West & North Yorkshire Business Q4 2020

West & North

Yorkshire

usiness PRODUCED & PUBLISHED BY WEST & NORTH YORKSHIRE CHAMBER OF COMMERCE

Funding the future of medicine West & North Yorkshire Chamber of Commerce British Chambers of Commerce Accredited

CONNECTING, SUPPORTING & REPRESENTING BUSINESS IN THE REGION

Q4 2020

Up to 66% off † Business Breakdown Cover for Chamber members Service level

Roadside

Relay

Relay Plus

Home Start

Accident Management

Offer Price

Standard Price

Difference

Fleetwide 1

3

3

3

3

3

£87.49

£236.50

£149.01

Fleetwide 2

3

3

3

3

£78.69

£202.50

£123.81

Fleetwide 3

3

3

3

£64.74

£189.50

£124.76

Fleetwide 4

3

3

3

£55.94

£155.50

£99.56

Fleetwide 5

3

3

£47.27

£114.50

£67.23

Fleet Europe

£16.44

£44.50

£28.06

Minibus Rescue

£193.16

£316.50

£123.34

£174.32

£387.00

£212.68

3

Specialist 2

3

3

3

Specialist 4

3

3

3

£149.66

£306.50

£156.84

Specialist 5

3

3

£96.99

£202.50

£105.51

3

The table below gives you more details about the specific services which can be included within our Business Breakdown cover Roadside

Repair or recovery to the AA’s choice of appropriate local repairer.

Relay*

Transportation of vehicle, driver and up to 7 passengers to a UK mainland address if prompt local repair not possible.

Relay Plus*

Extended Relay service to include one of three alternative arrangements for driver and passengers; car hire, accommodation or public transport services.

Home Start

For breakdowns at or within ¼ mile of your home address.

Accident Management

Takes the hassle out of arranging repair, recovery and insurance claims after an accident or vandalism.

For more information, please contact your local Chamber of Commerce Direct Debit. To make life easier, you can now pay for your breakdown cover by Direct Debit.

Based on Fleetwide 3 Standard rates for 3-6 vehicles. All the above prices are per vehicle per year, inclusive of IPT (Insurance Premium Tax). All prices are subject to change. Fleetwide cover does not apply to: specialist vehicles, ie: taxis, mini cabs, hire vehicles, ambulances, police vehicles, vehicles on tradeplates, minibuses, privately owned vehicles (unless used for business purposes), motorcycles and courier vehicles (all of which can be covered on Specialist rates as above), or any vehicles over 3.5 tonnes gvw.

Terms and conditions apply. *Relay and Relay Plus services are not provided at or within ¼ mile of driver’s home address.

Offer cannot be used in conjunction with any other offer. Offer prices are only available while your Chamber membership is current. We reserve the right to review pricing at any time.

Full terms and conditions available on request by calling 0800 55 11 88. Business Breakdown cover is provided by Automobile Association Developments Limited (trading as AA Breakdown Services).

Relay Plus is underwritten by Acromas Insurance Company Limited. Acromas Insurance Company Limited is authorised and regulated by the Commissioner of Insurance, Financial Services Commission, Gibraltar, and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority, United Kingdom. Acromas Insurance Company Limited is a member of the Association of British Insurers. Head Office: 57-63 Line Wall Road, Gibraltar. Registered Number 88716 (Gibraltar). UK brand address: Acromas Insurance Company Limited, Enbrook Park, Folkestone, Kent, CT20 3SE. Automobile Association Insurance Services Limited is an insurance intermediary authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority.

Registered Office: Fanum House, Basing View, Basingstoke, Hampshire RG21 4EA. Registered in England and Wales number 2414212. †

BSF_BCC_0360 (0217)

West & North Yorkshire Business

Q4

WELCOME 3

Responding to change Sandy Needham DL Chief Executive West & North Yorkshire Chamber

Since the last edition of the Chamber magazine, our region’s businesses and residents have again had to face new challenges due to the new national lockdown. Through the British Chambers of Commerce, we asked the Government to consider five tests in dealing with Covid measures; we’re also working to help manage the changing situation, representing members on local authority economic recovery boards in Leeds, Bradford and West Yorkshire, along with City of York and York & North Yorkshire LEP. North Yorkshire’s situation in relation to the virus is better, but my suggestion, that the devolution deal for North Yorkshire might be taken by December, was wide of the mark.

The school year was disrupted earlier this year, so I am pleased that the Chamber has been supported in Bradford and Leeds to run the manufacturing initiatives, highlighting the career opportunities in that sector. Aspire-igen and the Ahead Partnership have done a great job in matching businesses and schools and going online means that there is material that can be used by schools throughout the year.

Decision-makers at all levels are hearing your voice. We’ve been involved in responding to the White Paper on planning reforms, briefing the Chancellor on businesses measures to survive the current crisis, and pushed for answers about international trade post-Brexit; we’ve also questioned the Governor of the Bank of England through regional and national question and answer sessions. At a regional level, we will miss working with Juliette Healey, who has moved on as the Bank’s Agent in Yorkshire and the Humber to take up a national strategic and projects role and we wish her well.

