Anew tier of local government is being created in the East Midlands with the first elected mayor of Derby, Derbyshire, Nottingham and Nottinghamshire set to be chosen at the ballot box on 2 May.
The candidates see it as a huge step on the path to our region taking greater responsibility for its future – moving various powers out of the hands of Whitehall when it comes to things such as new homes, skills, transport links, net zero and, significantly for East Midlands Chamber, business support.
The Chamber has hosted candidate hustings giving our members a chance to hear their thoughts and come to a decision about who they will vote for on election day.
The candidates have also been given a chance to share their opinions on the key issues for this month’s Big Interview feature. Their answers are honest, forthright and, hopefully, enlightening.
(As we went to press one of those standing was still waiting to confirm that he would be able to raise the £5,000 election deposit – but was confident that the money would be there).
An anomaly about the new East Midlands Combined County Authority is that Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland are noticeably absent from it.
So, we have also asked the leaders of the Leicester City and Leicestershire County Council to explain why that is, what it means for them, and what they are going to do to ensure vital central government funding doesn't bypass them and head straight to their neighbours further north.
On related matters, a Chamber delegation has been to the House of Commons to present our new Manifesto for Growth 2024.
When the General Election is called, the manifesto will be used by the Chamber’s policy team in its lobbying activities with prospective parliamentary candidates on behalf of the region's business community.
Key aspects include delivering transport and digital infrastructure fit for the 21st century; aligning taxes and business regulations with a long-term vision for UK plc; fixing the broken planning system and targeting skills reform for today’s workforce.
You can read about it in our Politics pages and hear what Chamber members have to say about it as well. We hope this politics themed edition of our magazine reinforces the strong links between politics and business – and show the efforts the Chamber is going to to make a difference.
Tom Pegden, Editor, Business Network
Private equity business Pollen Street is buying Leicester wealth management specialist Mattioli Woods.
Pollen Street said the deal was an exciting opportunity for Mattioli Woods to accelerate its growth strategy under new, private ownership.
The Mattioli Woods board said they felt the terms of the acquisition were “fair and reasonable” and said they will recommend unanimously that shareholders vote in favour.
The business, which has its head office in New Walk, has seen exponential growth in recent years through organic expansion and buying other businesses across the UK.
A recent trading update suggested it was performing well despite the UK’s economic problems – with revenues up 8% to £59.1m in the six months to November 30, and 374 new client wins in the half year.
The total client assets managed by the group are around £15.2bn.
‘We have a strong track record of combining likeminded businesses that share the same culture and ethos’
The business was set up by Bob Woods and current chief executive Ian Mattioli MBE in a converted garage more than 30 years ago and today employs around 1,000 people.
Ian Mattioli said: “Since our admission to AIM in 2005, we have seen significant expansion in both the size and nature of our business, integrating asset management, financial planning and employee benefit services to serve personal and corporate clients throughout the UK.
“We have a strong track record of combining likeminded businesses that share the same culture and ethos of putting clients first.
“I believe that with Pollen Street’s support and access to capital we can accelerate the delivery of our strategy and provide our clients with the proactive advice and bespoke investment solutions they require.”
Management at Derby County say they had a year of “stabilising and rebuilding” last season after a rollercoaster few years which saw administration, points docked, relegation, then being saved from collapse by one of the county’s biggest builders.
The Rams went into administration in September 2021 with fears they could go under for good due to issues such as failed takeover bids and claims for compensation from other clubs.
As it was, the club had 21 points
docked by the English Football League (EFL) which saw them relegated to League One in 2022.
Derbyshire-based Clowes Developments went on to buy the club and the Pride Park Stadium in separate deals that summer.
With the support of Clowes, Derby are currently battling it out for promotion to the Championship.
New accounts for last season show when Clowes took over it settled liabilities of just over £20m under the EFL’s insolvency regulations. The figures show the club made £20.4m last season
through things such as the sale of more than 20,600 season tickets and thanks to an average matchday attendance of more than 27,200.
The accounts show County generated an operating profit of £10.6m, which included profits from player disposals.
However, the total loss for the season was £30.3m, which included a “goodwill” charge of £19.7m in relation to the acquisition.
A statement signed off in the accounts by director and lifelong Rams fan David Clowes said: “The club’s 2022/23 season was a stabilising and rebuilding exercise
‘Next Generation’ plan just the beginning for consultants
Business consultancy Champions (UK) plc has announced the next new chapter in its story, as it rebrands itself for the “Next Generation”.
The changes at the business, based in Costock on the Leicestershire/Nottinghamshire, will see it focus on four key areas of support for its clients – sales growth, people and HR, AI and technology, and mergers and acquisitions.
The business has recruited a number of business experts to help with the plans and currently has
almost 100 staff, most based in the region.
Champions has a history of branding support and celebrity management and managing director Matthew Hayes said they had always used that to help their clients to make their businesses better – whether that was big name sports stars sharing inspirational stories about teamwork or other experts helping clients with product launches, team building days and seminars. He said the changes were the
‘All signings were either free transfers or loans under the terms of the club’s business plan’
after seeing the previous football entity exit administration at the beginning of July 2022.
“Inside a couple of weeks, having only had five contracted players once Clowes Developments (UK) Limited completed their purchase of the club, following several departures and s ales at the end of the previous season, a squad was quickly assembled ahead of the start of the League One campaign.
“All signings were either free transfers or loans under the terms of the club’s business plan and agreed with the EFL.”
natural extension of that heritage.
Announcing details of the “Next Generation” project Matthew said: “This launch is just the beginning.
“We’ll be announcing a new member of ou r expert panel every week, and I can’t wait to work alongside a number of industry titans and recognisable faces.
“This marks a major milestone in the history of Champions, and we’re excited to embrace the business which derives from this.”
The business has also launched a new website to showcase its enhanced range of products and services.
Matthew said the new iteration of Champions is not a complete change in direction – but more about bringing attention to its wider offering, honing in on the four specialist areas:
the biggest Hollywood blockbusters has launched a new unit developing products for post-production, digital effects, animation and gaming.
Lenses made by Cooke Optics, in north Leicester, have been used in the movie business for more than a century thanks to their quality and the distinctive “Cooke Look” which they create on film
Dating back to the 1890s, they were used on Ernest Shackleton's 1914 Antarctic exploration and helped document Everest expeditions in the 1920s.
In Hollywood, they were used on the Charlie Chaplin, Laurel and Hardy and Keystone Cops films as well as The Wizard of Oz, Gone with the Wind, Star Wars and Superman
In the last couple of years, they have been used to film The Last of Us, The Batman, Matilda and the recent Wes Anderson movie Asteroid City.
Now Cooke has announced a new Cooke Digital business unit, headed by newly-recruited Jordan Thistlewood.
Cooke’s latest/iTechnology helps film and digital cameras record key lens data for each frame shot –helping with post-production and saving time and
Over the years
Champions says it has supported sales growth of more than £5bn – and £15bn in capital valuation – for its clients,
cost, while giving greater creative freedom.
Over the last year, the business has built on that base with the introduction of near-real-time postproduction capability in partnership with EZtrack, and has been exploring opportunities to grow into new digital film, animation and gaming markets.
It is now creating a range of tools to bring the “power and beauty” of high-end lenses to digital work.
A spokesman said: “Innovative cine lenses have long been at the heart of Cooke’s success, and the recent launch of the SP3 mirrorless prime lens series has demonstrated Cooke’s ambition to enable creatives across the wider industry to enhance the visual narrative of their stories. A key third strategic focus area, Cooke Digital will leverage the company’s capabilities in a further exciting new direction.
“Leading this new chapter for Cooke, Jordan will be based at the new Cooke London location in Fitzrovia, and brings a wealth of knowledge and experience of developing software services for postproduction, VFX and animation gained at Epic Games and Foundry.”
through services from sales audits and growth strategies to identification of brand assets and routes to market.
It now works in more than 60 countries and over the years has worked with clients including Lloyds Banking Group, Farmfoods and Wembley Stadium.
The Champions team includes more than 10 published HR & people authors and is a founding member of the European Association of Speakers Bureaux (EASB).
Champions has previously delivered in SaaS solutions and software integrations and is now bringing in outside help to combine the two –
including capitalising on the growing opportunities for AI.
Over the years Champions is said to have helped with more than 200 deals and 10 “buy-and-build” journeys for clients.
Matthew said: “The team at Champions and I have been working incredibly hard to put this “Next Generation” project together.
“We feel our updated website and design has highlighted our expertise as a business growth consultant, while clearly outlining what we’ve done for over two decades, rather than us entering new territories.
“Champions is now even bigger, better, and stronger.”
Derbyshire’s oldest visitor attraction has kicked off a year of celebrations as it marks two ‘milestone’ anniversaries.
The Heights of Abraham, in Matlock Bath, is marking 50 years since the Pugh family arrived at what was then a run-down, hilltop estate and started turning it into the thriving and unique destination it is today.
‘Today’s visitors enjoy a multitude of added attractions alongside the show caverns’
And in April it will be 40 years since the launch of its alpine-style cable cars, which link it with the town railway station on the banks of the River Derwent.
The flight in the cable cars continues to form a big part of the visitor experience, taking people up the short, steep ascent to the summit of Masson Hill, with its views and two show caverns, which have been attracting visitors to the Peak District since 1787.
Today’s experience includes living history exhibitions, woodland trails and adventure playgrounds.
Andrew and Vanessa Pugh first spotted the intriguing business opportunity in the spring of 1974 when they saw a classified ad in The Daily Telegraph promoting “the
most unusual business – a place with woods, caves and a house”.
The hilltop estate captured their hearts and imaginations, inspiring them to move from London for a new business venture and a completely new way of life in part of the country which was totally new to them.
The journey began with an initial 10-year restoration project, upgrading the old pathways, renovating neglected buildings –including the Victoria Prospect Tower – and improving access to the ancient caverns.
At the end of the initial development, a stroke of inspired thinking, along with grit and determination, saw them invest in
the cable car system which garnered wide-spread media attention.
A spokeswoman for the family said: “It was during Georgian times, as mining in the caverns came to an end, that owners of the estate diversified and built a pleasure garden to attract visitors who travelled from near and far to take the spa waters of Matlock Bath.
“The estate’s two great caverns were a marvel to these curious travellers and the ex-miners became tour guides for the wealthy tourists.
“Visitors even included royalty and the great ‘Romantics’, the poet Lord Byron, and his friends Percy Bysshe and Mary Shelley.
“The hillside estate, which had been re-invented with exotic gardens and serpentine paths, had donkeys carrying visitors from the resort town up the steep incline to the summit.
“Thankfully the cable cars now offer a much more comfortable ride to the top of Masson Hill, to take in the picturesque views over the Derwent Valley, which Lord Byron referred to fondly as ‘Little Switzerland’.
“While those magnificent views have altered little over the past centuries, today’s visitors enjoy a multitude of added attractions alongside the show caverns, ensuring that there is plenty to keep the whole family entertained.”
A Derby arts complex is letting audiences decide what they think a show is worth once they’ve seen it.
Déda, in the city’s Cathedral Quarter has launched a ‘Pay What You Decide’ (PWYD) pricing policy to coincide with the launch of its new summer season.
PWYD is designed to encourage new audiences to the Chapel Street venue –offering them the chance to book tickets in advance then voluntarily pay what they want after the show based on what they think of it and what they can afford,
Déda creative producer Manya Benenson said: “We have a reputation for offering a high quality and diverse range of new and innovative performances in our intimate theatre space.
“Although we have a loyal audience base, we
want to encourage new people to experience brand new shows and the unique offering at Déda.
“We have therefore introduced ‘Pay What You Decide’ effectively breaking down two of the key barriers that new audiences may face in trying something new – affordability and risk.
“Venues have been offering Pay What You Can for years, but PWYD is distinctly different.
“Rather than paying up front, our customers will book a ticket without making any payment and then decide after the show what they think it is worth.
“We hope that it will encourage more people to book with us, some for the first time, and once they have experienced the magic of Déda will come back again and again.”
Russell Scanlan, one of the UK’s longest-established insurance brokers, has acquired Leicester-based specialist insurance firm, Building & Land Guarantees (BLG).
The move will see both businesses benefit from the opportunities presented by the new alliance, and give Russell Scanlan’s property sector clients access to what management said would be a bigger, better service.”
Founded in 2006, BLG is one of the UK’s biggest insurance brokers specialising in long-term construction projects.
It will continue to operate under its current brand and with its current team of 12.
Mike Dickinson and Matt Franklin at Russell Scanlan will join the BLG board alongside current BLG directors Paul Rose and Mark Jackson.
Mike Dickinson said: “While Russell Scanlan continues to deliver its successful growth plan, we
‘Partnerships with those operating as specialists in specific sectors can be mutually beneficial’
beneficial – and certainly BLG’s reputation is substantial in its field.
“In addition, there are several synergies between the Russell
brokers with a strong foothold in the UK’s heartland. This new partnership will allow the businesses to tap into existing client networks and will help both Russell Scanlan and BLG to share expertise in their respective specialist fields.”
BLG director Paul Rose said: “Our values at BLG bear strong similarities to Russell Scanlan’s, both being East Midlands-based insurance brokers with robust ties to our respective fields and high levels of service recognised by our industry and client groups.
“Our growth has resulted from providing a friendly, personal service with nearly 20 years of experience in long-term construction projects. We will continue to adopt this bespoke approach under the BLG brand, with the support of the Russell Scanlan team.”
Through the acquisition, BLG will also become part of Acrisure, the global fintech leader which provides a range of products including insurance, reinsurance and cyber services.
Russell Scanlan is Nottingham’s longest established insurance broker and is celebrating 143 years in operation.
The firm has held chartered status by the Chartered Insurance Institute – one of only a handful of brokers in the East Midlands.
A partnership between councils, a local college and businesses has funded a new bus service to offer passengers a direct route to work and college.
be investing in its ongoing AUKUS submarine preparations – backing up funding already committed by the UK Ministry of Defence (MOD).
Work is underway to double the size of the Rolls-Royce Submarines site in Raynesway, Derby, following an earlier agreement between the UK, US and Australia for a new generation of nuclear submarines.
Now, jointly funded by MOD and the Australian Department of Defence, the expansion work announced last summer will create more than 1,000 new jobs in the city across a range of disciplines, including manufacturing and engineering.
It will also see new manufacturing and office facilities being built on recently acquired land surrounding the existing Raynesway site.
Rolls-Royce Submarines currently employs more than 4,000 people and designs, manufactures and provides in-service support to the pressurised water reactors that power every boat in the Royal Navy's submarine fleet.
The engineering giant is already supporting the existing Astute and Dreadnought boat build programmes through the delivery of reactor plant and associated components.
It also provides frontline support across the world for reactor plant equipment from its operations centre in Derby and supports the submarines when in the Barrow-in-Furness shipyard and the naval bases at Devonport and Faslane.
Nottinghamshire County Council, Derbyshire County Council, West Notts College and aerospace specialist Glenair have worked together to extend the service, operated by trentbarton, so that it serves the Ashfield and Mansfieldbased college as well as Oakham Business Park.
Ashfield District Council and Mansfield District Council have also been involved.
Cllr Neil Clarke MBE, cabinet member for transport and environment at Nottinghamshire County Council, said: “It’s fantastic
to have this vital bus service in place. It not only helps local residents get to their place of work or education, it also helps benefit the local economy.
“We’ve worked hard with partners at Ashfield, Mansfield and Derbyshire to get this service in place for local businesses and West Notts College, and we hope patronage continues to grow.
“We want to see more people use the bus to help tackle traffic congestion, reduce CO2 emissions and improve local air quality.
“With the extension of the Government’s £2 bus fare, travelling by bus is now more affordable so users of the service are getting the best value for money.”
A leadership psychologist and expert in unleashing creativity is launching a new book to share his knowledge.
Tony Brooks, who runs The Leadership Training Workshop, has written a book called Survival Psychology, which he is launching, in partnership with Catena at The Nottinghamshire Golf and Country Club from 9am on Thursday 11 April.
The book considers the five ways that survival thinking can hijack an individual – from imposter syndrome through to having a defensive mindset, ego, negative self-talk and group behaviour. It also looks at how someone can free themselves from their impact.
During the launch Tony, who is from Nottingham, will deliver a session sharing highlights from the book followed by a Q&A and a signing session.
Tickets for the launch can be bought on the eventbrite.co.uk website.
Tony has been in business for 17 years and a Chamber member for many of them.
Much of his work is on a one-to-one basis with heads of companies, helping them with their mindsets and developing clear strategies and ways of engagement.
He said a TEDx talk he gave called “Unleashing Your Creativity by Escaping Your Survival Thinking” went live on YouTube recently covering some of the big issues he works with.
He said: “I had an earlier book out eight years ago called PI Leadership: The 7 Positive Insight Steps To Peak Performance Leadership, which was about bringing positive messages to leadership.
“I’ve also worked with a number of Chamber presidents over the years helping them with their public speaking.”
Delegates from both sides of the Midlands will be able to hear about the latest joined-up business thinking at the 2024 Midlands Economic Summit this summer.
Up to 500 people are expected at the second annual event which is set to take place at the NEC’s Vox Conference Centre on 10 June.
Speakers last year included Midlands Engine chairman Sir John Peace, West Midlands Mayor and former John Lewis managing director Andy Street, Midlands Connect chief executive Maria Machancoses, UK and Ireland DHL supply chain CEO Saul Resnick and other captains of industry –including Chamber director of policy and insight Chris Hobson.
The event was conceived by Ninder Johal who also runs the Signature Awards, the Nachural Entrepreneurship Awards and the
Nachural Summer Business Awards.
He wanted to create something that unified business people from the two halves of the Midlands.
‘The Government has realised the value of putting money into the Midlands Engine’
He said: “There are some great events in the West Midlands and some great events in the East Midlands but we wanted to bring the two areas together – that’s where the Midlands Economic Summit was born.
“The Government has realised the value of putting money into the Midlands Engine and they clearly think we are the engine of the UK. So, I thought we needed to come together at an event like this to look at the challenges of, and
opportunities for, the region.
“The first event last year had 502 people and the fact that people from the East Midlands came over to the NEC showed there was an appetite for something like this –with creative thinking and positive thinking for the betterment of the whole region.”
The final list of speakers is being drawn up but Ninder said he would be inviting the new East Midlands Combined County Authority mayor to speak as well as the mayor of the West Midlands Combined Authority following the May elections in both areas.
He said: “This will be the first event where both mayors are speaking about their respective regions.”
Tickets and further details are available at: www.midlands economicsummit.com
The latest business to join East Midlands Chamber as a patron is spreading its message through a series of round-tables with the TheBusinessDesk.com.
Curium Solutions, which already has a strong presence in the West Midlands, is expanding its leadership support expertise into the eastern half of the region.
The business, which was established in 2008, works with companies to help them realise their full potential.
The kind of support it offers ranges from digital transformation to change & project management, project health checks & recovery, outsourcing management, managing & defining key performance indicators, leadership & staff development, coaching and executive board development.
The basic principle behind what it does is to help companies that find themselves stuck, slowing down or headed in the wrong direction.
Its 20-year goal is to empower the potential of 250 million people and its clients are involved in services from finance to retail, transport, logistics to utilities and law.
Brands it has worked with include Birmingham Airport, Culligan International, Eon, Halfords, Legal & General, National Express and Weightmans LLP, and
as well as having a strong presence across the Midlands – from its base in Birmingham – it also has operations in the USA and Canada.
The business is building on those foundations by working with East Midlands Chamber – with the support of Chamber head of special projects Richard Blackmore – and by promoting its services with the help of the TheBusinessDesk.
The owners of an East Midlands health testing company are set to offer a face-to-face advice service on the high street after purchasing their first two shops.
Healthy Stuff Online, based in Castle Donington, operates a worldwide testing service for people looking for insights into things such as food allergies and intolerances.
It recently bought a health food shop in Knaresborough, near Harrogate, which has been serving customers for more than 30 years.
The business has also bought a store in Sandbach, Cheshire, and has plans to open a further seven shops this year.
Staff at the Knaresborough branch, who have all been retained, will get training to help customers take the range of Healthy Stuff tests in an onsite consulting room, which will be created later this year.
Its self-administered tests will also be available to buy instore to complement the health supplements and wellbeing products which are already available to purchase –as well as its popular pick and mix loose tea range.
Healthy Stuff chairman Jason Wootton said: “We are absolutely delighted to be working with the team at Natural Choice which has been supporting the people of Knaresborough with their health and wellbeing for decades.
“We intend to support the company’s existing offering completely, but believe we can enhance the customer experience through our testing so they can gain valuable insights into which products will help them improve their health.”
Afresh deal has been struck to promote Nottinghamshire as a national and international tourism destination.
Nottinghamshire County Council has signed an 18-month partnership with Visit Nottinghamshire – part of official place marketing organisation Marketing Nottingham and Nottinghamshire – to promote tourism in the county.
The council has also officially backed Visit Nottinghamshire’s ambition to gain Local Visitor Economy Partnership (LVEP) accreditation from Visit England, which could unlock benefits such as access to specialist training and expert advice, as well as help with government funding bids.
Latest figures suggest tourism is worth more than £2.05bn to the local economy, with almost 33 million visitors a year coming to the
‘This is a positive move for Nottinghamshire’s visitor economy’
county and city helping support more than 20,000 jobs.
Council economic development spokesman Cllr Keith Girling said: “This is a positive move for Nottinghamshire’s visitor economy.
“It strengthens our position to showcase the whole of the county and what it has to offer, especially with plans for devolution.
“Visit Nottinghamshire, as the lead destination management organisation for the area, is best positioned to promote the county at a local, regional, and international level and attract visitors. By working in partnership, including with other councils and
A Derby business has helped to transform the corporate gifting experience for one of Europe’s leading food manufacturers.
Colleague Box has been working closely with Pilgrim’s Shared Services which supports Pilgrim’s Food Masters, Pilgrim’s UK and Moy Park; the Northern Ireland-based poultry giant with operations in France, Republic of Ireland, Netherlands and the UK.
It has created a custom-designed website to provide gifting for a combined workforce of more than 20,000 employees – which means workers can log on to theirown e-commerce site within the main company website and choose a personalised gift – featuring the company branding.
Colleague Box, which has its headquarters in Northedge Business Park, will then receive a notification about the purchase. The gift is prepared and packaged on-site, and dispatched directly to the recipient.
Natalie Bamford, co-founder of Colleague Box, said: “Corporate gifting is huge. Innovative companies know that building emotional connections can help with retention of staff, an increase in the feel-good factor, and corporate gifting is also a good way of marketing your business.
stakeholders in the city and county, we will continue to build momentum and create a thriving visitor economy."
Marketing Nottingham and Nottinghamshire chief executive Megan Powell Vreeswijk said: “We’re very proud to be entering into this partnership with the county council. We’ve been working closely with them, and this is the next strategic step in our relationship.
“This new partnership is a testament to our shared commitment to growing our visitor economy.
“We’re looking forward to working with the county council to attract more visitors into the region, increasing the economic impact of tourism and showcasing the very best that Nottinghamshire has to offer.”
“Pilgrim’s Shared Services were operating as independent businesses, and it became evident that each company operated with different cost codes. This diversity made ordering gifts for individual departments a complex and time-consuming task.
“To make gifting as simple and flexible as possible, we built an e-commerce site for Moy Park, Pilgrim’s Shared Service and Pilgrim’s Food Masters, and it has been a huge success.
“For them, it means that they have a user-friendly platform provided by department heads with a streamlined and efficient way to select, purchase and distribute gifts.
“We can provide a service whereby we invoice the client at the end of the month, and they input their own data. We do this to great success with Punch Taverns.
“These systems make the whole process easy and hassle-free, and make the employee feel valued.
“It’s also far more personal than sending a gift card; more than one in 10 British adults had unused vouchers that expired within the last 12 months according to research from Ipos Omnibus.
“Both examples above show how innovative technology can simplify and enhance employee gifting in 2024.”
Abusiness support specialist from Derbyshire has launched a service adapted around the growing interest in maintaining a healthy digestive system.
Julie Mather launched her consultancy business in Melbourne eight years ago having worked as a business advisor for the Chamber.
Over the years she has built a reputation as a qualified and accredited business coach who also offers workforce development support, helping leaders and workers maximise their potential.
Now she has decided to branch out with mindfulness and meditation practitioner and health expert Cara Wheatley-McGrain –founder of The Mindful Gut – to combine their two specialisms. Together they now provide away-days and overnight retreats for individuals and teams who want to improve both their physical and mental wellbeing.
She said: “This provides a wonderful balance of skills and approaches and we received some great feedback after our first retreat in January. I work with people reflecting on where they are
now, looking at their goals and intentions – whether that’s business or personal – while the health side of it is based around the increasing awareness of looking after your gut health and eating healthy foods such as fermented vegetables and soda bread.
“We’ve found we’re getting interest from businesses now for overnight retreats – from leadership teams, for example, where learning new information about gut health that will benefit the whole workforce combined with the practical activity of making healthy food together can break down barriers and create a more conducive working environment.
“It’s so crucial for people’s wellbeing to eat well. Lots of people think they’re eating well, but might be eating the same things over and over again without the right sort of diversity of fruit and vegetables and plants needed to stay healthy.
“Eating well is more than just five fruit and veg a day – but about looking at having lots of variety in your diet. We set a challenge of
eating 30 different types of healthy thing a week.
“Overnight retreats take place at Dove Farm, Ellastone, near Ashbourne, while we are planning our away days to take place at the beautiful Hilltop Farm in Dronfield, Derbyshire.”
Already in the diary for small groups of individuals are an Early Summer Rest, Recharge and Reset weekend retreat at the end of June and an Autumn Soothe and Selfcare weekend retreat in September.
• One in five of us will experience gut health issues, such as IBS and IBD.
• Our digestive tract is a 9m long tube of muscle and holds a secret that you wouldn’t have covered in your GCSE Biology lessons –the gut microbiome.
• The gut is home to billions of tiny microorganisms and the largest bacteria ecosystem lives in the large intestine.
• The gut microbiome is unique to each one of us, shaped by where we live, the way we were born our exposure to antibiotics and importantly what we eat.
• It’s a hot topic at the moment because research is showing its central role in many key systems of the body and many aspects of health.
