CONNECTED magazine October 2014

DRIVING BUSINESS CONFIDENCE

CAMBRIDGESHIRECHAMBER.CO.UK

N 24 October 2014

AT THE HEART OF THE LOCAL COMMUNITY The gym that’s doing more than just creating Olympic champions

THE OFFICIAL AWARD WINNING MONTHLY MAGAZINE

savills.co.uk

01223 347 000 01733 344 414

CONTENTS

Inside this issue

10

5

6-7

CONNECTIONS

8-9

INFLUENCE

10-11

KNOWLEDGE

12-13

GLOBAL

14-15

NEW MEMBERS

20

23

29

Chief Executive’s Comment

17

ELY CHAMBER NEWS

18

Fenland Chamber News

19

HUNTINGDONSHIRE Chamber News

20

STAMFORD CHAMBER NEWS

21

CAMBRIDGESHIRE CHAMBER NEWS

22-23

OUT & ABOUT

24-26

cambridge & south cambs chamber news

27-29

Peterborough chamber news

31

Update from the LEP

32-33

35

Charity of the year

37

in the hotseat – tom hennessey

38-39

Sector Updates

40-41

events

42

Report from Ian Mackellar

ask the expert – the use of social media

CONNECTED OCTOBER 2014

3

WELCOME TO CONNECTED

e m

o c l e W

A warm welcome to the readers of CONNECTED

Contributing this month...

Judith Underhill

Underhill & Associates Ltd

Welcome to this re-freshed edition of CONNECTED. We are delighted to celebrate the second anniversary of CONNECTED and are marking this milestone with some design changes. The new look incorporates four new double page spreads intended to bring you information about how your membership of the Chamber can help support your in business in four key areas – Connections, Influence, Knowledge and Global Reach.

Our Chief Executive John Bridge has taken this opportunity to change his comment and will focus on members that he has been out to visit.

As well as a re-fresh we have moved pages around and you will now find out events listing on the inside back cover. Find out what events are coming up over the next month along with details of the Peterborough B2B Exhibition on 22 October.

Director of a management and leadership development company and chair of the HR & Recruitment Sector.

Ian MacKellar

MacKellar Consulting A freelance journalist with a background as business editor for a local newspaper.

Oliver Hall

Method Creative

Do you follow us on Twitter?

Sadie Parr Editor, CONNECTED, s.parr@cambscci.co.uk

We regularly tweet Chamber news; follow us at @CambsChamber to be kept up to date with all the latest news.

DRIVING BUSINESS CONFIDENCE Chief Executive John Bridge OBE | Editor Sadie Parr | Creative Director Jillian Boys Publisher methodcreative.co.uk | Future Business Centre, King’s Hedges Road, Cambridge CB4 2HY | 01223 781220 | Print xlpress.co.uk Disclaimer Views expressed in CONNECTED are not necessarily those of Cambridgeshire Chambers of Commerce.

Acceptance of advertisements does not imply official endorsement of the products or services concerned. Whilst every care has been taken to ensure the accuracy of editorial content, no responsibility can be taken for any errors and/or omissions. The editor reserves the right to make amendments without notification.

Membership Development Officer Peter Watts 07545 697799 or Bren Coleman on 01223 209811 Cambridge Enterprise House, The Vision Park, Histon, Cambridge CB24 9ZR. Tel 01223 237414 Peterborough 6 The Forum, Minerva Business Park, Lynch Wood, Peterborough PE2 6FT. Tel 01733 370809 Email enquiries@cambscci.co.uk | www.cambridgeshirechamber.co.uk

@CambsChamber Cambridgeshire Chambers of Commerce Cambridgeshire Chambers of Commerce

4

CONNECTED OCTOBER 2014

Junior editor and copywriter working for a local creative agency.

Our editorial panel: We would also like to thank Chamber committee members responsible for shaping the key topics this month and researching these features to better serve the readers of CONNECTED in this edition.

Advertise in CONNECTED and reach more than 7000 potential customers every month!

Contact the Method team on 01223 781220 or email connected@methodcreative.co.uk

Prices start from as little as £75

JOHN BRIDGE VISITS huntingdon gymnastics club Four decades ago, Huntingdon Gymnastics Club was an after-school club with 20 gymnasts bouncing off a home-made spring-board.

Driven by the vision and determination of founder Terry Sharpington, and made possible by the dedication of a committed team of volunteers, the club eventually moved to a purpose-built, permanent facility which provided young people in Huntingdon with a focus for their energy, access to quality sports coaching and a real sense of community.

As years have gone by, the club has produced some of the country’s finest gymnasts with Olympic, Commonwealth and European successes all shining the spotlight on the club and its gymnasts and showing young people what hard work and dedication can achieve. Louis Smith, probably one of the club’s most well-known members, was appointed MBE for services to gymnastics following his success in the London Olympics 2012.

Today the club is at the heart of the local community, with over 1100 members benefiting from the new facilities and expert coaching, many on a weekly basis. Over the last two years the coaching team has grown from six to ten full-time, fully-trained coaches to meet the demand for their popular sessions. Their reach stretches further than the gym though, with the club taking an active role in local schools to enrich PE lessons and also giving more children the opportunity to access their expertise during after-school clubs.

As a registered charity it’s a club that’s run by the community, for the community. And it’s the club’s charitable status that has enabled it to benefit from the many grants and generous donations that allowed its vision for a new fully fitted community gym to become a reality earlier this year.

It’s an exciting time for the club, and with this growth has come new opportunities for business people to get involved, particularly by bringing their expertise to the board of trustees. There are sponsorship opportunities too for those companies that want to combine their support for the club with promotion of their own business.

Perhaps the most exciting is the club’s plans to bring more business people into the gym with the launch of new team-building events, where staff can participate in a series of exercises designed to improve communication, leadership and team-working skills.

Huntingdon Gymnastics Club is an organisation that’s already firmly at the heart of the local community. As I walked around the club recently, it was clear that it’s also committed to finding new ways to support the local business community, by creating a partnership that I believe we can all benefit and learn from. n

John Bridge OBE Chief Executive, Cambridgeshire Chambers of Commerce

CONNECTED OCTOBER 2014

5

CONNECTIONS Who can we introduce you to this month?

Connections We provide Chamber members with constant opportunities to widen their network of business contacts - building connections, creating opportunities and maximising the benefits of being part of Cambridgeshire’s most vibrant business network.

ENTER OUR PRIZE DRAW INTRODUCE A MEMBER Recommend Chamber membership to another company over the next couple of months and you could win one of three fantastic prizes donated by Chamber members. for every new member that joins the Chamber on your recommendation we will put you in our prize draw, which will be drawn at a Chamber event at the beginning of December.

There’s no limit to the number of times you can be entered into the prize draw, so please keep those recommendations coming over the next couple of months. Peter Watts, Membership Development Officer at Cambridgeshire Chambers of Commerce, said: “Increasing the size of our business network benefits everyone and we are always grateful for the many referrals we receive from existing members who want to share and

recommend the benefits of membership to their own business contacts. This prize draw is our way of thanking all those satisfied members who take the time to pass referrals to us.”

To refer a contact who you think would benefit from joining the Chamber, please email their contact name, contact number and company name to enquiries@cambscci.co.uk with ‘Membership Referral’ in the subject line. If they decide to join by the end of November, you will then be entered into our prize draw.

For details of the prizes on offer, please visit the Chamber website at www.cambridgeshirechamber.co.uk n

AGM NOTICE notice is hereby given that the eleventh Annual General Meeting of the Cambridgeshire Chamber of Commerce and Industry will be held at the Old Bridge Hotel, Huntingdon on Thursday 27 November 2014 at 12.30pm for transaction of the following business: • A pproval of the report of the Directors and the financial statements for the year ended 31 March 2014 • Election of Directors; In accordance with Article 54 of the Articles of Association of the Chamber, Michael Anderson-Brown who was appointed on 27 February 2014, Christopher Parkhouse who was

6

CONNECTED OCTOBER 2014

appointed on 26 June 2014 and Richard Olsen who was appointed on 26 June 2014, in accordance with Article 43, offer themselves for election by members • Re-election of Directors; The following Director who was elected by members at the 2011 Annual General Meeting for a three year period, in accordance with Article 54 offers himself for re-election by members for a further three year period: Mark Read • Re-appointment of Rawlinsons as auditors of the company • Authorising the Directors to determine the auditors’ remuneration.

The Directors Report and Financial Statements for the year ended 31 March 2014 are available on the members’ section of the Chamber website.

A proxy form can be downloaded from the members’ section of the website; this must be returned to the registered office 48 hours before the meeting.

By order of the Board: Michael Tolond, Company Secretary 24 September 2014 Registered office: Enterprise House, The Vision Park, Histon, Cambridge CB24 9ZR n

CONNECTIONS

GET CONNECTED There are lots of ways to connect with other Chamber members. At events, on social media… you could even pick up the phone after reading their interview right here in CONNECTED. This month we meet Gill Buchanan from Pure Resourcing Solutions.

What do you do IN BUSINESS?

I am a co-founder and company Director at Pure Resourcing Solutions (Pure), a specialist recruitment company. They focus on temporary and permanent recruitment from Board level to clerical roles within their specialisms of accountancy, marketing, professional office, executive and human resources. We pride ourselves on our open and honest approach with unparalleled expertise within our specialisms.

What value do you get from being a Chamber member?

We have found the additional value added services extremely useful, the newsletter and networking events.

What are your top three tips for running or working in a business?

1. Create added value for every aspect of your service.

2. Love what you do and have the best people to work with you who are good team players.

3. Set goals and objectives and ensure they are clear to everyone.

If you could pick anyone to sit next to at a dinner party, who would it be and why?

Nelson Mandela. An amazing man with an Unbelievable level of positivity despite all of the suffering he endured throughout his life. I would imagine he would have had some fascinating stories.

Are you making the most of the opportunities to connect with other businesses?

