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BUSINESS
Local Business News
Wednesday March 15 | 2017
Women encouraged to work in construction THE first female site manager at Millwood Designer Homes has called on the construction sector to be more accessible for women, saying the housebuilding industry ‘does not seem’ to be discussed in education for girls. Charlotte Cox, 27, made the remarks in an interview to mark International Women’s Day last Wednesday [March 8]. Having joined the Tonbridge-based firm in 2015, the Construction Management graduate from Westminster University is currently overseeing work
PIONEER Charlotte Cox
at a five-home development in Sutton Valence, near Maidstone. She said: “While studying construction management at university, I was one of three ladies on my course. There were a lot more on the architecture and design and art courses, but that side never particularly appealed to me. “People are often surprised about my chosen career and shocked when they walk in the office to meet me, but generally they are just as pleased as they would be if a man was working on the project. “I definitely think jobs in construction should be introduced more to younger girls as a potential career option. Unfortunately, I did nothing at school more than basic engineering in physics lessons. “The housebuilding industry does not seem to be discussed in education for girls, but for those who work and think logically like me, it is ideal.” Ms Cox added that while there were ‘definitely a lot more’ women branching into construction today, they usually took up roles in Health and Safety, but not in the building work itself. John Elliott, Managing Director at Millwood Designer Homes, said his firm is ‘extremely lucky’ to have an ‘incredibly talented and diverse team’, adding: “International Women’s Day is the ideal opportunity for us to celebrate the significant contribution our female employees make to our business. We will continue to encourage, motivate and support all our staff, including Charlotte, to ensure that they enjoy a rewarding career in the housebuilding industry.”
Local firms criticise budget blow to the self-employed THE Chancellor’s announcement that National Insurance rates will increase for the self-employed has been described as ‘a blatant breach of the Government’s manifesto’ by a local tax specialist. Accountants and solicitors have lined up to criticise the change, which will see the NICs of the self-employed rise from 9 per cent to 11 per cent by 2019. Chancellor Philip Hammond said this would help close the gap with their employee peers, a discrepancy he said was ‘no longer justified’. However, Craig Harman, a tax specialist at Perrys Chartered Accountants in Tunbridge Wells, said: “The increase in National Insurance contributions for the self-employed would appear to be a blatant breach of the Government’s manifesto pledge from two years ago, which
promised not to increase NI for the next five years. This will leave those worst affected out of pocket by £700 per year come 2019.” He also warned the other ‘significant hit’ on businesses is the reduction in the tax-free dividend allowance from £5,000 to £2,000. Mr Perry’s concerns were echoed Ben Stepney, Senior Associate in the Employment team at Thomson Snell & Passmore. He said that although the move to close the National Insurance gap was ‘widely expected’, it will come as a blow for many – often low-paid – workers. He added this was especially the case with those who work in the ‘gig economy’ who are treated as self-employed and who ‘already suffer from lack of job security and day-to-day uncertainty’.
Wealth manager wins top award INVESTMENT management firm Brooks Macdonald in 2009 to support professional advisers and their in Tunbridge Wells has been named the winner clients throughout Kent, East Sussex, Essex of the Citywire Wealth Manager Regional and Suffolk. Since then, the business has Star Award for the South East region. gone from strength to strength. The awards, announced on March 2, “We have built our business on the celebrate the top wealth managers from central Brooks Macdonald philosophies, across the country, and are calculated which include strong relationships, on the ratings professional advisers trust, investing in high quality people give to discretionary investment and investing in the local community firms based on their service and through various charities and investment proposition sponsorships. Our aim is to across eight regions. continue to ensure our clients Pam Beith, Senior Investment receive the highest possible Director and Head of Brooks standards of service.” Macdonald’s Tunbridge Ms Beith continued: “We Wells office, said: would like to thank all of our “We’re thrilled to win this staff, clients, introducers award. We opened our and the local community Pam Beith Tunbridge Wells office for their support.”