MEMBERS’ NEWS

The needs of neighbourhoods with high proportions of Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic (BAME) residents must be central to the Government’s levelling-up agenda, the Chair and Chief Executive of Manningham Housing Association (MHA) have said. Barrington Billings and Lee Bloomfield warned that the Covid-19 pandemic continued to highlight the inequalities BAME communities have endured for decades. They said: “2020 has been a desperately difficult year for everyone, but particularly for those who have the least. “If Boris Johnson and Michael Gove are serious in their quest to level up society, they should look no further than the most deprived neighbourhoods across the country which often have large numbers of BAME people living there. “MHA is enormously proud of the work we do in these communities in Bradford and Keighley but, whilst we have high aspirations, our resources are limited. Founded in 1986, MHA manages more than 1,400 homes for over 6,000 residents in Bradford and Keighley. It is the first housing association in the country to be officially accredited for its work in promoting equality, diversity and inclusion. In 2020, MHA won the Northern Housing Outstanding Approaches to Communications Award for its work in supporting tenants during the pandemic and was shortlisted for two UK Housing Awards including Landlord of the Year. “We go beyond the delivery of good quality, affordable housing. We are advocates for our communities, delivering culturally sensitive services and giving individuals and families from BAME backgrounds real opportunities to improve their lives. “But we now need the Government to step up and deliver on its promise to truly level up our country, with the needs of BAME people high on that agenda.”

Local community groups and charities are looking forward to receiving a share of donations from a Yorkshire chemical company, following a record year of £40,000 in donations in 2021. Airedale Chemical, based in Cross Hills gave £40,000 away last year through its charitable arm, the Airedale Foundation and plans to do the same in 2022. Sue Ryder Manorlands hospice, Sutton-in-Craven Community Primary School, children’s football facility Soccerhub, Ilkley Rugby Club, Steeton Football Club and Keighley Cougars Rugby Club are among some of the organisations that received donations last year from Airedale Chemical, along with several defibrillators donated and installed around the local area. Group Chief Commercial Officer of Airedale Chemical, Daniel Marr, explains: “Our local community groups are extremely important to us and we feel lucky to be in a position to help the schemes and clubs that mean so much to our neighbours. “Last year, we donated more than ever before with £40,000 going to good causes in our area and we plan to equal that amount in 2022. We’re already talking with our community partners about how we can make a real difference to their activities this year.” Airedale Chemical introduced the Airedale Foundation in 2017 to support community groups and projects. In the last four years it has installed defibrillators, sponsored local sports teams and even cleaned up public toilets.

Businesses could save lots of money with electric company cars

Bradford-based accountancy firm Watson Buckle is encouraging businesses to go green by looking at the cost and environmental benefits of electric vehicles. Each year the number of electric cars on the road increases, with 345,000 pure-electric cars on UK roads at the end of October 2021, according to the latest Department for Transport figures. The events of COP26 have put the need to reduce emissions in sharp focus, and Watson Buckle says that more businesses will need to look at the benefits of going green soon. As well as reducing emissions, electric vehicles attract a lower rate of company car tax, which is charged to employees via the Benefits in Kind system. Generous Bradford a true ‘community strong’ city

As a charity who support adults and children who have been abused, Staying Put are always looking for support so that they can provide better services to those in need. Following a 30 year career fundraising for a number of different charities up and down the country, Business Development Manager Andy Ellis said: “I have been overwhelmed by the generosity of the people and organisations in Bradford. It is, in my experience, the most community spirited city I have ever encountered.” He added: “At Staying Put, we have been blown away by the volume of gifts we have received and thank you doesn’t have enough letters to express how grateful we, and our service users, are.” Hope for Tomorrow launches ‘world first’ next generation mobile cancer care unit

Hope for Tomorrow is launching their next generation state-of-the-art fully mobile medical cancer care unit, a ‘world first’ in healthcare innovation, designed to change the way cancer care is delivered. In a unique partnership with the NHS, the mobile cancer care unit, will visit communities to offer a wide range of services including accessible daily clinics, cancer screening and education programmes, and a variety of treatments. Staffed by NHS oncology experts, the unit will address health inequalities, with a holistic treatment option for hard-to-reach communities. NHS Trusts will be able to offer patients more choice of where their cancer care is delivered.

Electrical safety is vital for businesses and employees. The question is how exactly you stay on top of regulations to protect your visitors and staff. Volta Compliance have compiled a list of simple steps to help you stay compliant:

An Electrical Installation Condition Report (EICR) is a quick and easy way to make sure your building’s electrical installation is running effectively and without faults. A qualified and competent contractor will check for things like defective work, overloaded circuits and unsafe wiring. You’ll get a report outlining any recommended or required remedial work to bring it in line with the BS 7671 standard. They will also tell you how often EICRs should be carried out to keep your site safe.