Here are just a few of the ways you can add new business people to your network of business contacts…

• Follow @CambsChamber on twitter and include #ChamberNetwork in your tweets about Chamber events • Join the Cambridgeshire Chambers of Commerce group on LinkedIn and contribute to discussions • Publish your company news on the Chamber website for other members to read – we get over 1000 visitors every week!

• Join a committee and get involved in our vibrant events schedule Still wondering if you’re making the most of your company’s membership? Come along to one of our Maximise your Membership sessions – find out more at www.cambridgeshirechamber.co.uk or call Bren Coleman on 01223 209811. n

PETERBOROUGH INFORMAL NETWORKING EVENING

CONNECTED OCTOBER 2014

7

INFLUENCE

Influence

Letting decision makers know what you think

As a Chamber member you have the power to influence key decision makers and play a leading role in tackling the issues that are preventing your business from reaching its potential, while an experienced team of lobbyists represents your interests in Whitehall.

A Business Plan for Britain: Expectations of the next UK government Monday 8 September the British Chambers of Commerce (BCC) published its Business Manifesto – ‘A Business Plan for Britain’. The Manifesto reflects the expectations of business communities across the UK and the measures they require from any incoming government in 2015 in order to help Britain fulfil its true economic potential.

The business group, which represents thousands of businesses of all sizes across the UK, has identified seven core themes that must be at the heart of any plan for government, to ensure Britain becomes ‘a more confident, more enterprising, and more skilled trading nation’. The BCC manifesto issues a clear call to all political parties to make these priorities for growth a reality.

• Develop the talents of the next generation • Support long-term business investment • Grow Britain’s global trade potential • Place business at the heart of local growth • Rebuild Britain’s business infrastructure • Drive down business costs and taxes • Deliver a new settlement for Britain in Europe Commenting, John Longworth BCC Director General said: “The decisions taken during the term of the next Parliament will have a profound impact on

8

CONNECTED OCTOBER 2014

the UK’s ability to grow. We need a business plan for Britain, with governments across the UK focusing their attention on creating the best possible environment for growth and enterprise.

“Over the next five years, we can become a more confident, more enterprising, more skilled trading nation - or retreat into slow but very real decline. A Britain built for growth is a Britain where government decisions are relentlessly pro-growth; business policies are fit for the long term; local business communities are empowered; and the machinery of national and local government works with and for business.

“Our Business Plan for Britain is practical, pragmatic and achievable.

We call on the next UK government, the devolved administrations, and local authorities to work together and with us to make it a reality, and lead Britain into a more prosperous future.” n

INFLUENCE

The Chamber Quarterley Economic Survey thank you for completing the recent quarterley economic survey, please look out for the results which will appear in the November edition of CONNECTED. Co-ordinated by the British Chambers of Commerce, the results of the survey are presented to politicians and policy-makers to reflect the expectations and concerns of businesses across the UK. It is one of the most highly-regarded barometers of business opinion, and thousands of companies contribute each quarter. n

Tell the County Council Cambridgeshire County Council’s budget

SCHOOLS

Children’s, Families and Adult Services

£213.84

£352.47

eNVIRONMENT AGENCY LEVY & RESERVES

£5.62

local government shared services

£24.07

Financing debt charges

£34.14

CORPORATE SERVICES

£21.09

PUBLIC HEALTH

£14.48

ECONOMY, TRANSPORT AND ENVIRONMENT

£86.96

LOCAL authorities are required to review their business plans annually and set budgets for the coming 12 months. To assist elected Councillors to make the right spending decisions councils have to consult with local residents.

In the past local authority consultations have concentrated on finding out what council tax payers want public money spent on rather than what local businesses need to help them grow. This year Cambridgeshire County Council is making a real effort to redress this balance and is actively seeking the views of SMEs from across Cambridgeshire. Consulting the public is not an easy task for local authorities, partly because most people are confused as to which services are provided by the County Council and which are provided by the District Council.

Cambridgeshire County Council’s budget for 2014/15 was £752.7m. Most of this money is spent on schools, social care for older people, children and adults, transport and highways, libraries and public health. However, due to increased demand for services, inflation and cuts in funding from central government Cambridgeshire County Council has to save £149.1m over the next five years, with £30.7m to save next year.

Cambridgeshire County Council wants to develop ‘the local economy for the benefit of all’ and the best way to test whether the local economy feels supported and enabled to grow is to ask businesses what they think. Throughout September representatives from the County’s Research Team have been consulting with Chamber Committees and talking to businesses to find out if you think the Council has its spending priorities right, whether their planned spending will enable your business to thrive and if there is anything else they should be spending money doing that will enable your business to grow.

If you haven’t been consulted and would like to take part you can do so online: www.cambridgeshire.gov.uk/ businessconsultation n n

CONNECTED OCTOBER 2014

9

KNOWLEDGE Because what you know matters too

The trainers – Pauline Heron, Shani Efford-Eliraz, Caroline Robinson and Lynda Hayman

Strengthening leadership skills Due to the success of the 2013 leadership training programme, designed by the Business Women’s Sector, a follow on series has been planned.

The programme will further develop the skills of the business women leaders, with an opportunity to gain guidance and practical steps to strengthen your leadership skills, as well as showing you how to apply these insights to developing other people.

Workshop 1: Maximising the Potential of your Team Thursday 9 October Identifying the behaviours that make or break a team, understanding attitudes, taking a team further.

Workshop 2: Influencing Skills Thursday 6 November Identifying language and behavioural patterns and adapting accordingly and useful tools to take away.

Workshop 3: Public Speaking and Presentation Skills Thursday 27 November Work-based presentation skills which can be applied when presenting to groups of all sizes, ie from teams and boards to seminars and workshops.

10

CONNECTED OCTOBER 2014

The programme has been designed over three sessions, which can be attended as a series or in isolation and a reduced cost is offered when booking all three sessions.

Cost for members is £60.00 (plus VAT) per workshop, or £150.00 (plus VAT) for all three! Further details about the workshops content can be found on the Chamber website or contact Daisy or Helen on 01733 370809. n

About the trainers The Women in Management workshops have been purposely designed by members of the Business Women’s Sector to develop and enhance the leadership skills for Chamber members. Using their own training expertise they have grouped together to deliver a range of leadership skills and techniques.

Introducing Shani Efford-Eliraz (Simply Careers), Lynda Hayman (Blue River Coaching), Pauline Heron (Chartered Management Institute) and Caroline Robinson (Sandler Training). n

KNOWLEDGE

Knowledge Chamber membership provides access to key information, expert advice and legal protection, enabling you to stay informed, legally compliant and free to focus on what you do best - building your business.

employment law autumn updates THE Autumn Collection of employment law updates, hosted by the Chambers’ HR and Recruitment Sector, are being held in Cambridge and Peterborough at the beginning of October.

If you have the responsibility for people, these informative and interactive events will keep you up to date with essential employment law, legislation and other HR concerns.

Topics include: Employment LaW - THE HEADLINES: bringing you the latest key developments in employment law, delivered newsroom style from solicitors Katharine Holliday, Senior Solicitor at Buckles and Deborah Scales, Employment Law Solicitor at Hunt & Coombs. A show not to be missed!

Shared Parental Leave: New rules allowing parents to share leave for the first year after a child is born (or placed in the case of adoption) will come into force next year. This session will offer advice and guidance to provide a good understanding of the new entitlement. Delivered by Claire Berry, Leeds Day. Workplace Pensions Explained: Workplace Pensions are here and will affect every single employer, regardless of staff numbers. This session will take you through auto-enrolment - the what, when and how. Delivered by Tracey Richardson, Rawlinsons.

HOLIDAY PAY HEADACHE: Following recent decisions from the ECJ, how should employers now calculate holiday pay for workers whose salary is made up of commission, overtime payments and other allowances? Do employers now face historic back pay claims from these workers whose holiday pay was calculated on basic pay alone? Delivered by Caroline Banwell, Associate Solicitor, Stone King.

Tax expert urges local landlords to put their house in order LANDLORDS who rent out residential property in Cambridgeshire are being warned by TaxAssist Accountants to put their house in order as they are targeted by HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) in a bid to recover the £500 million it believes is being underpaid each year in the sector.

Val Lloyd, a partner at TaxAssist Accountants, said: “HMRC has begun writing to letting agents, demanding details of rents collected on behalf of landlords for the tax year ended 5 April 2013.

“Some Cambridgeshire landlords may not even realise that they are landlords, or that tax may be due, but that won’t stop them facing hefty fines or even criminal prosecution.

If they come forward now under the Let Property Campaign, they will get the best possible terms to settle any tax and interest owed. If they don’t, HMRC will come down hard.

It is vital local landlords grasp this lifeline to get their own house in order.”

The campaign applies to all residential property landlords, including those with just a single rental, student or holiday letting.

According to the Council of Mortgage Lenders there are now 1.57 million buy-to-let mortgages in the UK, an increase of 120,000 in the past year. HMRC estimates that landlords in residential property could be underpaying up to £500 million in UK tax every year.

TaxAssist Accountants Ely provides tax and accountancy advice and services purely to small businesses across East Cambridgeshire. n

Presentations are kept brief so that delegates can take the opportunity to debate and ask questions, and all Chamber members are invited to attend. Further details are on page 42. n Sponsored by:

CONNECTED OCTOBER 2014

11

GLOBAL REACH

Global Reach

Helping to support International Trade within the Chamber

We’re your gateway to international trade, providing a unique combination of expert knowledge, essential documentation and the business connections needed to capitalise on new market opportunities overseas and succeed in a global marketplace.

gLOBAL NEWS

INTERNATIONAL TRADE TRAINING COURSES Chamber training courses are designed to provide the knowledge to assist with your international trade activities and you will receive detailed notes to takeaway to build up a toolkit of reference information.