After nearly 20 years of working with the Leeds, York & North Yorkshire, and West & North Yorkshire Chambers of Commerce, Ian Williams the Head of Business Engagement and Transport left the business in October to spend time with this grandchildren and travel. Throughout his time with the Chamber, Ian has continually sought to ensure the voice of private sector business is heard particularly associated with development and investment in local, regional and national transport infrastructure as well improvements in mobile and broadband connectivity. As well as working alongside those he describes as “fantastically supportive and helpful colleagues in the Chamber”, Ian has developed effective working relationships with many Chamber members and very much appreciates the time and input they have given willingly over the years.

Q4

West & North Yorkshire Business

4 CONTACTS EDITORIAL editor@yorkshire-business.co.uk

6

MEMBERS’ NEWS News from Bradford, Leeds, York & North Yorkshire

42 EDUCATION

Sovereign Health & Bradford Grammar School

DESIGN design@yorkshire-business.co.uk

12

ADVERTISING advertising@yorkshire-business.co.uk

14 INTERVIEW

46 EDUCATION

SUBSCRIPTIONS subscriptions@yorkshire-business.co.uk

18 ENVIRONMENT

48 RETAIL

GENERAL hello@yorkshire-business.co.uk

20 BREXIT

50

TOP TIPS

WEBSITE yorkshire-business.co.uk

22 BREXIT

52

AA ADVICE

TWITTER @WNYorkshire_Biz

24 BREXIT

55 REPRESENTATION

West & North Yorkshire Business is a quarterly business

26 BREXIT

56 ENVIRONMENT

27 BREXIT

57 REPRESENTATION

magazine produced by the West and North Yorkshire Chamber of Commerce. The audience for this publication is comprised of a targeted audience of the major decision makers and senior executives across both the Yorkshire region and the wider UK business community. © 2019 West & North Yorkshire Business - No Part of this publication may be reproduced or used in any form of advertising or promotion without the express permission of the editorial team.

West & North Yorkshire Business has taken all reasonable care to ensure that the information contained in this magazine is accurate on the date of publication.

This magazine is published by the West & North Yorkshire Chamber of Commerce.

The Chamber group includes Chamber International, Business Enterprise Fund and West & North Yorkshire Chamber of Commerce.

REGIONAL NEWS News from across the region

Schofield Sweeney LLP

A green recovery

Get ready for Brexit

Transatlantic Trade forum

New trading landscape

UK-EU Trade Relations

Customs declaration service

28 BREXIT

Intellectual property

30 BREXIT

Turkey trade deal

Customs brokerage

32 PROFILE

Pinsent Masons & Opera North

34 PROFILE

Yorkshire Building Society

35 PROFILE

36 PROFILE

Northern Gas Networks

38 PROFILE

Bruntwood SciTech

42 PROFILE MEPC

Accredited

Bradford University

TF Automation

Trading after lockdown

40 PROFILE Autohorn

Business success at Christmas

AA Breakdown

Letter to the PM

Leeds’ Clean Air Zone

Government planning consultation

58 SKILLS

Workforce skills

60 MANUFACTURING

Connecting education and manufacturers

31 BREXIT

Bootham School

West & North Yorkshire Chamber of Commerce British Chambers of Commerce

44 EDUCATION

62 PROFILE Pavers

63 PROFILE

Womble Bond Dickinson

64 PROFILE

Town Centre Securities PLC

66

SOCIAL MEDIA What you missed online

67 PROFILE

We Are IVE

68 EVENTS

Upcoming online events

69 EVENTS

Senior leaders workshops

West & North Yorkshire Business

Q4

CONTENTS 5

Talking trash

44

52

14

Innovation in education

42

Keep your business on the road

32

Medicinal purpose

Ready for Brexit?

20

Working in harmony

Q4

West & North Yorkshire Business

6 BRADFORD NEWS

Making changes Earlier this year, I spoke about businesses adjusting to the ‘new normal’. One Chamber activity that has truly triumphed over Covid-19 is our annual Bradford Manufacturing Weeks (BMW) which brought employers and school pupils together, entirely online, to discuss manufacturing careers.

Events like these make me so proud to be involved with the Chamber, and I know, based on conversations with teachers and manufacturers, that we are making a true difference in the business community and in education. This initiative brings together manufacturers, teachers and pupils to highlight the value of working in the sector. We had to adjust this year – workshops, Q&As, meetings and tours were virtual, and while there were some ‘challenges’ along the way, we delivered.

Here’s a few key results: · 32 webinars took place · 2129 students joined those live online events · 1860 further students watched the recordings · 17 businesses and 35 schools were involved Difficult times often require creative thinking to move forward and we did exactly that with BMW. In fact, the ‘new normal’ of virtual events ensured even more young people saw and will continue to see the valuable manufacturing collateral that was created.

Away from BMW, the Covid-19 challenges may have forced some of our businesses to adapt quicker than planned but for some, it has forced change that is leading to improved ways of working.

This virtual, digital world, however, can never replace the value of having a physical presence in business and I hope to have a more personal catch-up with many of you as soon as we can. For now, look after yourselves and let’s keep talking.

Suzanne Watson President Bradford Chamber

At your table service The opening of Tong Garden Centre’s new restaurant creates 24 new jobs and brings the head count at its Tong Lane site to over 200 local people.

The Mezzanine is situated on the first floor of the award winning garden centre’s 2500sq.m two storey expansion and is in addition to the existing Restaurant. It offers relaxed dining with an open aspect, brunch and lunch menus using seasonal and local produce and an extensive choice of patisserie, cakes and signature bakes, all made in the centre’s instore bakery.

