Coventry & Warwickshire in business
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Midlands app developer scores with Soccer Pots mini-leagues in which each member makes predictions about future games. The canniest pundits can win cash from an agreed pool.
Warwickshire app development company Apps Plus chalked up two lockdown wins recently through a new partnership with a local SME and by building a fresh new soccer app. The Soccer Pots app offers an exciting, responsible way to stay involved with the national game and connected to friends. The Midlands-headquartered venture offers users the chance to test their football knowledge against that of their friends. Groups of friends can form
Alan Hartin, MD of Apps Plus, said: “With stadia closed nationwide, now just seemed the ideal time for the Soccer Pots app. It provides users with a way to get together with their mates – if only virtually for now – and enjoy a bit of footie-based banter.” Ideal for lockdown life, but also with plenty of room for growth as grounds and fans get back to match days in the future, Soccer Pots is already shooting up the download tables. It’s available for Apple and Android handsets and promises to bring people together just as it did these two companies.
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Matt Nunn, MD of Soccer Pots, said: “For new SMEs like ours, apps are a great way to reach an audience quickly. The key, though, is to find a developer that’s focused on the particular needs of businesses like ours – and Apps Plus proved to be exactly that. “Their no-nonsense, jargon-free approach really helped us navigate through the development process. It didn’t feel difficult at all.” Just as there’s no bar to entry for would-be footie experts in the pub or on Soccer Pots, Apps Plus believes that there’s no reason why every SME shouldn’t explore what an app might do for them – and get it built quickly and cost-effectively.
Company Cars benefit in lockdown
Envisage Group launches flexible workforce programme
Spring is here, lockdown is easing and the 2020/21 tax year, a year like no other, has come to an end. Much as many of us would like to forget it, unfortunately there is still tax administration to be done.
Engineering concept design and realisation company, Envisage Group, has launched a new flexible workforce programme through its specialist recruitment division. The scheme aims to help clients and individuals address the new normal of workspace restrictions and forthcoming changes to off-payroll working regulations. With a proven track record as a top technical recruitment company specialising in permanent and contract positions, Envisage Group is leading the way with the automotive engineering industry, identifying flexible ways of working for businesses and employees, and focusing on selecting and providing access to the best available talent that is fully aligned with the needs of a business.
Firstly a reminder of the basics:
Envisage Group offers several different options for employers and employees. This includes selection and recruitment for permanent employment, packages of work or deliverables-based contracts, PAYE employment or contractor positions. The group recognises that in order for clients to meet their business needs, new models for resource are required, ensuring no disruption to their projects or programmes. The new normal and changes to off-payroll working regulations continue to drive unique work processes in organisations. Envisage Group can help businesses through these challenging times by providing cost-effective resource solutions, easing the administrative burden and allowing employees and employers to focus on core competencies and skills.
Tim Strafford, CEO of Envisage Group, said: “Envisage Group is leading the automotive and mobility industry with our flexible workforce programme. In anticipation of the changes to the working environment, this new service builds on our existing expertise in the field of recruitment. We can help provide flexible work programmes to suit the needs of a business – and flexible ways of working for contractors too. These processes can often take a while to realise, but our new programme can streamline the process through expert support and experience, ultimately providing the employer and employee with the optimum solution.” For more information visit https://www.envisagegroupltd.com
Coventry manufacturer achieves staff wellbeing accreditation Mecalac Construction Equipment UK has achieved Thrive at Work Bronze Level Accreditation at its UK manufacturing headquarters in Coventry. Coming as part of the company’s health and wellbeing strategy, the award positions Mecalac as an employer that supports positive workplace health and wellbeing. A workplace initiative designed to promote healthy lifestyles, Thrive at Work aims to promote and improve the health of employees across the UK. To achieve Bronze Level Accreditation status, Mecalac was required to demonstrate its commitment to a number of key organisational enablers of health, which included a safe working environment for its employees and promotion of positive health and wellbeing towards making healthy choices.
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As part of this process, the HR team, in conjunction with health & wellbeing champions, delivered in-depth evidence on a variety of subjects including eating, exercise, stress management, musculoskeletal, health and safety, policies and procedures, while team members were asked to submit a survey about their awareness and understanding. Sharon Challis-Brown, head of HR and HSE at Mecalac Construction Equipment UK, said: “In 2019, we introduced our health and wellbeing strategy. Since then, we have continuously developed our offering to support team members with advice, information and resources. “At Mecalac, we are committed to creating a safe working environment that supports our employees and promotes positive employee health and wellbeing. This accreditation perfectly demonstrates our progress, ambition and team-wide commitment.”
With UK production operations headquartered at Prologis Park, Mecalac is one of Coventry’s most prominent employers. Renowned for its globally-acclaimed portfolio of construction plant machinery, the company prides itself on setting new standards in quality, performance and capability.
• 2020/21 P60s must be issued to employees by 31 May. • Benefits in Kind must be reported to HMRC on forms P11d and P11d(b) by 6 July along with payment of Class 1A National Insurance Contributions. • Self Assessment tax returns for individuals, trusts and partnerships must be submitted by 31 January 2022. Focusing on benefits in kind, many employees with company cars will have used them very little for long periods of the last tax year as a result of working from home. They might therefore feel they have had little actual benefit from the car. However HMRC have issued guidance stating they consider company cars were still ‘available for private use’ and therefore a taxable benefit even for periods where the employee was instructed not to use the car and/or can show that they did not use it. HMRC will only accept a company car is unavailable if the employee has returned the keys to the employer or a third party such that is impossible for them to drive the car. Where the keys are returned but the contract is not terminated, HMRC will only accept the car is unavailable after 30 consecutive days from the date the keys are handed over. If you would like to discuss this or any other tax matter further please contact Paul Spencer or David Thomas-Walls on 02476 257481 or ps@sgduk.com/ dtw@sgduk.com respectively. For more information please visit our website www.sgduk.com
For more information visit www.mecalac.com/en
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