Finance Options: Focusing on Letters of Credit Monday 10 November Import: Compliance and Savings Monday 17 November Rules of Origin: Preference and Non-Preference Monday 24 November Full details of all our training courses can be found on the Chamber website but if you’d like any further information please contact Karen Dawson, Events & Training Co-ordinator, on 01223 209808. n

BCC INTERNATIONAL TRADE CONFERENCE: GLOBAL NETWORK, GLOBAL OPPORTUNITIES Taking place at the Brewery in Central London on Thursday 9 October this annual event will bring together some of the UK’s finest exporters, trade associations, business leaders and political figures and provides a platform to discuss the challenges and opportunities of overseas trade.

12

UK exporters believe turnover will increase in the next 12 months The British Chambers of Commerce (BCC) and DHL Express have published new research which looks at the health of the UK’s export market. The BCC/DHL Trade Confidence Index, which measures both UK exporting activity and business confidence of more than 2,300 exporting firms, shows that more than two thirds (70 per cent) believe their turnover will improve in the next 12 months – up 10 per cent on the same time last year.

You can read the full article in the export news section on the Chamber website. n

Cambridgeshire Export Club DATE Tuesday 30 September and Tuesday 28 October TIME 5.00-7.00pm LOCATION The Moller Centre, Cambridge A place to share best practice, learn about relevant international trade support activities and discuss any issues with a group who understand the environment you’re dealing with. n

Explore Export

The event will include: • Keynotes from UK trade champions • Case studies from successful exporters • Market seminars on high-growth economies • Thought leadership panel discussions • Facilitated networking sessions.

DATE Tuesday 11 November TIME 8.30am-4.00pm LOCATION Newmarket Racecourse

Details of all confirmed speakers and agenda for the day can be viewed on the website www.bccexport.co.uk n

Further details at www.exploreexport.ukti.gov.uk/Newmarket n

CONNECTED OCTOBER 2014

This major regional event , organised by UK Trade & Investment, will help to assist companies in developing their international sales.

GLOBAL

Chamber Foreign Exchange saving you money on international payments Cambridgeshire Chambers of Commerce has partnered with exchange experts Moneycorp to provide money-saving foreign exchange to Chamber members. If you have international payment requirements you could make savings every year.

Key Benefits: • Bank beating exchange rates – as much as four per cent better than the banks • Low transfer fees – starting from just £5.00, a substantial saving over the £20.00-£40.00 that banks typically charge • Expert market guidance – professional currency dealers can guide you through the foreign exchange market • Fast online money transfers 24/7 – trade at convenient times with online accounts and live rate information • Safeguarded client funds – authorised and regulated by the FCA to provide payment services and safeguards for client funds in a segregated customer account • Free Assessment of your foreign exchange requirements, to help you pin-point where you could improve your margins • 35 instant currency accounts • S pot contracts, forward contracts and a range of personalised options to suit your business needs.

For more information on how to access this money saving scheme contact the export team on 01223 209803. n

Time for your Export Strategy Review?

- Think Europe If you’re planning to export or increase current export trade start by looking at our old friends in Benelux (Belgium, Netherlands and Luxemburg) together with Germany, Austria and Northern France. These economies may not be booming but they are strong, sophisticated markets and buy British. We sell more to Holland and Belgium together than we do to the USA and Germany is not far behind. The press make too much of ‘Europe in decline’ take out the troubled Mediterranean states and you have a huge rich market on your doorstep with no trade barriers and only the Channel to negotiate.

At Cambridge Airport on Wednesday 19 November the Chambers’ International Sector will offer a tour of ‘Germanic Europe’ with leading speakers from Holland, Belgium and Germany. They will be supported by a culture and language expert from UKTI and EEN (Enterprise Europe Network) who will explain the services they provide to help you develop your business across the EU and access funding.

The Government has the ambition to double Exports by 2020 and is committed to support exporters. Europe will soon return to strong growth with the markets covered here leading that recovery. It takes time to establish any trade initiative so start your programme now to be in the right position to fully benefit from upturn. n Sponsored by:

CONNECTED OCTOBER 2014

13

NEW MEMBERS A round-up of the new members that have joined the Chamber in the past month

Foster Renewable Energies Limited NEW MEMBERS THIS MONTH

www.fre-ltd.co.uk Foster Renewable Energies Limited (FRE) is accredited for the design, supply and install of a range of renewable technologies for homeowners, commercial customers and public bodies across the East of England. Installations include solar panels, heat pumps and anything green!

FRE are also a Green Deal Provider, assessor and installer.

Aston Shaw Ltd Avita Medical Harnessing Creativity I S S Ltd Ignite iPics IQube Business Solutions Megnajet Ltd One Nucleus Royal Cambridge Hotel Signs Express (Peterborough)

Royal Cambridge Hotel www.sjhotels.co.uk/royal-cambridge-hotel-cambridge Located on the edge of the city centre, Royal Cambridge Hotel is your perfect base for exploring the beauty of historic Cambridge.

Within walking distance from the famous colleges such as Kings, Queens, Corpus Christi and Magdalene, it hosts the perfect choice for your cultural short break away.

jorge rodrigues CEO

IQUBE Business Solutions www.iqubesolutions.com IQUBE Business Solutions brings decades of experience to business people in the London and Midlands region. They aim to take your business from where it stands today, to where it needs to be tomorrow. Consult with them for all your business ideas and strategies. They also provide excellent and insightful business skills training.

14

CONNECTED OCTOBER 2014

Would you like to become a Chamber member?

Get in touch today and find out the many benefits. tel: 01223 237414 email: enquiries@cambscci.co.uk

andy stevenson MD

Type&Test

craig symonds Client manager

www.typeandtest.com

Aston Shaw Ltd

Nowadays, learning to type properly is essential for boosting productivity and improving the quality of business communications. Type&Test provides leading-edge interactive online touch-typing training for adults and children, coupled with automated typing tests. Our business ‘Productivity Programme’ is guaranteed to increase typing speed and improve accuracy, leading to huge savings and massive productivity gains.

www.astonshaw.co.uk We are independent chartered certified accountants, registered auditors, tax and business advisors. With five offices across East Anglia and a team of over 70 people, they have been trusted and recommended by our clients since 1969.

BUILDING BUSINESS CONFIDENCE IN YOUR AREA

5% STAMFORD

Fenland 4%

✓ Promote Your Business Ely 4%

30% peterborough

✓ Protect Your Company ✓ Get Involved ✓ Succeed Internationally ✓ Reduce Business Costs

15% Huntingdonshire Cambridge & South Cambs 35%

7% Other 01223 237414

www.cambridgeshirechamber.co.uk CONNECTED OCTOBER 2014

15

SMART MONEY FOR BRIGHT BUSINESSES Our ÂŁ5.24 million scheme is now open to SMEs and start-ups within or serving the medical technology, assisted living and telehealth sectors.

See if you qualify for a package of free support and even a cash grant to take your business idea further, faster.

Just call us on: 0845 196 4205 Find out more at: medtechcampus.com Delivered across the East of England by:

ELY CHAMBER NEWS A round-up of news and events from across Ely

Do you have some exciting news to shout about that you would like featured in these pages? Get in touch. tel: 01223 237414 email: s.parr@cambscci.co.uk

Ely Chamber of Commerce

David bryan, tammy driver and steve copeland

Ely committee members in awards final xanthos md Olga Travlos

Xanthos redesign customer website and see increase to conversions by 48% Following a rigorous selection process Xanthos, specialists in ecommerce, were chosen for the redesign and redevelopment of Normans Musical Instruments website, a specialist supplier of musical instruments and accessories.

Xanthos were selected because of the company’s proven track record as well as its outstanding reputation for designing high quality ecommerce websites that increase conversion rates.

The site now receives a significant amount of traffic and the ecommerce platform’s high-performance architecture has been designed to cope with the high volume of visitors the site attracts each day.

Gareth Haines, Managing Director of Normans Musical Instruments, said: “We have a great working relationship with Xanthos. The combination of their ‘can do’ attitude, technical expertise and understanding of the commercial environment makes for great development and support.

“When the new site went live we saw an instant increase in conversion rates and traffic has continued to increase month on month.” n

The Ely Chamber Committee is proud that three members made the finals of the Ely Standard Business Award for 2014. David Bryan from TaxAssist accountants entered New Business of the Year award, along with Tammy Driver from Breeze Technology, while Steve Copeland from Labour-tech entered the Small Business of the Year award.

David Bryan from TaxAssist Accountants in Ely said: “Entering the awards reminded us what we have achieved in a short period of time; it is good to step back occasionally and reflect on progress made. We look forward to sharing a fabulous evening with other businesses from Ely.” n

Interactive timeline

celebrates 40 years of innovation Precision sensor and instrumentation manufacturer, Michell Instruments, is celebrating 40 years of business this year. Michell is very much part of the ‘Cambridge phenomenon’ of scientific and engineering companies that started life in the city. From humble beginnings in a small building with a handful of employees, Michell has grown to become one of the largest high-tech manufacturers in the region, with over 90 per cent of its output exported.

To mark the key points in its history and to track its growth over the last 40 years, Michell has created an interactive timeline on its website at www.michell.com/timeline.

The timeline highlights some interesting facts about Michell’s pioneering work in the field of moisture measurement. For example, back in 1980, Michell worked with the NPL to create the UK’s first humidity transfer standard, and Michell’s calibration laboratory was the first in the world to have accreditation for humidity calibrations. They were also first to introduce a two-wire dew-point transmitter: an innovation that transformed moisture sensing by allowing online measurements in the field with simple transmission of data back to a control room. n

CONNECTED OCTOBER 2014

17

FENLAND CHAMBER NEWS

Do you have some exciting news to shout about that you would like featured in these pages? Get in touch. tel: 01223 237414 email: s.parr@cambscci.co.uk

A round-up of news and events from across Fenland

Fenland Chamber of Commerce

New beginnings at Parson Drove The unveiling of an archaeological plaque by the local parish council, marked the handover of a new Foster development to local residents.

Local councillor Gavin Booth along with

IN BRIEF OCTOBER 2014 Finalists announced in the Fenland Business Awards The entries are in and the shortlist made for the 2014 Fenland Enterprise Business Awards.