The jobs range from front of house staff to chefs and kitchen porters and assistants.

Bradford born, bred and bottled Just two years after graduating, 24-year-old Omar Bahadur is the CEO and founder of beverage start-up Faraday Drinks Ltd, which is set to disrupt the energy drinks market with an innovative natural caffeinated flavoured water product.

The Mechanical Engineering graduate from Heaton, Bradford, said: “For me, it was about addressing a problem and identifying a gap in the market. Most energy drinks are carbonated, contain artificial ingredients, high in sugar and served in cans which means once opened you cannot store them to consume later.

“Caffeinated water bridges the gap between coffee and fizzy energy drinks. Faraday is still natural caffeinated raspberry rose flavoured water with 60 per cent less sugar over competing energy drinks, served in striking sustainable packaging. It’s light on the tongue and heavy on the energy, I say ‘Enjoy your day with Faraday’.

“The University continues to support me. I’m proud to be born in Bradford and to have attended its university.

Business comes in all shapes, colours and sizes. Bradford is a city where anyone can become anything.”

Q4

7

Massage Addict, which specialises in sports and holistic massage, has moved into the recently refurbished Mending Rooms at the awardwinning Sunny Bank Mills.

Massage Addict is owned and run by Dan Cawley and Heather Davies, who were working as mobile massage therapists in La Plange in the French Alps in March this year when Covid-19 hit France.

On the mend at the mill

John Gaunt, co-managing director of Edwin Woodhouse explained: “We are delighted to welcome Dan and Heather, massage therapy will add to the diverse mix of leisure services that our fantastic tenants offer.

“We now have beauticians, hair salons, cafés and restaurants, all providing a variety of services for the many companies who are now based here.”

William Gaunt, co-managing director, added: “We have invested £2million in the Weaver’s Yard project at Sunny Bank, opening up the centre of the mill, creating a magnificent performance area and 95 new car parking spaces.”

Altogether there are now 75 companies with more than 350 employees on site.

Museum lockdown activities

Ready for take off

Boutique acquisition

The National Science and Media Museum in Bradford has been shortlisted for the Kids in Museums Family Friendly Museum Award From Home.

Bus operator Transdev creates jobs and boosts Yorkshire’s economy as new Flyer network takes to the road.

Flyer, Transdev’s new Yorkshire bus network packed with customerfriendly features, is set to revolutionise travel to Leeds Bradford Airport and create jobs.

Schofield Sweeney has acquired Leeds-based boutique firm Prodicus Legal, a successful and growing niche practice which complements the litigation and corporate services.

Vicky Clifton, Head of Learning at the National Science and Media Museum, said: “During lockdown we wanted to find ways to stay connected with our local schools who are so important to the museum, and one of the ways we have been able to do this is through the STEM education packs. The packs were made from re-purposed museum learning materials and we were able to turn them around and get them out to the community in record speed.

During lockdown we have come to rely on digital platforms more than ever before, however many families have little or no digital access and it is important we find ways to ensure everyone has equal access to learning.”

A new partnership between bus operator Transdev, West Yorkshire Combined Authority and Leeds Bradford Airport is delivering the new Flyer buses, which will link Leeds, Bradford and Harrogate with the airport seven days a week and deliver a post-lockdown boost for Yorkshire’s economy.

James Wood established Prodicus Legal in 2013. The team specialises in complex shareholder disputes, commercial frauds, insolvency litigation and property disputes for businesses and individuals across the UK. James will become a Partner at Schofield Sweeney. The Prodicus litigation team also includes solicitor Damian Kilroy who has worked closely with James for 6 years developing a strong reputation for working on complex disputes.

The deal creates 10 new jobs and secures 47 more at Transdev’s newlyacquired operating base at Idle, near Bradford – and the new Flyer buses will play a key role in tackling congestion and air pollution.”

Pauline Hanratty will strengthen Schofield Sweeney’s corporate offering. She has significant experience advising on all aspects of corporate and commercial matters for clients ranging from sole traders to PLCs.

Q4

West & North Yorkshire Business

8 LEEDS NEWS

Change of plan COVID and now, increasingly Brexit, continue to dominate the Chamber’s policy activities and as Leeds enters a second national lockdown we will continue to make the case for support for businesses across the city. However, the work of Government away from these two major issues continues, with consultations being conducted over the last quarter on proposals for reforming the planning system and the future of business rates.

As chair of the Chamber’s Planning Group and regional representative on the British Chambers of Commerce National Planning Experts Panel we have responded to the first consultation on behalf of our wider membership; the full response is included in this edition of the magazine.

Business rates remains a thorny issue and we continue to lobby for reform of this system. The COVID crisis has impacted dramatically on the performance of our high streets and has accelerated trends which we were already seeing prior to the pandemic. In our response to the government consultation we suggest the rates system creates a number of perverse incentives for both property improvement and plant and machinery investment, causing an unnecessarily large burden to be placed upon businesses regardless of their ability to pay. We believe the current system does not make allowances for significant structural changes that have taken place in the UK economy and are likely to increase further over the coming years particularly due to the impact of Covid-19.

As further lockdown restrictions came into force in Leeds, we would encourage all businesses to feedback their issues to the Chamber. We know these are very challenging times but the Chamber is here to provide you with a voice to policy makers and work collectively to deliver the solutions needed to help you get through these unprecedented times.