• Some research is looking at the gut microbiome and mental health – and the body’s production of the feel-good hormones and neurotransmitters dopamine and serotonin.
• Most of us living in the UK don’t eat enough fibre. We should be eating more plants like veg, fruit, legumes, grains, seeds and nuts, which also fuel our gut bugs.
• Foods which have fibre stripped out of them like highly processed or ultra-processed foods are energy dense but lacking in nutrients. These foods don’t support our gut bacteria and could even be harmful to some important species of beneficial bacteria.
• Probiotic foods providing important fuel for our gut bacteria include apples, green bananas, chicory, chickpeas, asparagus, oats, barley, Jerusalem artichoke, garlic and onions.
• You can add bacteria to the gut by eating probiotics in the form of live yoghurt, kefir, sauerkraut or kimchi. Fermented foods create an environment which enables beneficial bacteria to flourish.
Find out more in Calm Your Gut: A mindful and Compassionate guide to IBD and IBS by Cara Wheatley-McGrain, published by Hay House.
A former Noel-Baker Academy pupil who rapidly rose through the ranks of a leading tech company is encouraging other firms to provide an opportunity to an apprentice.
Jack Buxton is head of IT and quality at Barron McCann, a Derby-headquartered familyowned business which provides IT services to customers throughout the UK and Europe.
The 26-year-old joined the company after leaving school, as part of a 12-month, Level 3 IT Apprenticeship.
He then advanced to a Level 4 IT Apprenticeship specialising as a network engineer and was only the second person in the UK to complete the BCS British Computer Society course.
He said: “An apprenticeship appealed to me as it was an early entry into employment. I wanted the real-world experience, but also wanted to gain a qualification so this was perfect.”
Jack became a fully-fledged IT engineer after completing his apprenticeship and, just two years later, was lead IT engineer. Two years after that Jack was promoted to IT manager where his role included managing and mentoring others.
His most recent promotion, to head of IT and quality, came in 2023.
He said: “Barron McCann have been excellent in the support that they have given me. My job has a lot of responsibility that includes IT strategy, budgeting, resource allocation and reporting to senior management.
“I lead an internal team of IT engineers and analysts to deliver IT support services, and I also lead and advise on external customer projects. It can be a full-on job, but I enjoy it.”
The 2024 Westfield Health British Transplant Games are coming to Nottingham this summer.
The games are an inclusive event, set up to raise awareness of the lifesaving benefits of organ donation while encouraging transplant recipients to stay fit and active.
The flagship event of charity Transplant Sport will be taking place in venues across Nottingham from 1-4 August.
The organisers now want to engage families and communities across the city and wider Midlands region, and spark vital conversations around organ donation to encourage people to register and share their decisions with loved ones.
These will be the 46th annual games, and are set to be bigger and better than ever, with athletes ranging from the ages of two to 80-plus, representing more than 60 transplant unit hospital teams
‘We are all really looking forward to a wonderful event hosted in Nottingham’
across the UK, supported by their family, friends and volunteers in 24 sporting events. Transplant recipients, supporters, live donors and donor families are all being encouraged to register now. The closing date for registration is 26 May.
Transplant Sport chairman Dr Paul Harden said: “I’m sure I can vouch for everyone involved in the games in saying that we are all really looking forward to a wonderful event hosted in Nottingham as we know the facilities will be first class “I have no doubt this year’s games will be the best yet through our ongoing support network from the stakeholder board, talented
athletes and volunteers making it their mission to leave a legacy behind in Nottingham.”
The British Transplant Games are being staged with the continued support of Westfield Health, Kidney Care UK, Anthony Nolan, NHSBT, Extra Motorway Services and B. Braun Medical.
Westfield Health chairman Steve Purdham said: “We are so delighted to be sponsoring the games once again for 2024.
“The Westfield Health British Transplant Games is an amazing vehicle for conversation around organ donation and a great way for transplanted athletes to stay active and have a goal to strive for each year.”
For more information on the Westfield Health British Transplant Games and how you can get involved, visit: www.britishtransplantgames.co.uk
A home staging firm, based in Melbourne, Derbyshire, has secured £250,000 backing.
Lemon and Lime Interiors has gained the support from MEIF Maven Debt Finance.
The cash will be used to grow the business which is the 100th to get help through MEIF Maven Debt Finance – part of the Midlands Engine Investment Fund (MEIF), backed by the British Business Bank.
Lemon and Lime was launched in 2015 and specialises in transforming high-end properties to prepare them for sale. With growth ambitions across staffing, marketing and service offering, the team have since appointed two new senior staff members in finance and marketing with further sales and operational roles and serviced locations to come.
With UK mortgage rates predicted to drop and house prices starting to soften, more buyers are expected to be active on the property market.
However, prices still remain high relative to earnings, and therefore, in order to sell, staging is expected to be in higher demand during 2024.
With expanding services and premium agent partnerships, Lemon and Lime has supported more than 850 occupied and vacant home stagings, achieving
sales the team says are up to four times faster than comparable properties – often above the asking price.
Elaine Penhaul, founder and director of Lemon and Lime Interiors, said: “The core mission of our business is to ensure speedier transactions and higher prices for property owners, developers and estate agents.
“We’re focused on creating waves in the industry in order to change outdated and unhelpful marketing tactics currently overused in the property sector.”
An East Midlands-based professional body that supports companies working in sports and physical activity has launched a new scheme to improve training and staff development.
The Chartered Institute for the Management of Sport and Physical Activity (CIMSPA) – which is headquartered on the Loughborough University Sportspark – has launched the local skills project to bring together employers, education providers and training bodies on a “hyper local” level to improve the type of support on offer.
‘There are many individuals in the community excited to begin their professional training in this sector’
It has seen the launch of more than a dozen Local Skills Accountability Boards (LSABs), working with colleges, universities and training providers to offer training opportunities matching the needs of employers.
The aim is to train up a skilled workforce which is inclusive, meets the needs of diverse local communities and drives business success. The project is being funded by Sport England.
CIMPSA
CIMSPA members and partners range from gyms and squash clubs to coaching academies, universities, swim schools, personal trainers, coaches, lifeguards, pilates instructors and swimming teachers.
Over the years it has issued more than 2,000 higher education professional qualification certificates to learners on endorsed CIMSPA degrees, and supported hundreds of individuals with funding for qualifications.
It recently announced that Loughborough College had become its national further education partner. It links employers and education through quality work placements and training opportunities and also shares job opportunities within the sector.
The local skills project work was piloted in Nottinghamshire where it helped redesign the curriculum in further education – in particular with Vision West Nottinghamshire College – to come up with a new study programme providing sectorrecognised qualifications.
Nikki Slack is assistant principal for health, education and service industries at Vision West.
She said: “We are delighted to partner with CIMSPA and to have had the opportunity to design this course directly towards the needs of the sector. There is a skills shortage as a result of the pandemic, but we know there are many individuals in the community excited to begin their professional training in this sector.”
The Leicester and Leicestershire Enterprise Partnership (LLEP) held a celebration to mark 13 years of operations as plans were finalised for a new operational structure.
Chief executive Phoebe Dawson updated guests at an event at the National Space Centre on conversations that have been taking place with local partners on new arrangements for the business support body.
Leicester City Council and Leicestershire County Council hope to retain current LLEP functions, such as the Growth Hub and the Careers Hub under the changes.
The two councils also want to establish a business board to provide advice on decision-making relating to business support and economic growth, including representatives of local business and business organisations.
The councils also intend to invite interest from the seven Leicestershire district councils, universities, further education and the voluntary sector, with the board ultimately chaired by a private sector business representative.
The existing LEP model was created to develop
business-led partnerships, bringing together the private sector, local authorities, and academic and voluntary institutions.
The LLEP formed in May 2011 and, until last month, served as a strategic body for driving forward regeneration and growth of the local economy.
In those 13 years it has helped bring almost £860 million of investment into Leicester and Leicestershire and worked with partners and government on more than 360 projects.
A new charity programme is helping businesses recycle domestic or office furniture, electrical appliances, fixtures and fittings and, at the same time, transform the lives of homeless people.
Framework provides supported accommodation for around 3,000 homeless people each year across Derbyshire, Lincolnshire and Nottinghamshire.
Every year Framework furnishes and equips around 600 units of accommodation – mostly one-bed flats – at an annual cost of £660,000.
The Furnishing Futures scheme aims to help two types of business.
It offers a solution for producers, suppliers and retailers seeking to dispose of dead stock including furniture, electrical appliances, kitchenware, soft furnishing and bedding.
The scheme is also aimed at businesses wishing to recycle and repurpose items following a refurbishment.
Furnishing Futures is designed to accept either regular or one-off donations.
Every donation will receive an impact report to help the business demonstrate the resulting social and environmental impact –outlining the number of people helped and the number of items diverted from landfill. This information can be used to show progress towards achieving Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) goals.
Matt Cooke, the Framework fundraiser managing the scheme, said: “The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs estimates that, in 2020, the UK generated approximately 28 million tonnes of commercial waste, much of which was incinerated or sent to landfill.
“That waste will have included many thousands of items of hard and soft furnishings – often in great condition or still brand new – that could have had a new lease of life.
“What many producers, suppliers and retailers might consider ‘dead stock’ is seen by charities like Framework as something that can help build new lives.”
Major investment opportunities in Derby city centre have been shared with international investors at the annual MIPIM property and construction conference in Cannes.
A Derby breakfast event held at the Eden Hotel, in the Riveria city, briefed an investor audience on the city’s £594m of investment pipeline projects.
It was hosted by Team Derby, made up of members of Marketing Derby’s inward investment team, along with public and private sector officials, who were in the south of France in March, flying the flag for the city at what is regarded as the biggest property investment show in the world.
Teams from Leicestershire and Nottinghamshire also flew out to promote their respective cities and counties.
At the Derby event, the audience heard how 2025 is set to be the city’s ‘Olympic’ year, with a number
of major projects, designed to create footfall and vibrancy, coming online.
Bob Betts, chairman of Marketing Derby, said: “It was great to be able to share Derby’s investment pipeline with our partners, supporters and potential investors.
‘2025 is set to be an incredibly exciting year for Derby’
“2025 is set to be an incredibly exciting year for Derby, one which will see the transformation of our city centre kick into high gear.
“We hope that those who attended our breakfast event will have seen the exciting future that lies ahead for Derby – and will join us on that journey.”
Paul Simpson, chief executive at Derby City Council, detailed some of the successes secured at major new business parks being created
Staff at a food development company in Somercotes swapped sauces and spices for spades to support a project to plant a million trees across Derbyshire by 2030.
Eight staff from Griffith Foods, on Cotes Park Industrial Estate, pulled on their boots and turned out to plant trees at Brook Park – a 91-acre site with specially recreated limestone grassland on the site of the former Shirebrook Colliery.
The business is part of a global food manufacturing company and specialises in producing sauces, dressing, dry blends and value added coatings for the food industry.
The team there contacted Derbyshire County Council to lend a hand to the Million Trees project designed to help protect the environment for future generati ons and do its bit to tackle the effects
in and around Derby such as St. Modwen Park Derby, SmartParc SEGRO Derby and Infinity Park Derby.
He also talked about schemes designed to breathe new life into the city centre, such as the revamped Market Hall, the restored Guildhall Theatre, the Eastern Gateway and the brand new 3,500capacity performance venue being created at Becketwell.
In February, the city council announced VINCI UK Developments and ION Developments as its preferred development partner to drive forward plans to regenerate the ‘cultural heart’ of Derby city centre.
At the Cannes breakfast event, Graham Lambert, managing director at VINCI and Steve Parry, managing director at ION, gave a presentation about the role they will be playing in shaping the city centre’s future.
Among the aims is to deliver the ‘Cultural Heart of the City’ project on the former Assembly Rooms site, as well as other key projects such as the Northern Gateway.
Councillor Baggy Shanker, leader of Derby City Council, then spoke about Derby’s ‘Olympic year’ before a screening of the Derby City Showreel – a short film detailing all the major projects which are set to go live in 2025.
of climate change. As well as donating £2,500 towards the cost of the trees, the team helped to plant 600 saplings at Brook Park with the support of three members of local charity Groundwork which helps manage the site on behalf of landowners The Land Trust.
Trees planted included hazel, hawthorn, dog rose, yew and oak and the total number planted since June 2021 now st ands at more than 408,000.
Bill Varney, principal research and development technologist at Griffith Foods, said they liked to give back to the local community wherever they could.
He said: “This year we decided that one of the areas we would like to help contribute towards was the local countryside and giving employees more opportunities to volunteer.”
The first stage in the transformation of Leicester’s historic market has begun.
Construction company Speller Metcalfe has been awarded the £8m contract to lead the revamp of the market and has begun preparing the site for demolition.
Heavy equipment has been used to bring down the old market structure before work starts on a new market place with better lighting, new paving and a shuttered perimeter that will keep the site secure at night.
The old wooden stalls – which were in poor condition – are being replaced with 84 new stalls in an improved layout to create better pedestrian routes through the market.
The existing market roof will be removed and replaced with a smaller covered area, opening up views of the Grade II-listed Corn Exchange and creating space for new trading opportunities.
City mayor Peter Soulsby said: “This investment in Leicester Market is long overdue. If Leicester Market is to be the beating heart of the city centre once again, we need to help it adapt to reflect the way that people shop today.
“By reconfiguring the space and upgrading the environment, we can create new opportunities for new businesses that will complement the existing offer and attract new activity, and new life, to the market area.”
How Leicester Market will look
An artist’s impression of the redeveloped Derby Market Place
Chamber members are being invited to attend a fundraiser for BAFTA award-winning drama group
The Television Workshop.
Organisers of the inaugural ‘TV Workshop’s Great Notts Ball’ said the black-tie event will be held in the University of Nottingham’s Trent Building on Thursday 5 October, with some well-known faces among the VIP guests and speakers.
Last year, The Television Workshop celebrated its 40th anniversary, announcing one of its most famous alumni Vicky McClure as its newest patron, joining
directing legend Shane Meadows and Oscar-nominated Samantha Morton.
It was also the chosen charity for Nottingham Hot Property 2023, where several members of the Workshop performed and £20,000 was raised for the charity.
Over the years the Nottinghambased talent and casting agency has built a strong reputation with the likes of Samantha Morton, Bella Ramsey, Chanel Cresswell, Anjli Mohindra, Jorden Myrie, Jack O’Connell, Joe Dempsie and Karl Collins all coming through its doors.
Current and former members have also starred in successful
dramas shot in their hometown of Nottingham including ITVX’s Without Sin and BBC’s Sherwood
The October ball promises to be a celebration of the city, with a reception, three-course dinner, games, raffles, and an auction of prizes.
For the grand finale, guests will be invited to take to the dancefloor accompanied by a live band.
Alison Rashley, executive artistic director at The Television Workshop, said: “The past year has been truly incredible for The Television Workshop, and much of that is down to the support we have received from organisations across our great city of Nottingham.
“As well as being a fantastic way to bring the community together, we want this event to raise more awareness of our work in Nottingham so that we can keep supporting young people and providing bigger and better opportunities. While championing acting talent is at our core, we
pride ourselves on teaching skills that can be taken into any profession, encouraging confidence and building resilience for careers on and off screen.
“We look forward to welcoming guests to the dinner to share more about our plans and purpose, in what promises to be a very special evening.”
Businesses interested in attending the ‘TV Workshop’s Great Notts Ball’ event can e-mail carly@thetelevisonworkshop.co.uk
Loughborough University has been awarded almost £500,000 to support students looking to retrain or upskill in artificial intelligence (AI) and data science.
The investment from the Office for Students (OfS) will help address a shortage of specialists in the UK, while also improving diversity in the sector.
It comes from a new £8.1m pot for scholarships to postgraduate conversion courses in the two areas aimed at individuals currently working outside of the sector, particularly from groups that are under-represented – including women, black students, students registered disabled, and those from low socio-economic backgrounds.
Scholarships of up to £10,000 are available to students applying
to study on one of four postgraduate programmes at the university:
•MSc Data Science
•MSc Artificial Intelligence and Data Analytics
•MSc Cyber Security and Data Analytics
•MSc Digital Finance
Full-time and part-time delivery options are available to support students with professional or personal commitments, and the course content is structured to meet the learning needs of a diverse group of people, including those from non-STEM backgrounds.
This is the third grant from the OfS for Loughborough’s postgraduate conversion courses, after the university was initially awarded £630,000 in April 2020 to
develop the courses and provide scholarships, and then a further £500,000 in 2023 for more scholarships.
The university was also included in a partnership with the OfS and VISA, which saw the digital payments company sponsoring two additional £10,000 scholarships.
Professor Rachel Thomson, pro vice-chancellor for education and student experience, said: “Our innovative data science and artificial intelligence masters courses are ideal for anyone looking to retrain or upskill. They provide our students with the digital skills needed to meet the UK’s growing demand for AI expertise.
“We are also investing in new equipment and facilities through
our DIGILabs project, including hologram technology, to ensure that our graduates are familiar with the latest technologies and inspired by new ways of learning and working.
“It is vital that opportunities to study and work in this emerging field are open to everyone and we are very grateful to the Office for Students for their continued support in enabling us to do this.”
Loughborough University vicechancellor, Professor Nick Jennings said: “This funding will give students the opportunity to convert to or gain new skills in one of the most exciting and important fields of technological development of our generation, by studying on one of our four comprehensive and diverse programmes.”
The High Sheriff of Nottinghamshire held an annual get-together at the National Ice Centre to celebrate the charitable work of the Nottinghamshire Community Foundation.
Professor Veronica Pickering
MBA DL invited some 120 guests to hear about the work of the foundation which has been encouraging philanthropy for the benefit of the people of Nottinghamshire since 1997.
Business ambassador Mark Goldby, who has been a Deputy Lieutenant for Nottinghamshire since 2016, was MC for the event, during which the High Sheriff spoke about her year in office, the amazing people and community projects she has heard about and her commitment to helping deprived communities.
Despite deal volume declining across the UK, the Midlands “significantly outperformed” other regions according to Experian’s 2023 UK and Ireland (UK&I) M&A Review.
Although the Midlands saw a 7% year-on-year decline in deal numbers, it did better than other regions, which all experienced steeper declines from 2022 to 2023. National deal activity overall declined by 12% during a challenging year.
‘We are in the midst of ambitious expansion plans for our advisory team’
Despite the widespread decline in deals, business advisers PKF rose three ranks to become the 5th most active dealmaking team in the Midlands and a further six places in the national rankings to become the 7th most active in the UK.
PKF completed 103 eligible deals, with the Midlands division and mid-market specialists PKF Smith Cooper securing 22 of those deals with a combined value of £277m.
Midlands corporate finance partner Darren Hodson said it was evident that companies in the region remained attractive to investors.
He said: “In addition to fuelling M&A activity on home soil, we completed a number of cross-border
deals, drawing on our global reach and access to international purchasers.
“We have been growing team numbers to prepare for anticipated increased deal activity in 2024-25 and also seeking to expand our financial due diligence services where we feel there is significant demand for our quality of service.
“We are currently seeing high levels of M&A interest in the technology and renewables sectors and we are optimistic that dealmaking levels in the Midlands and UK will recover from 2023 levels, as uncertainties around inflation, interest rates and political and macro concerns subside, especially with alternate funders and increasing PE activity supporting the market in 2024.”
An inspirational boy from Derbyshire has become one of the youngest inventors in the UK after his patent for a t-shirt that can help people with sensory issues was approved.
Max Palfrey, 11, has used his own experiences of having additional needs to create a world-first range of clothing aimed at people with extreme sensitivity to certain materials, seams or labels in clothing.
Max was five when he was first diagnosed as autistic with Pathological Demand Avoidance (PDA). At the age of seven he was diagnosed with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), as well as sensory processing and hypermobility.
Helped by dad Matt he has set up his own business called Comfa clothing. The first range of clothing is a range of affordable t-shirts which are made from super-soft material and have Pop-Its – fidget toys often used by neurodivergent people to help them sooth and self-regulate – in the seams.
The design for the t-shirt has been handed a UK patent with a European and Worldwide patent currently pending.
‘My goal is to help more children like me and their families’
The family has received grants from organisations including Erewash Borough Council, Connecting Derbyshire, NDV and the Accelerator Programme to help build the business and there are plans in the future to design other items of clothing such as school uniform and underwear.
Max was recently invited onto ITV’s flagship daytime programme This Morning to chat with presenters Alison Hammond and Paddy McGuinness, who modelled the Fidget-T. Paddy has three children he shares with ex-wife Christine who all have autism.
Max said: “They help me as I find the Pop-Its are calming and they help to regulate me. I have
insurance broker has pledged to raise money for local charity Safe and Sound over the next two years.
The team at PIB Insurance Brokers, in Wyvern Business Park, choose a different charity to support every two years, organising fundraising ranging from physical challenges to dress-down days.
Derby-based Safe and Sound supports children, young people and their families whose lives have been affected by child exploitation.
Last year, it helped 343 children and young people who had been victims or are at risk – mostly aged seven-to-18, but also young people aged up to 25 with special needs or have come out of care.
something that I can fidget with, and I can do it without anyone knowing My goal is to help more children like me and their families.”
Called the Fidget-T, the Pop-Its that are sewn into the seams, where the arms naturally fall, can be used as a calming technique without it being obvious to others.
Before starting the business, Max and his family started carrying out market research with other families of neurodivergent children around the world and were overwhelmed with the response they received. They found that, like Max, children needed clothes that were
soft and comfortable; polyester material, seams and labels were found to be irritable.
“The response to our Fidget-T has been overwhelming,” said dad Matt.
“The first batch of t-shirts sold out really quickly, so we know that the demand is there, and we have a new batch arriving at our offices soon. The t-shirts are available in black, light blue and khaki green and fit children between the ages of three and 16-plus. The 16-plus one fits my wife, Lauren, who is a UK size 10 so it’s possible for adults to wear them, too.”
In February 2024 the Chamber welcomed 32 new members:
• 4S Business Support
• The Alchemist
• AWK Ground Testing
• BHW Solicitors
• Curium Solutions
• Devello
• Dual Pumps
• Freeva
• Ideagen
Neil Howie said: “Although we are part of a national group, we are committed to supporting the communities where our staff, clients and contacts are based.
“I am delighted that we will have the opportunity to raise money that will make a real difference to so many young people.”
Safe and Sound chief executive Tracy Harrison (pictured) said: “As well as raising much needed funds, I always welcome the opportunity to build relationships with companies and organisations to raise awareness of child exploitation.”
For more information visit www.safeandsoundgroup.org.uk
• Glenfield Electrical (pictured)
• Hays Specialist Recruitment
• Heatons
• Her Utility
• Hive Thinking – Nottingham
• Holiday Inn Nottingham
• Innoscope
• Jo and Jo Events
• Leicestershire County Cricket Club
• Loopwheels
• Loughborough Schools Foundation
• Lucid Data
• Maria Terry Design
• Millington Travel
• Mud Mate
• Now or Never
• The Oaklands
• Oxford Business College
• Piping Rock UK
• Select Car Leasing East Midlands
• Sherwood Forest Hospitals
NHS Charity
• SimpliciB
• Steve Edwards Photography
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Marketing agency Repeat Digital has bolstered its services with a new PR offering.
The firm, which was founded by Olly Fisher in 2017, originally specialised in Pay-Per-Click (PPC) and paid social before expanding into search engine optimisation (SEO) to help businesses stand out online.
After a period of growth, the company has now launched a range of PR services to complement SEO and PPC, headed up by former journalist and PR specialist Becca Tee.
Becca started her career as a reporter at The Nottingham Post (now Nottinghamshire Live) before spending seven years working across traditional and digital PR.
She said: “I am so pleased to join the team at Repeat Digital and to help the company expand its range of services, providing more options to existing clients while becoming a more attractive proposition to potential clients that are looking for an agency that can offer an all-in-one solution.
“I’m using my expertise to create a fully ‘hybrid’ approach to PR by combining the best of both traditional and digital. This means that we are not solely focused on brand awareness and offline placements, nor are we only honed into the number of links our clients are getting each month.
“Both are equally important and play a part in improving visibility, leads and sales, especially as the PR landscape is continuing to evolve and more and more journalists are becoming savvy to link building and SEO practices.”
Aglobal business software company has brought in a new executive vice president and managing director of its compliance division.
Nottingham-based Ideagen has appointed Sam Honey to the roles, strengthening its commitment to supporting the evolving needs of its customers.
Sam will be responsible for growing the reach of Ideagen’s audit, risk and collaboration work alongside Tim Bisley who is EVP and MD of quality division.
She has more than 27 years of experience in the technology, media and telecoms sector having most recently served as chief customer officer at FTSE100 technology business Avast Plc.
Prior to joining Avast, she held various leadership roles at O2.
She said: “I am delighted to be joining the Ideagen leadership team, as the company continues its impressive growth journey.
“I look forward to partnering with our colleagues and customers to shape and deliver the strategic growth agenda for the exciting times that lie ahead.”
Ideagen’s customer base includes more than 1,000 government organisations, 250 global aviation organisations, nine of the top 10 accounting firms, nine
Derby law firm Flint Bishop has announced a series of senior promotions, underscoring a period of solid performance and growth.
The changes have seen Angela Davis promoted to partner and head of family & matrimonial; Mark Wilcock, in corporate & finance, and Briony McDermott, in employment, both promoted to partner level; and Sam Balmbra, in wills, probate, tax & trusts, made a senior associate.
Chief executive Qamer Ghafoor said: “I am extremely passionate about creating a platform for people to progress within the firm and take responsibility for projects and areas of work that really excite them.
“It is excellent to see staff achieve long-term careers with the firm in line with the leadership team’s growth ambitions.
“The latest promotions are a result of the continued investment at our Birmingham and Derby offices as we roll out our strategic expansion plans for 2024 and beyond.
“I would like to congratulate all the individuals on their well-deserved promotions and achievements.
“I wish them every success in their new roles.”
of the top 10 global aerospace and defence corporations, and 15 of the top 20 global pharmaceutical companies.
The tech unicorn was taken into private equity ownership in 2022 for £1.1bn, and has more than 11,400 customers which it helps with their health, safety, risk, quality, audit and collaboration needs.
Derby-based business management consultancy FPA Consulting has expanded its team with the appointment of Hannah Smith (pictured).