The awards have generated some great entries from companies in the Fenland area. Two Chamber members have been shortlisted: • Andy Hubble – R J Herbert Enginnering for Business Person of the Year • CUB for Medium Business of the Year.

The awards ceremony takes place on Friday 10 October.

parson drove development

Do you really know

HOW SAFE your electrics are?

representatives from both Foster and Circle Housing Roddons and residents gathered for the unveiling of an archaeological plaque at John Peck Close, Parson Drove.

With most of the properties now occupied, Matt Drew, Contract Manager at Foster, who attended the opening explained: “The project was our first fully fledged venture into the new build sector. It has brought together a team of dedicated professionals with one purpose in mind; to deliver a high quality product for our client using the best cost efficiencies while maintaining standards that fit in sympathetically with the local surroundings.

“With the upturn in the new build industry we see a bright future ahead for the division.” n

Blooming good results with herbert grader Herbert Engineering supply graders to farmers and packers throughout the world and recently reveived an order fror a grader from O A Taylor & Sons (Bulbs) Ltd of Holbeach, a suppliers of bulbs.

With over 3,000 tonnes of bulbs passing through their yard and a very short season for daffodil bulbs, Taylors were in need of a high performance, quick and reliable grading system for removing soil and debris from the crop, prior to hand picking from an inspection table.

Kevin Haynes, from Taylor’s, said: “Before Herbert installed our new grader, volumes for a productive season would be 700 tonnes. Now during the six week window, in excess of 3,000 is possible. With great back up service and low maintenance too, this is an impressive result for us.” n

MS Electrical specialise in:

PAT Testing We provide a programme of Portable Appliance Testing to meet the recommended guidelines.

Emergency lighting testing We provide inspection on compliance with current regulations.

Fire alarm testing We inspect, test and maintain fire alarm systems.

Fixed installation testing We offer full electrical installation condition reporting and initial verification.

We are a local electrical safety testing and installation company operating with over 20 years experience. Contact us today for a FREE no obligation estimate.

01353 665 106

www.mselectricalservices.com

bulb processing increased with the new grader

18

CONNECTED OCTOBER 2014

HUNTINGDONSHIRE CHAMBER NEWS A round-up of news and events from across Huntingdonshire

Do you have some exciting news to shout about that you would like featured in these pages? Get in touch. tel: 01223 237414 email: s.parr@cambscci.co.uk

West Anglia Training Association goes electric

wata staff with the mayor of huntingdon

Staff at West Anglia Training Association (WATA) had the chance to try out two electric bikes after the company took advantage of an innovative scheme from Travel for Cambridgeshire Partnership where organisations borrow the bikes for a six week period.

The bikes will be used by staff for business trips and to give cycle commuting a spin. The loan is part of WATA’s ongoing commitment to its Green Travel and the Health and Wellbeing programme for its staff.

The bikes were handed over to the charity’s Chief Executive Nigel Donohue

by the Mayor of Huntingdon, Councillor Bill Hensley and Christiane Lea from Travel for Cambridgeshire Partnership.

Nigel Donohue said: “It is really good for our staff to have the opportunity to trial these bikes and for those who perhaps have not cycled for a number of years to experience the benefits to their health, the environment and savings on fuel costs. The bikes will be used to encourage staff to try cycling and to help promote our commitment to green travel.”

The Mayor said: “It’s good to see enthusiastic people prepared to try healthy and sustainable ways to travel.” n

Cambridge Sensotec secures major export contract Cambridge Sensotec Ltd is proud to announce the signing of a major contract to supply their Rapidox brand of oxygen gas analysers to Heller Industries Inc, the world’s leading solder reflow oven manufacturer based in the USA. With the business partnership now formalised between the two companies, Cambridge Sensotec is embarking on rapid expansion plans this year at its premises in St Ives. An extra floor has been added for offices and factory space as well as the recruitment of additional production staff in order to facilitate the

growing demand for the company’s Rapidox gas analysis products.

Mark Swetnam, Managing Director at Cambridge Sensotec, commented: “We are delighted to win this very substantial order from Heller Industries and we are very pleased to have been successful in providing a bespoke solution in our specialised Rapidox oxygen gas analysers to a leading international company. As Cambridge Sensotec products are manufactured here at our factory in St. Ives, the export contract will not only benefit the company but will also contribute towards the local economy.” n

Huntingdonshire Chamber of Commerce

IN BRIEF OCTOBER 2014 Beacon achieves European status Beacon Wealth Management has achieved Discretionary Status for Investment Management. The criteria is extremely stringent and only a handful of IFA practices in the country are awarded this status. The status, with the clients written agreement, allows the Investment team to switch funds instantly to make the most of changes in the market, offering increased efficiency by reducing the administration workload.

Beacon’s most recent achievement means they are now supported

by MIFID – Markets In Financial Instruments Directive. This results in being able to offer services to individuals in other EU member states and satisfy the needs of clients that have moved to other EU countries.

Beacon’s Managing Director Tony Larkins commented: “Now we have been granted MIFID status we can offer advice to clients in EU countries.

We can therefore meet the demands of those retiring abroad and overseas forces.”

Luminus opens 14 new affordable homes Luminus celebrated the official opening of 14 new homes at Nightingale Mews, Primrose Lane in Huntingdon.

With 2,200 households currently on the Huntingdonshire District Council’s waiting lists, there is a great need for affordable housing and Luminus is demonstrating its commitment to helping to meet this need with the completion of these 14 new properties.

The event gave those attending the opportunity to take a tour of the new homes and also hear about how Luminus is fulfilling Huntingdonshire’s housing aspirations.

CONNECTED OCTOBER 2014

19

STAMFORD CHAMBER NEWS A round-up of news and events from across Stamford

STUDENTS at New College Stamford Are Once Again Celebrating Top A Level Grades

Chattertons support local cricketer hoping to leave New Zealand stumped Lincolnshire cricketer, India Freeman is embarking on the journey of a lifetime this October. Chattertons Solicitors are proud to support this journey which India hopes is the beginning of her road to becoming part of the England Women’s Cricket Team.

Sixteen year old India has been selected to represent England as part of the under 20 girls team at the Indoor Cricket World Cup which will take place in New Zealand. Having taken up cricket only four years ago India is now focusing on a career in the sport and trains vigorously to follow her dreams.

Flying out to Wellington, New Zealand on 10 October Chattertons would like to wish India and the rest of her team the best of luck and hope to see her continue her journey to the top of the cricketing world. n

20

CONNECTED OCTOBER 2014

Do you have some exciting news to shout about that you would like featured in these pages? Get in touch. tel: 01223 237414 email: s.parr@cambscci.co.uk

Ely Chamber of Commerce

Students celebrate top A Level grades STUDENTS and staff at New College Stamford are once again celebrating success as this years A Level results day showed a 97 per cent achievement rate, an even further improvement on last year’s statistics.

Nearly 300 students collected results alongside proud parents and friends, providing a truly electric atmosphere of ear-to-ear smiles and jubilant celebrations.

In particular, the College are celebrating an increase in high grades with several ecstatic students achieving A* and A grades. One of which was Maths, Physics and Music student Charles Pell who achieved top grades of A*, A*, A* and a place at Cambridge University to study Music.

Brilliant grades such as these, and the College’s reputation for excellence, has seen the number of students applying to study A Levels at the high achieving College increase in recent years.

April Carrol, Principal of New College Stamford, said: “We have an excellent reputation for achievement at New College Stamford, which is reflected in the increase in applications we see year on year. Our achievement grows alongside our student numbers and we are proud to continue offering the choice and variety of courses that attracts more and more students every year.” n

Demand for property in Stamford is high jONATHAN O’Shea of King West reports that demand is exceeding supply for good property in Stamford. “Prices are back to an in excess of 2007 peak values in some instances by as much as 20 per cent.”

At the end of August an open house event at a million pound property on Tinwell Road attracted over 20 viewings in an hour.

Jonathan commented: “To have 22 people through the door of a house in August was like the good old days – whilst I don’t profess the market is ‘mended’ Stamford remains popular and good houses sell quickly, sometimes without even coming to the market.” n

stukeley house, stamford recently sold for £1,950,000

CAMBRIDGESHIRE CHAMBER NEWS A round-up of news and events from across Cambridgeshire

Do you have some exciting news to shout about that you would like featured in these pages? Get in touch. tel: 01223 237414 email: s.parr@cambscci.co.uk

Stansted traffic up by one million passengers

The peak summer season got off to a flying start at Stansted Airport as more than 1.9 million passengers travelled through the terminal in July 2014, up 12.2 per cent on the same month last year and the busiest monthly total since August 2011.

Traffic levels over the last 12 months were boosted by an extra one million passengers to 18.7 million, the highest annual figure since November 2010 and an increase of 5.6 per cent over the previous year.

Airline growth deals, new route launches and increased frequencies on popular connections have all played their part to boost passenger numbers which have continued to rise at an average of eight per cent a month since the start of the year with that trend set to continue.

Commenting on the July 2014 traffic figures, Managing Director Andrew Harrison said: “When MAG acquired Stansted Airport 18 months ago it set out to return the airport to growth and make it the best airport in London. I’m delighted to see that growth potential become a reality with the airport now serving a million more passengers than it did a year ago and monthly passenger numbers increasing to give us our busiest single month for nearly three years.” n

New website for Agile Office Systems To celebrate their second birthday, Agile Office Systems have launched a new website giving them a strong platform to take on more avenues for marketing their services and products. n

WANT TO HELP TRANSFORM YOUR COMMUNITY? Become a Trustee of YMCA Cambridgeshire & Peterborough The organisation has exciting ambitions identified in a new Corporate Plan and is building momentum to impact more lives in deeper ways.

We currently have an extensive portfolio of community work with projects focussing on Housing, Youth Work, Health & Fitness, Counselling, Volunteer programmes and work with ex-offenders.

We require Trustees with vision, passion and dedication to developing inspired communities and who will provide a strong, visible commitment to the organisation. We are interested in candidates with confidence, sound judgement and empathy with our vision and values. Experience of Finance & Financial Planning, Early Years & Childcare or Marketing & PR is particularly sought at this time.