Next on the list are your electrical appliances, everything from phone chargers up to larger printers and photocopiers – anything that’s plugged into a socket or generator. In this case, the best way to stay compliant is with Portable Appliance Testing – or PAT testing for short. It’s a routine inspection and test, again by someone who is qualified and competent, to make sure appliances are safe and well maintained.

While it’s not necessarily related to safety, another area of electrical compliance comes from the way you use energy. Over the past decade, the Government has launched two schemes that require large undertakings to monitor and report the energy they use and the resulting emissions. They are the Energy Savings Opportunities Scheme (ESOS) and the Streamlined Energy and Carbon Reporting framework (SECR), both include electricity usage.

Electrical compliance is all about protecting your company along with staff and visitors. By following the three steps above, you can make sure people are safe on site as well as safeguarding your company from potential penalties for non-compliance.

Leeds College of Building students showcased their skills when Andrew Stephenson MP paid a special visit to the South Bank Campus. The Department for Transport Minister of State and Pendle MP is visited Leeds as part of a week-long itinerary, meeting local stakeholders and employers to discuss transport infrastructure and the supply-chain benefits associated with HS2. The College was the first UK provider to work with employers – through the Technician Apprenticeship Consortium – to develop a needed Apprenticeship Standard. This has been delivered by the College over the last 4 years. The MP toured the state-of-the-art facilities, spoke to staff and students about the opportunities available to support transport-related construction careers. Mr Stephenson heard about the challenges the College and FE Sector deal with and the tremendous growth in apprenticeships. Andrew Stephenson MP said: “We are committed to Levelling Up all parts of the UK and these apprenticeships will help fill the essential skills gap and transform the country by providing invaluable, practical on-the-job training for the people of Leeds.”

Discovering the Value of the Armed Forces Covenant

Volta Compliance is a local business based in Leeds, specialising in electrical compliance for companies across Yorkshire. At a Pure Networking event in York, they met with Pauline King, Regional Employer Engagement Director from The Reserve Forces’ and Cadets’ Association for Yorkshire and The Humber. After discussing the challenges they were facing, Volta’s team signed the Armed Forces Covenant, committing to supporting existing and ex forces families by assisting with the transition back into civilian employment. Becoming a forces-friendly employer allows businesses access to a workforce with transferable skills – planning, process, strategy and objectives, as well as the ability to challenge all of those constructively. They’re also creative problem solvers who have passed the ultimate test when it comes to teamwork. Consilia Legal wins National Wellbeing Award

The Family Law team at Yorkshirebased law firm, Consilia Legal are celebrating after winning the ‘National Family Law Wellbeing Award’ at the annual Family Law Awards. The award recognises law firms, chambers and other legal organisations which have demonstrated the strongest commitment to providing and promoting a working environment that supports the mental and physical health of its staff members or colleagues, and enables them to maintain a healthy balance between their work pressures and home life. Sandeep Sandu, Associate Solicitor at Consilia Legal said: “I can truly say that the National Family Law Wellbeing Award is home where it belongs. Having worked at a number of firms, Consilia Legal has shown that it isn’t just paying lip service to the well-being of their team. Booming digital sector fuels growth at Leeds’ home of tech

Bruntwood SciTech welcomed 18 new fast growth tech and digital businesses to Platform, while a further seven Platform-based companies expanded as a result of recent growth. The demand for all-inclusive serviced office and co-working space specifically designed for businesses in the science and tech sector comes as Yorkshire continues in its postpandemic economic trajectory towards the creation of a further 42,000 digital tech jobs. The best connected transport and local amenity location in all of Leeds, connected to Leeds train station in the heart of the city centre, Platform is home to the city’s only dedicated Tech Hub, ideal for new and early stage digital tech start-ups who colocate alongside large tech companies. Platform has the capability to support companies at every stage of their growth.

With the first quarter of 2022 wrapped, now is a time to reflect on the positive start our region has seen to the year. With COVID restrictions melting away, we look forward to the exciting developments the coming months have in store for York and North Yorkshire. York’s bid to become the new home of Great British Railways, the successor organisation to Network Rail, is to take full swing, with the city’s strong rail heritage being brought into the spotlight. In continuing to support members, the Chamber is meeting Government inspectors to review the York Local Plan. We believe strongly that without a Local Plan in place we may struggle to meet collective ambitions for new homes, office and industrial space. On devolution, we welcome Government’s reference to York and North Yorkshire in the Levelling-Up White Paper. The move towards a Mayoral Combined Authority model is greatly supported by the Chamber, with the ability to deliver real leadership for the region now in sight. Access to skills remains challenging and the Chamber has been invited to meet regularly with York and North Yorkshire’s college network to facilitate greater intelligence sharing. Likewise the Chamber is a member of the YNY LEP Employment & Skills Board, again to ensure members have a channel to share their skills issues with policy makers and educationalists. I’d like to close my column by remarking how impressed I’ve been with business from all corners of our county in the reopening following COVID, with real resilience and persistence being demonstrated across the board. The Chamber has been actively engaged with its partner organisations across both the public and private sector in recent months to help ensure businesses are fully supported in the ‘return-to-normal’, and will continue its efforts as we move into the spring. Laurence Beardmore President York & North Yorkshire Chamber