Hannah who has been working for the business on a temporary basis after studying at The University of Derby, has now been appointed into a full-time role as an administration assistant supporting the firm’s business operations.
Managing director John Barke said: “As a team we are very proud of our 25-year plus track record of supporting businesses to achieve their objectives.
“Hannah will bring new and complementary skills to our company, and we are delighted that she has chosen to join us”.
FPA Consulting works with organisations large and small across the UK in a wide range of industries both private and public sector.
Trace Voss has been promoted to the post of head of commercial events and partnerships at East Midlands Chamber.
The position will see her work even more closely with Chamber members in its commercial operations and support a wide number of activities ranging from its annual Celebration of Culture and Communities to its regional awards.
Trace was previously strategic partnership manager working alongside members, ensuring they can access all the services available for them. That saw her build long-term working relationships and partnerships with members – something she has always been passionate about. Her new role will see her continue to work alongside Chamber patrons and strategic partners, while encouraging new companies to come on board.
She said: “I am so excited to be in this new position with the East Midlands Chamber, enabling me to continue my passion.
“I thrive on making a difference and supporting others, and working in partnership and collaboration are very important values to me, along with integrity, respect, and trust.
“All these values are equally important to the Chamber.
“A word I often use when describing a strong working relationship, and the reason for its success, is nurturing.
“I truly believing in looking after the people I work with, our members, strategic partners, patrons and sponsors, ensuring the relationship with us at the chamber is a great experience.”
A solicitor at Geldards has been appointed as deputy vice chair – and a member of the executive committee – of Leicestershire Law Society.
Chimdinma Nwaigwe (pictured) works in the commercial property team at Geldards and is also a qualified barrister and solicitor of the Supreme Court of Nigeria.
She acts for a variety of big retailers advising them on the management of their property portfolios, as well as acting for charities, local authorities and institutional lenders.
As a Leicester resident, Chimdi joined Leicestershire Law Society in 2021 and has taken a number of active roles on the committee including honorary treasurer, ensuring the society maintains a healthy financial position.
She hopes to take up the position of vice president
and subsequently president over the next two years. One of Leicestershire Law Society’s objectives is to improve equality and diversity within the society and Chimdi plays an active role on the equality and diversity society sub-board.
She is the co-administrator of a group of more than 570 Nigerian lawyers in the UK, providing mentorship and support to Nigerian legal professionals seeking to practice law in the UK.
She said: “The membership of LLS also reflects the diverse mix of people in the Leicestershire region which is a testament to the society’s aim to promote EDI in both the legal profession and the society.”
Elsewhere, Geldards has strengthened its commercial property team with the appointment of senior associate Amjad Sheikh, who has joined from Nelsons.
Su Garner
Freeths has appointed partner Su Garner to establish a restructuring and insolvency team in Leicester.
Su has more than 20 years’ experience and advises clients on a range of non-contentious restructuring and insolvency matters in sectors including construction, retail, hospitality and automotive. She has a particular focus on distressed real estate as well as formal insolvency appointments and security issues.
She will help strengthen and grow the firm’s offering in the Midlands following recognition from the High Court Review 2023 which named Freeths as the most active in the UK.
Su said: “I’m incredibly excited to join such an outstanding team.
“The strength of the firm’s existing national offering will assist my aim in enhancing the restructuring and insolvency service across the Midlands for both new and existing clients.”
Lisa Gilligan, managing partner of Freeths Leicester, said: “Su is a key appointment for the Leicester office to help further strengthen our regional presence as we continue to grow our practice areas.:
Chris Lockwood has been appointed senior account manager with South Normanton-based marketing agency Purpose Media.
The University of Derby graduate has previously worked in marketing roles with Sports Direct, Punch Communications and Derby City Council and also operated as a freelance consultant. He has represented big-name clients such as Barclays, Sony and Legal & General.
He said: “I’m really passionate about what we do and about using our expertise to really add value for our clients. The digital marketing sector is fast-paced and constantly evolving, which means we need to
be forward-thinking, sometimes we need to be brave, and we always need to be creative.”
Chris said his career highlights to date included working with Sony Xperia mobile phones, running paid media and content campaigns to boost sales across the company’s European territories.
He also helped Sports Direct execute its launch of the 2017 Liverpool FC home kit, with a strategy that included asset creation, email marketing and paid media. For the confirmed Reds fan, it was a dream assignment and meant he got a sneak peek at the new strip before other supporters.
2 May, bringing in a new era of local government for Derby, Derbyshire, Nottingham and Nottinghamshire.
Central Government go-ahead came in the form of the The Levelling Up and Regeneration Bill, which gained Royal Assent in Parliament last autumn, followed by approval from politicians at Nottingham City Council, Nottinghamshire County Council, Derby City Council and Derbyshire County Council, and finally, ministerial approval on 28 February 2024. Leicester City Council and Leicestershire County Council are not included in the plans, which would see the four neighbouring city and county council areas to the north receive £1.14bn of funding for things such as transport, education and skills, housing, the environment and economic development. Leicester City Council and Leicestershire County Council are seeking a ‘level 2 devolution deal’ which includes a reduced set of devolved powers without an elected Mayor for the whole area.
The EMCCA will represent around 2.2 million people.
At the time of going to press five candidates have put themselves forward for election – an Independent, Green, Reform candidate, Conservative and a Labour candidate.
The winner will join a growing list of directly elected mayors in England and Wales covering areas such as London, Greater Manchester, the West Midlands, Liverpool, Tees Valley, the West of England and South Yorkshire. The North East will elect its first mayor in May.
Business Network invited each of the five East Midlands candidates to describe how they would help businesses across the region...
Frank Adlington-Stringer is North East Derbyshire's first elected Green councillor – and its youngest ever at age 25.
Born in Chesterfield, raised in Derby and educated in Nottinghamshire, he is the vice chair of the district council's environmental scrutiny committee.
The East Midlands, the home of the Industrial Revolution, changed the world from the little village of Cromford – and our creativity, innovation and genius has proudly remained.
Our region is full of potential which is just waiting to be unleashed.
My greatest strength will be leading the charge to make the East Midlands a powerhouse of a sustainable British economy.
I will make the East Midlands the centre of green manufacturing by ensuring that adult education and my local skills improvement plan are centred around creating a generation of talented workers.
Graduate retention must also be improved and by putting our region on the map as the UK's green hub we can certainly achieve that.
The East Midlands will again be the home to the next major transformation, the Green Industrial Revolution.
How can Government help the region’s economy?
The East Midlands needs to be levelled up properly. This means enough funding to address the inadequate levels of public investment in our region, which was the lowest in the entire country last year.
Electing a Conservative or Labour mayor will forfeit our negotiating power as Westminster gains control of our newly devolved region through yet another nodding dog.
We must be bold and demand better. As your Green mayor, I will always stand up for Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire.
This is my home and I am proud to represent it.
The Green Party does not whip its representatives so I will be free to demand reparations for the impact of austerity. The Government’s priority has to be supporting us in our mission to decarbonise and revive our regional economy.
How will you support and create high-quality, well-paid jobs?
Ambitious billion-pound projects, such as my publicly-owned network of affordable, sustainable and modern buses which are connected with walking, cycling and train routes,
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will bring prosperity and opportunity to our region.
The scale of the task which we are taking on –a Green Industrial Revolution – will be allencompassing. Every sector in our region will be challenged to do things differently – to find ways to create stability in the future for our business, communities and families.
Thinking ahead and acting now gives us, as a devolved region, the security of our own regional economy. There is no gamble to be taken, we know that the world is going green, it’s just a matter of when.
How will you address the housing shortage?
My grandad and his father ran a successful family-owned building company and built a large part of the community which I now represent. I feel a great sense of duty in restoring pride and decency to our housing stock.
I have made a commitment to only build sustainable homes. We have been failed by new homes which are simply not fit for purpose. Creating places for people to nurture their families is a privilege and not something to be taken for granted…. I will oversee a major public housing drive which sets the standard for the private sector and welcome those who want to help fulfil this mission.
How will you protect local public services?
Decent local services are at the heart of my politics and increasingly hostile governments have brought them to the brink of extinction. As the only candidate standing for a party proud to invest in poor communities, I am not only committed to protecting our public services, nor just negotiating increased funding, but championing their extension and long-term survival.
Ben Bradley has been the Conservative MP for Mansfield since 2017. He is also leader of Nottinghamshire County Council, representing Mansfield North.
He was born in Derby in 1989 and is married with two children
What are your plans for business?
Our region is built on amazing businesses, and has lots of untapped potential too. Our strength, in this combined authority area, might just be the range of diversity of our economy, with huge strengths across engineering, manufacturing, clean energy, rail, construction; but also creative industries, digital, med-tech and others across different areas.
Within the new combined authority – with the right mayor who has appropriate experience –we can offer more support for SMEs based on local need rather than national “schemes”. We can simplify things for businesses with a “one stop shop” for support, advice or finance. We can build local strategies around those key sectors and geographical locations to support growth, and we can tie together skills and
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The East Midlands, under my leadership, will have a publicly-owned transport system to be proud of. We will restore our old train stations and improve connectivity with rural communities. Decent, affordable housing will become a reality in our region, as will libraries, gyms, pools and green spaces…. local authorities should have the resources to make sure that nobody has to choose between heating or eating, that nobody sleeps on the street, that no mother or daughter suffers the embarrassment of period poverty, that every child has opportunity in their community, and that nobody's backgrounds holds them back.
How will you improve transport on a regional level?
Opening up long-forgotten train stations will link up rural communities, and our publicly owned buses will provide the connectivity to those stations. A new network of walking and cycling routes will further enable residents to get around without having to rely on their cars.
You should be able to walk safely to a nearby bus stop to catch a bus which arrives on time and drops you off at the station in coordination with your train's scheduled departure.
Oh, and that should all happen with a simple integrated ticketing system. It is entirely possible to create self-funding transport systems.
How would you support businesses towards Net Zero?
The other political parties will now try to sound like me. They want to be seen to be green – a lovely little side dish of wildflowers to placate voters and help distract from their far less delicious main meals.
Our climate is not a “nice to have”, it is not an optional extra. That is why I am putting our push to zero emissions at the heart of everything I am planning for our region.
Every single sector is impacted by the climate crisis and we need bold leadership to offer support to local businesses trying to achieve that.
This is not just about planting a few more trees (as nice as that may be), instead we have to re-think everything from transport to education, housing to health, and energy production to arts and culture.
A vote for anyone but me at this election is a vote to delay climate action and community adaptation for another four years.
How can we maximise opportunities from the freeport and local investment zones?
I have made no secret of my hesitancy towards freeports in the past and I will not push those well placed concerns to one side in order to win votes.
Offering an alternative perspective will push us all to do better. Freeports can bring tax evasion and divisions in communities.
They can be a brain drain and relocation of talent which ultimately sucks our local economies dry.
I want to do things differently by ensuring that all local businesses can take full advantage of our freeports and local investment zones. This opportunity cannot be restricted to just the privileged few who can afford to relocate.
I want our entire region to flourish and will work with partners to make this happen.
My party and I do not think that a mayor is the best structure for our region but we recognise that if our region is going to have one then it should be someone who is community focused, passionate about sustainability and willing to speak out.
My mindset is the same when it comes to freeports and local investment zones, they are not what I would have wanted for our region but this is where we are.
...from page 32
infrastructure around those plans to make all of this work more effectively.
How can Government help the region’s economy?
Each time I see the Chancellor I ask what he’s doing to reduce the burdens on businesses, both financial and administrative.
I have therefore welcomed the steps he’s taken with things like raising the VAT threshold, extended rates relief, and incentives for investment and productivity
Clearly we need to help businesses to have the confidence to grow and invest, and I think that the new mayor will have some exciting opportunities to do that.
The mayor’s office needs to be the first place businesses look for support, where we can bring together information, advice, grants, planning in some cases and other areas of the public sector in one place.
How will you support and create high-quality, well-paid jobs?
Unlike any other candidate in this contest, I’m already doing this work. I’ve successfully worked on projects such as the new STEP Fusion investment near Retford, which will be a magnet for huge growth in clean energy investment and skills in our area.
I already sit or have sat on the boards of our freeport and development company. I’ve worked on the master-planning for key developments, and I helped to secure our regional investment zone.
All of these projects and incentives need to come together under the combined authority.
Cllr Alan Graves became mayor of Derby in May 2023 and was Reform UK’s first mayor. He was originally elected as a Labour Derby City Councillor in 2002, going on to become an independent, then UKIP and Brexit Party representative, before becoming a Reform UK councillor in 2020.
He has always argued that a referendum should have been held to ask people whether they wanted devolution for the area in the first place.
Cllr Graves decided not to answer our questions, but sent the following statement:
“This new political position is another red herring on the political landscape and a complete dereliction of the Government’s duties towards its citizens.
Whether it is the Conservative Party or the Labour Party the collaboration between them to gerrymander this new layer of politician is typical of the greed of mainstream political parties.
Nobody asked the people of Derbyshire and Nottinghamshire whether they wanted this position, in fact, Derby City Council prevented me from raising the issue of a referendum on this important matter. Government says it is levelling up but in fact it is a dumbing down of democracy.
How will you address the housing shortage?
This comes with powers and funding to help, particularly with things like bringing forward brownfield sites, or helping to set clear guidance on environmental standards. I want to bring developers into a regular conversation about how we manage this, and what is needed. I want to be an open door to people who want to drive growth and investment. So I will listen more and involve developers in our strategy. I will help more to unlock things and support the sector. In return I will ask for more too, to make things work for our regional strategy and for residents.
How will you protect local public services?
As mayor I’d invest in a major road improvement programme that will support residents and business and boost our economy, but also reduce pressure on council teams who are stretched and currently unable to make this work.
I’d seek further devolved powers over things like youth services, so that we can invest more in support and ‘prevention’ services in disadvantaged areas, reducing the demand on other services. As a council leader myself, I’m well placed to tackle these issues.
How will you improve transport on a regional level?
While a lot of rail investment will still need national support and funding because of the cost involved, it will be really positive to properly assess and prioritise our “ask” as a region to ensure we can secure more investment.
Inevitably, with no regional oversight and 18 competing local councils, we end up competing against each other and contradicting each other, and we don’t give Government a proper clear
idea of what we want, collectively. So I’ll pull together a clear, single priority list for rail and major transport investment, so we can articulate this to Government more effectively and secure more funds and projects.
I’m successfully rolling out “on demand” bus services in Notts to ensure every area has access to public transport, and we can expand that into Derbyshire.
How would you support businesses towards Net Zero?
Aside from supporting public transport growth or greener transport options, I think some of the biggest environmental opportunities will be a business boost. We’ve already got funding for things like retrofitting homes, for example, so we’ll invest in the skills needed for that.
We have an absolutely massive opportunity in clean energy, with big businesses and projects developing nuclear, hydrogen, fusion and other technologies within the region, as well as leading the way on decarbonising other industries.
How can we maximise opportunities from the freeport and local investment zones?
I know I keep coming back to this, but this is an area where we really need a mayor who knows what they’re doing. We have a freeport, one that crosses into Leicestershire which is not in our combined authority. We have a development company, an investment zone, we have STEP Fusion at West Burton. Huge sites, huge growth opportunities, but complicated governance currently across multiple organisations and delivery vehicles. The mayor needs to simplify this and ensure that we can use all of these different interventions in the right way, and in a coherent and joined up way.
My idea of getting all the MPs in the area to form a committee to spend money already allocated to the area was dismissed. Even though each MP has a vested interest in their own area and this idea would get them to work together for the betterment of our two counties.
Instead, they all voted to put these decisions into one person’s hands. That is not devolution or levelling up, it is a dictatorship.
I am standing on a platform that gives people a voice to reject this idea of an extra imposed political post. If elected it will show the Government and those political parties who advocate this, that you the people should be heard.
Did you know, the regional mayors – also known as Metro Mayors – are a hangover from the EU? As are the Police and Crime Commissioners, all of which cost us a fortune to administer.
When looking at the new, many tiers of Government, the UK is being massively overgoverned, we do not need so many elected officials. Since Tony Blair's compliance to the EU we now have a substantial number of people, in elevated positions, not only being paid very enviable salaries but also have office and staff costs that run into millions of pounds. So far there are nine regional mayors and 35 police and crime commissioners resulting in over £100m in extra taxation for local people.”
Matt Relf grew up in Mansfield/Sutton-InAshfield and at state schools and has a degree in computer science from the University of Warwick.
He runs a business offering IT consultancy in highways management. He has been an Independent on Ashfield District Council since 2018 and is portfolio holder for regeneration, planning and economic development. He is married with a 12-year-old daughter.
As Business Network went to press, Cllr Relf was hopeful of raising the £5,000 deposit needed to stand in the election.
What are your plans for business?
As mayor I would utilise the combined authority to be a single point of co-ordination and collaboration for all the business support activities available across the region to ensure businesses can rapidly identify and access the support they need.
Businesses in our area do incredible work across a large variety of sectors but we are too modest for our own good, not recognising the brilliant outputs that we have and how we are world leaders in many sectors.
As mayor I will be ensuring we overcome our modesty and do more to shout about what fantastic businesses we have here so businesses can grow, and investors can see what a fantastic place this is to put their money.
How can Government help the region’s economy?
Currently 90% of the adult education budget is spent on getting those who have recently left school up to basic standards in English and maths.
We need to fix the broken schools strategy so that schools can focus more on turning out people who are motivated for the workplace and a desire for further development throughout their lives.
This will free up the adult education budget to support this further development of adults at all stages of their working life.
The other main priority will be redressing the massive imbalance in transport spending that the East Midlands receives compared to the rest of the country.
The cancellation of HS2 is due to bring a oneoff injection of £1.5bn to the combined authority. If transport spending in the East Midlands was brought up to the national average, then there would be a further £1.3bn coming into our region every year!
How will you address the housing shortage?
For too long the government has failed to build low carbon measures into building regulations, instead leaving it to local authorities to stipulate measures in local planning policies, leading to an inconsistent patchwork approach that fails to deliver economies of scale in delivery.
As mayor I would ensure that a consistent approach exists in the region to build great quality low carbon homes.
I will also be looking at prioritising the housing we need as a society. For example, integrating into developments better provision of attractive retirement and extra care communities leads to greater dignity in old age, reduced costs for care provision and unlocks significant stocks of family homes into the market.
How will you support and create high-quality, well-paid jobs?
We need to offer the support to businesses to invest in technology to improve productivity and create training support so that staff can be upskilled to utilise the technology.
We need to build an investment landscape that gives investors the confidence to fund this procurement and training. And we need to ensure the East Midlands is a wonderful place to live so that highly skilled staff want to stay here.
I am already working on this within Ashfield and want to bring the same approach to the whole of the region.
For example, I chair the group developing the new Automated Distribution and Manufacturing Centre that will be supporting businesses of any size across the East Midlands in understanding how automation could work for them, developing proof of concepts and training their staff.
How will you protect local public services? Where possible I will co-ordinate with local authorities on shared best practice and shared procurement to ensure local budgets can be effectively managed – but fundamentally the subject of how much central taxation reaches local authorities will remain the responsibility of the Government and how local authorities prioritise their budgets will remain the responsibility of the leadership of each local authority.
It is for this reason that it is so imperative that all voters look carefully at the person they are voting for (not just their party badge) to ensure they are someone they trust to be making such important decisions on their behalf.
How will you improve transport on a regional level?
I have extensive professional experience in ticketing and highways asset management. I also
have a track record of bringing together partners.
I will be bringing this experience to the role to pull together all transport offerings across the region (from rail to bike hire), and build an integrated transport network with integrated ticketing.
Alongside this I will work with the constituent councils and infrastructure companies to lean on my experience to ensure we sort out the dreadful state of the roads.
How would you support businesses towards Net Zero?
We are seeing increasing levels of rainfall in the region leading to much more frequent flooding. Doing our part to tackle climate change as early as possible is not only the morally right thing to do but is also financially prudent as dealing with more extreme weather will only become more and more expensive.
As mayor I will be working with all the planning authorities across the region to ensure all new homes and commercial premises are built to keep energy use to a minimum.
I will ensure businesses have access to information and training needed to understand how to identify and invest in technology that will allow them to reduce their energy bills.
How can we maximise opportunities from the freeport and local investment zones?
Transport is key to this otherwise the benefits granted by these opportunities will only be closely clustered around them.
Effective transport to these locations will allow businesses from further afield to engage and allow employees to be drawn from a broader area ensure the economic uplift is felt over much wider areas of our region.
Claire Ward was brought up in a Labour family, learning that decisions made by politicians impacted every aspect of life.
She has dedicated her life to the Labour, Trade Union and Co-Operative Movement, serving as a local councillor, constituency party chair and serving as an MP and minister in the last Labour Government.
She has lived in Nottinghamshire for more than a decade with her husband and two children and chairs Sherwood Forest NHS Foundation Trust. She also works for the Pharmacists Defence Association – an independent trade union for pharmacists.
What are your plans for business?
The East Midlands has suffered from years of underinvestment. We are the lowest-funded region for infrastructure and we have some of the lowest levels of attainment of qualifications.
Our local government system is broken.
People are paying the price with cuts to local services while facing higher tax bills.
Our NHS, education and economy have all suffered from the last 14 years of austerity. We cannot afford to let those who backed those cuts be in charge of this new opportunity.
How can Government help the region’s economy? Devolution – money and powers from Westminster – gives us the chance to determine our own priorities, without adding any more local taxes to the highest tax burden the Tories have created. That’s why I want to be the mayor – to make our region the best place to live, to work and learn.
How will you support and create high-quality, well-paid jobs?
Our region is home to great international companies leading in manufacturing in rail, aviation, vehicles, biosciences and more. I will make sure they have the right environment to thrive – support to grow their business, a skilled workforce and an infrastructure that helps them get their products and people where they need to be.
Our region has the chance to lead on clean and green energy with the development of the hydrogen cluster, SMRs and STEP fusion –needing thousands of new skilled jobs over coming years.
My green growth fund will help by investing in those skills and jobs. I will work with colleges and universities to harness their experience to deliver what we need.
At the moment, it’s difficult to know who to talk to if you want to set up or grow a business in the region.
The mayor’s office will be the place to go in future and I will bring together a range of support, advice and grant services so that businesses large and small can access the help they need.
From the Peak District to Sherwood Forest and into our cities, we have so much to see and do.
The visitor economy, culture and creative industries can bring jobs and growth.
As mayor, I will bring in new investment to these sectors both public and private and champion the East Midlands nationally and internationally.
How will you address the housing shortage?
I will work with councils to identify land, making the most of brownfield sites first, for new homes that are low carbon and energy efficient and create a taskforce to make our existing homes more efficient. New skills and good jobs will help meet our Net Zero targets.
How will you protect local public services and improve transport on a regional level? Many communities outside of the cities are trapped with poor bus services. I will invest in an integrated transport system across rail, bus and tram with easy ‘tap and go’ technology and a focus on delivering buses to those hard to reach communities in rural Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire. I will review all the concessionary travel schemes across the region, so we can provide better support for our elderly and vulnerable and our young people who need to travel to get the skills they need for work.
I have already agreed a deal with neighbouring mayor in Manchester, Andy Burnham, to get young people in bordering areas access to the Manchester travel pass. I will work with other mayors to deliver similar deals.
I will encourage active travel schemes, working with local communities to promote the best options. I will roll out more EV charging points too increase driver confidence in electric cars. As mayor I will bring ambition to our travel networks and take long term decisions not short term gimmicks. I won’t be promising how to spend £1.5bn until I know for certain the money is there – it wasn’t long ago the Tories were promising that money to HS2!
We need a strategic transport plan that’s ambitious and makes the case for investment and I will be lobbying government for even more funding. Our roads are also in a terrible state. There’s a reason why – councils have been underfunded to fix the roads and Tory MPs have voted for those cuts. We can’t trust them to deliver the change we need. Those councils will still be responsible for fixing the roads.
‘I haven’t spent all my life in politics – I have built a successful business, led other businesses and worked with national and international companies’
How would you support businesses towards Net Zero?
Climate change is real – as thousands of homeowners and businesses across our region know from repeated flooding. Our developments will take account of the need to protect and promote our biodiversity. I will support businesses to reduce their carbon footprints. Through better transport, skills, jobs and homes we can improve our environment.
How I will work is as important as what I will do. I will bring a new style of politics. Working collaboratively with business and all partners, and working across party lines to put the East Midlands first. I will invest in our communities, reinvigorating our high streets, championing cooperatives and community-owned assets.
I am the only candidate with over 30 years of experience in politics, business and public service. I qualified as a solicitor. I was an MP for 13 years and a government minister in the last Labour Government – so I know how to influence Government and Whitehall to get more things done. But I haven’t spent all my life in politics – I have built a successful business, led other businesses and worked with national and international companies, particularly in health and pharmacy.
I am chair of Sherwood Forest Hospital NHS Trust and I have served patients and the public in Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire for more than a decade. This is a leadership role and we need a mayor who can bring all of their experience – of life and work – to the job. I have lived in Nottinghamshire for over 11 years, raising my family here, working in my community. I am standing because this is a chance to make a difference, after years of cuts which have devastated our local communities.
By working across the East Midlands, with new powers, funding and ambition I know I can make a positive difference. This is my home and I want a thriving region for my children and for yours. I am asking for your support on 2 May –vote Labour. Vote Claire for mayor.
Nottingham Business School (NBS) has achieved a global mark of excellence for its dedication to providing a personalised experience for all its students, its connections with industry partners, and its commitment to ethics, responsibility and sustainability.
NBS, part of Nottingham Trent University, completed a rigorous assessment process to retain its EQUIS accreditation for the full five-year period, demonstrating its dedication to continuous improvement since its last evaluation in 2021.
EQUIS is only awarded to top business schools by EFMD, a global, non-profit, membership-driven organisation dedicated to management development.
Executive dean Professor Baback Yazdani said: “The assessment revealed the passion that our colleagues and students have for Nottingham Business School and their pride in being part of our community.
“This sense of belonging and commitment to making NBS the best it can be is reflected in the achievement of securing EQUIS accreditation for the full five-year term – an outstanding accomplishment for everyone involved.”
Construction work on a new HQ for Nottingham Community Housing Association (NCHA) is progressing at pace, more than 10 months after the start of the build.