For more information and/or the application pack please contact Anisa Sanghar – anisa.sanghar@theYMCA.org.uk or 01733 373180.

CONNECTED OCTOBER 2014

21

OUT&ABOUT Enjoy our monthly montage of events and happenings across the local area with this colourful round-up of events

Make sure you send us your photos each month and we’ll include the best of the bunch! Email images straight to the creative team: connected@methodcreative.co.uk

Mayor event raises money for EACH Over £900 was raised for EACH through the Mayor of Ely holding a tea, coffee and cake fundraiser which included a contribution from Sylhet Restaurant where all staff made a donation from their wages.

great method bake off!

There were fireworks (literally) in the Method office for the third round of the Great Method Bake Off. Sophie’s chocolate brownies topped with an indoor rocket came second to, Star Baker, Michelle’s 3 tier strawberry sensation. Unfortunately we say goodbye to Charlotte as her chocolate lion failed to be a roaring success.

Chairman’s challenges for Shine The Rawlinsons Dales Destroyer team took part in a challenge for Shine as part of Richard Astle’s year of Chairman’s Challenges. The team consisted of Rawlinson partners Mark Jackson, Colin Crowley, Chris Collier and accountant Matt Holmes.

22

CONNECTED OCTOBER 2014

OUT & ABOUT

AOS support charity at family fete Security company, AOS, supported the Royal National Institute of Blind People (RNIB) at its recent Summer Family Fete. AOS provided a fun stall for the children, providing each child with an opportunity to fish for all the ducks in the pond to win a prize.

CWA celebrate best ever A-level results CWA’s A2 (full A-level) courses had a pass rate of 100 per cent.

JANUARYS MAKE A SPLASH Kerrie McCarthy gets an ice cold dousing, in aid of the Motor Nurone Disease Association, by taking part in the ice bucket challenge In a bid to raise ÂŁ5000 from Cambridge Businesses.

CONNECTED OCTOBER 2014

23

CAMBRIDGE & SOUTH CAMBS CHAMBER NEWS A round-up of news and events Stamford from across Cambridge & South Cambs

alison taylor

Let us remedy your recruitment needs Whatever challenges you face, we can make the recruitment process easier, allowing you to focus your energy on growing your business.

Founded more than 30 years ago, we understand the needs of both growing and established companies. Our attentive and personal approach gives us a distinct advantage as an independent agency.

Trust us to be your recruitment partner.

Call us today on: 01223 350234 Or email: jobs@annpettengell.co.uk

Do you have some exciting news to shout about that you would like featured in these pages? Get in touch. tel: 01223 237414 email: s.parr@cambscci.co.uk

Conscious Communications MD joins Sustainability East Board Sustainability East has confirmed its commitment to partnering with the commercial sector and strengthened its team with the appointment of Alison Taylor, Managing Director of Conscious Communications, to its Board.

Operating as a social enterprise, Sustainability East supports public, private and third sector organisations in addressing the challenges and capitalising on the opportunities of climate change and sustainability.

For the past 15 years, the team has been a dynamic driving force behind the East of England’s sustainability agenda.

Alison Taylor commented: “The work of Sustainability East is truly inspiring and the energy and drive that the team demonstrates in all that it does is quite humbling. There are many networks and groups that do a lot of talking about sustainability and climate change but none that I have come across that have a focus on and commitment to delivering real results in the way that Sustainability East does. I’m very proud to be involved and look forward to working in collaboration with major companies across the East of England to make our region a showcase of sustainable development from which all stakeholders benefit.” n

A ROARING amount raised for The Prince’s Trust THE first ever Cambridge Roar has been hailed a success raising a huge £5,000 for the exceptional work of The Prince’s Trust.

The exciting new concept delivered by Roar Chairman Tony Murdock brought six days of diverse entertainment to Cambridge.

Tony had only praise for everyone involved, he said: “I would like to extend a massive thank you to the headline sponsors Cambridge Porsche Centre and Lancaster Lexus, everyone who attended and supported the events and of course the dedicated Roar Team at Quy Mill Hotel & Spa. I am delighted to have organised such a memorable occasion and to have raised significant funds for The Prince’s Trust. There is plenty for us to build on for 2015!” n

annpettengell.co.uk

£5,000 raised for the prince’s trust

24 2

CONNECTED OCTOBER 2014

Cambridge & South Cambs Chamber of Commerce

CAMBRIDGE & SOUTH CAMBS CHAMBER NEWS

JCI Cambridge gets barenaked in the Dragons’ Den YOUNG professionals at Cambridge business networking group, JCI Cambridge, enjoyed an inspirational and engaging talk from Dragons’ Den winner, Ross Mendham, Managing Director of Barenaked Foods, as part of the their motivational speakers programme.

ross mendham at the jci cambridge event

Ross talked to JCI Cambridge about how he established the Barenaked Foods brand, his experience on Dragons’ Den and future plans for the company. He also gave practical advice to would-be entrepreneurs via a questions and answer session. n

IN BRIEF OCTOBER 2014 Januarys make an ice cold splash for MND Januarys braved the Ice Bucket Challenge in a bid for Cambridge businesses to raise £5,000 for local people affected by Motor Neurone Disease (MND).

Kerrie McCarthy, client account manager at Januarys, took up the ice-cold challenge and was doused by Simon Crooke of the MND Association Cambridgeshire branch. Simon said: “We currently help 68 people with MND. This terminal disease affects most people very quickly, removing their ability to move, eat, speak and swallow. The money raised will go towards equipment, home alterations and counselling.”

We know what works well together Connecting businesses and commercial property

CONNECTED OCTOBER 2014

25 3

CAMBRIDGE & SOUTH CAMBS CHAMBER NEWS A round-up of news and events Stamford from across Cambridge & South Cambs

Do you have some exciting news to shout about that you would like featured in these pages? Get in touch. tel: 01223 237414 email: s.parr@cambscci.co.uk

Cambridge & South Cambs Chamber of Commerce

IN BRIEF OCTOBER 2014 REDBACK launches two new websites for IFF The World Perfumery Congress 2014 saw the launch of two new websites for IFF. The global flavours and fragrances company asked Redback to create new sites for Fragrance Ingredients and Naturals. Dealing with marketing teams in the Netherlands and Paris, Redback designed two new sites that are content managed and built responsively for optimised mobile viewing.

FRANKEL becomes EACH Ambassador Frankel, ‘the world’s highest rated racehorse’ has been awarded the accolade of EACH Ambassador in recognition of the funds and awareness he’s generated for the charity.

EACH was chosen as the beneficiary charity of sales of Frankel merchandise in 2012 and the charity partnership has grown from strength to strength.

Karen Newton, EACH Fundraiser, said: “We look forward to continuing the relationship to raise even more valuable funds and awareness for local life-threatened children, young people and their families.”

DAVID FIDDY JOINS ASTON SHAW Aston Shaw have welcomed David Fiddy to work on a consultancy basis to the firm’s specialist VAT division. With over 35 years of experience with both HMRC and as a tax manager for one of East Anglia’s leading accountancy firms, David is keen to offer his support and expertise to both Aston Shaw’s clients and the young, upcoming apprentices within the firm.

26

CONNECTED OCTOBER 2014

downing College achieves Gold Award in Green Tourism Business Scheme

Downing College achieves Gold Award Downing College Cambridge has been given a Gold Award for its outstanding performance as a Green Tourism site for conference business.

During the accreditation assessment grading, the College was scored across 10 different categories to judge its green credentials - from the use of environmentallyfriendly paper, cleaning products and toiletries to the provision of gardens with trees and plants to encourage wildlife and insects.

Jacqui Cressey, Conference Services Manager commented: “We are thrilled to have achieved a Gold Award for our green performance to date and are looking forward to strengthening our commitment going forward. Membership of the Green Tourism Business Scheme will be an important selling point for our conferences and events business. However achieving this accolade doesn’t mean we can rest on our laurels – we already have plans in place to look at other areas where we can improve further.” n

Milton Hall Cambridge celebrates first anniversary over 190 tenants and guests gathered on the lawns of Milton Hall Cambridge in July, to celebrate the company’s first year in business. Organised by the team at Milton Hall the party was the ideal opportunity to thank clients for their support and importantly support their nominated charity for the evening, EACH. Businesses associated with Milton Hall donated raffle prizes with £385 being raised for EACH, which was then matched

by Milton Hall to give a grand total of £770.

Tony Cheeseman of Milton Hall commented: “We are delighted that so many of our tenants and their families joined us to celebrate our first year at Milton Hall.” n

milton hall cambridge

PETERBOROUGH CHAMBER NEWS A round-up of news and events from across Peterborough

Do you have some exciting news to shout about that you would like featured in these pages? Get in touch. tel: 01223 237414 email: s.parr@cambscci.co.uk

Peterborough Chamber of Commerce

AOS launch community programme lOCAL security services company AOS recently launched its community programme by inviting children from Ken Stimpson Community School to the home of one of their Directors for a day of fun, fishing and boating.

Darren Read, Managing Director of AOS, said: “It has been a rewarding day for us all and it has been a real pleasure to give back to our local community. We are delighted to give our time to help local school children learn new skills and have fun in the process.” n

company commercial department

Buckles attracts Notts corporate lawyer

ken simpson students enjoy fishing

Law firm Buckles Solicitors’ ambitious plans for growth continue at pace as the firm recruits another Senior Associate to join its team.

Specialist corporate lawyer Chris Faulkner brings extensive expertise in the SME market which he will now use to focus on legal support for SMEs across Greater Peterborough.

“I’ve joined Buckles because I can see this is an energetic and dynamic firm that works hard for its clients,” said Chris. “It’s about taking the time to get to know and understand clients and to ultimately earn your position as a trusted advisor in whom clients have complete confidence.” n

NEW OWNER AT SIGNS EXPRESS sIGNS Express Peterborough has recently changed hands with Michael Tame taking ownership in June 2014.

