a Compliance Officer for Finance and Administration (COFA) who will have the same responsibility for compliance with the Rules as principals in the firm. Additionally, they will have a responsibility to report breaches in the Rules to the SRA as soon as practicable.
- Rule 23 - gone is the prescriptive list of who is eligible to authorise withdrawals on the client account. It is replaced with a Rule requiring 'an appropriate person in accordance with the firm's procedures for signing on the client account'. (NB. will be new Rule 21.)
- Rule 24 - removes the distinction between the treatment of interest earned on the general client account and separate designated accounts. Interest should be paid on all accounts when it is fair and reasonable to do so. The blanket deminimis £20 limit has also gone and is replaced with the requirement for the firm to have a written policy on the payment of interest to clients, which must be drawn to the attention of the client at the outset. (NB. will be new Rule 22.)
- Rule 32(6A) - allows the use of the electronic version of the bank's online record to be used in the monthly reconciliation process. The current rules require a hard copy statement. (NB. will be new Rule 29(11).)
If you would like further advice on the Rules and their application feel free to contact Mike Firman:
Tel: 01642 632032
E-mail: mf@bainesjewitt.co.uk