The two-storey building is going up in Farnborough Road, Clifton, and is now watertight with the external insulation and cladding installed.
Callum Gillespie, who chairs the association’s board, said “It was great to get on site to see the build progress for Clifton Place.
“I’m really impressed with the quality and design of the development –it’s really starting to take shape and I’m excited to see it open later in the year.”
The new premises, called Clifton Place, will have 200 workspaces, meeting rooms, a 24-hour call centre, a training facility and a property maintenance depot.
The architectural design is being led by Pelham, and it is being built
‘This accreditation will demonstrate the quality, performance and sustainable credentials of the building’
to Building Research Establishment Environmental Assessment Method (BREEAM) excellent standards.
A spokeswoman said: “This accreditation will demonstrate the quality, performance and sustainable credentials of the building.
“The impressive new workplace is part of a wider development programme that is completely regenerating the old college site that had stood derelict for some time.
“Alongside Clifton Place, the new site will offer 56 homes for older people, and a supported housing service.
“The existing sport and football facilities will remain in use for the community. This mix of residential accommodation, community facilities and office space will be a fantastic place for people to live, work and visit.
“The contractor, GEDA Construction, is expected to hand over our new workplace in August 2024, with a move-in date later in the year.”
NCHA dates back to 1973 and now houses more than 20,000 people in 10,000 homes in Nottinghamshire, Derbyshire, Lincolnshire, Leicestershire, Northamptonshire and Rutland.
The business employs more than 1,200 people, and has an annual turnover of £90m.
Over the decades it has invested more than £650m in properties and is building new, affordable homes all the time, including homes for sale, rent, shared ownership and everything in between.
Derbyshire marketing agency Purpose Media has taken a big step into the education sector after winning contracts to create 30 new websites and give digital support to two Midlands academy trusts.
The South Normanton agency has been appointed by the Embark Federation and the LEAD Academy Trust, which run 44 primary and secondary schools between them across Derbyshire and Nottinghamshire.
The work will involve creating a new group website and 27 further school websites, as well as providing video and photographic content and ongoing support for LEAD, which is based in Nottingham and operates 26 academies –with one more set to join the group.
Purpose Media will also build a new group website for Derby-based Embark as well as supplying digital support for the 19 primary and secondary schools it operates across Derbyshire. It will also build a new website for the William Rhodes Primary and Infant School in Chesterfield.
Purpose Media has built up a reputation working with firms in a range of industries across the country and overseas and Tim Lenton, the firm’s digital implementation and strategy director, says the team was looking forward to using their expertise on behalf of schools close to home.
Tim said: “Schools have traditionally used their websites as one of a number of different
methods to keep in touch with parents and other stakeholders and it’s fair to say they haven’t been used to what we’d consider to be their full advantage.
“Our strategy will be to put them at the heart of each school’s marketing and communications activity by ensuring they have quality photographic and video content, are kept up to date with the latest policy documents and contain everything visitors need to be able to understand each school’s identity and its core values.”
Matt Crawford, trust leader of the Embark Federation, said: “We are delighted to be working with Purpose Media on a new website for the trust and also William Rhodes school.
“We have been very impressed not just by the skill of their team but also by their effective communication at all stages of the project so far. We are really excited to see the end product and are hoping to continue to work with them in the future.”
Kenan Brown-Wingfield (pictured), development account executive at Howden Insurance explains: What is Cyber Insurance and how can we reduce the possibility of an attack?
Cyber insurance, also called cyber liability insurance or cybersecurity insurance, covers financial losses caused by cyber incidents. In the same way that car insurance pays for vehicle damage and bodily harm in the event of an accident, cyber insurance policies pay for damaged computer systems, lost revenue, legal expenses, and other cyberattack costs.
Cybercrime is at an all-time high and continues to hurt businesses ranging from SMEs, right through to multinational businesses.
Around 236.1 million ransomware attacks occurred globally in the first half of 2022, with 39% of UK businesses reportedly suffering a cyber-attack in 2022.
According to IBM Security’s latest report, a data breach can cost companies up to £3.4m, whereas the average premium for Cyber policies in 2022 was £4,200.
1.Multi-factor authentication – this is an extra confirmation step to ensure a valid and authorised user is entering a network. Outlook provides a free version which is a good place to start...
2.Dual authorisation processes for payment –this can help to detect social engineering attempts.
3.Password hygiene – ensure passwords are complex, with lots of letters, numbers, and special characters, and enforce regular changes.
4.Email security – which can help to flag threat actors and block spam and other malware getting into your systems.
5.Training and awareness for staff – a frequent area of inadequacy in most businesses. Human error contributes to a large proportion of threat events. Think human firewall as well as a computer one.
6.Business continuity planning – have a plan ready for a potential system breach or a cyber event which will help you and your business get back to work quickly. Implementing these risk controls is good digital practice but, even with the above measures in place, it’s still worth insuring your cyber risk – and if you choose to take up a policy later on, these can be leveraged to
THE
Managed IT service provider
Air IT has secured a deal for a counterpart in Lincolnshire.
translate into lower premiums for a cyber policy.
There are many instances where even with the best intentions, businesses can become victims and even with good cyber hygiene, they can be exposed to losses. Therefore, insurance is an important element in your risk management programme.
Zero-day vulnerabilities are an example of where, even with the best risk management in place, claims can still occur. In any event, it is still worth protecting yourself and making your business a hard target.
Threat actors have become much more sophisticated too. Businesses might not necessarily even know someone is sitting in their network waiting for an opportune moment to inflict damage.
I can’t stress the importance of acting now to implement risk controls. After all, when I lock my doors, it would be brilliant if the burglar wasn’t already hiding under my bed.”
Howden Brokers (Derby) Ltd is an established global insurance broker and the preferred insurer partner for the members of the East Midlands Chamber.
If you would like to know how we could support your business insurance needs, contact Kenan BrownWingfield by calling 01332 318760, or email kenan.brown-wingfield@howdeninsurance.co.uk
The tech company has bought fellow managed IT service provider SCS Technology Solutions.
Air IT has 11 offices across the UK and specialises in services such as fully and comanaged IT support, cloud infrastructure as well as workplace and communication solutions. It also has a specialist cyber security division.
Air IT chief executive James Steventon (pictured) said: “This acquisition aligns seamlessly with our strategic growth objectives and reinforces our position as a leading, SME focussed provider of managed IT services.
“SCS has built a strong reputation for delivering highquality IT services to businesses in Lincoln for almost 30 years.
“We are committed to building on their success and delivering further value enhancing services to meet ever-changing client needs.”
SCS was founded in 1995 by Jerry Parker.
Its managing director, Matthew Stead, said: “We are excited to join forces with Air IT and leverage their scale, expertise, as well as their added capability and resources to better serve our clients.
“This acquisition represents an exciting opportunity for growth and innovation, and we are committed to helping our clients benefit from the significant joint capability and resources they will be able to access as part of Air IT.”
An increased VAT threshold to help small businesses and measures to get people back into work were among the positive takeaways from an otherwise “very safe” Spring Budget.
Chancellor Jeremy Hunt’s Budget reflected an economy struggling from sluggish growth, bordering on stagnation, a record UK tax burden and local councils across the country being forced to slash costs.
Despite that the Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR) has raised its growth forecast fractionally, while disposable income for the average household (again according to the OBR) is expected to increase modestly compared to the dire forecasts published at the end of last year.
Summing up East Midlands Chamber’s reaction, director of policy and insight Chris Hobson said: “Anything that can help small and medium enterprises is always welcome to see in the Budget and an increase in VAT threshold should ease some pressure.
“Investment announced for the High Peak and Erewash area was good to see, too, while the HighIncome Child Benefit Charge, set to
become household-based, feels fairer.
“On the flip side nothing was really said about skills, sustainability, or any credible strategy for growth – things that could have real benefit to businesses in this area.
‘Nothing was really said about skills, sustainability, or any credible strategy for growth’
“This was largely echoed in a round table discussion of East Midlands business leaders we held where the overall vibe was very much that this was a mostly timid “keep the ship steady” kind of Budget.
“Real tangible investment is long overdue in the East Midlands in areas like infrastructure and skills.”
The budget came as the Chamber launched its 2024 Manifesto for Growth, setting out its long-term goals for business growth and investment in the region.
It includes suggestions for better rail and road services, training support for employers, clearer
Hannah Kasem, senior tax manager at UHY, said: “National Insurance undergoing another 2p cut is good news for workers and selfemployed people.
“For an average salary of £35,000 this will mean a saving of £450 per year – on top of the previous cut announced in the Autumn Statement.
“And in addition to the increase in the VAT registration threshold from £85,000 to £90,000, this may also support some smaller businesses, particularly sole traders, from extra charges and administrative burdens.
“Furthermore, for families, a long-awaited change to the ‘High Income Child Benefit’ charge. As it currently stands, a parent earning more than £60,000 would be required to repay 100% of child benefit received.
“In the update, Jeremy Hunt confirmed the threshold at which child benefit is fully withdrawn will be increased to £80,000, which will come into force in April.
“He also announced plans to change the system, which has been criticised for being unfair to households with one high-earning parent.
“With the increases to child benefit amounts also in April, this is a welcome addition to support more families, particularly as inflation and interest rates remain high.
“As described by the Chancellor himself, this Budget has been focused largely on looking ahead and helping individuals and families plan for the future, as the country continues to navigate some uncertainty.”
Chancellor Jeremy Hunt with the famous Budget briefcase
taxation and fixing the broken planning system, with the Chamber hoping to play as big a part as possible in shaping the economic and social future of the huge region it covers.
Meanwhile, Shevaun Haviland, director general of the British Chambers of Commerce, said the 2024 Spring Budget was always expected to deliver less for business, with no major announcements – although she hoped changes to National Insurance would provide some momentum for growth.
She said: “The clock is now ticking to the General Election –and this Budget could be the last fiscal event before voters go to the polls.
“Business confidence is improving but the coming months will remain challenging for many companies.
“It is vital that the economy remains front and centre of the campaign to come.
“The prospect of an additional 200,000 entering into the workforce, due to cuts in National Insurance, would make a significant dent in the job vacancies holding back our economy. It will also provide a welcome boost to economic growth.
“Combined with the increased child benefit threshold, this should help business find the staff they so desperately need.
“Increasing the VAT threshold to £90,000 from April will help SMEs in our Chamber network to grow and invest but a more fundamental review is required. We will continue to engage with Government to push for this.
“We are pleased the Chancellor has joined forces with the BCC and our founding partner Aviva, by committing £3m of matched funding to our business-led programme to unlock the planning system.
“This is a clear signal from Government about working in partnership with business to solve problems. We now have a real opportunity to make the system quicker and more efficient for everyone. It is all about investing in talent and building communities.
“It’s also good news that the Chancellor has listened to our calls for the Recovery Loan Scheme to be extended.
“Under its new name, the Growth Guarantee Scheme will continue to be a financial lifeline for thousands of businesses to get back on track after recent economic shocks and plan for future growth.”
She added: “There will be huge disappointment that a new internationally competitive tax-free shopping scheme was not mentioned by the Chancellor.
“We will review the OBR’s evidence and continue to make the case for this.”
Gross Domestic Product (GDP) grew 0.2% in January, according to estimated figures published by the Office for National Statistics (ONS).
They came just one month after the UK entered a “technical recession” following a contraction of GDP in the third and fourth quarters of 2023.
East Midlands Chamber chief executive Scott Knowles (pictured) said: “This growth in GDP adds further weight to already strong signs that the ‘technical recession’ the UK entered at the end of last year will be short lived.
thing in driving the economy forward. While there’s reason for optimism, we’re still some way off where we need to be.
“The fact that we had less encouraging quarters at the end of last year – that ultimately got us into the ‘technical recession’ in the first place – are still a fair indicator that we’re not on fully stable ground just yet.
“The raising of the VAT threshold announced in the Budget was welcome but only a small step forward.
The owner of one East Midlands accountancy firm agreed that businesses had been largely neglected in the Government’s Budget announcement.
Bev Wakefield, owner of Derby-based Vibrant Accountancy, said that, as a small business owner herself, she was disappointed by Chancellor Jeremy Hunt’s proposals.
Bev said: “Hunt has mentioned on several occasions about how we need tax cuts, and we know that small businesses are the life blood of our economy, so the fact that taxes haven’t been cut for businesses and business owners is disheartening.
‘It seems that the government are forgetting the business owners who are the backbone of the economy’
“It’s great that national insurance is coming down, so that the takehome pay for the average employee is increased, and that the national insurance is being decreased for sole traders – but is this enough?”
“The services sector, where output grew by 0.2%, along with construction has been largely to thank for this uplift.
“Increased spending on the high street and improving customer confidence can only be a good
“We know the huge growth potential of the East Midlands but it’s not right that we’re held back by poor infrastructure and the critical need to make skills a primary focus.
“These are key asks that we took to Westminster this week and presented to the government as priorities in our Manifesto for Growth 2024.”
She said that for a sole trader, national insurance was destined to come down 1% in April to 8%. It will now come down to 6% this month, which could mean a saving of more than £1,000 if a sole trader has profits over £50,000.
She said that for those with property investments, there was a big news as the Government attempts to make the property tax system fairer. Headlines include the abolishment of the Furnished Holidays Lets and scrapping of Multiple Dwellings Relief.
Bev said: “For businesses, it really is a lacklustre budget. It was championed as a budget for growth but it seems that the government are forgetting the business owners who are the backbone of the economy.”
Improved cash flow, growth in UK orders and anticipated workforce expansion are among positive observations for 2024 made by East Midlands businesses in a new survey.
East Midlands Chamber’s Quarterly Economic Survey (Q1, 2024) revealed nearly six out of 10 businesses (59%) surveyed expect turnover to increase this year, a figure that is 3% higher than in the last quarter
‘The indicators are all moving the right way’
Profitability looks good too for businesses, with 45% anticipating a higher amount this year, 4% above where it was in the last quarter.
investment intention, we can feel some assurance that there’s increased confidence among businesses, that they see a brighter horizon.
“In terms of recruitment there are green shoots too that paint an optimistic picture for the rest of the year ahead.
“Of those trying to recruit there was a reduction in the number of businesses that reported difficulties from 72% to 64% in finding the right staff.
East Midlands Chamber director of policy and insight Chris Hobson (pictured) said: “What shines through in this research is the indicators are all moving the right way.
“Growth in UK orders is a loud and clear sign of good performance and it’s really encouraging to see companies talk of plans to invest in people – growing their workforce and spending on new machinery too.
“These are things that in darker economic times tend to stay static. When we see this type of
“That bodes well especially when we consider the cost of labour as one of the hurdles to businesses doing well.
“While these lifts show a great burst of positive energy across businesses in the East Midlands, overseas orders fell somewhat and price pressures driven by labour costs continue to hamper potential.
“To really build a sense of growth certainty for businesses we need to address these barriers too.
“The Manifesto for Growth 2024 that we took to Westminster in March lists key asks to reform people and skills, infrastructure and connectivity, taxation, regulation and planning, as well as ‘The Big Opportunity’ outlined to develop energy production, storage and provision.”
• 59% of respondents expect turnover to improve over the next 12 months (up 3% from last quarter)
• 45% expect a lift in profitability over the next 12 months (up 4% from last quarter)
• Businesses trying to recruit said that reported difficulties finding staff fell by 8% to 64%
• 41% of respondents reported cash flow as having remained constant over the last three months
• 56% of respondents expect prices to remain the same over the next three months
• 45% of respondents reported UK orders remaining unchanged over the last three months while 29% saw an increase in UK orders
• 66% of respondents said labour costs were the main reason to feel pressure to raise prices
View the full Economic Survey for Q1, 2024 here: https://is.gd/0rlItU
Businesses are being offered an opportunity to support one of the big events on the region’s 2024 corporate calendar.
The East Midlands PA Awards are set to return for a second year this September, to celebrate the achievements of professionals who offer business and executive support –people in positions such as personal assistant, executive assistant, virtual assistant, office manager, office junior, administrative assistant, business support manager and secretary.
The awards are run by Midlands events organiser, sector support body and networking specialist PA Forum with support from the Chamber.
This year there are nine categories, covering team of the year; rising star/newcomer; outstanding achievement; lifetime achievement; independent virtual assistant; administrative professional of the year; PA of the year; project champion; and business support manager of the year.
Opportunities are now open to sponsor the 2024 awards, offering the opportunity to align your brand with a regional celebration of excellence and build better links with the East
Midlands personal assistant and executive assistant community?
A spokesman for the awards said: “PA Forum is proud to have spent the last eight years nurturing, connecting, and building a fantastic community of over 1,200 executive and business support professionals in the West Midlands and in 2022 we merged with the East Midlands PA Network to continue to build and support our growing community across the East Midlands.
“We are looking to connect with local businesses across Nottinghamshire, Derbyshire and Leicestershire who are keen to connect with us and together help and support our members, saving them time and resource to find the right business and supplier for any projects or services they may be looking for or championing on behalf of their organisations.”
If you would like to back the awards or connect with PA Forum, please contact: Daniel Skermer, founder, PA Forum – Daniel@paforum.co.uk or Lesley Young, executive support manager, East Midlands Chamber Lesley.Young@emc-dnl.co.uk
East Midlands Chamber has launched a publicity drive to make it easier for members to navigate through the vast number of services it offers.
The Joining the Dots campaign follows a rebrand and new website launch just over a year ago and revolves around seven key themes covering the Chamber’s full offering:
• Learn – covering skills and training
• Connect – helping members network and link up with other members
• Support – including the expert advice on offer, funding opportunities and peer-to-peer help
• Grow – Insight and advice to help members reach new customers in the UK and abroad
• Engage – the work done amplifying the voice of the Chamber in Westminster and Whitehall and at local government level
• Lead Change – taking in the many conferences, summits, networks, forums and other campaigns the Chamber runs to promote economic growth in the region
• Give Back – campaigns and initiatives that benefit the communities in which we live.
Joining the Dots has its own web domain – joiningthedots.emcdnl.co.uk –linked to the Chamber website and has brought in leaders from seven member companies to record short films explaining how they have each been helped. There is also a chance for members to post their own testimonials online.
The move follows on from a Chamber website and brand refresh at the end of 2022 which were the result of focus group sessions with more than 50 members to determine where its priorities should lie.
Tell us about your business?
We are a business growth consultancy, a group of experienced business people based around the country who have held senior leadership roles across all business disciplines. We work with any organisation which wants to be more successful and which, for any number of reasons, is looking at the next steps in its journey.
What are the plans for the business?
2024 is almost certainly going to be a year of change for the country with a General Election at some point, against a backdrop of global challenges which is creating an uncertain environment, and I can understand why some businesses are treading cautiously. Working alongside a trusted advisor can help business leaders and owners make better decisions for the organisation, the people it employs and the customers it does business with.
Why did you join the Chamber?
My background is in sales and commercial operations for manufacturing businesses –creating and developing successful sales operations, effective customer business teams and supply chain partnerships. I wanted to become part of an organisation where that experience could be of value to others. The
values of an organisation are important to me and everyone I have met at the Chamber and through the Chamber genuinely seems to want to make things better.
What have been the main benefits of being part of the chamber?
I’m a firm believer that if you put in to a wellled, values-driven organisation with a clear purpose, you will get out much more. I never fail to learn something new every time I’m involved in an event, and I have met and spoken to people that I almost certainly wouldn’t have met any other way.
How does the Chamber link academia, business and politics?
Throughout my business career I have worked to break down silos in organisations, by demonstrating that working together, crossfunctionally, can deliver much better outcomes for both the business and the development of the people who work there. Through my Chamber membership I have met with and spoken to politicians, academics and business leaders and am getting more involved in the linking of business, education and politics and getting a much better understanding of the barriers which exist and prevent progress.
How significant is the Chamber’s Manifesto for Growth?
With both Mayoral and National elections on the horizon, this has been a particularly important document this year, and I was privileged in March to be part of the Chamber delegation who took it to the Houses of Parliament to present it to the region’s policy makers. The document is structured in a collaborative way and we made ‘asks’, not ‘demands’ of the politicians we met there, and will continue to do so with others in the leadup to the elections.
This makes discussion easier and for the session in Westminster made for better and more open conversation about the obstacles to overcome and best ways in which objectives can be achieved.
‘Campaign analysis will further define how the Chamber provides content of relevance to members’
The focus groups also identified three core reasons why the 4,500 members, the 12,000-plus businesses the Chamber works with each year and its stakeholders interact with it – for themselves, their business and their local area –as well as how they use and navigate its services.
A team of member organisations – Six Degrees Associates, Think3, The Brand Strategy, Bright Owl, Ashton Court, Matthew Jones Photography, Creative62 and JAKT Media – then helped deliver the changes.
Craig Brothers runs Notts digital transformation consultancy Six Degrees Associates, which worked closely with the Chamber and other key suppliers on the campaign.
He said: "Joining the Dots follows hot on the heels of the new digital website journey and rebrand.
“Chamber members have been crucial to the digital transformation project, their insight helping the team understand how information should be displayed and accessed, to enable a logical and digestible journey.
Craig Brothers
“Identifying seven key 'Ways In' formed the foundation from which the brand can now develop. Joining the Dots, which took inspiration from a recent Google Pixel campaign, drives the brand messaging through member-led experiences.
“The campaign will continue throughout 2024. Campaign analysis will further define how the Chamber provides content of relevance to members, further highlighting the ethos of enhancing East Midlands businesses and communities.
“Thank you to our members for Joining the Dots!"
Craig said they were keen to receive as many member video stories as possible to profile across Chamber channels – with a simple guide to uploading them available at joiningthedots.emc-dnl.co.uk
Some £123m of initial Government funding to improve rail connectivity in the Midlands is to be welcomed, but does little to meet the needs of the East Midlands, says East Midlands Chamber.
The plans make up the first phase of the Midlands Rail Hub – a £1.75bn Government-backed blueprint to increase the capacity and frequency of some of the region’s key rail services.
It will also see more than 50 stations – covering seven million people across the region – benefit from reallocated HS2 funding.
The first phase of the hub will see an additional train every hour in both directions between Birmingham and locations including Bristol, Cardiff, Cheltenham and Worcester.
The number of trains between Birmingham and Leicester will be doubled from two to four per hour, while more trains are planned between Birmingham and Nottingham.
Chris Hobson, East Midlands Chamber director of policy and
insight, said: “While any investment in Midlands railway infrastructure is to be welcomed, we’re concerned that once again the primary focus is on towns and cities outside of the East Midlands.
“Our Manifesto for Growth 2024 asks our policymakers to ensure we deliver fair funding for infrastructure in the East Midlands.
‘We are the most under-funded region in the country when it comes to rail travel’
“This isn’t about receiving investment at the expense of our neighbours to the west, it’s about Government doing more to rectify the fact that we are the most under-funded region in the country when it comes to rail travel.
“We have a desperately inadequate service between stations within the East Midlands and this hampers the tremendous growth potential of businesses.
“It’s all very well that a Birmingham-bound passenger might be able to jump on an extra train here and there at Nottingham but what we’re stating loud and clear in our manifesto is the huge need for transformational improvement within the East Midlands.”
He said the Chamber would continue to urge politicians to listen to what the region’s businesses need to succeed.
Maria Machancoses, chief executive of Midlands Connect, said: “This announcement marks a major milestone in this transformational, nationally significant project.
“The Midlands Rail Hub programme is the result of years of collaboration and determination by cross-party leaders from all corners of the Midlands.
“The £123m announcement is a clear sign of the Government’s trust in our partnership – getting us closer to finally delivering much need eastwest connectivity across the region.
“We will continue to work with government to progress the plans and ensure, as set out in Network
North, Midlands Rail Hub is delivered in full, extending the benefits to towns and cities like Hereford, Nottingham, Derby and Leicester.”
The Midlands Rail Hub announcement comes after the Government announced the Midlands will receive £2.2bn from April 2025 to improve local transport connections in areas outside the city regions.
A spokesman for Midlands Connect said: “The investment will give local authorities long-term certainty to invest in transport improvements such as building new roads and installing or expanding mass transit systems.
“Over the seven years as a whole, this funding will be on average at least nine times more than these local authorities currently receive through the local integrated transport block, which is the current mechanism for funding local transport improvements in their areas.
“Subject to future decisions, this first phase of the Rail Hub could be completed by the early 2030s.”
East Midlands Chamber advisor manager Abigail Phillips is joining business leaders like Andy Wright of Samworth Brothers (pictured) sleeping out in the cold in Leicester this spring to raise funds for homelessness.
This month’s event, organised by CEO Sleepout, will see bosses, representatives and teams from the region swap home comforts for the open air at Mattioli Woods Welford Road Stadium. Leaders already signed up for the CEO Sleepout will represent organisations like Leicester Tigers, De Montfort University and Michael Smith Switchgear.
Samworth Brothers responsible business director Andy Wright, who is taking part, said: “I imagine the cold will be a challenge, but most of all the uncertainty of not being in your “safe space”.
“We have a very active community programme in Leicester, and this was another great opportunity to help raise awareness and funds for local charities supporting homelessness.”
East Midlands Chamber business strategist and team leader Abigail Phillips said: “One cold night facing the elements is a small price to pay
if it raises awareness and funds to help tackle the ongoing issue of homelessness.
“I do hope people will get involved, either by signing up for the CEO Sleepout or giving support with a donation to one of the leaders. You can sponsor any of the leaders taking part and they are all listed on the website.
“So even if you don’t sponsor me, there might be a boss you know taking part and it all helps.
“As for my preparation, we’ve had snow before in early April so I just hope it’s not one of those nights.”
People living with physical and mental health disabilities are to get extra help finding and retaining work in Nottingham and Nottinghamshire.
The Individual Placement and Support in Primary Care (IPSPC), known locally as Working Well East Midlands, helps disabled adults find work and helps those already in work stay there.
East Midlands Chamber, alongside subcontractors Futures Advice, Skills and Employment and Inspire, is to deliver the programme in Nottingham City, Broxtowe, Gedling and Rushcliffe. In Ashfield, Bassetlaw, Mansfield and Newark and Sherwood, the programme will be delivered by Standguide.
The programme has been commissioned by Nottingham City Council and funded by the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) and the Department for Health and Social Care (DHSC), and aims to help 2,600 adults across the region between now and next March.