“This is a business with the capacity to grow strongly into the future given the vibrancy of the local economy and the strength and quality of my team” said Michael, who previously worked in management in the printing industry.

“Signage remains a very relevant part of the marketing mix and we are well placed to step in and assist with the design, creation and fitting of any signage project, large or small.

“Our vehicle graphics division is going from strength to strength as we continue to produce some of the most eye catching quality work in the area.” n

CONNECTED OCTOBER 2014

27 3

PETERBOROUGH CHAMBER NEWS A round-up of news and events from across Peterborough

IN BRIEF OCTOBER 2014 LARKFLEET win international business award Larkfleet Group has won a silver award in the International Business Awards.

These awards are the world’s only international, all-encompassing business awards programme. The awards attract nominations from organisations in more than 50 nations and territories each year.

Larkfleet’s entry focused on the company’s continued success in providing energy-efficient and sustainable homes and its investment in renewable generation technologies.

Karl Hick, Larkfleet Group CEO, commented: “I am proud that Larkfleet Group won a silver accolade as the competition was extremely tough and recognises the hard work of so many Larkfleet employees.”

DSM Continuity support smooth office relocation for Peterborough charity DSM Continuity provided a perfect solution for Peterborough charity Action on Hearing Loss (AoHL) by keeping their call centre operations up and running while relocating to new premises.

DSM Continuity hosted the annual AoHL exercise at their recovery facility while the physical move and systems transfer were going on. Call centre staff were able to maintain business as usual so that customers were provided with the excellent service they have come to expect from AoHL and were completely unaware of the relocation project.

Penny Jackson, Call Centre Manager for AoHL, said “Our staff very quickly settled into our allocated suite at DSM. We were able to carry out all tasks as usual and the overall experience was ideal with no impact on our customers from the upheaval of the office move.”

28

CONNECTED OCTOBER 2014

Do you have some exciting news to shout about that you would like featured in these pages? Get in touch. tel: 01223 237414 email: s.parr@cambscci.co.uk

Peterborough Chamber of Commerce

Appointment brings agricultural expertise to local law firm JOY Plummer joined Hegarty Solicitors’ commercial property department on 1 September, where she specialises in commercial property related matters including buying and selling properties, negotiating agreements, landlord and tenant matters and land law.

Joy qualified as a solicitor in 1996 after completing her Articles at Roythornes. With two years’ subsequently at Eversheds and seven years at Buckles Joy has both regional and local experience and contacts.

As a Fellow of the Agricultural Law Association (ALA), a member of the Country Land and Business Association (CLA) and the National Farmers’ Union (NFU) Joy brings a particular expertise in rural land and property related matters.

Joy commented: “I am thrilled to be given this opportunity to further my career and trust that the skills I bring to the firm will enhance the services already offered.” n

JOY PLUMMER

Creative Networking takes on ice bucket challenge ON 28 August the Creative Networking group were nominated to take on the ALS Ice Bucket Challenge. Hazel, Director of Creative Content Company, who is never one to shy away from a challenge took it head on.

Each attendee donated money to charity in exchange for a bucket of water which attendees then took turns to pour over Hazels’ head.

The video was shared on social media platforms where viewers were also encouraged to donate money to charity. So far the ALS Ice Bucket Challenge has raised over $88million and the Creative Content Company with Creative Networking group are pleased to have been involved in such a worthwhile cause. n

hazel cottrell

PETERBOROUGH CHAMBER NEWS

Local BMX rider becomes a British Champion! paul ‘Ginge’ Maidment from Peterborough has become the 45+ Cruiser BMX British No 1 after a nail biting final in Kent on the 24 August. After racing for over 30 years Paul has reached the pinnacle of his career by becoming the British Champion.

After spending most of his life working in the fashion industry, Paul began working at local bike shop GreenWheel Cycles in 2012 to indulge in his love of all things cycling further.

Speaking after his fantastic win, Paul said: “All the practice, the hard work and training has finally paid off. I’m looking forward to defending my title next year and attending The World Championships in Belgium. I’m excited to represent my country as the British Champion.” n

Roythornes Solicitors growth continues Roythornes Solicitors has announced the appointment of two new Partners and an Associate as part of their continuing growth.

The two new partners are Edd Johnson and Sam Elkin. Edd joined Roythornes in 2006 and is part of the firm’s commercial property team. He has particular expertise in the renewable energy sector advising on large scale solar and other renewable projects for both landowners and developers. He also brings property expertise to the growing Food and Minerals teams.

Sam Elkin is Roythornes’ Financial Controller. He joined in 2007 and is responsible for the financial management of the firm including budgets, cash flow and financial strategy.

The new Associate is Alex Keenan who joined Roythornes in 2008 as a trainee and qualified as a solicitor in 2010. He now works in the firm’s large private client team specialising in capital tax planning for clients in the agricultural and food sectors. n

paul maidment with his trophy and number plate

Peterborough Arena - your local easily accessible venue for all of your business events Peterborough Arena ticks all the boxes – whether you are hosting a business seminar, company conference or large-scale exhibition.

 Choice of 7 indoor suites including the main exhibition hall

 Full on-site support from a dedicated event supervising team

 Excellent in-house catering  Ample free parking  Free WiFi

NEW Associate Alex Keenan and new partners Edd Johnson and Sam Elkin.

Peterborough Arena, East of England Showground, Peterborough PE2 6XE

Call 01733 363500 or visit: www.peterborougharena.com

CONNECTED OCTOBER 2014

29 3

Coding, marking and labelling for consumer conďŹ dence For foods, drinks and medicines, Domino’s world class technology produces the codes that guarantee safe, genuine products.

www.domino-printing.com

LEP FOCUS Keeping you informed and up to date with the LEP

BUSINESS SKILLS IN THE SPOTLIGHT Businesses are being urged to get involved with a new initiative designed to address local skills issues and support economic growth.

The Skills Service has been launched to provide a co-ordinated approach between businesses, education and training providers in Peterborough, Fenland, Rutland, King’s Lynn and West Norfolk.

Responding to local business needs identified through the work of the Greater Cambridge Greater Peterborough Enterprise Partnership (LEP) and the proven results of the Peterborough Skills Service, the LEP is funding this ground-breaking project.

Mark Reeve, Chairman of the LEP, said: “One of our key areas of focus at the LEP is the delivery of skills that meet the needs of our business community. By funding The Skills Service we are delivering on our commitment to strengthen the links between businesses, education, and training providers, by putting skills delivery at the heart of our work.”

A new team has been recruited to co-ordinate activities between businesses and organisations that can access young people in order to raise their aspirations

and increase their awareness of local career opportunities. The team will also work with businesses to help link them to training for their staff, provide workshops on the benefits of a highly skills team to the bottom line, and promote apprenticeships.

As one of its first projects, The Skills Service delivered the second annual Careers Festival on Peterborough Embankment, which attracted around 130 businesses and 2,500 young people.

Sue Addison, Project Manager for The Skills Service, said: “We’re really excited about the opportunities the new funding will bring and look forward to helping businesses to grow with a more highly skilled workforce.”

To find out more or to get involved email info@theskillsservice.co.uk, call 01733 317441 or contact us on Twitter @UK_Skills. n

AN INSIGHT INTO SKILLS You can find out more about the work the LEP is doing to support the skills agenda, including the results of our Skills Survey, by visiting www.gcgp.co.uk/how-can-we-help/skills

CONNECTED OCTOBER 2014

31 3

REPORT FROM IAN MACKELLAR The future of interest rates

32

CONNECTED OCTOBER 2014

REPORT FROM IAN MACKELLAR

Interest Rates

Employment in Cambridgeshire survived the war largely intact – but can it survive the peace?

Private sector employment across the county held up surprisingly well during the recession, even if the workforce in parts of the public sector has been more than decimated.

What seems to have happened is that many SMEs, with no concept at the time of how deep or long the downturn would be, held on to skilled employees against the day when they could rebuild their order books.

And it is testament to the nature of much of the county’s business that recession did not bite deeply in high-skill sectors, which have been able to hit the ground of recovery running – and in some cases at a sprint.

The public sector is another matter, of course, with so many jobs being lost that either the work did not need doing in the first place, or we now live in an area so lacking in vital public services as to be able to hold up its head in the Third World (depending on your view of life).

borrowing costs, prompted to some degree by foreigners (non-EU nationals, UKIP please note) buying British homes.

The consensus now seems to be that the Monetary Policy Committee will start to put upward pressure on rates in the first quarter of 2015, but probably not by much in the

And Greater Peterborough has been one of the growth stories of the past six or seven years. There are some factors that provide an element of comfort in the medium term, so I don’t think [a rise in base rates] will be a disaster. Provided they stay below the three, four or five per cent levels, I don’t think it will have much of an impact.”

Nevertheless, there could be a short-term effect – “more a matter of confidence than affordability.”

But how do the lenders see it? In much the same way, as it turns out. Mike Kirsopp, Chief Operating Officer of the Cambridge and Counties Bank, which specialises in lending to SMEs, says the likelihood of a modest rise in rates has already been factored into the bank’s business. Some clients have taken fixed rates, others expect borrowing costs to rise.

“What we encourage clients to do is consider affordability if rates do rise, as we have always expected in the medium term.

Some fixed rates already have a rise in base rates built in. It’s rare for SMEs not to plan to meet interest rises,” he says. “But the quicker and shallower the rise the better.”

And any rise is unlikely to impact on investment decisions, where firms allow generous headroom to accommodate such changes.

Consumers, too, have largely discounted the prospect of a rate rise, he believes. “I’m confident that people have had forewarning, and I remain confident that SMEs can deal with it. It’s not my view that it’s going to slow the recovery dramatically. “I remain bullish – we have positive growth still to come.”

What will be interesting will be to see to what extent, with a General Election looming, the Bank of England really is independent of the Chancellor. We shall soon find out. n

There will be an upward pressure on interest rates in the first quarter of 2015

Low interest rates helped the economy There is little question that the nation’s economy has been helped to survive, at least in part, by a combination of low interest rates and ‘quantitative easing’ (we used to call it devaluation). But so, too, has the housing market in London and elsewhere in the South-East – most notably Cambridge – where house price inflation has reached a level that needs to be choked off by an increase in interest rates.