Amanda Beresford President Leeds Chamber

Gordons says ‘AO. Let’s go!’

Yorkshire law firm Gordons has advised online home electricals retailer AO on two new distribution and logistics hubs at Redhill Business Park in Stafford and G-Park in Stoke, totalling 390,000 sq ft.

The continued shift from high street retail to online for home electricals products which started during the Covid-19 lockdown has increased the need for warehouse and distribution space and will create 250 jobs.

David Ashwell, Managing Director of AO Logistics, said: “We’ve been quick to adapt to meet increased customer demand and we’re investing in the future, adding more space and hundreds of new, quality jobs.”

Gordons’ Sarah Ratcliffe added: “AO continues to react at speed and adapt to meet the rising demand for online shopping. It has been a pleasure to help the company with the expansion of its logistics services and play our part in its continued rapid growth in the online retail market.”

Blacks Solicitors promotions Amer Ali joined Blacks Solicitors as a Licensed Conveyancer before becoming a Trainee Solicitor. As a newly qualified Solicitor, Amer will strengthen the conveyancing team.

Annie Beaumont started as a Paralegal, now, as a qualified Solicitor in Wills & Probate, Annie will advise clients on all aspects of Wills.

Annie won Trainee of the Year at the Yorkshire Legal Awards 2019.

Fiona Barber joined as a Paralegal in the Family team and recently qualified in Commercial Dispute Resolution.

Tom Moyes, Training Partner at Blacks, said: “We are absolutely thrilled to have retained Annie, Fiona and Amer. They are all very bright individuals who will all go on to have very successful careers with Blacks solicitors.”

West & North Yorkshire Business

Q4

9

Inspiring engineers of the future Tomorrow’s Engineers Week 2020, led by EngineeringUK, shines a spotlight on engineering careers to change perceptions among young people, their parents and teachers, and inspire future engineers.

Now in its eighth year, Tomorrow’s Engineers Week (#TEWeek20) highlights to young people that engineering is a creative, problem solving, exciting career that improves the world around us.

Increased international team Yorkshire accountants and business advisers, Garbutt + Elliott, has expanded its corporate finance team with the appointment of a new partner.

Rob Burton, who has 21 years’ experience in corporate finance with international firms, joins the 13-strong team led by head of corporate finance, Tony Farmer.

His appointment brings senior members of the team, which operates nationally and has completed deals with a total value of £160m in the last 12 months, to three partners and two directors supported by banking and corporate finance executives.

Rob Burton, a member of the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales, has expertise in corporate sales and acquisitions, refinancing, private equity investments, management buyouts and buy-ins.

Last year, the Royal Academy of Engineering estimated that the UK needed to find more than one million new engineers by 2020 to meet demands. According to Engineering UK, there is also a shortfall of 69,000 engineers and technicians entering engineering or STEM-related subjects.

The week’s celebration featured the incredible things engineers work on and the range of jobs available in the industry. One example of the type of

Opera North launches from Couch to Chorus: The Festive Edition With over 2,000 people having attended the original From Couch to Chorus digital choir in the Summer, Opera North has put together a special Festive Edition. Ideal for singers who are missing their usual choral sessions, From Couch to Chorus: The Festive Edition is also suitable for beginners who would like to try and master some operatic repertoire in their own home.

From Couch to Chorus: The Festive Edition comprise of five weekly sessions led by a professional choral director over Zoom, with input from members of the Chorus of Opera North. Each one-hour session will be prepared for four different voice types – soprano, alto, tenor and bass. No previous experience or ability to read music is required, and the Lifelong Learning team will be on hand to help people ensure they join the right group.

engineer highlighted is Tom Coleman, a former student at Leeds College of Building.

Tom Coleman said: “I believe the engineering industry provides the perfect platform for young, aspiring engineers to excel and progress. The industry has benefitted from increased awareness around apprenticeships and STEM recently, which has seen more companies invest in the future generation of engineers.

Strengthening employment team Yorkshire law firm Lupton Fawcett has boosted its employment team with the appointments of Glenn Jaques and Sabrina Rahman.

Glenn joins as a partner in the Sheffield office, bringing more than 25 years of employment law experience. He has advised companies on large-scale redundancies and restructures, TUPE and discrimination issues, defending tribunal claims and HR. Sabrina graduated from the University of Sheffield and qualified as a solicitor.

She advises employers and employees on contracts, service and settlement agreements, sickness absence management, conduct and capability procedures and discrimination.

James Richardson, Managing Partner, said: “I’m delighted to welcome two excellent additions to our multi awardwinning employment law team.”

Q4

West & North Yorkshire Business

10 YORK & NORTH YORKSHIRE NEWS

Working together Together with Vice President Laurence Beardmore and others, I have had regular discussions and engagement with numerous organisations across our patch wanting to know the impacts of Covid-19 on the business sector. It is pleasing that the Chamber is recognised as a key voice of the business community.

There is no doubt that many members across all sectors have been impacted by the pandemic but it’s also important to keep stressing that business is resilient and that they continue to trade and to adapt to often rapidly changing requirements. The support from Government has been welcome but the Chamber network as a whole has written to the Prime Minister outlining five business tests that must be met to limit the impact of new restrictions on business and jobs and to take a long-term approach to tackling the pandemic.