Working Well East Midlands will be delivered as part of the Chamber’s wider suite of health and employment initiatives. The main aim is to help people move into work quickly with personalised support and advice integrated with their normal health treatment.
Participants receive “place and train” employment support and can either be referred to the scheme by healthcare professionals such as GPs or can self-refer.
Employment specialists will offer flexible one-to-one tailored support, including rapid job search, liaising with employers, help with benefits and bespoke career advice based on skills and abilities.
Diane Beresford, deputy chief executive of East Midlands Chamber, said: “What really sets IPSPC Working Well East Midlands apart is its holistic approach.
“Our team of dedicated employment specialists will be integrated into NHS teams to ensure that physical and mental health needs are considered every step of the way.”
More information is available at workingwelleastmidlands.co.uk
Business Peak District (BPD) is a membership organisation for businesses in the area covered by the Peak District National Park, High Peak, Staffordshire Moorlands and Derbyshire Dales. Membership is free.
Its principal supporter is East Midlands Chamber, however it also works closely with relevant local councils, the Peak District National Park Authority, Visit Peak District and Derbyshire and the University of Derby. BPD has more than 700 members who it supports to deliver its vision of a Peak District that has a distinctive, high quality, rural environment with an enterprising, growing and sustainable economy, in which businesses act with a social and environmental conscience. Here we continue our regular series featuring businesses who have benefitted from the support BPD offers.
STANDOUT MARKETINGis based in Chapel-en-le-Frith in the High Peak and has two staff. Here, director Sophie Simpson (pictured) explains what the business does and how it has been helped by BPD.
We are a social media agency that creates and implements strategies for small businesses that are predominantly local to the area, and we are the only business in the High Peak specialising in this.
I founded this business after launching and scaling my previous business internationally through social media and I knew that I could help businesses in our area do the same.
This can be life-changing for businesses, especially ones that are based in the Peak District.
Although we are a social media agency we take a business-first approach, transforming businesses as a result – from the services and systems our clients provide, right through to how they market themselves.
‘One of the best things about owning a business in the Peak District is the supportive network available’
We have helped businesses launch, businesses open up venues, businesses to grow their teams and businesses quadruple their income!
One of our clients was the Deacons Bank based in Chapel-En-Le-Frith, and we managed to get them 300 people on a waiting list six months before opening due to our social media strategy and targeting of the local community.
We have also worked with clients throughout Europe, helping them reach millions of people on their social media channels, in turn transforming their revenue.
One of our latest projects has been with a client in London who is a personal trainer. We have helped them develop a brand, hire their first coach, quadruple their income and launch on social media.
One of the best things about owning a business in the Peak District is the supportive network available.
I have met some of the most amazing business owners, from all industries and of all ages, that cheer each other on and ultimately want to see everybody succeed.
And, after running the business for two years it has really opened my eyes up to the support available –from networking events to funding to advisors.
A challenge that is presented by running a business in the area, especially locally to me, is opportunity. Unlike big cities like Manchester, with unlimited opportunity and businesses, we are a little behind on the times, for instance when it comes to modernising.
But one of the best things about owning a business in the Peak District are the people. I have met so many incredible business owners that want to see each other succeed. Whether that is offering their services to just silently liking your posts on social media.
I have always had a positive time at the Business Peak District Networking event – people come together, support each other and cheer each other on.
You also meet such a wide range of business owners, and stumble across people you never know that you needed!”
In today’s digital age, the technological landscape is evolving at an unprecedented pace. This evolution, while opening doors to innovative business opportunities, also introduces complex challenges, especially in IT and cybersecurity. You need to be Cybersafe. For CEOs and CFOs, these are not just operational concerns but critical strategic issues that can significantly affect the bottom line and the overall health of businesses. Enter Neuways Ltd, your premier partner in navigating these complex elements with ability and precision.
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From advice to innovation support, fully-subsidised workshops to digital ambassador projects and grants, there are a number of digital solutions on offer from the Chamber and its Accelerator project.
For any business wishing to upscale, improving their digital capabilities is often essential. Innovate UK Business Growth offers a particularly attractive launchpad to achieve that.
By working closely with each business, the Chamber’s team of innovation and growth specialists gain an intimate understanding of needs, helping to hone commercial strategy and structure, and give businesses access to the resources needed to deliver, from IP expertise to investor networks and international partnerships. Engaging with an innovation and growth specialist or business adviser results in the development of a strategic plan. This can uncover the need for specialist digital consultancy and training, currently being supported by Accelerator growth vouchers of up to £2,000 (100% funded) on a firstcome, first-served basis.
Manufacturing businesses looking to switch to advanced and automated technologies can tap into funding and support from Made Smarter East Midlands. The
benefits include a roadmap that will set out their digital implementation plan as well as intensive and fully-funded Industrial Digital Technology Advice. Grant funding of up to £20,000 is available to support the adoption of industrial digital technology through capital and revenue projects.
Often, the solution to implementing energy improvement measures lies, in large part, in implementing digital solutions. Businesses with up to 49 employees can take advantage of the Accelerator’s Business Energy Grant scheme, offering capital grants of up to £3,000 towards agreed energy saving measures.
Carbon literacy certification provides real evidence of backing up a business’s sustainability goals, which can translate into a stronger brand image, increased customer loyalty and a better bottom line.
The Chamber’s carbon literacy course is designed to increase awareness of the carbon costs and impact of our everyday activities and how we can reduce emissions. The training helps businesses acquire the knowledge and skills to lower their own carbon footprint and reduce workplace emissions by 5-15%.
Certification is awarded following the successful completion of this approved Carbon Literacy course. The next course runs on 22-23 May.
A new partnership with NTU will match digital ambassadors to the precise needs of businesses in Nottinghamshire. Students, recruited by the university, will deliver a total of six hours of digital support coaching in a variety of areas including application software, CAD, MS Teams, UI and UX, content creation, end user testing, MS 365 and Adobe creative design software.
Cromford Mills is the latest Derbyshire Dales charity to benefit from Accelerator support.
This impressive water-powered cotton mill acts as the Northern Gateway to the Derwent Valley Mills UNESCO World Heritage Site. The building, seen as the birthplace of the modern factory system, was set up by industrialist Richard Arkwright in the 1770s.
As this visitor attraction and educational charity receives no core funding from Government or elsewhere, its greatest challenge has been, and remains, maintaining its very existence. Rising energy costs have had a massive impact and electricity bills have increased four-fold. The site has a proud heritage as one of the world’s great enablers of water energy. It stands to reason, therefore, that renewable energy should once again sit at the heart of Cromford Mills’s ambition to become a net zero site.
The charity has secured Accelerator support in three key areas: one-to-one sessions with a business adviser, specialised energy consultancy, and training.
Dedicated time spent with the Chamber’s Head of Business Support Services Paul Stuart has enabled the charity to consider what priority actions it needs to take to fulfil its long-term strategic ambitions. Bringing in a fresh pair of eyes to the charity’s operations is enabling Chief Executive Éilis
Scott to identify best practice. One particularly relevant area of Paul’s operational expertise is his management of the Chamber’s Friars Mill premises in Leicester. As a site that combines industrial heritage, iconic architecture and a waterside setting, there are many similarities between it and the managed workspaces offered at Cromford. The charity has been given support too in developing opportunities around hosting larger-scale events.
To view our upcoming Accelerator workshops and to book your place, please visit: https://bit.ly/AcceleratorEven ts
There is no limit to the number of workshops or webinars you and your colleagues may attend.
UK inflation fell to 3.4% in February – its lowest level in over two years.
The latest figures from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) are lower than experts predicted. The January inflation figure was 4%.
East Midlands Chamber chief executive Scott Knowles said: “In our latest Quarterly Economic Survey, published this week, the majority of respondents from businesses across the East Midlands reported inflation as their biggest concern, so to see betterthan-expected inflation figures land is very much welcome.
“Price pressure on businesses is still very much present, so any easing of that is a good step forward.
“56% of respondents in the Quarterly Economic Survey said they didn’t expect to raise prices in the next three months but they did see inflation as top of their mind.
“With inflation falling at a fasterthan-expected rate, we need to see
the Bank of England respond in kind and start reducing interest rates to support greater economic growth.
“Government also needs to ensure it is playing its part in our growth story by acting on other barriers to business success. Our Manifesto for Growth 2024
‘Two years into this inflation shock and prices have simply stabilised at a much higher level’
addresses these things with asks that are doable, that can solve so much for the East Midlands.
“That’s why we took the manifesto right to the heart of government in Westminster last week and if these things are put right, along with things like inflation falling then the East Midlands will be in a strong place.”
David Bharier, head of research at the British Chambers of Commerce, said the easing of the CPI rate would give businesses and consumers some sense of relief.
He said: “At 4.5%, core inflation has also slowed, and the producer price index for input costs remains negative at –2.7%. These positive trends were to be expected as
many of the key drivers have begun to fall away.
“However, we are now two years into this inflation shock and prices have simply stabilised at a much higher level.
“Uncertainty for businesses remains high. Further rises in the minimum wage are likely to impact pay differentials, and the ongoing crisis in Gaza, alongside shipping disruption in the Red Sea, is a source of great instability.
“It is also a concern that the owner occupiers’ housing (OOH) component of CPIH has risen by 6.0%, indicating the adverse impact of higher interest rates.
“This measure is likely to be exacerbated by further council tax rises.
“The fundamental issues for SMEs still remain – skills shortages, a lack of infrastructure investment, and trade barriers, particularly with the EU, which all feed into GDP growth expectations of less than 1% for the coming years.”
East Midlands Chamber joined a conference looking at ways to improve the economy of Chesterfield and create highervalue jobs for residents.
Chesterfield’s annual Celebrate Chesterfield Business Conference highlighted ways in which local businesses can harness support to innovate and create new jobs.
They included four of the candidates running for elected mayor of the new East Midlands Combined County Authority who took part in a hustings Q&A hosted by chamber director of policy and insight Chris Hobson.
Attendees at the events were also told that if all organisations in the town currently categorised as ‘low growth’ experienced just a 1% uplift, it would significantly boost the local economy.
Helping businesses to grow and ensuring people have the right skills are key objectives of Chesterfield Borough Council’s Growth Strategy (2023-2027).
To support this, delegates at Celebrate Chesterfield heard from businesses which are innovating and overcoming challenges to boost growth.
Mike Isherwood, managing director of event headline sponsor System Q explained how his business has evolved and adapted to become a supplier to major organisations, including the
Ministry of Defence. He said: “We are committed to providing our customers with the most innovative and advanced technology, ensuring their safety and security at all times.
“Our company is proud to be a part of the thriving high-tech community in Chesterfield, a town known for its innovation and progress. Despite the common belief that the best firms and talent are found in larger cities, this quaint town is home to a wealth of undiscovered talent.”
Ash Young, managing director of CarMats.co.uk recently relocated his business to the town.
He said: “If we hadn’t done things differently, we wouldn’t have seen the growth that we have.
When we set up the business we were aiming for 100 orders per day, but because we changed the way we marketed the products, we are now shipping around 150,000 orders per year and we’re going to turn over about £7.5m this year.
“We’ve managed to hire a really skilled team in Chesterfield and the
transport links mean it’s easy for us to get out to couriers easily.”
Peter Swallow, Destination Chesterfield Chair, said: “This plan reflects our town’s ambition, and where we collectively see the biggest growth opportunities.
Recent research has identified 26% of revenues from tourism, inward investment and talent growth are shaped by people's perception of a town or city. Meaning our collective work to promote the town are vital to achieving the town’s growth aspirations.”
The Schumacher Packaging Group, one of Europe’s largest manufacturers of customised packaging made of corrugated and solid board (www.schumacher-packaging.com), successfully continued its dynamic growth course in 2022.
This year, the company celebrates its 75th anniversary and is investing more in sustainability: the focus is on expanding renewable energies and reducing plastics in packaging by using natural raw materials.
By 2025, Schumacher Packaging plans to invest around €700m in the expansion of existing plants and the construction of new ones.
For 2023, however, the focus is on sustainability. This is because the packaging specialist is pursuing the ambitious goal of climate-neutral production by 2035 and is therefore relying on the most modern, efficient and environmentally friendly technologies. Around €45m is being invested in the construction of solar power plants, and €10-20m is earmarked for the expansion of wind energy. Currently, a solar park is under construction at the German site in Forchheim, and two more parks are being built in Poland.
The construction of five more solar power plants in Germany and Poland is planned for 2023 and 2024. The total output of all photovoltaic plants will be around 12 GW/h.
Replacing plastics sensibly
With its innovative solutions made of corrugated and solid board, Schumacher Packaging has grown continuously over the past 75 years and
has become one of the largest family-run packaging companies in Europe.
At the start of the anniversary year, company boss Björn Schumacher, who runs the company in the third generation with his brother Hendrik, explained: “Along our anniversary motto ‘Unboxing the Future of Packaging’, we are pursuing clear goals for the future. We see considerable potential to make packaging even more climate-friendly across the entire value chain. That’s why we want to further reduce the proportion of plastics in packaging across all sectors and replace it sensibly with the natural raw material paper.”
To achieve this, the family-owned company is leading the way in the industry: it provides information, works on innovations and seeks dialogue with stakeholders. The management assumes that more than one fifth of the plastic packaging currently used can be replaced by paper-based solutions. By using plastic-free, biobased barrier coatings, packaging with protective functions can be produced that can be fully recycled. Plastics can thus be completely replaced - with the greatest potential in the food industry.
Sustainability is of great importance to Schumacher Packaging’s business. “The biggest advantage of paper-based packaging is that it is
completely natural. They are not waste, can be returned to the material cycle 100 per cent or decompose in nature within a short time without leaving any residues. Currently, more than 85 per cent of corrugated and solid board packaging is recycled – this means that it is reprocessed into packaging after use. Unlike plastic-based reusable systems, no CO2 is emitted during return transport and cleaning,” said Björn Schumacher. “We exploit this potential by leading the way and constantly developing new industryspecific and sustainable products. In this way, we can offer long-term security of supply and be a reliable partner - now and in the future.”
Despite the difficult economic situation due to the Ukraine war and the sharp rise in energy prices, Schumacher Packaging 2022 managed to grow.
The packaging manufacturer reacted flexibly and quickly in the crisis year and was thus able to guarantee supplies to its customers. Strategic decisions contributed to this, such as the acquisition of the Kaierde cartonboard mill, the majority stake in the Italian corrugated base paper manufacturer Cartiere Modesto Cardella SpA and the acquisition of the Leipzig Land GmbH cartonboard mill.
“The consistent expansion of our production and processing capacities represents an important contribution to securing the market's supply situation in the future and is part of our strategy for the future,” said managing director Hendrik Schumacher.
Almost 500 guests packed the Athena in Leicester for East Midlands Chamber’s annual celebration of the diversity that helps define our region.
Singers and dancers shared traditional and modern music and dance as the Chamber paid tribute to the vast array of nationalities that contribute to our home towns and cities.
Guests were invited to wear traditional clothes for the Celebration of Culture and Communities, the fourth of its kind to be held, marking all the work the Chamber does outside the traditional fields of business. The theme this year was “Stronger Together”.
‘The event was a huge success, with a record number of attendees’
Entertainment was provided by a broad mix of award-winning acts – the Choy Lee Fut Lion Dance, BBC Songs of Praise Choir of the Year 2023 and Britain’s Got Talent semi finalists EAGA Gospel Choir, The Voice UK semi-finalist Bizzi Dixon, the Burden Academy of Irish Dance, Ultimate Bhangra – who helped pack the dancefloor – and DJ “The Old Boy” Chetan Patel.
The night was hosted by toast-master Geoff Harris with a three-course Indian meal provided by hospitality partner Sanjay Foods, while the three headline partners – who each had an opportunity to thank the attendees and share their stories of cultural diversity – were Samworth Brothers, emh Group and De Montfort University.
The event partner was Sanjib 8, entertainment partner was Tomato Energy and the drinks reception sponsor was Barclays Eagle Labs.
In his opening speech Chamber president Stuart Dawkins said he was honoured to formally
welcome guests and was proud to be a “Leicester lad”, coming from a city regarded as one of the most multicultural places in Britain.
He said: “This event started out a few years ago here in Leicester as the Chamber recognised the varied, diverse culture that makes our place what it is – and wanted to celebrate that.
“At the time it was a bit of an experiment but now, a few years later, we can see the success of that experiment. Interest has grown and grown, and this is now one of the major evenings hosted by the Chamber.
“I think it’s the biggest turnout of any similar event that we host through the year, and has many friends and supporters from across our three counties of Nottinghamshire, Derbyshire and, of course, Leicestershire.”
Sanjib Sahota, managing director of Sanjib 8, said: “The Celebration of Culture and Communities is very special to me. When I was working for the Chamber we had a vision to celebrate and recognise the people and communities that make the East Midlands such a great place to live and work.
“We developed the concept of the event in collaboration with Dr Nik Kotecha DL, Pritti Allen and Chan Kataria with the aim to celebrate the positive contributions that people and communities make to our businesses, charities and to our society.
“The event was a huge success, with a record number of attendees. I’m not aware of any events of this type in the region that brings together this many businesses, charities and people into the same room to celebrate diversity in the East Midlands.
“The feedback from Chamber members has been truly incredible. The main thing is that people had a good experience and that the event continues to celebrate diversity, inclusion and all that is great about our region.”
Empowerment, facing our fears, building self-confidence and taking risks were among the topics up for discussion at this year’s Enterprising Women annual conference.
The event, at the Radisson Blu Hotel at East Midlands Airport, took place to coincide with International Women’s Day and brought together leading women in business from across the Chamber.
The theme was “inspired inclusion” which shaped the agenda for the day. It also marked the launch of the Enterprising Women Awards 2024 which are now open for nominations.
The packed event –the 27th to be held – was brimming with lively discussions and positive energy and looked at issues ranging from the changes needed to get more women into boardrooms, to general long-term business goals, strategies for success and creating more diverse, equitable and inclusive working environments.
Speakers included Sarah Higgins, expert facilitator and creator of the Power of Love Leadership model, Jaz Kaur, co-founder and chief executive of Fraser Stretton Property Group, Danielle Brown, a Paralympic archery gold medallist, and Ian Morgan OBE, the deputy chair of East Midlands bus company Wellglade.
Andrea Gray, managing director of Leicester-
• Apprentice of the Year – sponsored by Futures Housing Group
• Female Employee of the Year –sponsored by Nelsons Solicitors
• Social Commitment – sponsored by Tomato Energy
• Emerging Leader – sponsored by Sarah Higgins Corporate Coaching
• Female Entrepreneur of the Year –sponsored by Fraser Stretton Property Group
• Small Business of the Year – sponsored by Unique Window Systems
• She Who Innovates – sponsored by Pick Everard
• Team of the Year – sponsored by Breedon Consulting
• Business Woman of the Year – sponsored by Michael Smith Switchgear
• Lifetime Achievement – sponsored by Paradigm Wills & Legal
For details of the awards go to www.emcdnl.co.uk and search ‘Enterprising Women Awards 2024’.
based music licensing body PPL PRS, hosted a panel talk with guests including Mandy-Jayne Evans, Nicki Robson, Laura Kearsley and Lisa Gilligan.
Enterprising Women founders and co-chairs Eileen Perry MBE DL and Jean Mountain hosted the day, which also saw the launch of the 2024 Enterprising Women Awards, due to take place in September.
Jean said the conference itself had always had great support – both male and female – since the very first one almost three decades ago.
‘I think women should just do whatever they want to do in their career, even if they want to leave their jobs and set up their own business’
She said: “More men support women in their careers now which is a big shift that I’ve noticed in the last 27 years.”
Despite that, she said empowering women and getting more of them into business remained an issue that needed addressing – and events like the conference and the Enterprising Women group were helping fix that.
She said: “My advice is “do it, do it, do it, don’t think about it”. Women tend to think longer about things – men are more impulsive.
“I think women should just do whatever they want to do in their career, even if they want to leave their jobs and set up their own business.
“They should join a network like Enterprising Women to meet like-minded people. We all have to start somewhere and it’s never, ever too late to make a change.”
Laura Kearsley, a partner and head of employment law at Nelsons Solicitors, said they had been supporting Enterprising Women and the annual awards for several years.
She said: “The International Women’s Day event is really the pinnacle of the Enterprising Women calendar as far as I’m concerned.
“It’s multi-faceted because for a start it’s an opportunity for women to get together, network, help each other, collaborate and really grow and empower each other – but we’re also setting an example for younger people at the start of their careers who are in this room and who are also back in our businesses.”
Nelsons head of corporate Alice Rees said: “I’m in corporate finance, quite a traditionally male-heavy area, so it’s really nice to have a bit of representation in the professional world – and great to get a lot of like-minded women together to celebrate who we all are.”
Nicki Robson, managing director of HR specialist Breedon Consulting in north west Leicestershire, said it was a brilliant event, full of supportive people.
She said: “We support SMEs across the East Midlands and it’s still so often the case that women will not put themselves forward.
“Having something like this, and supporting women and saying “yes you can” is great.”
Vicki Thompson (pictured), the Chamber’s head of leadership and training programmes, tells Business Network why it is important to continue investing in training opportunities for staff, and how the team can support you through 2024.
Ihave worked for the Chamber for some years. I have seen us through the recessions of the 1990s, when we recruited for new roles internally and had to upskill existing staff quickly, as well as positive upturns where the need for training and support grew as the marketplace opened up again.
Regardless of what causes businesses to experience difficult times, your teams will always be your biggest asset.
Through all these “ups and downs” the Chamber has always responded in a way that offers a “safe pair of hands” for companies to approach when they need to consider developing this most important asset – ensuring they retain those staff who are the engine of your business.
We have always been flexible and supportive, offering businesses the very best option for them, as they look at their team’s development requirements, whether through commercial training or funded opportunities – or a combination of both.
It is all too easy to stop developing your teams when times are hard, but it is training and investment that will help you to retain a motivated and supportive workforce, which will work with you to support difficult times, and help your business to grow and develop.
To find out more about how the Chamber can support your business growth, through investment in your teams, contact vicki.thompson@emc-dnl.co.uk
Directors and senior managers can gain key skills needed to lead teams at a five-day training programme run by East Midlands Chamber.
The Director Development Programme, which runs this autumn, is designed for
individuals who want to support and grow their business, or the department they lead.
The objective is to equip them with the skills and confidence needed to achieve objectives that will ultimately drive the business forward.
Delivered as a five-day modular programme with each session roughly two weeks apart, it covers the following topic headings:
• Developing vision, values and strategy
• Planning and direction
• Finance
• People Management
• Driving performance and leading change
The course is structured as progressive stages in a business development process, with participants having specific action steps to begin during the session and completing between each one, allowing them to discuss how they have applied the material as they move through the course.
For further information contact vicki.thompson@emc-dnl.co.uk or follow this link bit.ly/3T9bemg
Are you missing out on free business support? Accelerator can help you start, sustain, grow and innovate.
Accelerator is a fully-funded business support project delivered in partnership with East Midlands Chamber (Derbyshire, Leicestershire, Nottinghamshire) and local councils.
Funded through the Government's UK Shared Prosperity Fund, the project provides support to businesses across the East Midlands.
Here is what you can access:
• 1-2-1 Advice, Mentoring, and Diagnostic Support
• Training and Workshops
• Growth Vouchers
• Help to Grow –Management Course
• Grant Funding
• Networking and Peer Support
• Energy Saving and Improvement Audits
Contact the Chamber's business adviser team today to explore the support opportunities in your local area: www.d2n2growthhub.co.uk/accelerator.
The project is open to businesses in eligible UKSPF areas.
Solar panels and external wall insulation are being added to 26 homes as part of Rykneld Homes’ commitment to improving customer homes.
Works are being carried out on properties in Shirland, Derbyshire managed by Rykneld Homes in Byron Street and Burnside Avenue after successful funding bids.
The energy-saving measures are being funded with the help of two separate schemes – with the aim of providing warmer winters and lower energy bills for families living in the homes.
Niall Clark, director of property services and development at Rykneld Homes, said: “Improving the homes our customers live in is a priority for us.
“The work we are carrying out here in Shirland means that our customers will benefit from not only solar power, but also external wall insulation.
“Both projects being carried out at the same time results in efficiencies for us and it minimises disruption for customers.
“The feedback we have had from customers so far has been really positive, we are looking forward to making further progress on this and other schemes that will make our properties the best homes they can be.”
Rykneld customer Derek Smith has lived in his Byron Street home with wife Cath and their family for more than 40 years.
‘We’re happy with anything that will improve the house, make it a bit warmer and get the bills a bit cheaper’
He said: “When we moved in we had nothing but a coal fire to heat the whole house - it’s mad to think we’re now having solar panels fitted.
“Over the years things have come on a bit, we’ve had central heating installed, double glazed windows put in, insulation and the roof done.
“We’re happy with anything that will improve the house, make it a bit warmer and get the bills a bit cheaper - we’ve noticed a difference already.”
The external wall insulation works are part of a wider Rykneld Homes project that will ultimately see 640 homes retrofitted with external wall insulation. The insulation will reduce the amount of heat escaping homes, leading to a reduction in energy use.
By Lloyds relationship manager Claire Carr.
According to Make UK’s latest research, four in five manufacturers have a net zero strategy in place, but fewer than half (46%) are actively implementing their plan.
But it’s reassuring that the research also showed that a further quarter of manufacturers are aiming to start decarbonising within the next
12 months with most of the rest aiming to begin the process in the next two years.
One challenge that’s proving hard for the sector to crack is accessing the kind of specialist skills needed to understand their carbon footprint, measure their environmental impact and monitor their progress towards net zero.
The latest Lloyds Bank SME Net Zero Monitor
Research by Midlands Connect has shown a lack of EV charge points is a barrier to drivers choosing to buy electric cars – and a pain for those who already own them.
The results from a survey of more than 2,500 people across the Midlands revealed a lack of public charging points was a concern for 57% of motorists and contributed to putting them off switching to an EV.
Some three-quarters of respondents said price was a factor while more than half raised concerns about battery range.
The research suggested that 97% of people who do not yet own an EV would be willing to travel up to five miles to access a public charging point – though 44% were not confident they could find one within that distance.
Just under two-thirds of EV owners think there are not enough public charge points, contributing to the vast majority who, in one
way or another, raised issues of “range-anxiety”.