That is in itself a bit of an irony because across the piece recovery still looks pretty fragile and could be damaged by increased

short term – perhaps pushing the Bank’s base rate in the short term only 0.25 or 0.5 per cent above the current 0.5 per cent.

Nonetheless, any increase in the cost of borrowing risks putting pressure on jobs in a sort of pincer movement, believes Tony Larkins, Managing Director of Kimboltonbased Beacon Wealth Management.

On the one hand, employees with more costly mortgages will look to their employers to help bridge the gap through potentiallyinflationary pay rises. On the other, employers facing increasing overdraft costs may look to the payroll, where their costs are controllable, to fund the difference.

“You can see a scenario in which people will start to lose their jobs,” Mr Larkins says, but he believes any rate rise will be modest.

“Rates in the whole of the modern world are low, even in places like Greece where the economy is in default.”

David Gill, Managing Director of St John’s Innovation Centre in Cambridge and a board member of the Greater Cambridge Greater Peterborough Enterprise Partnership, agrees that the recession bucked the trend of previous downturns in that national unemployment did not take off.

“Around Greater Cambridge there has been such demand for skilled labour and support labour that it has provided a cushion.

CONNECTED OCTOBER 2014

33

We help ambitious brands come to life and engage on a deeper level. We'd love to share ideas with you. @method_creative • 01223 781220 • methodcreative.co.uk

CHAMBER CHARITY OF THE YEAR This years charity ofthe year is Peterborough Cathedral

Peterborough 900 Any donation for upkeep of walls will be doubled What an incentive! Anything you or your company donate towards the preservation of Peterborough Cathedral’s ancient Precinct and Cloister walls will be doubled, thanks to a Heritage Lottery Catalyst Endowment Award.

Peterborough Cathedral is one of only 13 organisations to receive such an award. It means that up to £500,000 is available to match, £1 for £1, any donations given towards the preservation of the walls between now and June 2017.

For more than a thousand years the Cathedral’s Precinct and Cloister walls have been silent witnesses to its life and times. Part of the West Cloister wall is thought to date from the 11th century and to be the oldest wall standing in Peterborough. It formed part of the Cloister walkway, which was almost destroyed by Oliver Cromwell’s men when they sacked the Cathedral, in 1643, during the English Civil War. The damage caused was so severe that part of the Cloister had to be taken down, leaving only the outer walls.

The Precinct walls in the Cathedral grounds are, in many cases, Scheduled Ancient Monuments and listed Grade I or Grade II. Please help the Cathedral to take full advantage of this time limited offer. The £500,000 we raise, matched by the Heritage Lottery Catalyst Endowment Award, will result in a £1,000,000 fund. This will be permanently invested to yield an income in the region of £60,000 per annum – forever - to pay for the preservation of the Precinct walls both now and in future generations.

To find out more about making a one-off donation or joining the Corporate Partnership scheme, please contact us. n

sPOTLIGHT ON HISTORY On a pillar in the Cathedral nave is a plaque commemorating Edith Cavell. She was a British nurse who was executed in Brussels by the Germans in October 1915 for helping Allied soldiers to escape into Holland.

Edith Cavell was a former pupil teacher at Laurel Court School in the Cathedral Precincts. It was here that she learnt the French language, which eventually led her to a post in Brussels where she set up a pioneering training centre for nurses. n

Your logo on our Calendar—it’s a gift!

With the help of Corporate Partners, PPS Print, the Cathedral has published a 2015 calendar with some beautiful photographs of this historic building.

The calendar can be customised with company logos and contact details, making it the ideal Christmas gift for clients. The proceeds from sales go towards the Peterborough 900 Campaign. For details contact PPS Print on 01733 349881. n

cONTACT US James Dyer: Peterborough 900 Campaign Manager Rachael Clarke: S enior Development Manager Contact us: 01733 355315 campaign@peterborough-cathedral.org.uk Visit: www.peterborough900.org.uk n CONNECTED OCTOBER 2014

35

Business Services

YOUR BUSINESS WITH GRADUATE Finding and developing the right people to meet the challenges of today’s business environment isn’t easy, particularly if you’re a growing business.

Anglia Ruskin has a long-standing track record of supporting businesses across the East of England to find the right person for the job.

Whether providing access to high-calibre students and graduates, expertise within our academic staff or specialist training, we have a wide range of resources available to meet your needs.

Services include: Employment Bureau Internships Graduate Development Programme Knowledge Transfer Programmes

Get in touch to discuss how we can provide you with the right solution for your business Phone 0845 196 5878 email tom.bates@anglia.ac.uk or visit business.anglia.ac.uk

IN THE HOTSEAT In this month’s CONNECTED Hot Seat...

TOM HENNESSY

TOM HENNESSY

SENIOR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT MANAGER, OPPORTUNITY PETERBOROUGH

Having spent the past four years as the Inward Investment Project Lead for Cambridgeshire County Council, Tom Hennessy is now applying his expertise in the UK’s fastest growing city.

“The challenges we seek to address in economic development are complex and can’t be met from behind a desk,” says Opportunity Peterborough’s new Senior Economic Development Manager, Tom Hennessy. “You have to get out and meet the businesses, organisations and people who all contribute to the local economy. Without doing that you can never truly understand the issues that businesses face or who you might be able to work with to address those issues.”

Peterborough is a vibrant, energetic city Tom’s new role comes as a result of his notable work at Cambridgeshire County Council. Over the past four years, he has been tackling some of the bigger issues and directly contributing towards a broad spectrum of activity in Cambridge – from SME-responsive procurement and development of the Connecting Cambridgeshire and Destination Digital programmes through to helping shape the future of inward investment delivery for the Greater Cambridge area.

Despite only starting at his new post in late July, Tom has already begun to see clear links between the two innovative cities. “I’m still to really get under the skin of the city,” he says.

“But Cambridge and Peterborough are both rapidly growing cities and so many of the challenges they face are similar.”

Local context, such as key sectors and actors,

will of course mean nuanced differences in approach but Tom believes that both cities have fantastic potential.

In Peterborough’s case, this includes its diverse strengths in manufacturing and environmental companies as well as financial and professional businesses.

“There are some great things happening in Peterborough,” stresses Tom. “It’s a vibrant, energetic city that’s very proactive and positive about the direction it’s heading. Opportunity Peterborough is playing a major role in driving that activity and that’s what really attracted me to this position.”

Tom’s role is to support local businesses to maximise their potential and promote Peterborough as a prime location for national and international businesses looking to expand their operations. “This is the fastest growing city by populous in the UK. Attracting new businesses to the city is imperative to creating employment opportunities for local people they create numerous jobs both directly and indirectly.” But economic development doesn’t just mean attracting new investment, it involves supporting the city’s existing businesses too. “We have a great number of dynamic companies here in Peterborough that are

developing innovative products and solutions and providing employment to the local community. It’s equally, if not more, important to make sure those businesses get the support they need to grow and realise their potential.”

These challenges can’t be met from behind a desk “As for the future,” concludes Tom, “I’m really looking forward to getting to know the key stakeholders we already have long and productive relationships with, as well as keeping my eye out for any untapped resources with whom we can join forces.” To find out more about Opportunity Peterborough, visit: www.opportunitypeterborough.co.uk n CONNECTED OCTOBER 2014

37

SECTOR FOCUS Updates from the Chambers Sectors Groups COMMUNICATIONS SECTOR

How to use your website to aid social media Social media is no longer a ‘nice to have’, it’s a basic necessity for business. Your website is your business shop window 24/7, so it makes sense to use it to help promote your social media.

Here are a few of the most obvious ways: • Social media profile icons, including Google+, need to be prominent and easy to access (top half of home page ideally) • Social sharing buttons – separate from your profile icons, these will allow people to share an article to their own profile while logged into it • Blogs – blogging provides opportunities to self publish, demonstrate your expertise and share business info. Include hyper links in your blog to related messages running on your social media channels to encourage following. Remember, blogs now need to be 500-plus words and carry ‘in-depth’ content • Good imagery - chances are if you post high impact or fun images on your website (don’t forget the alt tags) they will be shared via social networks. An infographic also presents rich content ready made for sharing – use it to turn a dry industry piece into a simple to follow article. n

HR & RECRUITMENT SECTOR

Making the most of the main, we are a curious lot, with an appetite to learn and develop and a desire to continue on a life-long learning journey. How do we capture our learning and development, especially if the role we are in has no request for specific CPD hours?

• Look to become a learning organisation.

CPD can be fun and we probably do more of it than we notice. Don’t forget – it is not just professional development that counts it can also be personal development too. n

• Share knowledge and learning with your colleagues on a regular basis • Record CPD activity regularly and make time to reflect on your learning and integrate it into your work

* Attending forthcoming Chambers’ events such as Leadership and Employment Law updates will award you with CPD hours:

• Look for cost effective learning opportunities – like Chamber events

- Leadership and Management: 9 October, 5 November and 27 November

• Remember that reading articles and books relevant to your role is CPD • Set up a discussion group within your business

38

CONNECTED OCTOBER 2014

- Employment Law: The Autumn Collection Simply collect a certificate of attendance as you leave!

SECTOR FOCUS For any feedback, general information regarding the Sector Groups, or to contribute, please get in touch with Helen Bosett. tel: 01223 209815 email: h.bosett@cambscci.co.uk

ICT SECTOR

data protection – WHY IT’S IMPORTANT ALTHOUGH all the hype is around ‘Big Data’, there is much concern in IT security circles about small data as the culprit for the most common privacy risks, such as defrauding personal banking information, which may not require big data, but causes big damage.

The Information Commissioner’s Office has the power to fine organisations up to £500,000 for serious breaches of the Data Protection Act and Electronic Communications Regulations.