Similarly, the Chamber has been heavily engaged with the devolution discussions in North Yorkshire and considers that being able to progress towards a deal quickly, and with minimum disruption to services, is essential for York & North Yorkshire, as is the ability for the underlying structure of any deal to be able to both deliver benefits at scale and recognise and play to the strengths of both the city of York and the wider North Yorkshire region. The potential prizes of devolution for the city and the region, including more funding and greater local decision making over how that funding is applied, are considerable. The Chamber will continue to lobby for a quick decision about devolution as well as ensuring the business voice continues to be heard.

Finally the potential of a no-deal Brexit looms large and with little clarity about what will happen, it is no wonder that many businesses are struggling to prepare. At a national level, the British Chambers of Commerce continues to call for a deal to be struck, whilst at a local level Chamber International, part of this Chamber, is able to offer advice and guidance about what businesses should be doing.

Andrew Digwood President York & North Yorkshire Chamber

Yorkshire solicitor launches Law Society advice book York based Rachel Roche has written a Law Society backed book to help solicitors set up their own practices at one of the most challenging times for the legal profession.

Rachel Roche, of Roche Legal, is a multi-award winning solicitor who was commissioned by the Law Society to write the book How to Start a Law Firm with Darren J. Sylvester who set up his own practice DJS Law Solicitors in 2016. The 110,000 word book has been released with the authors hoping it will become a ground breaking template for solicitors wanting to set up their own practices.

Rachel, who won the Law Society Sole Practitioner of the Year award in 2018, started writing her 55,000 word contribution last year – the 100th anniversary of women being allowed to practice law in the UK – and said: “It was important to me to be able to produce a book that would help lawyers wanting to set up on their own, particularly given the current problems. In response the pandemic we added a final chapter entitled Covid-19: The ultimate disaster recovery test.

“A number of people have contacted me in recent years asking for advice about how to set up on their own and there wasn’t this kind of resource. I set up my own practice nearly seven years ago when there was no manual or template to work from and that is why I felt it was important to get everything I have learnt down on paper which helped consolidate my own ideas.

Darren and I have brought different strengths to the book and pulled on the experience of the 16 case study contributors.

“I started writing my 55,000 words contribution last year which was the 100th anniversary of the passage of the Sex Disqualification (Removal) Act 1919 that meant women could enter the legal profession in the UK and now we are able to launch the book exactly a year after we signed our deal with the Law Society. The launch was chaired by Stephanie Boyce who next year will be one of two black women taking the Presidency and Vice Presidency of the Law Society.”

Q4

11

Step up with a qualification

Rollits LLP has announced the success of one of its Associates in becoming a full member of the Society of Trust and Estate Practitioners (STEP).

Suzgo Kaluluma joined the Private Capital department in Rollits’ York office. Arriving at Rollits with 10 years’ experience and specialising in private client work, Suzgo was already an Associate member of STEP and a member of the Private Client Section of the Law Society and the Solicitors’ Association of Higher Court Advocates.

He has now passed his exams to become a full STEP member, which will support his work covering all aspects of estate and succession planning including the preparation of wills, the creation of trusts and care home fee planning.

Suzgo said: “I am delighted to become a full member of STEP. All of the Private Capital lawyers at Rollits have or are in the process of achieving the qualification and the firm recognises the assurance that it provides to our clients.”

Harrowells growth strategy

Expanding employment

Saville Group help Scottish courts

North and East Yorkshire law firm, Harrowells, has extended its corporate and commercial team with the appointment of solicitor, Sophia Bell.

York-based Employment Law firm grows to eight strong team.

September heralded the start of a unique initiative between the Scottish Courts and Tribunals Service, ODEON cinemas and York based Saville Group, creating a UK first by running court sessions with a remote jury.

Sophia Bell, who gained a first-class degree in Law and Management at the University of Leeds and a distinction on the Legal Practice Course.

Sophia will become the fourth member of the team based in Leeds, working alongside Head of Department, Partner, Susie Mortonson, Associate Solicitor, Matt Rowley and newlyqualified Solicitor, Will Procter, who recently qualified into the corporate and commercial team after completing his training contract with the firm.

Sophia Bell said: “I’m thrilled to join Harrowells and the chance to work with clients throughout North and East Yorkshire and to be part of a team with an excellent reputation for its expertise, service and commitment to staff development.”

Award-winning York-based Employment Law firm, Torque Law, has expanded with new appointments following steady growth of the business which accelerated during the coronavirus pandemic as companies and business leaders grappled with the complexities of employment, the law, and needed more support and strategic advice.

The firm specialises in supporting business owners and HR departments of medium and large businesses in Yorkshire with all their employment law issues, with a particular focus on the more reputational and complex issues.

Tiggy Clifford, Partner, Torque Law said: “Building a team has always been part of the plan and we are mindful that our brand very much depends on our values being shared by those who work for the business.”

Supported by £5.5m of Scottish Government funding, the SCTS’s innovative solution sees physically distanced juries of up to 15 people taking part remotely in cases streamed live from the High Courts to remote jury centres at ODEON Fort Kinnaird in Edinburgh and Braehead in Glasgow.

Group technical Director Colin Etchells said: “Relying exclusively on high end two-way video streaming technology, Saville Group were the perfect fit for this initiative via our installation and live event brands, Visavvi and Sparq.”

“To deliver the project we recruited two new members to the team which is fantastic given the current state of the events industry.”