Midlands Connect chief executive Maria Machancoses said: “Our research shows the lack of charge points is a barrier for those who do not own an EV, and we know there is a need to increase EV charger roll-out across the Midlands.
“We also want to make sure people who have already chosen to purchase an EV are having the best experience possible and will continue to choose EVs over polluting petrol and diesel vehicles in the future.
“However, many have experienced anxiety due to a lack of charge points or have had to make a detour due to a lack of charge points in their area. Choosing to purchase an EV needs to be a more attractive option for consumers if we are to reduce harmful emissions and tackle climate change.
“One way we can tackle this is to increase the roll-out of EV chargers across the region.”
survey found just 26% of SMEs have measured their emissions and put a plan in place for monitoring, demonstrating just how challenging this particular area is. 2050 may seem a long time off, but to stay on course, emissions must have halved by the end of this decade, so action is needed now and competition for those with these skills is intense.
As a result, many manufacturers do not have a dedicated sustainability lead in their business and are managing their sustainability goals in addition to their day-to-day role.
However, help is at hand as Lloyds Bank works alongside the Manufacturing Technology Centre (MTC) in Coventry, which is doing great work to upskill the sector. Its Manufacturing Support Services (MSS) Team works to support SME manufacturers work more effectively, efficiently, and sustainably in a very practical and hands on way.
Any manufacturer can book a free review of their operations by a sustainability expert from the MSS team, who will visit their premises to carry out a line walk, understanding their priorities and reviewing their shop floor. Once they understand the individual challenges the MTC expert will produce a report summarising the opportunities for sustainability improvements.
The business then has the option to either work with the MTC to implement these or do this independently. Also, if you are an SME with less than 250 employees the MTC can also help provide access to Innovate UK REACH, which can provide grant funding potentially covering up to 60% of the costs involved.
Either way, a line walk can be a great starting point for firms that don’t know where to begin their sustainability journey, or just want a fresh viewpoint to give them confidence. The process can help to identify quick wins and longer-term strategies to achieve the sustainability credentials that may help become a competitive advantage in years to come.
Renewable energy experts Geo Green Power have moved to a new head office on the Bradmore Business Park, in Nottingham, after rapid growth in demand for its green energy solutions which is expected to see the business double in size by 2025. The company said it was on target to grow its turnover by 50% this year to more than £18m –from £12m to 31 March 2023.
As a result, it needs more space as team numbers have passed 60 people and will continue to rise.
The new head office can house the existing office team of around 30 with capacity to more than double in the years ahead. Warehousing and supply will continue at Geo Green’s existing
Midlands Engine partners came together to launch the Midlands Forest Network
A new partnership between the Woodland Trust, National Forest Company and Midlands Engine has secured an initial £400,000 from Defra and the National Lottery Heritage Fund to help protect, restore and create woods and trees in the Midlands.
The Midlands Forest Network (MFN) will thread through landscapes, urban spaces and communities to deliver benefits for people, nature and business.
Its formal launch this spring has marked an important step since the project’s initial announcement last August.
The project team is now engaging with partners across the region to map out new and existing woodland projects.
premises in Costock.
Geo Green Power operates nationally with multiple teams installing solar photovoltaic (PV) systems, electric vehicle (EV) charging, heat pump and battery storage systems in both the commercial and residential sectors for customers including Kingspan, Mitchells & Butlers, Inchcape, Mercedes-Benz and JCB.
Managing director James Cunningham said: “It’s been an incredible three years at Geo Green Power, our purpose-built offices have served us well but the rapid expansion that we have seen since 2021 has quite literally seen them overflow.
“We’ve a fantastic team, and it was important that we moved to a location that would enable us to keep them all.
“I’m delighted that our new offices will give our people much needed space and storage, more meeting rooms, kitchen facilities and a fabulous break area which we’re still fitting out.
“It’s absolutely what they deserve for the hard work and commitment they have shown while delivering year on year growth.”
The fourth round of negotiations on a UKSwitzerland enhanced Free Trade Agreement (FTA) took place in Bern, Switzerland in March.
UK-Swiss services trade was worth £27.9bn in the 12 months to September 2023 and Whitehall said it would continue to work together with the Swiss towards an “ambitious trade deal”.
A spokesman said: “Talks continue to be constructive and positive, with both countries focused on achieving a modern and comprehensive agreement with ambitious outcomes, including in areas such as services and investment, mobility, digital and the environment, which are not covered by our existing FTA.”
In the latest round, negotiations were provisionally SMEs, which it is hoped will help UK SMEs expand their operations more easily into the Swiss market.
The spokesman said: “We look forward to future further discussions between the UK and Switzerland to deliver our desired outcomes for the FTA.
“It is especially important for the UK that we achieve mobility outcomes, which are a top priority for business stakeholders on both sides and underpin any services and investment market access achieved in the FTA.
“The Government remains clear that any deal we sign, including that with Switzerland, will be in the best interests of the British people and the UK economy.
“We will not compromise on our high environmental and labour protections, public health, animal welfare and food standards, and we will maintain our right to regulate in the public interest.
“We are also clear that during these negotiations, the NHS, and the services it provides are not on the table.
“His Majesty’s Government will continue to work closely with Switzerland to ensure negotiations proceed at pace and takes place on terms that are right for the UK.
“We will continue to keep Parliament updated as these negotiations progress.”
The fifth round of negotiations is expected to take place in the UK in early summer 2024.
An Introduction to Export Controls and Licensing is a Chamber course aimed at individuals who are new to export controls and licensing.
It investigates why we have export controls and licensing, the types of licences that can be applied for and how to take the initial steps towards the licensing application.
The course also investigates how to export with a licence in place and how to be compliant when managing the process.
The course objectives are as follows:
•Introduction to export controls
•Reasons for needing a licence (UK legislation, UK Strategic Export Control Lists, Military and Dual Use Lists)
•Types of licence
•OGELs (adhering to the T&Cs, reading an OGEL)
•Individual licences
•SPIRE and the application process
•Other export controls – USA, trade controls & sanctions
•Compliance
On completion of the course delegates will be able to identify if their goods will require an export licence through the combined use of the UK Trade Tariff, Goods Checker and the UK Strategic Export Control Lists.
From there, delegates will then be able to identify if an OGEL licence fits their needs through checking the existing UK OGELs or decide on the correct licence if no OGEL is available.
The application process through SPIRE for individual licences is covered so delegates can apply in an effective manner and stay compliant in the use of all licences.
The online course will be held on the morning of 22 April and costs £170.
Booking details can be found at: is.gd/hzsxKX
Are you looking to develop or enhance export readiness activities?
If so, you might be eligible to receive funding to attend ITOPS – the Chamber’s flagship fourday, accredited qualification starting on 9 April.
ITOPS is a practical training and assessment programme designed to equip candidates with the skills to accurately operate the administration procedures in an international trade environment.
The online course is delivered by Fidelitas Training over eight separate half-day workshops, followed by assessment.
Ongoing mentoring support is provided by Kranlee Logistics and knowledgeable international advisers from the Chamber.
For more information and to check eligibility, email: internationaltraining@emc-dnl.co.uk
Get Prepared for an HMRC audit with East Midlands Chamber’s free audit healthcheck.
The Chamber’s expert consultants will guide you through a personalised one-on-one session to ensure your documentation is verified and compliant.
This free service is ideal for early-stage exporters and businesses in international trade.
HMRC has started its customs audit programme in earnest and could be visiting you to carry out checks to ensure that you are complying with all the correct regulations.
These checks could include visiting your business premises to:
•Inspect goods and documents relating to customs and international trade
•Ask for information about goods or services in the international supply chain that you provide, or will provide
•Check you are complying with any customsrelated approval, authorisation, registration or licence you hold or have applied for.
HMRC is putting full responsibility on businesses that import and/or export and expects each to have full awareness with their responsibilities – and be in full compliance.
In order to help you become customs audit
HMRC has started its customs audit programme in earnest and could be visiting you to carry out check
ready the Chamber is offering a free healthcheck carried out via a one-to-one meeting to ensure that you are prepared with all the correct documentation.
The service is open to businesses that are in the early stages of exporting or those that are already trading internationally.
(It does not apply to businesses in the Ashfield area, where a free export audit service is delivered via the Global Trade Department and includes up to six hours of one-to-one advice and support from a trained consultant.)
For more details or to book a free customs audit healthcheck, visit: www.d2n2growthhub.co.uk/grow/internationaltrade-help/customs-audit-healthcheck
This service is funded by the Accelerator project, which itself is funded by the UK Government through the UK Shared Prosperity Fund (UKSPF) and is delivered by East Midlands Chamber.
East Midlands Chamber and D2N2 Growth Hub are hosting a free online session looking at global trade agreements.
In an unprecedented year, with a number of major countries heading for polls – including the USA, EU and India – and ongoing tensions in some key markets, there is potential for trade relations to prove sensitive.
This hour-long “bite-sized” session will provide an update on the latest UK trade negotiations. It takes place from 11am to noon on Wednesday 17 April.
For further help and advice contact Hannah.kerridge@emc-dnl.co.uk or call 07741 163242.
The Chamber is hosting a full-day, online Rules of Origin course, running from 9am-3pm on 23 April, and costing £300 for members and £420 for non-members (plus VAT).
The course will cover:
•World Customs Organisation
•The significance of origin
•Key terminology
•Non preference origin
•Trade agreements and preference origin
•Economic nationality rules explained
•Origin documentation
•Cumulation
•Impact of UK-EU separation on global Trade Agreements
•Where to find the rules
•Essential compliance checklist
It will help you understand the significance of the origin of the goods you declare on your commercial invoices, and explain whether you need to issue certificates of origin to your customers or submit invoice declarations, and explain the relevant terminology.
With guiding principles from the World Customs Organisation and the revised Kyoto convention, rules of origin impact on the documentation that may or may not be provided to facilitate the import of goods into the target market.
It is important that you understand the how these rules of origin determine your company’s ability to purchase/supply goods on a preferential tariff basis.
You also need to understand both where to find these rules and how to apply them correctly in accordance with each of the UK’s trade agreements, including the UK-EU Trade and Cooperation Agreement.
It is not necessarily the same rule for every country you trade with.
In addition to understanding the rules and their application, companies are required to hold proof of their origin calculations within the business to satisfy an HMRC audit.
This particular area of international trade is increasingly under the spotlight and yet many traders are unaware of their legal obligations.
Who within the business has oversight of origin within your business? The cost of non-compliance can be high, for both you and your customers, and may also result in penalties from HMRC and challenges by overseas customs authorities.
For details visit: is.gd/e8Uuk1
Improvements to taxation, infrastructure and skills alongside reform of the planning system were among key asks handed to the UK government and MPs in the Chamber’s new Manifesto for Growth 2024.”
Under the proposals, taxation and regulation would see reforms to make them simpler; transport would benefit from electrification of the Midland Main Line and upgrades to key road networks; while acceleration of full-fibre broadband roll-out across the East Midlands would boost digital growth.
The document also identifies the ‘Big Opportunity’ for the East Midlands – to develop the region as a centre for the future of energy production, storage and provision.
Hosted by Nigel Mills MP, co-chair of the East Midlands All Party Parliamentary Group, alongside East Midlands Chamber president Stuart Dawkins and board chairman Kevin Harris, and with a delegation of regional business leaders in attendance, the Westminster event marked the official launch of the Manifesto for Growth 2024.
Chamber chief executive Scott Knowles said: “This document is the culmination of in-depth engagement with our members.
“It builds upon our core themes of Innovation, Infrastructure, International trade and Investment, making specific recommendations in four areas: skills reform for the reality of today’s
Full review of the system.
Simplify the R&D tax credits system.
SKILLS
Incentives for businesses that invest in staff training.
INFRASTRUCTURE
Speed up rollout of full-fibre Broadband.
PLANNING
Let the private sector plug gaps on council staffing.
TRANSPORT
Full electrification of the Midland Main Line, commitment, reinstatement of direct rail links between Coventry and Leicester and improvements to the A50/A500 and A46 corridors.
workforce; transport and infrastructure that is fit for purpose; developing a taxation and regulation regime that is aligned with a longterm vision for the country; and how we fix the broken planning system.
“We’re also really excited to be presenting our Big Opportunity, to create a centre for the future of energy production, storage and provision in the East Midlands.
‘It’s a critical time to release this Manifesto that outlines the things businesses have told us they need’
“We’ve already had some exciting recent developments in this space, including the STEP fusion plant development in West Burton, the freeport’s ambitions for the Ratcliffe-on-Soar Power Station site and the work Rolls-Royce is doing on Small Modular Nuclear Reactors.
“A vision of the future where the East Midlands is exporting the products, processes and people that can deliver Net Zero is absolutely possible, and it’s essential that we get the right policy support from Government to unlock that opportunity.”
Chris Hobson, the Chamber’s director of policy and insight, said: “We might not know when a General Election will be called, but it’s a certainty that it will at some point in the next 10 months.
“With economic growth still precarious after several disruptive years, it’s a critical time to release this Manifesto that outlines the things businesses have told us they need for those that live and work in the East Midlands to be successful.
“This isn’t a zero-sum game. If we get this right we all win. And the policy environment in which we operate is a key enabler to helping us get this right. Whoever is leading the country, businesses themselves will continue to do what they’ve always done: looking to develop opportunities, open new markets and maximise the materials they have and circumstances they are in to be successful.”
Among the 45-or-so attendees at the manifesto launch was Rob Day, founder and chairman of Ashby-dela-Zouch-based workplace consultancy Blueprint Interiors, which helps businesses reshape their working environment to make them fit for the modern world.
He is passionate about sharing his knowledge and experience, particularly in helping the next generation.
He has been an enterprise advisor for the Leicester and Leicestershire Enterprise Partnership for three years (the LLEP’s work is moving over to the local councils) and has links with Lancaster Academy in Leicester, where he offers his time to help the school engage more closely with business.
He said the changing world of work meant that education providers need to reconsider their offering to children and young people to ensure they are adequately qualified for modern employment and industry.
‘We need to teach our children how to be creative problem-solvers, to teach them critical thinking’
He told Business Network: “We’re going through nothing short of a revolution in terms of how work will change.
“AI is automating increasing numbers of the processes that many employees have historically done. Think about banking – nowadays it’s all on an app for us. Just 10 years ago there were huge call centres supporting telephone banking – they don’t exist anymore.
“So why are we still teaching children how to be good members of an ordered society – to press buttons and pull leavers, whether that’s physically or metaphorically?
“We need to teach our children how to be creative problem-solvers, to teach them critical
thinking – in a way that is natural to them when they start as young children.
“It’s down to Government. It’s a massive political issue because the Government mandates what is taught and how it’s taught. It needs a root change in what education is about.”
The Chamber’s manifesto calls on Government to provide incentives to help businesses invest more in staff training, and calls for more flexibility on how the Apprenticeship Levy operates. It also asks for further backing of Local Skills Improvement Plans and to build on the success of the Kickstart Scheme for 16 to 24year-olds as well as saying work experience should be embedded within the broader education system.
Rob said one of the key problems was how Government at local and national level consistently fails to draw up policy for the longterm benefit of future generations – and instead is too often influenced by short-term political ideology.
He hopes the Chamber’s lobbying of Whitehall can play a part in influencing the economic priorities of this or the next Government for the long-term betterment of the UK.
He said: “I think it’s a really well thought-out and excellent manifesto.
“The message behind it is – and you will hear this story told regularly at Chamber events – is that it’s not really a political statement, it’s more a statement about our current political system and the way we are so short-sighted.
“For instance, we have a political system which caps Parliamentary terms at five years so things like national road programmes and HS2 and airports are interfered with on a party political and short-term basis. There should be a 50-year investment programme.
“So often, key strategies are subsumed by party politics. There is so much self-interest, and it needs to be physically removed from these discussions so that we’re making decisions for our grandchildren and our great-grandchildren.”
A look at taxation with Kevin Harris (pictured), Leicesterbased partner at financial advice company RSM UK (not speaking from his position as Chamber board chairman).
The Manifesto for Growth 2024 proposes what it calls a ‘long term approach to business taxation’ – what is wrong with how things are now?
The taxation policies normally followed by our Government are based around the electoral system that we have, which is a four- or fiveyear cyclical system.
Most things do not fall nicely in either annual budget cycles or into political electoral cycles. The needs of businesses and business owners are to have as much certainty as possible but we seem to have ever-changing tax regimes and policies that don’t seem to have clarity.
The manifesto asks for reform in the R&D tax credits system. Why is that ask needed?
Technically the government recognises R&D tax credits with the term ‘innovation reliefs’ and that’s where most of the legislation around them is aimed.
If you look at what we’ve seen over innovation reliefs in recent years, there have been a significant number of changes. It makes it very difficult for businesses to plan. The more complex you make a tax relief system, the likelihood is businesses will turn away from it.
Increasing the VAT threshold is another key ask of the manifesto. The threshold did move in the Chancellor’s Spring Budget. Has the Chancellor solved the issue?
It’s always positive to see the threshold moving up and if you look at the tax regime over many years, what we’ve seen is while headline tax rates have stayed pretty much the same, the threshold hasn’t moved. People have moved with salary increase into a higher bracket more quickly.
If you probably indexed it back to the last movement we had, apply inflation for general movement in the UK and pricing since, you would be sitting at a much higher level than now. If it’s not really aligned with what’s going on in the wider economy and business, it falls behind and becomes another cost to business
More and more businesses are pledging their commitment to the planet and adopting eco-friendly initiatives. But as well as doing your bit for the environment, implementing green strategies can also have a positive impact on your staff, your reputation and your bottom line. Business Network takes a look at just some of the benefits of going green.
Ramping up your green credentials could give you the competitive edge when it comes to standing out in a crowded marketplace. Consumers – especially the younger generations –are growing increasingly concerned about ethical business practices and brand transparency and going green is a straightforward way to improve your reputation in the eye of the general public. Your marketing campaigns should include the eco-friendly initiatives you already have in place, as well as your plans for the future – if there’s more you could be doing, say it, and share how you plan to implement those changes and by when. This will help draw like-minded customers away from your competitors who may not be doing all they should for the environment.
It’s a known fact in business that efficiency saves money, so thinking carefully about how to reduce waste and energy usage will have a positive impact on your outgoings. Whip out the green calculator and see how much you can save on necessary expenses such as lighting, heating, water and waste management by making a few simple changes; energy efficient light bulbs, overnight timers on lights and equipment such as computers and printers, low flow toilets and water saving taps, finding and eliminating draughts, and encouraging staff to think before printing are all small tasks that could have a big difference.
With the Government’s push for net zero, there are a range of investment and funding opportunities available for green start-ups and SMEs.
Some initiatives include the Clean Growth Fund, the Bio-energy Capital Grants scheme or the Carbon Trust Green Business Fund. There’s help and funding available for larger or more established business too – visit www.ofgem.gov.uk to find a list services and support on offer in your local area. There are also smaller changes you can implement in your business and be rewarded for. The Cycle to Work scheme, for example, can save up to 15.05% on employer National Insurance contributions, as well as provide many healthy benefits for staff. Additionally, the government’s Workplace Charging Scheme is a voucher-based scheme that provides eligible businesses with support towards the upfront costs of the purchase and installation of EV charge points.
We mentioned the healthy benefits that going green will have on staff above, but it’s such an important factor that it’s worth going into more detail. The employee benefits of going green do not have to be limited to a cycle scheme and, as we’ve already noted, small changes can really make a big difference. Improving ventilation and making the switch to LED lightbulbs can improve the physical health of staff, with a range of benefits that include reducing respiratory viruses and supporting better sleep. Adding greenery can also improve the mood and have a positive impact on employee wellbeing, while a hybrid working scheme will reduce your carbon footprint and improve the work/life balance of your employees at the same time.
When it comes to employee job satisfaction, it has been widely proven that a company that cares about sustainability has happier, more engaged employees. Your staff will show an increased sense of loyalty and pride in working for a company that is committed to sustainable and ethical practices, which in turn boosts productivity and quality of work. Adopting a CSR policy and allowing staff to volunteer for green charities or initiatives is a great way to get them on board with your new, green outlook too. Additionally, going green is a great recruitment tool. Potential new recruits will want to work for you if you show that you are committed to important causes and improving the lives of your staff.
Consultus are a sleeping giant when it comes to sustainability. With clients including Hilton, Samworth Brothers and Weetabix, the 30-year-old firm, which started out as the Energy Brokers, has been supporting big names with their Net Zero Journey.
Natalie Dunbar (pictured) is the Head of Net Zero Development at Consultus, and a leader in striving for B-Corps accreditation. Here she shares her thoughts on the need for businesses to tackle Net Zero and how they can best achieve this aim.
How did you become involved in leading sustainability at Consultus?
Following the introduction of the Carbon Reduction Commitment scheme (CRC) in 2010, I went onto develop our Compliance team to deliver other compliance services such as ESOS (Energy Savings & Opportunities Scheme) and SECR (Streamlined Energy & Carbon Reporting).
We recognised that we wanted to provide an all-encompassing service for the clients to reach their net zero targets, rather than it being purely a ‘tick box’ exercise. That’s why we developed our Net Zero Pathway product to support our clients with assessing their current carbon impact, identifying what can be implemented to reduce their impact and providing them with a strategy report on how to get to Net Zero.
How important is your role to you on a personal level?
After I watched the film Interstellar, I was hit with a bit of an existential crisis! In the film, Earth is portrayed as a giant dust bowl, where we are only able to grow maize and people were suffering with respiratory illnesses.
I thought I can’t leave the planet like this for my kids and their kids. If this is where we’re heading, something needs to change.
What is Consultus doing as a business to practice what they preach?
We are utilising the same approach we have with our clients. We have been reporting on our carbon emissions since 2019, which has allowed us to identify our biggest environmental impacts.
Our main office is on a renewable electricity contract, we have no gas at site, all our company cars are either fully EV or hybrids, and we are proactively monitoring our waste to see where we can make reductions.
We are in the process of implementing a sustainable business travel policy to encourage our employees to make appropriate sustainable decisions before setting out on their journeys.
It is a continually developing process and we’re always looking at ways where we can reduce our emissions further.
You’ve recently launched a new cultural engagement tool – Discover. Tell us about the purpose of the tool and how its helping businesses focus on becoming greener?
One of the biggest challenges for businesses is to ensure that employees are engaged with their Net Zero commitments and goals. Discover is a tool that business can use to help support implementing energy and carbon reductions at site and a well implemented employee engagement scheme can lead to energy savings of approximately 5-10%.
Within Discover, employees can move around their site, learn about where you can reduce energy with the ultimate goal of making a ‘Carbon Promise’ where you commit to change how you use appliances in the building. This can be as simple as only filling the kettle with the water you need for one cup of tea. We’ve rolled it out internally and engagement with our staff has been really positive!
Do you think businesses are taking the journey to Net Zero seriously?
I think we’re definitely seeing an increase in the number of businesses now setting net zero sustainability targets, however many are struggling to put those targets into action. It’s key for businesses to develop a strategy that sets
out steps to achieve their goals, including interim milestones, that outlines changes to business models and identifies required investment to get there.
What do think the impact will be on our environment over the next 10 years?
During 2023, global warming exceeded 1.5 degrees across an entire year and has provided us with a glimpse of the climatic changes we could see in the future.
In the UK, it’s predicted that we could see warmer and wetter conditions during the winter and drier summers. As a result, flooding will become more frequent and heat waves that typically would have been one-two days would increase to three-four days, causing droughts and impacts to public health.
What advice would you give to businesses who haven’t started looking at becoming Net Zero yet? The process of getting to Net Zero may sound daunting, but it doesn’t need to be.
Having a strategy of how to get there is key –understanding your company’s carbon footprint is the first step… you can’t reduce what you don’t know!
If you want to talk to someone about any aspect of your Net Zero journey, call our friendly team on: +44 (0)330 221 1000 Email us at: info@consultus.com Or visit: www.consultus.com
In today’s environmentally conscious landscape, fleet businesses are increasingly tasked with transitioning to greener business models. The changes in regulations, particularly as the UK pushes towards net zero, in conjunction with customer demands for more environmentally-friendly options, means that it is the perfect time for fleets to implement some eco changes –and Business Network offers its top tips.
The first step in your green fleet transition is to evaluate your current fleet.
How many vehicles do you manage? What is the typical mileage and fuel consumption? How much do you spend each year on maintenance and repairs?
Identify where you’re spending the most money and consider how a greener fleet can alleviate some of those challenges – for example, if a lot of your vehicles are in poor condition, it might make more financial sense in the long run to switch to EV replacements.
If you’re unable to switch to new vehicles, right-size your fleet instead. Right-sizing evaluates how important each vehicle is the fleet’s overall output. For example, removing old, inefficient vehicles can help reduce overall fuel consumption and save costs on expensive repairs.
One hundred per cent of new vehicles sold in the UK will be zero emission by 2035.
With this in mind, more and more fleets are looking to switch to EVs ahead of this deadline as a way to meet modern sustainability goals.
EVs, in general, have fewer maintenance costs and reduce entirely the need for fuel. Before making the switch however, consider that you will need adequate charging infrastructure. Additionally, it’s important to remember that
EVs are not a ‘one size fits all’ solution, and proper research is needed to find the right vehicles to match the demands of your business.
You may be able to access government grants and funding to help cover the cost of the switch; for example, SMEs have until 31 March 2025 to apply for an EV infrastructure grant, which offers money off the cost of the building and installation work that would be needed to install multiple chargepoint sockets at your premises.
You might not have the budget to switch to an all-electric fleet, but that doesn’t mean you have to give up on your green goals.
One of the top best practices for sustainable fleet management is staying on top of maintenance.
Not only can proactive upkeep help keep people safe, it can also help reduce costs and boost your eco-friendly credentials.
Simple steps, such as properly inflated tyres, can help improve fuel economy. It will also help them last longer, which reduces waste.
Additionally, steps include regularly replacing fuel filters
and checking oil levels. Staying on top of maintenance can be difficult, especially if you have a large fleet. Here’s where a fleet management solution can help, to set up regular alerts and preventative maintenance schedules.
Optimising routes is a great way to help make your fleet more sustainable.
By identifying the most efficient routes, you will not only save on fuel usage but also limit the amount of pollution released into the air.