Award-winning accountancy firm 360 Chartered Accountants have developed their portfolio of clients in and around York, and see now as the perfect time to open a base in the city. Andy Steele, Director of 360 Chartered Accountants, said: “We are really excited about opening our office right in the centre of York. It’s always been in our business plan to expand outside of Hull and East Yorkshire and as our client portfolio here in York has grown, we have seized the opportunity – and can’t wait to welcome both our current clients and future clients to Blake House on Blake Street. “We chose this location because it is right in the heart of the city. There is a fantastic and continually growing business economy here and we know that our services are a perfect fit for so many business owners who have been hit hard over the last couple of years. We worked throughout the pandemic, offering advice and support to anyone who needed it, clients and non-clients. We guided them through the various government grant systems and helped our clients claim nearly £10 million in furlough payments across all sectors. There’s also been some great innovation and we have helped businesses adapt to the changing climate. We understand what people have been through and are still going through and we can’t wait to start sharing our knowledge and expertise with even more businesses across York.” 360 Chartered Accountants couldn’t be more different to the image of a typical, ‘boring’ accountancy firm. Their success lies in a willingness to remain agile as a practice in an ever-changing financial and business climate. They are 21 st century accountants embracing modern technology to give their clients every advantage. Innovative and forward thinking, they have invested in IT and modern technology to simplify and speed up accountancy processes, so that clients can view real-time accounts in a secure cloud environment at any time of the day or night, which in turn allows them to make better, more informed decisions based on up-to-the minute figures. It also means the team is able to work from home if necessary, with no disruption to clients, which has been invaluable over the last two years.

Ruth Maltby-Sinkler graduated with First Class Honours from the University of Hull and, after gaining a Distinction at the University of Law in York, completed her training locally. Qualifying in 2015, Ruth has specialised in commercial property since then, gaining experience with major firms in Leeds and Manchester including an in-house secondment with Network Rail. Ruth brings experience in all aspects of commercial property law, including leasehold and freehold, landlord and tenant matters, secured lending, acquisitions, disposals and corporate support work. She said “I’m very pleased to join such a well-known and highly respected firm and I am looking forward to helping the team build on the strong reputation it already has for property work.” Chris Crystal, who leads the commercial property team said “Ruth is a welcome addition to our team which earned a Tier 1 ranking for commercial property in Yorkshire and Humber in the latest edition of the UK Legal 500 publication. He added: “The quality of support that we offer clients is reflected by the fact that we have maintained our position as one of the top ranked firms in our region for commercial property expertise, helping them deal with both the unprecedented challenges and the new opportunities in a changing market.

60 not out! David Armitage celebrates a lifetime in brick

David Armitage, the founder and chairman of the award-winning York Handmade Brick Company, is celebrating 60 unbroken years in the brick industry. He explained: “Moving to York Handmade was a dramatic change for me, as I went from a mass market brick producer supplying large scale schemes to a small niche supplier with a selective market. We haven’t stood still at York Handmade and I am immensely proud of what we have achieved here with a loyal and dedicated staff. “It is fair to say that York Handmade’s market is extremely varied. Conservation is an important area for York Handmade along with highquality one off self-build homes which have been the mainstay of our operation when we first started.” Funding to support an ageing workforce, graduate recruitment and changing markets

The University of York is offering its knowledge and expertise to help local small and medium-sized businesses to thrive. The Specialist Skills Support Programme (SSSP) will deliver a programme of fully funded business training, coaching, consultancy and advice to support micro, small and medium sized enterprises (SME) and their employees. Local business owner, John Taylor of Country Products, said: “Taking part in this Programme has given our company a real focus for planning our succession. It is no doubt the catalyst that we need. I really like the perceptions of our values and putting it down in an email really clarifies it for me.” Ware & Kay welcomes three new members to the Board of Directors

Expanding law firm Ware & Kay Solicitors (with offices in York, Wetherby & Malton) is delighted to announce the promotion of Sian Foster, Holly Stevens and Philip Taylor to the firm’s Board of Directors. This appointment is part of the firm’s ambitious strategy for the future. Sian Foster, Head of Wills & Probate and Holly Stevens, Head of Residential Property have been promoted to Directors at the York office. Meanwhile, Philip Taylor, Head of Residential Property in Malton, has been promoted to Director at the Malton office (Pearsons & Ward). Ware & Kay’s Managing Director, David Hyams, said: “I am delighted to welcome them to the Board and see them all actively participating in business planning, being strong leaders and role models, and helping with the development of the staff.”