Small businesses are advised to ensure that they are protected through managing risk, staff training and increased network

security. One of the most important pieces of security in any organisation is to ensure employees are well-trained and educated in understanding the risks, especially when it comes to data protection. Training is arguably even more important than relying on the tools and layers of defence set up to protect an organisation’s data.

Cyber security is not just an IT challenge, it is critical to the running of any business, so it is best not to rely on the technology alone. n

LEARNING & SKILLS SECTOR

Chamber businesses sign up to motivate children from Huntingdon about the world of work MANY children today lack real world of work knowledge; partly because technological advances mean that jobs are changing rapidly and partly because some children lack access to people with different jobs.

Learn to Work is a school based project designed to bring employers and teachers together to motivate young people.

Lis Kuschel, Chair of the Learning and Skills Sector, said: “Enthusiastic employees are the key to inspiring the next generation. The business Motivators will provide role models for the children so they learn about careers they might not otherwise have known about.”

If you would like to find out more about the Learn to Work project you can come along to a short briefing session at Hinchingbrooke School on Thursday 16 October where you will get the opportunity to meet the project’s creators, Derrick and Judy and to meet other volunteers. Just drop an email to Gill at g.prangnell@cambscci.co.uk so she can add you to the guest list. n

CONNECTED OCTOBER 2014

39

CHAMBER EVENTS Your essential business calendar for the next month

MEMBERSHIP BENEFITS MAXIMISE YOUR MEMBERSHIP – STAMFORD DATE Wednesday 8 October TIME 6.00-7.00pm LOCATION The George Hotel & Business Centre, Stamford, PE9 2LB MAXIMISE YOUR MEMBERSHIP – CAMBRIDGE DATE Tuesday 28 October TIME 9.30-11.00am LOCATION Milton Hall Cambridge, CB24 6WZ MAXIMISE YOUR MEMBERSHIP – PETERBOROUGH DATE Wednesday 29 October TIME 9.30-11.00am LOCATION Chamber office, Peterborough, PE2 6FT Free to attend, Chamber members only. Pleae contact Bren at b.coleman@cambscci.co.uk or telephone 01223 209811

NETWORKING EVENTS CAMBRIDGE BUSINESS BREAKFAST DATE Friday 10 October TIME 7.45-10.00am LOCATION The Moller Centre, Cambridge, CB3 0DE MEMBER PRICE £15.00 (plus VAT) NON MEMBER PRICE £22.50 (plus VAT) CONTACT k.dawson@cambscci.co.uk or book online at www.cambridgeshirechamber.co.uk At our popular Business Breakfasts you have the opportunity to meet new business connections through our popular safari networking. The relaxed but structured format offers guests the opportunity to move around the room and form connections with new business contacts from a wide range of industry sectors. n SIMPLY NETWORKING – HUNTINGDON DATE Friday 24 October TIME 9.15-10.30am LOCATION Huntingdon Racecourse, Brampton, Huntingdon, PE28 4NL MEMBER PRICE Free for Chamber members NON MEMBER PRICE £10.00 (plus VAT) CONTACT k.dawson@cambscci.co.uk or book online at www. cambridgeshirechamber.co.uk Dynamic and effective networking with a formal structure that ensures even the least experienced networkers don’t get left behind. You simply move around the room taking 60 seconds to introduce yourself to the person in front of you before finding out a little about and their company. n 40 2

CONNECTED OCTOBER 2014

Come along to our free ‘Maximise your Membership’ session to familiarise yourself with the benefits that are included within your membership package, discover our latest promotional opportunities and get connected with our cost-saving service providers. n

SECTOR EVENTS Autumn Collection: employment law updates organised by the HR & Recruitment Sector DATE Wednesday 1 October TIME 11.45am-2.00pm LOCATION Madingley Hall, Cambridge, CB23 8AQ DATE Wednesday 8 October TIME 11.45am-2.00pm LOCATION The Cresset, Peterborough, PE3 8DX MEMBER PRICE £20.00 (plus VAT) NON MEMBER PRICE £27.00 (plus VAT) CONTACT Daisy Rivetti on 01733 370809 or email d.rivetti@cambscci.co.uk.

Whether you are solely or partly responsible for HR in your business, this event will keep you up to date with employment law, legislation and other HR concerns. It’s informative and interactive and you will leave with better knowledge! n

Please visit the Chamber website for full details of all future Chamber events www.cambridgeshirechamber.co.uk

Peterborough B2B Organised in partnership with Opportunity Peterborough DATE Wednesday 22 October TIME 9.00am-4.00pm LOCATION KingsGate Centre, Peterborough, PE1 4YT VISIT www.peterboroughb2b.co.uk How many business people can you fit in a Peterborough conference centre?

Come and find out at the Peterborough B2B Exhibition at KingsGate Centre in Peterborough on Wednesday 22 October.

Formerly known as Business Focus, this year’s event brings a new venue bursting with new opportunities for your business. With space for over 100 exhibitors and free seminars and special events taking place throughout the day, this is an event not to be missed. Join us to meet new business people, raise your profile, learn something new and size up your competitors between 9.00am-4.00pm.

Exhibition stands start from just £229.00 (plus VAT) and an exciting seminar programme to draw in the crowds has just been announced.

Find out more at www.peterboroughb2b.co.uk or follow @PboroB2B on twitter for the latest updates. n

informal networking Storm in a Teacup! organised by the Business Women’s Sector DATE Thursday 16 October TIME 3.00-5.00pm LOCATION Peterborough Marriott Hotel, Peterborough, PE2 6GB MEMBER PRICE £12.00 (plus VAT) NON MEMBER PRICE £17.00 (plus VAT) CONTACT Daisy Rivetti on 01733 370809 or email d.rivetti@cambscci.co.uk. n women in management: maximising the potential of your team organised by the Business Women’s Sector DATE Thursday 9 October TIME 9.00am-12.00pm LOCATION Peterborough Rugby Club, Peterborough, PE1 5XA MEMBER PRICE £60.00 (plus VAT) NON MEMBER PRICE £75.00 (plus VAT) CONTACT Daisy Rivetti on 01733 370809 or email d.rivetti@cambscci.co.uk. n

Informal Networking Evenings october 2014 Wed 1

The Crown Hotel, Stamford

5.30-7.30pm

Thurs 2

Holiday Inn, Cambridge

5.00-7.00pm

Wed 8

WYBOSTON LAKES, St Neots

5.00-7.00pm

Mon 13

The Lamb Hotel, Ely

5.00-7.00pm

Wed 15

Park Inn, Peterborough

5.00-7.30pm

Thurs 16

Holiday Inn, Cambridge

5.00-7.00pm

Tues 21

Old Bridge Hotel, Huntingdon

5.00-7.00pm

Wed 22

OLIVER CROMWELL HOTEL, MARCH

5.00-7.00pm

CONNECTED OCTOBER 2014

41 3

Ask the Expert This months Ask the Expert focuses on The Use of Social Media

Ask the expert: The Use of Social Media

Martin Bloom, Partner and Head of the Employment Department at Hegarty Solicitors in Peterborough, answers questions on the use of social media by employees inside and outside of the workplace.

Can we check an applicant’s online profile before offering them a job?

An employer should be wary of carrying out a quick internet search to try and obtain more information about a job applicant before offering them a job. Data protection laws apply if an employer is using the internet to carry out checks on potential employees and the employer should only use such checks if there is a particular and significant risk for the employer and there is no alternative way of finding out the information. There is also the risk that if the employer finds out sensitive personal data such a prospective employee’s sexuality or age and this influences the hiring decision, this could constitute discrimination.

re there any risks of A harassment with allowing employees access to social networking sites?

The law in this area is still developing but employers may be held liable for any discriminatory conduct by their employees if they act in an unlawful way to others e.g. harassment by social media.

Employers should take steps to limit this liability by taking all reasonable steps to stop it happening. Again, it is best to set this out in a robust social media policy setting out what is acceptable behaviour and what will happen if the employee breaches the policy.

42

CONNECTED OCTOBER 2014

What happens when an employee leaves our organisation?

Employers have growing concerns about the use of social media, such as LinkedIn accounts, when an employee leaves its employment. Customers and suppliers are often alerted to an employee’s new job by a status update and effectively an employee may be taking a list of the business’ customers and clients with them to a competitor. Employers should look at putting clauses into employee contracts dealing with LinkedIn accounts and in appropriate cases restrictive covenants should be used.

What practical measures as employers should we introduce?

First, consideration should be given to ensure all employees are trained on the acceptable and unacceptable use of social media whilst at work. The appropriate ‘dos and don’ts’ should be spelt out. In addition any employer should introduce a social media policy alongside all other work related policies. It is also advisable to include reference to unacceptable behaviour and use of social media in any disciplinary procedures. The clearer such rules are spelt out the easier it will be for employers to take appropriate action against defaulting employees.

Can we stop our employees writing blogs or using networking sites at work?

All employers should consider whether they wish to encourage, discourage or tolerate employee’s personal use of social media at work. For some employees and certain professions, there will be a need to use social media as part of their jobs and employers should consider how to regulate this. An employer can stop an employee using social media at work but may lose potential business opportunities by doing so. It is best to set guidelines on the use of social media in a policy which can regulate personal and business use, if necessary. n

RewaRding innovation

Invest in the future and we’ll help you with yours invest in equipment or software that will reduce resource consumption...

40% ...and we’ll refund you Through our Capital Grant Scheme, Low Carbon KEEP can help fund your business ideas and make them a reality, by providing up to £4000 of grant funding to eligible SMEs. If you would like to know how your company could benefit go to:

anglia.ac.uk/lowcarboncapital

The home of good ideas

A beautiful, flexible event space in a strategic location near the Cambridge Science and Business Parks • Conference room for 70+ • Meeting rooms • Roof terrace • Informal atrium café

• On-site parking • Convenient location near A14/M11 • Professional visitor service • High quality catering

E hello@futurebusinesscentre.co.uk W futurebusinesscentre.co.uk T 01223 781200 @ftrbusiness Future Business Centre, King’s Hedges Road Cambridge CB4 2HY