Additionally, optimised dispatching and routing can also cut down on the number of stops and route your fleet around traffic congestion and other obstacles. Remember though, that the most efficient route is not necessarily the quickest!
Once your green initiatives are in place, it’s important to track your progress.
Again, one of the easiest ways to do this is by implementing a fleet management system which can collect date on fuel saving and emission reductions, as well as maintenance costs.
This information will not only help you see the results of your green efforts but it will also identify any areas for further improvement.
One of the biggest changes in East Midlands local government for decades is underway with the creation of a new combined county authority covering Derbyshire, Derby, Nottinghamshire and Nottingham.
The new council launched on 28 February ahead of the election of its first mayor on Thursday 2 May.
Tom Pegden looks at the changes being made and how they will affect the region’s business landscape.
After years of discussions, votes and final local and central government approval, the new East Midlands Combined County Authority (EMCCA) launched at the end of February – ahead of the election of its first accountable mayor on 2 May.
The fundamental point of the new body is to give the people of Derby, Derbyshire, Nottingham and Nottinghamshire a greater say in their future under the Government’s Levelling Up agenda.
It will see the decision on where to spend some £1.14bn over the next three decades devolved from Westminster to the region for priorities such as transport, education and skills, housing, the environment and economic development.
Leicester City Council, Leicestershire County Council and Rutland County Council, meanwhile, are seeking their own, reduced set of devolved powers.)
Other areas with devolution deals say they have been able to make their funding go further by offering loans to businesses to invest and grow, with devolved areas making money from the interest. The existing city, county, district and borough councils will continue, working with the new mayor to deliver services for residents and businesses, the voluntary sector, schools and colleges.
Historically the East Midlands has received the lowest levels of public funding in England –figures for 2016 to 2021 show it came either bottom or near the bottom for spending on transport, health, education and economic affairs per head of population.
East Midlands Chamber chief executive Scott Knowles said he hoped devolved decisionmaking would go some way to addressing that deficit and welcomed the formal launch of the new authority.
He said: “To see this now enshrined in law is such an exciting development in this journey toward devolution and the opportunity to finally address the under-investment in the East
Midlands by Whitehall and Westminster compared to any other region in the country. “I’m certain there will be massive benefit to the East Midlands in so many things like employment, transport, housing and skills.
“We’ve watched this story develop for the last couple of years, with building anticipation and to now know the deal’s been sealed, that muchneeded funding is actually coming to the East Midlands, to know that decisions can be made within the region itself is something to welcome with open arms.”
The city and county councils covered by the changes say devolution will also allow the East Midlands to establish an ‘Investment Zone’, which will attract £160m of support over 10 years, with tax incentives for businesses which it is hoped will attract hundreds of millions of pounds of private investment and create thousands of jobs.
Some £18m has already been awarded to the area during devolution negotiations, which is being spent on improving local housing, transport and skills provision. Further investment for the region would also be provided through annual Whitehall budgets and spending reviews.
Nottingham city council leader Cllr David Mellen said it was a historic moment and a good deal for residents.
He said: “The extra funding coming to the area and the devolved powers will make a huge difference to the region, bringing in more investment in skills and jobs and housing.
“This is all about improving local people's lives and creating new opportunities for our communities across the East Midlands.”
Each constituent council will appoint two of its members to the EMCCA, with four nonconstituent members appointed to represent borough and district councils across Derbyshire and Nottinghamshire.
East Midlands Chamber has invited the mayoral candidates to a series of hustings events.
The next takes place from 3-5pm on 11 April at the offices of uPVC door and window manufacturer Liniar.
To book a place visit: is.gd/cJrnby
Chamber chief executive Scott Knowles (pictured) shares his thoughts on how devolution can help our under-funded region finally start levelling up.
For decades, the Chamber and its members have made the point to successive governments and local politicians that the East Midlands receives a far lower level of investment from the centre than other regions.
Treasury figures consistently show the East Midlands ranks either bottom, or near the bottom, for spending on transport infrastructure, health, education and economic matters when adjudg ed per head of population.
We received just 60% of the UK average in transport spend for 2021/22, the lowest level of any UK region or nation and a gap worth £1.28bn per year.
From this starting point, all investment into the East Midlands is welcomed.
The devolution deal for Derbyshire and Nottinghamshire provides a guaranteed funding stream of £1.14bn, or £38m per year of the next three decades. There will also be an extra £16.8m for new homes on brownfield land.
It’s not just about the new money that will come into Derbyshire and Nottinghamshire, but how it will be spent – and the potential to use it to leverage additional public and private sector investment – that means the new combined county authority has the potential to deliver significant positive economic benefits.
‘While ultra-localism and the sense of place will always remain important, this will be a new era, led by a regional mayor’
The devolution of powers from the centre to local means key decisions will be made by those who know their area best, led by an elected mayor, to have the greatest impact on the greatest number of people.
This is a great opportunity for communities and businesses in Derbyshire and Nottinghamshire to attract much greater investment, both public and private, than it has been able to historically.
This is a unique deal, the first of its kind that will establish a combined county authority, not to be confused with simply a combined authority that many may be familiar with in city regions like Birmingham and Manchester.
The voice of business, and how it’s represented within this new political structure, is absolutely key.
The Chamber’s role is to articulate the views of our members in order to influence the creation of these thriving economic conditions, which will in turn stimulate investment that creates jobs at all levels.
The success of the role of elected mayor is pivotal to this as the role facilitates conversations much further up the tree in Westminster and Whitehall, and between other elected mayors in contiguous geography, than Derbyshire and Nottinghamshire have been able to do as a non-devolved area at county, city, borough or district level.
The Government’s £72m package for better train services in Manchester and a £60m investment into sport and culture in Birmingham to preserve the Commonwealth Games legacy are good examples of the influence of elected mayors.
We would certainly like to see the exploration of mass transit networks that facilitate mobility between urban and rural areas. One of the mayor’s powers is to produce an integrated transport plan that transcends local boundaries, so there is the potential to champion their own projects that could reopen obsolete train lines running across different regions.
While ultra-localism and the sense of place will always remain important, this will be a new era, led by a regional mayor, that will deliver the macro-economic benefit we have eyed elsewhere to finally level up our region for the two cities and two counties.
In the fullness of time we’d want to see the benefits devolution can bring to be felt by the whole of the East Midlands – while Leicester and Leicestershire are not a part of this initial deal it’s important that options to bring them in, or support for them to create their own structures, are given sufficient political focus both at local and national levels.
The elected Labour mayor of Leicester remains adamant that there would have been no benefit to his city in joining the new East Midlands Combined County Authority.
Sir Peter Soulsby said Leicester was in a prime position already when it came to Government support and its relationship with private sector investors.
He said having its own elected mayor, with his own mandate, already gave him the power to get things done – and he gave the example of the tens of millions of pounds of investment, hundreds of new jobs, offices, hotels, student accommodation and hundreds of homes that have been created in the city’s once derelict Waterside area.
Being part of a larger, regional authority, he said, would only have diluted his powers.
Sir Peter was elected mayor of Leicester in 2000 and re-elected last May – though he wouldn’t be drawn on whether he will stand next time around.
Prior to that he was one of the city’s Labour MPs and before that was the leader of Leicester City Council for 17 years, with other jobs in between.
He said the benefit of being an elected mayor was the ability to make the big decisions and take the risks that go with the job of running one of biggest and most diverse cities in Britain.
He said: “Elected mayors gain a very strong, democratic accountability to the electorate –rather than being able to hide behind a committee or a party group.
“In many respects the strictly legal power of a mayor is not that dissimilar to a council leader. What is different is the authority the mayor has as a result of having the mandate, having been elected. It’s more the authority you get from a democratic system.
“It’s worth remembering – for instance, in the cities and small towns of France – a directly elected mayor is the norm in the overwhelming majority of the democratic world.
“It’s only in Britain, as far as I know, where you have an indirectly elected council leader. I think
SirPeter Soulsby (pictured) why the city has decided not to be part of the East Midlands Combined County Authority.
that – you’d expect me to argue this – those towns and cities that haven’t chosen to have a mayoral system have lost out.
“You can make your own judgement as to the extent to which [the existing city councils in] Nottingham and Derby have lost out by choosing not to have a mayoral system.
“I think that the drive, the vision, the accountability that goes with having a mayor has made a difference to our city.”
He cited the ability to use the “full range” of compulsory purchase powers, for instance, to bring together the huge unloved Waterside site
investment when that was available and have been even more successful in attracting Government investment.
“Speaking for ourselves, and putting our own case forward, is something that’s been very successful indeed.
“The offer of being part of a mayoral authority based in Nottingham, to whom we would have to go cap in hand, rather than speaking for ourselves directly to the Government, is not one that was attractive.
“It’s interesting, because people have tried to make comparisons between the East and the
‘The offer of being part of a mayoral authority based in Nottingham, to whom we would have to go cap in hand, rather than speaking for ourselves directly to the Government, is not one that was attractive’
between the inner ring road and River Soar –and bring in private investment – would have stalled under the conventional system of a council leader and committees.
He said: “There’s no chance at all… it needed the drive, it needed the leadership to take the risks associated with it and to rise above the inevitable sceptics who said it either couldn’t be delivered or wasn’t worth the effort.
“It’s also had the effect on the surrounding area of bringing further investment in just from the confidence of seeing us there. If you look at the area between West Bridge and the Waterside development there have been several private sector developers move in.”
Leicester had the opportunity of being part of the new combined county authority, but Sir Peter believes they are better off as they are.
He said: “There are a lot of promises being made about what will be available to this authority, but when you add up what those promises amount to, they are significantly less than Leicester has actually been achieving over recent years by way of public sector investment.
“We were very successful in attracting EU
West Midlands, but in fact the West Midlands Combined Authority is a very small proportion of the land area of the West Midlands, and under 50% of its population.
“Most of the West Midlands has chosen not to be part of the combined authority.”
On top of that, he felt that funding-wise the East Midlands Combined County Authority had been made some “very nebulous” promises about money, which could change following the General Election.
He was also sceptical that another tier of local government would make any sense at all for Leicester, and for that matter Leicestershire and Rutland.
He said: “Don’t believe that we are not capable of having plenty of “clout” of our own. We’ve demonstrated that over the last decade or more.”
Sir Peter said the city had been in talks with the county council and neighbouring Rutland about finding a mutually beneficial way of working together to have certain other powers devolved down from Whitehall – and was waiting to hear back from County Hall.
Three cities, three counties should have been the way forward
The leader of Leicestershire County Council has criticised the coherency behind the Government’s plans to goahead with an East Midlands Combined County Authority which did not include Leicester, Leicestershire or Rutland.
County council leader Cllr Nick Rushton said it was ultimately Levelling Up Secretary Michael Gove who decided that the new combined authority would cover an area matching the geography of the D2N2 LEP –leaving out the neighbouring city and counties to the south and east.
‘Once the outcome of the mayoral election is known, something will have to be done to regularise and align relationships’
He said the issue was further complicated by initiatives such as the new East Midlands Freeport covering the whole of the East Midlands, which he said could potentially confuse outside investors.
Likewise, he said it was a concern to Leicester, Loughborough and De Montfort universities that the new East Midlands Investment Zone – set to attract £160m of Government investment over a decade –would exclude their geographical areas.
Cllr Rushton said: “It’s a matter of opinion as to whether the best devolution deal geographically is the D2N2 area or for D2N2 plus Leicester and Leicestershire. I regard the latter as the real East Midlands: three cities and three counties.
“I asked Michael Gove if he would consult
not just on the D2N2 proposal but also on a 3 Cities and 3 Counties proposal. The draft legislation suggested he would need to satisfy himself of the best option for devolution.
“Business organisations as well as the public would then have been able to express a view. Michael Gove decided not to do that and so the D2N2 deal has gone ahead.
“Leicester and Leicestershire, and now including Rutland, are currently negotiating with Government for a separate deal, which would not involve an elected mayor and would offer a level of devolution less than what will to be available to D2N2. It is the only option left but we will try to make the best of it.
“I don’t believe that anyone can say that the approach to devolution in the East Midlands has been coherent and it’s a shame that every time reference is made to the ‘East Midlands devolution deal’ it needs to be qualified by the statement that Leicester and Leicestershire are not included.
“I’m not persuaded that what has transpired puts us in the best position to compete with the West Midlands.
“The position has also been complicated by other overlapping Government initiatives.
“The freeport tax sites cover Leicestershire, Derbyshire and Nottinghamshire. The new Investment Zones are not allowed to cover Leicester and Leicestershire, a matter of real concern to our three universities.
“Once the outcome of the mayoral election is known, something will have to be done to regularise and align relationships, not least from the point of view of selling the area of the real East Midlands to inward investors.”
Hi-tech enterprises based in Derby, Worksop and Staveley could be included within a proposed East Midlands Investment Zone.
The East Midlands Investment Zone would be one of 12 planned across the UK, offering a range of incentives to firms based within its boundaries – including business rates retention and tax incentives – to help boost economic growth and create thousands of high-quality jobs.
It would have a particular focus on green industries and advanced manufacturing, boosted by Government investment of £160m over 10 years with the potential to leverage at least £383m in private investment.
If it goes ahead it would be managed by the new East Midlands Combined County Authority (EMCCA)
Derby City Council wants to include Infinity Park Derby as part of EMCCA’s bid to establish an investment zone for the region.
Other proposed sites for the East Midlands Investment Zone include The Centre of Excellence for Modern Construction (CEMC), near Worksop, and Hartington Business Park in Staveley, Derbyshire.
Cllr Nadine Peatfield, deputy leader of Derby City Council and cabinet member for city centre, regeneration, culture and tourism, said: “Derby is an advanced manufacturing powerhouse, home to world-leading industry, an outstanding university and a skilled workforce.
“Having one of the East Midlands Investment Zone sites located here would be great news for the city and its surrounding areas. I look forward to seeing these ambitious plans develop over the coming months.”
Infinity Park Derby is a collaboration between Derby City Council, the Harpur Crewe Estate, Rolls-Royce and Infinity Park Derby LLP, which includes Wilson Bowden Developments and Peveril Securities. It already has Enterprise Zone status, which it was awarded back in 2016.
The park is located to the south of the city, next to the world headquarters of Rolls-Royce Civil Aerospace, with Toyota Manufacturing (UK), Bombardier and JCB all close by.
The new combined county authority (EMCCA) will operate within the same footprint as D2N2 Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP) –an area with 2.2 million residents – and the D2N2 LEP team and functions will transition into it during 2024. Here is what D2N2 LEP chief executive Will Morlidge (pictured) has to say.
It’s such an exciting time for the East Midlands right now. Now that EMCCA has gone live, the momentum is increasing, and we’re gearing up for the election of the very first East Midlands mayor on 2 May.
D2N2 is supporting the setting up of the new combined authority, building on our work over the past ten years.
I’ve always been an advocate for working as a team to get the optimum outcome for our region.
We have some unique organisations in our patch – East Midlands Freeport is the only inland freeport in the UK, we have the East Midlands Development Company, the East Midlands Institute of Technology, Midlands Connect – and with EMCCA set up and our new mayor coming soon, we’ve got a great opportunity for Team East Midlands to shine.
For me it’s all about inclusive growth. EMCCA will be in a unique position to convene key players to focus on reducing inequality, promoting social mobility and ensuring that those, young and old, who are facing barriers to sustained employment, get the support they need into fulfilling careers.
‘I believe the East Midlands is on the cusp of a very exciting future’
Business support should be inclusive of underserved and under-represented groups, such as female-led businesses.
That’s why we’ve signed the Charter for Inclusive Entrepreneurship, developed by Dr Lorna Treanor at Nottingham University, that provides a framework for developing an inclusive enterprise support ecosystem, through a partnership approach.
Another key priority is transitioning industry to sustainable green energy solutions.
East Midlands Hydrogen, a partnership that I co-chair, now has over 60 members in all aspects of the hydrogen value chain. Our consortium is set to become the UK’s largest
inland hydrogen cluster and will accelerate the development of, and attract investment to, the rapidly growing hydrogen ecosystem in our region.
Alongside hydrogen, our region is also a leader in nuclear capability and research, with the Nuclear AMRC, the Nuclear Skills Academy in Derby, a partnership between Rolls-Royce Submarines and the University of Derby and the STEP prototype fusion energy plant in Nottinghamshire.
To stimulate growth, as well as the Freeport, I’m delighted that the complementary East Midlands Investment Zone has been given the green light. It will focus on advanced manufacturing and green industries across the EMCCA region. Supported by anchor businesses Rolls-Royce
and Laing O’Rourke, this investment zone has the potential to be a game-changer for sustainable growth and is a testament to the strength of the world-leading businesses we are fortunate to have in our region.
I’m looking forward to us showcasing Team East Midlands at the UK’s premier Real Estate infrastructure and investment forum (UKREiif) in May, where we’ll be working closely with EMCCA, the East Midlands freeport, the East Midlands Development Corporation, our councils, investment agencies and the Midlands Engine to put the East Midlands in the spotlight, showcasing the wealth of investment opportunities and huge potential for the East Midlands resulting from our devolution deal. The new mayor will be the keynote speaker at
the D2N2 LEP panel session on Wednesday 22 May and will also be speaking at and hosting various networks and receptions during the forum.
On transport, there’s a tangible opportunity to make a real difference for residents.
EMCCA will be taking a regional approach and will receive targeted funding of at least £1.5bn to improve connectivity within our region, without the constraints of town and city boundaries. Imagine improved bus services, tram and train services, green cycling schemes and more EV charging infrastructure – all of these could be achieved through EMCCA.
Skills and careers are very close to my heart. We’ve secured five waves of Skills Bootcamps funding, enabling us to offer vocational courses of up to 16 weeks aimed at adults aged 19+, focused on delivering the skills that are in short supply in our region.
Through the work of our D2N2 Careers Hub, I am pleased to say that all schools and colleges in the region have a comprehensive careers strategy and demonstrate high performance against the Gatsby Benchmarks (a framework that covers all aspects of careers and widening aspirations activity).
In the last academic year, we have widened our focus to support 75 primary schools, because starting careers education earlier brings real benefits.
Supporting pupils with Special Educational Needs and/or Disabilities (SEND) into employment is something I am passionate about. In our region only 5% of young people with SEND are in employment.
Through our D2N2 Careers Hub we are dedicated to supporting our SEND community through targeted programmes.
In addition, D2N2 LEP leads our Connected Futures partnership, that’s focused on researching the support systems for young people with Learning Disabilities and/or Autism Spectrum Conditions, to enable more effective support into employment.
I believe the East Midlands is on the cusp of a very exciting future, and I’ve set out here just some of the key areas where we can make a huge impact. Let’s make the most of this opportunity.”
It’s debatable whether this is more government
Dr Anthony Kevins (pictured) is a political scientist and senior lecturer in politics and international studies at Loughborough University. We asked for his thoughts on East Midlands devolution.
What are the pros and cons of an elected mayor versus a traditional council leader?
The Government seems keen to foster devolution across England, using incentivised mayoral deals – arguing that elected mayors improve democratic accountability.
Because the current four-tier framework of devolved powers restricts the top two –most expansive – tiers to authorities with elected mayors, the new Mayoral Combined County Authority will have more decisionmaking powers, and funding, than the East Midlands authorities would otherwise be able to access.
Accordingly, the MCCA should be able to provide more targeted services and opportunities to its residents and business community.
At the same time, however, adding another layer of local government will engender new operating costs, including an estimated £4m for the upcoming election.
Furthermore, there is a risk that residents may have a hard time assessing which tier of local government is responsible for what, perhaps undermining the argument that these new mayoral positions increase democratic accountability.
Will the new MCCA have more clout, particularly with regards to supporting local industry, job creation and development?
On paper, it seems so. The devolved funding programme offers £38m per year over the next three decades, subject to five-yearly reviews. According to the Government, this will allow the MCCA “to deliver a programme of transformational long-term investment”.
The Local Government Association cites industry initiatives in several devolved areas – spanning proposed support for 11,000 businesses in Cornwall, the creation of 20,000 jobs in the Tees Valley, and the launch of a new employment-focused university in Peterborough.
How the East Midlands Combined County Authority decides to invest its funding and use its greater decision-making powers remains to be seen.
Will people and businesses in the area benefit?
The extent to which the deal will benefit residents and businesses is likely to depend on who is elected mayor.
Whoever wins will have scope to drive improvements to housing and land regeneration as well as transport links across the region.
They can also address skills development – through Local Skills Improvement Plans and a devolved Adult Education Budget –broadening employment opportunities and supporting the local economy.
In addition, on its website, the East Midlands Combined County Authority highlights its ambition to be “an exemplar for climate change adaptation”, earmarking £18m to support low-carbon housing, promote the use of renewable energy, and support national Net Zero targets.
Should Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland have joined?
It’s difficult to say, but there are several relevant political and strategic factors to consider.
Politically, Leicester’s mayor Sir Peter Soulsby, has been hesitant about the additional layer of governance that regional mayors introduce. Meanwhile, there are some indications that Derby was opposed to the inclusion of Leicestershire in the deal as it would have given the Conservatives a majority on the MCCA board.
Strategically, because counties’ economic and development needs vary, there’s an argument that they should each be granted their own devolution deals wherever feasible. Indeed, this is a criticism levelled at the East Midlands Combined County Authority.
If Labour were elected to Government, how might things change?
If Labour takes power at the next election, there is likely to be a shift toward a more decentralised, less Westminster-driven devolution process.
For example, there are indications that they would extend the scope of devolution and remove the requirement that combined county authorities adopt a directly elected mayor to access Level 3 deals.
At the moment, all we can do is speculate and – to borrow from Barack Obama – “take a wait and see approach”.
To find out more about Anthony Kevins’ work, visit anthonykevins.github.io
The world of employment law is ever-changing and complex. As an employer or HR manager it can be difficult to stay ahead of the changing laws and regulations. Sara Patel (pictured), employment law expert from Banner Jones Solicitors, has been reflecting on some of the significant changes in employment law in 2023 along with highlighting the ‘ones to watch’ in 2024.
As a business, it is important to be aware of these changes and to plan how they will be implemented within your business.
With effect from 6 April 2024, The Employment Relations (Flexible Working) Act 2023 states that every employee will have the right to request flexible working from day one of their employment.
Under the Act, employees will be able to make two requests for flexible working in each 12-month period (currently they can only make one request). The employer must consult with the employee before rejecting the request and the employer must respond to any request within two months, reducing the amount of time that the employer has to deal with the request.
Currently employers have three months to conclude the process. Employees are also no longer required to reflect on how their request may impact their employer. These amendments all serve to widen the scope of an employee’s right to request flexible working, and arguably make it harder for employers.
The Supreme Court held that a three-month gap between underpayments of holiday pay does not automatically break a series of deductions, with employees being able to claim for deductions prior to the gap if it can be argued that they form part of a series. This means potentially more exposure for employers to claims for underpayment of wages than previously. Employers should ensure that holiday pay constitutes ‘normal pay’ and so needs to include any bonuses, commission, or overtime.
Employment status has been at the forefront of employment law developments over the past few years. In 2023, the Supreme Court was tasked with deciding whether Deliveroo riders were able to form and join trade unions.
The Supreme Court ultimately established that the riders had no employment relationship with Deliveroo and could not therefore rely on trade union rights under the ECHR.
Redundancy Protection – the draft Maternity Leave, Adoption Leave and Shared Parental Leave (Amendment) Regulations 2024 means that employees taking such leave, or those who have suffered a miscarriage will have their period of protection against redundancy increased to 18 months following their return to work.
“Fire and Rehire” – The Government pledged to tackle the use of dismissal and re-engagement by employers and underwent consultation to introduce a new statutory Code of Practice to regulate such matters. A formal version of the code is expected to be published in Spring 2024. Sexual Harassment – The Worker Protection (Amendment of Equality Act 2010) Act 2023 will come into force in October 2024. This will impose a duty on employers to take reasonable steps to prevent sexual harassment of employees.
Carer’s Leave Regulations – Due to take effect in April 2024, these regulations will offer a day-one right for employees to be absent from work to provide or arrange care for a dependant with a long-term care need. Employees can apply for up to one week’s unpaid leave in any 12-month period, and leave can be consecutive or nonconsecutive, half-days or full days.
Predictable Terms and Conditions - The Workers (Predictable Terms and Conditions) Act 2023 is likely to come into force in September 2024. The act aims to give workers and agency workers the right to request more predictable terms and conditions of work where there is a lack of predictability to their work pattern.
Employers should ensure that they review and update their employment contracts and policies to ensure that the changes in legislation and guidance are incorporated.
‘Every employee will have the right to request flexible working from day one of their employment’
The number of new technology companies incorporated in the East Midlands jumped by a fifth to 1,627 last year – up from 1,358 the prior year – according to figures from audit, tax and consulting firm RSM UK.
The analysis suggests the region’s tech sector remains resilient despite broader economic challenges, and the stats mirror a national rise in the number of hi-tech businesses launched in the UK.
Sheetal Sanghvi (pictured), office managing partner in the East Midlands at RSM UK, said: ‘It is great to see the continued growth of tech incorporations in the East Midlands.
“From cyber security and artificial intelligence to data analytics and fintech, businesses in the region are pushing boundaries, helping the UK lead the way in the global tech market.
“With a rich ecosystem of start-ups, established tech giants, and pioneering academic research from its universities, the region continues to be a beacon for technological innovation and entrepreneurial spirit.
“Many of the groundbreaking technologies and digital solutions that businesses across the UK benefit from originate from the East Midlands and this is attractive to tech entrepreneurs wanting to set up on their own.”
A 3D digital design specialist which works with clients ranging from engine manufacturers to exhibition organisers, housebuilders and visitor attractions has opened a US headquarters.
Bloc Digital, which is based in Bridge Street, Derby, has invested in the new North American head office next to Lake Erie in Ohio, to help it build on its growing overseas reputation.
The business is an industry leader in 3D content, data visualization and alternative and virtual reality, working with global brands including Rolls-Royce, Sherwood Observatory, JCB, chemicals giant Lubrizol. It has also
worked with Blue Abyss – the world's biggest and deepest, research, training and development pool in Cornwall.
It uses its six core disciplines –design, 3D modelling, animation, immersive, software and data – to create visuals, interactive experiences and data-driven tech to improve and streamline its clients’ sales and processes.