Q4

West & North Yorkshire Business

12 WEST & NORTH YORKSHIRE NEWS

Being positive – in more ways than one!

Business likes certainty and clarity. Unfortunately, getting these at any level is still difficult. Being highly pragmatic, I understand the difficulties, perhaps even more so since I recently returned to work after suffering from a mild dose of Covid-19.

The early sign was total loss of taste and smell and what I thought was a heavy cold.

Of course, this affected those around me: my wife had to self-isolate for 14 days; my youngest daughter and two of our grandchildren had to do the same. The knock-on effects included employees getting positive test results, self-isolation, time off work and an impact on productivity – all presenting challenges for business.

Hence the difficulties regarding certainty and clarity.

However, the Chamber continues to provide guidance, information and support, as well as informing and influencing the Government’s decisions.

Our national body, the British Chambers of Commerce, recently wrote to the Prime Minister (the letter was signed by 53 local Chamber Chief Executives) with a plea that made a positive contribution to the friction brought about with the tiers. That plea (outlined elsewhere in this issue) involved five tests as part of a strategy to avoid economic paralysis, and we believe that the Government is listening.

On the other great ‘business disrupter’, whatever happens surrounding Brexit, the Chamber’s international trade team are ready to help and support with information, training and advice.

That said, there is plenty of positive business news around, covered as always in this edition.

Nick Garthwaite Chair of the Board West & North Yorkshire Chamber

Planner Paul plots the road to success for Transdev Every great journey needs a plan – and experienced bus industry manager Paul Sammonds is now in the driving seat as newly-appointed Planning Manager with North of England bus operator Transdev.

Paul joins at a vitally important time for Transdev, as the business looks to drive forward its plan for the road to recovery following relaxation of travel restrictions imposed during the UK’s national COVID-19 lockdown earlier this year.

Working as part of Transdev’s commercial team, led by Commercial Director Paul Turner, the Planning Manager role covers seven operating subsidiaries across the North from the team’s base in Burnley, Lancashire.

Prior to joining Transdev, Paul’s previous role as Commercial Manager for Stagecoach Yorkshire saw him leading on several successful product launches over three years with the Barnsleybased bus operator.

Paul’s new role will see him reviewing Transdev’s local bus network as the North’s economy picks up and travel patterns change – and he’ll be looking for fresh opportunities to boost customer numbers with more eye-catching new branded bus routes to join the firm’s networks on both sides of the Pennines.

Paul said: “It’s a challenging yet exciting time to come on board with Transdev, which has won an excellent reputation as one of the most progressive and innovative names in the bus industry.

My role involves network planning, both in terms of developing the existing network and finding new opportunities for growth.

“Travel habits for work have undoubtedly changed as a proportion of businesses continue with staff working from home for all or some of the time, while the market for local and regional leisure journeys looks promising with many more people ready to discover all that our region has to offer for day trips and short breaks.”

West & North Yorkshire Business

Q4

13

Graduate has winning formula For prospective students worried about not getting the grades they expected or securing their first choice of university, PETRONAS Trackside Fluid Engineer Stephanie Travers has some advice: seize the moment.

Stephanie, who graduated with a BEng in Chemical Engineering said accepting a position at the University of Bradford was the best decision she ever made. She now works for PETRONAS, the title and technical partner of the Mercedes-AMG PETRONAS F1 team.

Today she travels the world with F1 and works closely with the Mercedes-AMG PETRONAS F1 team, including the drivers, Lewis Hamilton and Valtteri Bottas.

Her work is highly specialised and involves analysing samples of the PETRONAS Primax fuel, Syntium oil and Tutela functional fluids that are used to power the car.

Her analysis not only ensures that fluids comply with the FIA’s regulations but also provides early detection of any potential problems, a key factor in helping the team finish as many races in the best possible position.

Joining F1 was a childhood dream for Stephanie, who recalls getting up at 6am to watch televised races with her family. She cites support provided by the University of Bradford as one of the factors in her success.

Another brick in the wall

Barclays hits the road

The award-winning York Handmade Brick Company has played a significant role in three new North Yorkshire residential developments.

The Barclays Van will visit local communities across Yorkshire.

The Easingwold-based firm has supplied specially-manufactured bricks for contemporary developments at Tollerton, Raskelf and Stillington.

Altogether York Handmade provided more than 160,000 bricks for the three sites, developed by North Yorkshirebased Ambleside Homes.

Alun Nixon of York Handmade Brick commented: “While we have recently completed some stunning commissions for residential and commercial developments in London, it is vitally important that we continue to provide our bricks to more local developers and for self-builders.

Customers will be able to talk about money management, buying a new home or setting up a business The Barclays Van is aimed at taking the bank’s financial expertise on the road, by providing a face-to-face and accessible service for customers living in remote and rural communities.

The Barclays Van will be parked up at towns and villages, hospitals, businesses, schools, libraries, village halls, and making appearances at shows and fayres across the county.

Hosted by local Barclays colleagues, the Van will offer flexibility and convenience to those customers seeking more complex banking solutions right on their doorstep.

Yorkshire Building Society named Family Friendly employer The Society is named in the top 30 employers by charity Working Families after competing with large and small public and private sector organisations to gain a place on the list.

Tracey Newton, Director of Colleague Experience at Yorkshire Building Society, said: “We’re really proud of the work we have implemented over the last few years but especially this year.