National data showed more than 51,000 tech companies were incorporated in the UK last year, up 22% from the year before. Key subsectors that saw significant growth included software developers, data businesses and IT consultancies.
The only UK region to see a fall was Wales which incorporated 1,150 businesses, a small decrease on 2022. Tech incorporations in London rose by 26% on the previous year’s figure to 26,060.
Ben Bilsland, partner and technology industry senior analyst at Chamber member RSM UK, said: “Our research is testament to the resilience of the UK’s tech sector despite global challenges.
“The rise in tech incorporations shows there is cause for optimism in this key industry. Whilst it’s impossible to ignore AI as a driving force behind UK tech incorporations, especially for businesses working in data, there will be other factors to consider. For those businesses working in AI, clarity on future regulation will assist the ability to forward-plan.”
The new base, in the city of Mentor, just outside Cleveland, has been set up to provide its range of marketing, training and Industry 4.0 capabilities – which takes in connectivity, advanced analytics, automation and advanced manufacturing support – to new and existing clients across the US. Those clients include NASA.
A ribbon-cutting event took place at the offices within the city’s historic Matchworks Building –once home to the Columbia Match Company – with guests including Mentor’s city manager (the city council CEO), councillors and key business leaders, including representatives of the Ohio Aerospace Institute and BritishAmerican Chamber of Commerce. Chief executive Keith Cox, who co-founded Bloc Digital, said: “It’s great to fully realise our vision of establishing Bloc Digital in the US.
“We’ve been working towards this moment for a few years, fuelled by our North American clients’ ambitions to further their collaborations with us.
“Our combination of creative design, multi-media and technology skills, as well as industrial knowledge and ability to deliver high-quality results at competitive costs, has proven to be highly unique and sought-after.”
Mentor city manager Kenneth J. Filipiak said: “We are thrilled to welcome Bloc Digital to our city. We expect them to see explosive growth in the American market.”
UK’s largest investment in engineering and physical sciences training will enable Loughborough to build the green hydrogen workforce of the future
Loughborough University is set to launch a new research training facility that will help accelerate the affordability, scalability and sustainability of green hydrogen.
EnerHy, the Centre for Doctoral Training (CDT) in Engineering Hydrogen Net Zero, will play a central role in developing the skilled workforce needed to enable rapid growth in green hydrogenrelated technology.
The centre is one of 65 Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) CDTs being launched, following a £1bn funding boost.
The investment, which is the UK’s biggest-ever in engineering and physical sciences doctoral skills, was announced by Science, Innovation and Technology
Secretary Michelle Donelan.
UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) and the Ministry of Defence are investing £500m and a further £590m is being provided by universities and business partners.
Collectively, the centres will train
chemical processes and scale up, alternative fuels and social science.
Professor Dani Strickland is a professor of electrical power engineering within Loughborough University’s School of Mechanical, Electrical and Manufacturing Engineering, and the lead academic for EnerHy CDT.
more than 4,000 students and address key challenges such as net zero, AI, defence and security, healthcare and quantum technologies.
Loughborough’s EnerHy CDT has been developed in partnership with Cranfield University and the University of Strathclyde, as well as more than 60 industry and civic partners, including global organisations, regional developers and local councils.
More than 60 academics, with expertise in engineering, science, manufacturing and economics, will work together to train and support
the future leaders of the hydrogen industry, whilst also delivering nationally important research and innovation.
‘Hydrogen offers the scope to deliver energy security and acceleration to net zero’
The University of Strathclyde will lead the wind energy training and research and Cranfield University will lead on elements relating to
She said: “To enable rapid growth in hydrogen-related technology for net zero, there are complex global challenges around affordability, supply and waste chain development and scalability, new technologies, and social acceptance. EnerHy CDT builds on the research that is already happening at Loughborough, Cranfield and Strathclyde to address these challenges.
“Together with our large network of external partners, we will expand the work we are doing much further and faster, whilst also nurturing the next generation of hydrogen innovators, researchers, specialists and industry experts.
“We welcome new researchers from all backgrounds, including STEM, business and social sciences and will be offering fully funded studentships to successful applicants.”
England’s first combined county authority has been established across Derbyshire, Derby, Nottinghamshire and Nottingham with wide-ranging legal support from Browne Jacobson.
The law firm advised the four constituent councils involved in creating the East Midlands Combined County Authority (EMCCA) on all legal aspects of its structure.
Browne Jacobson, which has one of its seven offices in Nottingham, worked with lead lawyers from Derbyshire County Council, Derby City Council, Nottinghamshire County Council and Nottingham City Council to form a governance group that has overseen all the key legal issues.
This included working on the framework of the East Midlands devolution.
The governance group also led the proposal to the Secretary of State for forming the combined county authority, a consultation on this proposal, and established the East Midlands Combined County Authority Regulations 2024, as well as other amending regulations necessary to implement aspects of the new combined county authority model.
Laura Hughes, head of the public law team at Browne Jacobson, led the firm's work on the project.
She said: “We are proud to have worked on such a ground-breaking project in England's devolution programme, a central plank of the UK Government's levelling up agenda and a major step-change for the organisation of local government.
“We worked closely with our colleagues within Derbyshire County Council, Derby City Council, Nottinghamshire County Council and Nottingham City Council to advise on all legal issues as they arose, and we wish to congratulate everyone who has been involved within those local authorities to reach this critical milestone.
“This is a fantastic example of what can happen when dedicated public servants pull out all the stops to achieve something they really believe in, and it has been a pleasure to work with all those individuals and teams.”
The corporate and commercial team at Leicestershire-based BHW Solicitors has started 2024 strongly after advising on transactions totalling more than £450m in 2023.
Highlights included:
•Advising the family behind Leicester based vehicle suspension seating supplier Capital Seating on the sale of the business following a management buyout – which was subsequently awarded ‘Deal of the Year (under £10m)’ at the 2023 East Midlands Dealmakers Awards.
•Advising the shareholders of Verdon Timber, one of BHW’s earliest and longest-standing clients, on the sale of the business to nationwide counterpart Howarth Timber Group.
•Advising six businesses on their
conversion to employee ownership through the use of an employee ownership trust (BHW is itself employee owned).
Managing partner, and head of corporate and commercial, Ed Nurse said: “The number and value of the transactions we have advised on during 2023 demonstrates the quality within the corporate and commercial team, and reflects the drive and commitment of everyone involved.
“BHW is the leading independent law firm in our region, which means that 100% of the work we do is both generated and serviced from our offices at Grove Park in Leicester.
“Our focus has always been to provide the highest levels of service to a client base which extends across the East Midlands and beyond. The continued success of the corporate and commercial
team, and the wider firm, is a testament to this approach.
“Following a busy start to 2024 and a strong transaction pipeline, BHW is grateful to our clients for the faith they continue to place in us, and is looking forward to continued success in the year ahead.”
During the year the corporate and commercial team retained its status as the only one ranked ‘Band 1’ by Chambers & Partners in its classification, and is one of only four ranked ‘Tier 1’ in the Legal 500.
The team also boasts three of the seven lawyers awarded ‘Leading Individual’ in the Legal 500 for corporate and commercial work in the whole of the East Midlands, with Matt Worsnop having joined Ed Nurse and Steve McElhone.
National law firm Freeths has advised on the development of a low carbon energy supply for a high-tech food production and distribution campus in Derby.
The firm has supported the opening of the Energy Centre at SmartParc SEGRO Derby, which was officially opened on 28 February and is the first of its kind in the food industry.
The two million sq ft site is supported by Veolia and the new network is using the latest technologies to supply a heating and cooling system for food manufacturers which recycles heat from refrigeration plants and reuses it to heat water and offices.
It will help lower carbon usage across site’s storage, processing, space heating and hygiene activities, leading to more sustainable food production.
Between now and 2030, the system is anticipated to provide an annual CO2 equivalent saving of around 27,000 tons compared with an equivalent system. Tenants have been told it will be at least four times more efficient than traditional gas boilers.
The Freeths team was led by Adam Watson, managing partner of Freeths Bristol, supported by
clean energy partner Clare King and associate Samantha Osborne, banking & finance partner Ben Moylan, and real estate managing associate Danielle Sinclair.
Adam said: “It’s been a wonderful journey advising SmartParc on this innovative project, from inception to opening. The first of its kind in Britain, this community is guaranteed to be a game changer across the sector.”
Professor Jim Devlin and Professor Andrew Leyshon, of the Centre for Finance, Technology and Society, at Nottingham Business School, Nottingham Trent University look at new data from the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology identifying the Nottingham city region as a cutting-edge cluster of innovation and growth in the financial technology – or ‘FinTech’ – sector.
The Secretary of State for Science, Innovation, and Technology describes clusters such as the one identified in Nottingham as “places where innovative businesses thrive, local people have high-quality jobs, and the public and private sector work together to create a more sustainable, resilient, productive and innovation-led economy.”
Economic clusters, where firms and companies co-locate in proximity with one another, are the
basis for much of the world’s output, and include large technology regions like Silicon Valley, as well as the world’s leading financial centres.
Firms in clusters gain benefits from co-location, because these places become centres of knowledge and know-how, with highly skilled and specialised labour, specialised infrastructure. FinTech is having a rapid and transformative effect on the competitive environment in
banking and financial services, as well as on service delivery and the supplier-customer relationship. According to analysis in the 2021 Kalifa Report, Nottingham hosts a specialised FinTech Cluster that comprises of 188 FinTech related companies with a combined turnover of almost £1bn.
More than 4,000 people are currently employed in the sector in Nottingham but data shows only 29% of these companies are in the “Established” stage of
development. A far larger proportion (39%) are SMEs and 18% are start-up ventures –both categories are likely to provide further growth in turnover and employment in the future.
Fortunately, Nottingham has the capacity to play an important role in growing the region as a significant FinTech centre in the UK, due to its existing concentration of firms, skilled labour and knowledge, as well as its dedicated infrastructure.
The British Business Bank has launched its £400m Midlands Engine Investment Fund II –unlocking new funding to help smaller businesses in the Midlands prosper.
The fund will support new and growing businesses across the whole of the Midlands, through investment strategies that best meet their needs.
It includes a range of finance options with loans from £25,000 to £2m and equity investments up to £5m to help SMEs “start-up, scale-up, or stay ahead”.
Funding is designed to help smaller businesses with activities including expansion, product or service innovation, new processes, skills development and capital equipment.
The Midlands Engine Investment Fund II aims to build on the success of the inaugural Midlands Engine Investment Fund –which has provided £300m to support 739 smaller businesses since its launch in 2017.
The new fund will help hundreds more businesses to achieve their potential and further increase early-stage finance by providing options to firms that might otherwise be unable to secure investment.
Louis Taylor (pictured), chief executive officer of the British Business Bank, said: “Small businesses are at the heart of The Midlands’ economy. Since launching in 2017, the first Midlands Engine Investment Fund has so far created more than 4,000 jobs across the region by backing 739 smaller businesses.
“The first Midlands Engine Investment Fund provided a blueprint for how we can support entrepreneurs and founders, whoever they are and wherever they are in the region, to access the funds and support they need.
“This new fund will allow us to continue supporting business owners across the Midlands, whether they’re at the start of their journey or are already running an established firm.”
A partnership of universities has brought benefits to local businesses, schoolchildren and international visitors within its first year.
The University of Leicester, De Montfort University and Loughborough University joined forces with the five local authorities in the county just over a year ago to form the Universities Partnership (UP).
It is centred around five themes – arts, culture and heritage; environmental sustainability; health, wellbeing and sport; as well as the economy and education –and aims to help the region through bringing experts together to work on shared goals.
The three universities have harnessed their collective purchasing power by setting up an online Social Value Portal (SVP), which helps organisations look beyond the financial cost of a contract and consider how the services they buy can improve the economic, social, and environmental wellbeing of the area.
The universities are also doing more to bring in local SMEs as their suppliers.
The UP also delivered one of five East Midlands Race to Zero Accelerator Programmes, helping locals SMEs cut their carbon emissions.
One of the highlights from the year was an international UP event last October, where partners from across the world gathered in Leicester to hear first-hand from regional leaders and civic dignitaries about why the city and county are such attractive destinations for international students.
Another significant achievement is a Graduate City project which focused on retaining graduates in the region with help from the careers teams from each university working with local businesses. That project will continue in 2024.
The universities have also been working with schools to provide help and resources for students, teachers, parents and carers to find out more about higher education and future careers.
aiming to be fit for a king
Vaillant is supporting the inaugural cohort of Low Carbon Heating Technician Apprentices (LCHTA), who are being accredited with the new King’s Standard.
The heater engineering group, which has its UK head office in Belper, has partnered with Derby College Group to run the courses.
In the past apprenticeships have focused on traditional gas heating systems, with students required to complete additional learning to install low carbon equipment such as heat pumps.
The new scheme will support 10 full-time, employed apprentices throughout their three-year courses, at the same time helping the UK Government meet its target of installing 600,000 heat pumps a year by 2028.
The Level 3 Low Carbon Technologies qualification will see the apprentices get to grips with the latest heat pump and other low carbon technology.
They will also get a rounder view of working in the heating industry with training in customer care and service and additional qualifications and skills, such as plumbing, bricklaying, plastering and electrics.
The second and third years will include a programme of on-the-job training with qualified heating engineers to provide first-hand installation experience.
The first successful 10 applicants, aged 16 to 19, were selected from more than 60 candidates from across Derbyshire and the wider East Midlands. Each applicant went through several rounds of interviews
‘We have been overwhelmed with the amount of passion and drive that all applicants displayed’
and assessment days at the college and at Vaillant’s UK headquarters.
Although the first cohort includes younger installers, the new LCHTA is open to people of all ages keen to expand their knowledge or even switch careers.
Mark Wilkins, training and technologies director at Vaillant, said: “Investing in young people and encouraging new entrants to the industry is paramount for the future of low carbon technologies.
“I was delighted to see such a huge interest in the Low Carbon Heating Technician Apprenticeship, and we have been overwhelmed with the amount of passion and drive that all applicants displayed.
“It is also encouraging to see a diverse group of applicants – we are seeing a shift in the industry, historically being male dominant, so it is exciting to be part of these changes, building the future workforce.
“The industry is developing, and there’s a fantastic support network out there for those interested in pursuing a career, no matter your background – there are opportunities for everyone.
“This is just the beginning and we’re looking forward to remaining invested in training up the future workforce of the heating industry.”
Carol Dixon, director of employer
partnerships at Derby College Group, said they were thrilled to be working with Vaillant to roll out the new apprenticeships.
She said: “A great deal of work has gone into getting the course ready for this first cohort and we are delighted to be able to set these apprentices well on the way to a fulfilling career.
“As one of the largest heating manufacturers in the area, the support Vaillant has been able to provide to this group and in shaping the course, will go a long way to ensuring installers of the future have low carbon systems well within their skill set.
“We very much look forward to continuing to prepare engineers of the future as part of this partnership for years to come.”
This partnership with Derby College Group is just beginning with more planned throughout 2024 and beyond, with the aim of developing stronger low carbon opportunities for those coming into the industry.
The changes are expected to see thousands of people trained up in the coming years from new entrants in the industry to experienced business owners.
The course is recognised by the Institute for Apprenticeships and Technical Education (IfATE) and was developed by MCS (Microgeneration Certification Scheme) with support from employers across the low carbon heating sector. It also forms part of the Green Apprenticeships holding the Kings Standard, launched to celebrate the coronation of His Majesty King Charles III.
Three new units are close to completion at Dove Valley Park, Derbyshire.
The 200 acres industrial/ distribution park sits on the A50, mid-way between Derby and Uttoxeter and provides more than 1.75m sq ft of accommodation.
Current occupiers include JCB, Top Hat, GXO, Müller, Futaba Industrial and Trauma.
The last development on Dove Valley Park saw 196,000 sq ft of property built and there are currently two further speculatively built industrial/distribution units going up comprising 113,000 sq ft and 152,000 sq ft.
With practical completion imminent, international real estate firm Hines have appointed FHP Property Consultants as joint agents with Cushman & Wakefield
‘The success of the park is evident by the existing mix of occupiers already situated here’
on the scheme. They said the three units provide high class new industrial and logistics space benefiting from an “impressive specification” including 12m eaves, dock level and level access doors, PV ready frame, EV car parking spaces, 55m service yard and a 500 - 750 kVA electrical supply with the ability to upgrade.
The three units – called DVP 196, 152 and 113 – will be available to rent on new lease terms.
Darran Severn, director at FHP Property Consultants, said: “We are
delighted to come on board with the marketing of Dove Valley Park with Cushman & Wakefield to create further interest in this
outstanding scheme. DVP is a substantial industrial park situated within a strategic location on the A50 between the M1 and M6 Motorways.
“The success of the park is evident by the existing mix of occupiers already situated here.
“We will be looking to raise the awareness of Dove Valley Park throughout the region particularly with nearby occupiers in Derby, Burton upon Trent and Stoke on Trent.
“The units themselves benefit from B2 and B8 planning and would equally suit a logistics or manufacturing business.
“I look forward to showcasing these units and would be more than happy to discuss the opportunities at Dove Valley Park with any interested parties.”
Work on four industrial units totalling 200,000 sq ft has been completed at St. Modwen Park Derby.
The latest phase of the park’s development, valued at around £60m, adds to an existing 300,000 sq ft with the new units ranging from 27,000 sq ft to 82,000 sq ft.
A 147,000 sq ft pre-let unit is also due to be completed this spring.
Robert Richardson, development director at St. Modwen Logistics, said: "St. Modwen Park Derby has already attracted a variety of bluechip industrial and logistics occupiers, contributing to its reputation as a national hub for training and research for the manufacturing, healthcare and automotive industries.
"This latest phase of development, which will more than double the park's industrial and logistics floorspace, provides occupiers of all sizes the opportunity to benefit from the scheme's thriving business ecosystem, exceptional sustainability features and commanding location in one of the UK’s most in-demand logistics markets."
St. Modwen Park Derby is a 50-acre
St Modwen Park in Derby
industrial & logistics park being developed in partnership with Network Rail. The site occupies a prime position next to Pride Park and Wyvern Retail Park.
German heat pump manufacturer Vaillant occupies a 131,000 sq ft unit at the development, while Swedish medical technology company Getinge has established a
global centre of excellence for chemistry within a 79,000 sq ft building, which also acts as its UK headquarters.
In October, St. Modwen Logistics announced that it had leased a 40,000 sq ft unit to global automotive company Kia for use as a new training academy for the next generation of Kia employees.
Anew shopping centre that will form part of Leicestershire’s New Lubbesthorpe development has taken a step forward after a major deal was struck.
It comes after planning permission for the scheme – which will include a Sainsbury’s Local store, three shops and a cafe, as well as a medical centre – was granted by Blaby District Council’s planning committee in July.
Once construction is complete, the project could also include a 66bedroom care home and day nursery serving the wider New Lubbesthorpe development, which will feature more than 4,000 new homes.
The infrastructure team at Shakespeare Martineau – which included Leicester-based partners Jonathan Fear and Martin Jones, legal director Ben Darlow, chartered legal executive Sam Polo-Tolley, and assistant Harriett Evans – acted for landowner The Drummond Estate, which is working in collaboration with developer Charterpoint to bring the scheme to fruition.
Shakespeare Martineau’s Jonathan Fear, who led the transaction, said: “We are thrilled to have completed on a transaction that will lead to the creation of the first local centre at the New Lubbesthorpe development.
“This is a huge milestone for the scheme, which will be a fantastic asset for the new community.”
Work on the New Lubbesthorpe development – which is set on a 325-acre greenfield site between Leicester Forest East and Enderby – started in 2015 and the first families arrived in 2017.
‘This is a huge milestone for the scheme, which will be a fantastic asset for the new community’
The scheme, which is being developed in phases over two decades, currently has more than 900 occupied homes, a primary school, community hub, children’s play areas, games areas and a public open space.
Martin Jones, who heads the firm’s infrastructure team, said: “Our involvement in such a significant deal is further indication of our expertise in delivering on major infrastructure works, as well as residential and commercial developments. Our local knowledge and regional office location puts us in prime position to support transactions within the East Midlands.
“With a total of 4,000 homes in the pipeline, the development will help address the UK’s chronic lack of housing, while also delivering quality commercial spaces to create a desirable, sustainable community.
“We look forward to seeing the positive impact the scheme will have on Leicester’s landscape.”
Skoda Enyaq Coupe
PRICE OTR
From £50,240
PERFORMANCE
Top speed: 100 miles per hour
0-60 mph: 8.2 seconds
POWER
200 horsepower
TORQUE
312 Nm
RANGE
330 miles (77kWh battery)
Motoring journalist Nick Jones checks out the latest offering from Skoda.
No longer is the Czech motoring manufacturer the butt of crude jokes about its cars’ appearance and poor reliability.
No sir, they have all but conquered the UK market with top build quality, engineering excellence but also good looks too.
In my time with the all-new electric Enyaq Coupe, the secondgeneration fastback version of the
crossover SUV, I found myself often savouring its lines and admiring its stance before heading for the road.
The Enyaq comes in three versions and mine was the mid-level SportLine Plus trim with the larger alloys and black trim around the sills, front and rear to highlight the dramatic styling. Internally, it comes with suede/leather seats and dash, carbon effect décor around the cabin and a vast list of standard safety and comfort features.
‘As it is an EV, there is the surge of instant power from the motor to the rear wheels’
I was also intrigued to find an umbrella hidden inside the driver’s door, something Rolls-Royce owners might be more accustomed to.
Once you’ve allowed yourself to admire the interior and the looks of the Enyaq, the experience continues on the road.
As it is an EV, there is the surge of instant power from the motor to the rear wheels.
It is surprising how quickly and silently it is able to propel it down the road, despite it weighing-in at over two tonnes.
It is a comfortable ride despite the weight however, and it corners sharply with little or no body roll –one you could spend a lot of time and miles in here with minimum effort.
One can use the paddles on the steering wheel to control the regeneration of the battery over three levels which allows for onepedal operation, avoiding the use of the brake for most of the time while topping up the battery.
If you don’t intervene, it will do it automatically, making the most of every deceleration or braking.
Chamber president Stuart Dawkins professes his love of politics and why engaging with people of differing views is crucial in order to come up with the best solutions.
Politics! Don’t you just love it? How many times have you heard that phrase over the years? Probably not many, and the exceptions most likely said with irony.
Actually, I do kinda love politics. I have spent much of my working life interacting with politicians, I have people I count as friends who are MPs or ex-MPs, who are councillors or excouncillors, and elected officials of other sorts too. Personally, I have never had any desire to be a politician; my interest is something about understanding the processes that underpin and shape how things work in our world.
And, boy, are we going to be getting a lot of politics in 2024. We are told that half the world’s population will be voting this year. We have the certainty of a US Presidential election and the near-certainty of a UK General Election. And, here in the East Midlands, we have an extra, brand-new election all of our own. On 2 May there will be the first mayoral election for the newly forming East Midlands Combined County Authority.
As a Leicester-lad, it’s almost inevitable that I have an instinctive derision for anything being called ‘East Midlands’ that does not include Leicester and Leicestershire. There is an article I could write about that specific issue, but bearing in mind my word-count limit, it will not be this article, this month, so I will focus elsewhere.
The world is going through challenging times. Increased inequality, the lingering impact of a global pandemic, the first broadly-felt bout of inflation for a generation, bloody and politicallycomplex wars, together with climate change and the many ways in which it might be avoided or mitigated. And here in the UK, it is pretty clear that the demand for public services – particularly for health and social care – is significantly in excess of the supply of those services, and that the UK’s bugbear – productivity – continues to languish.
Surely, then, our political structures will be geared to providing strong, stable, long-term
solutions to such intractable long-term issues?
Well, currently they seem to be anything but that. In many parts of the world, political discourse is increasingly divisive, performative and short-term, a trend that is sadly now increasing in the UK, too.
Given this disconnect between the challenges we face, and the lack of cohesion and stability in political discourse, it is unsurprising that trust in the political process and interest about the political process is declining, particularly among younger generations. Those whose formative and adult lives have been lived amid the challenges outlined above can find it tricky to answer the question: “What did politics ever do for me?”
Politics can be messy, our political systems are imperfect and at times perverse, but the solution surely cannot be to abandon politics. That way lies the even greater iniquity of authoritarian rule.
This could all get quite depressing, but let me reach for a few crumbs of comfort from my experience as Chamber president. In recent weeks, I have chaired a round-table meeting which included constructive attendance from local politicians. These round-tables are not designed to be ‘for’ politicians, they are for Chamber members, but providing an environment in which business leaders and politicians can talk in a constructive way is important.
I visited Parliament with some 40 other Chamber members, to launch the Chamber’s “Manifesto for Growth 2024”, a document that pulls together what our members have asked for to provide stability and support for local business.
I also attended the Chamber’s annual Celebration of Culture & Communities event – a vibrant affair that brought together a big audience for an evening of entertainment and, as the name suggests, celebration. I’d like to repeat here an extract of the speech I gave at that event.
“It saddens me how much news-flow these days is rooted in narratives that are trying to highlight differences. To drive wedges between communities; to imply that diversity is a bad thing. Frankly, it can be quite dispiriting.
“But then I look at events like this. I look at how so many people from so many diverse backgrounds can come together to celebrate and to be proud about our diversity and differences – and I take more heart.
“If on the one hand we could be driving towards a world where spreading fear and concern about diversity is used for political and personal gain, and on the other hand, we could be in a world where we have celebrations of culture and community… celebrations like this. Well, I know which world I would rather choose. It is the one that leads to evenings like this.”
Pulling these strands together, maybe there can be a positive message to take out of all of this.
The way forward needs to be through people engaging together more, not less. And engaging not just solely with people with like views.
The way forward lies in increased education and awareness about politics and how it works – not less. I am told that only about 20 per cent of people in the area even know about the Combined Mayoral Authority – as a small step we can all do our bit to increase that number by talking about it. And we can also do our bit by encouraging those who choose to be politicians to use the political process – messy and imperfect as it may be – to make choices that are better in the long-term for our communities, for our future generations.
By complete coincidence, at the launch of the Chamber Manifesto in Parliament, Kevin Harris, chair of the Chamber, and I each made direct reference to our young grandchildren in our speeches.
What, I wonder, will that generation judge that our current political process – and remember that includes all of us as voters – ever did for them?