With the coronavirus outbreak we have further invested in our people and our ‘Finding the Balance’ initiative geared around family friendly principles and flexible working practices has really come to life throughout the crisis.

We always try our hardest to help make the Society a place of work our colleagues can be proud of.”

The

earthy

side of law

We spoke to Craig Burman, Partner and Head of the Environmental and Regulatory team at Schofield Sweeney LLP, to discuss waste, Brexit, climate change and the year that has changed us forever.

West & North Yorkshire Business

Q4

INTERVIEW 15

What was your route into law?

For as long as I can remember, I have loved houses. It’s a good job too, because until I was 36, I had lived in one house for every year alive. As a kid I was convinced that I would be an architect, but that changed when the 18year old me decided to study law so I could go to the same university as all my friends, where architecture was not on the syllabus.

My 18-year old self had no idea how much that single decision would shape the rest of my life.

On my second last day of university, I found out that a local law firm was recruiting a newly qualified solicitor. I rushed down and handed over my CV with an impassioned plea. I was called in for an interview the next day and the job was mine that afternoon. I spent most of the next eight years in a courtroom, representing clients faced with criminal charges involving murder, rape, fraud, common assault, dangerous and drunken driving as well as clients in commercial and matrimonial disputes. There was never a dull moment.

Fast forward another twenty something years and I have swapped the South Island of New Zealand for Yorkshire. Disputes remain part of the job, but they now involve the environment, waste, contaminated land, health and safety, noise, odour, flooding and planning.

increased rainfall and rising water levels for as long as possible. I also assist developers to manage the liability of contaminated sites and ensure they are redeveloped in a way that makes them safe for future generations. I speak to landowners on flooding, drainage and sewage issues which have become much more commonplace in the past ten years.

If it is wet, smelly or ugly, I can usually help!

What would you say now to your younger self?

My younger self was pretty apprehensive about the year 2000, but we all tumbled into the 21st century remarkably unscathed. I would tell my younger self not to fear the millennium, start a pension earlier, give up single use plastics, and prepare for 2020 – the year that comes from nowhere and turns everything on its head.

I would tell him that although 2020 will be challenging, it will bring us new opportunities. It will make us value the people we work with more than we have ever done before. It will allow us to use technology as an alternative to face-to face meetings and reduce our carbon footprint. It will show society just how important it is to put our vulnerable and elderly before profits and economic considerations.

I’d also tell him that I think we’ll be okay.

What does your role involve?

What opportunities has 2020 brought for your business

Several years ago, Schofield Sweeney recognised the impact that environmental considerations and climate change were having on our clients’ businesses. In 2015, we became one of the few Yorkshire regional law firms to provide clients with specialist environmental advice. I am very lucky that this side of my practice is so varied.

My colleagues and I are very fortunate that we can all work from home. When the government announced lockdown, we had already sent vulnerable staff home, and were ready for everyone else to work remotely too.

Although our servers creaked under the weight of 165 remote log ins, our IT has held up superbly.

As an example, in the last week I gave advice to a waste business whose premises have been destroyed by fire, negotiated the withdrawal of charges for a company director in breach of her environmental permit, spoke to a developer whose site had been the victim of fly tipping, advised a farmer buying a quarry full of illegally deposited waste, and instructed a barrister to assist with a claim for environmental damage in a Site of Special Scientific Interest.

Some of our clients could not work from home and had to scale back their operations. Others found innovative ways around challenges and had an incredibly busy lockdown. We found that we could deliver the same service and give clients the reassurance they need while not being together in our offices, and without access to the photocopier and original documents.

During the same week, I advised a restaurant chain on how to re-open their buffet in a covid-secure way, advised numerous businesses on health and safety implications of the pandemic, and corresponded with the Coroner on behalf of a widow whose husband had died abroad with Covid-19.

I act for local authorities and drainage boards who are working hard to ensure we resist the impacts of

We have learned lots of things, but three valuable lessons stand out; 1. We do not need to be face-to-face to be effective.

Working collaboratively can be done by phone, email, video, text, WhatsApp, Messenger, post and even fax.

2. We are adaptable, creative and flexible when new challenges present. Centuries of wet ink have been replaced by an electronic signature on formal documents. Witnessing signatures can now be done by

Q4

West & North Yorkshire Business

16 INTERVIEW

video or using an app that scrambles everything securely in a way I can’t even begin to explain.

3. We need to keep having conversations about wellbeing, health and happiness. We have all had bad days since 23 March, and when we’re worried or anxious it affects our work. Creating an environment of support and openness has allowed us to understand the challenges we and our clients face, discuss the bad days and focus on the good.

What has been the biggest challenge and how have you overcome it?

I left the public sector over five years ago to build an environmental and regulatory practice at Schofield Sweeney. I had no clients and very few leads on day one. As a former Environment Agency prosecutor and Regional Solicitor, my knowledge and experience of environmental issues were really useful for clients, but the biggest challenge has been letting potential clients know what we can do for them and who to turn to when an environmental or regulatory issue crops up.

Networking before 2020 involved face-toface meetings, speaking engagements, attending events and lots of coffee. Since lockdown, Zoom calls have been something of a substitute, and socially distanced walks have turned several clients into friends. Until we can safely meet again, the most effective communications have been simple calls or emails to let clients know that you care, and you are here if they need anything.

How has 2020 changed what you do?

I often receive instructions following a visit to a client’s premises by officers from the Environment Agency, Local Authority or Health and Safety Executive. Most regulators have not been making site visits for much of 2020, but clients have had to change the way they work to make sure they are Covid-secure, and that has been a challenge.

An unexpected effect of the pandemic is the growth in advice to businesses on how to remain Covid-secure. Authorities have turned their attention to environmental

If it is wet, smelly or ugly, I can usually help!

health and safety matters and are conducting spot checks of local businesses. Twelve months ago, most of us had never heard of Covid, but we have all had to become experts on minimising the risk of transmission. Many clients have sought advice on the difficulties this has created.

How will Brexit impact on what you do?

Virtually all of the work I do involves laws which have come from the EU. The government are currently considering the Environment Bill, which will bring a range of new environmental protection measures and will set up the Office for Environmental Protection to monitor and report on our environmental performance.

These measures will replace those aspects of EU law that will no longer apply.

I will have to get to grips with a new environmental regime, but 2020 has taught us all that you can teach old dogs new tricks!

I have some nagging questions about whether the Environment Bill goes far enough to protect the environment and reduce our impact upon it. As a nation, I also hope we will properly fund the excellent work done by the Environment Agency and local authorities to minimise the impact of flooding and rising sea levels.

How to balance work and life For most of my career, work life balance has been about leaving the office at a sensible hour and not working too many weekends.

In 2020, it’s all about how to manage the blurred line between work and home life within the home.

At the start of lockdown, my dog and my work laptop constantly followed me around the house. One would present me with its lead and the other would present me with emails while I was cooking dinner or watching TV in the evenings. Work would start at 8am at the dining table and have no finish time. We now have an understanding, my work laptop and me. It lives in my home office upstairs and I leave it alone most evenings after 6.30pm. Like everyone, I see much less of my friends and extended family than I used to but managing to see less of my work laptop has been great for maintaining a healthy work life balance.

I remain in ongoing negotiations with the dog, however.

Ambitious green revolution

is launched to kick-start the region’s post-Covid economy

A 10-year plan to transform the region into the UK hub for green innovation and enterprise has been launched by the University of York and a consortium of partners.

economy in the wake of the Coronavirus pandemic.

BioYorkshire would help tackle some of the world’s major economic and environmental challenges

BioYorkshire would help tackle some of the world’s major economic and environmental challenges and contribute to the region’s overall ambition to become the nation’s first carbon negative region.

The plan – which has been given the backing of local and regional MPs aims to “level-up” the North of England, generating 4,000 skilled jobs as the country rebuilds its

The project harnesses the expertise of scientists and industry experts and is led by the University of York, Askham Bryan College and Fera Science Ltd.

West & North Yorkshire Business

Q4

ENVIRONMENT 19 Renewable

Enterprise

BioYorkshire’s vision is to propel the region into growing a vibrant and dynamic bioeconomy - using renewable, biological resources to create greener products which minimize waste and reduce our reliance on fossil fuel.

BioYorkshire plans include district hubs for enterprise development, bio-based research institutes and programmes of training and skills co-developed with industry, all underpinned with bioeconomy networking and investment. Crucial demonstrator facilities for testing and scaling up of innovative technologies would also be built the lack of which has forced UK bio-entrepreneurs to test projects further afield.

The ultimate ambition of BioYorkshire is to cement the region as the UK’s centre of innovation and enterprise in the bioeconomy.

The University of York’s Vice Chancellor, Professor Charlie Jeffery said: “The North of England already has the facilities, specialised research and innovation capability, and industrial capacity to deliver a world-leading bioeconomy based on crop science, agri-tech and industrial biotechnology.

“BioYorkshire’s unique partnership will co-ordinate and further develop these capabilities and resources to create a major economic opportunity for the region. We can deliver fundamental changes to the way we live, not only here in the north of England but globally.”

MPs from the region including Julian Sturdy (Con, York Outer), Rachael Maskell (Lab, York Central), Kevin Hollinrake (Con, Thirsk and Malton) and Robert Goodwill (Con, Scarborough and Whitby) are in support of BioYorkshire.

The project draws on the innovative work already underway at BioYork, a University-led initiative.

Innovative Professor Ian Graham, BioYork’s Director said: “Our research programmes will offer truly cross disciplinary, innovative approaches to tackle industrial and societal challenges: we have an outstanding track record of research to benefit society.”

Yorkshire is well placed to lead the way in bio innovation, hosting national headquarters of many of the UK's largest food and drinks processing businesses, which are key to the production of valuable organic waste-feedstocks. The region is also steeped in farming traditions and expertise with agricultural businesses accounting for more than 60 per cent of land use.

Dr Tim Whitaker, CEO and Principal of Askham Bryan College said: “The newly emerging bioeconomy needs a tailored programme of education and training to ensure the availability of technical and professional skills development to guarantee a comprehensive understanding of high welfare livestock production, crop science and agronomy.

“BioYorkshire will address the skills gap to enable rapid regional economic growth.”

Dr Andrew Swift, CEO of Fera Science said: “BioYorkshire is designed to maximise the opportunities for interaction between researchers and businesses. Exciting new initiatives will engage industrial expertise to deliver a step change in bioeconomy research.”

MP Julian Sturdy said: “It was a pleasure to chair a briefing for MPs last week to discuss the fantastic opportunity BioYorkshire presents to lever the biotechnology, natural environment, farming and food production, and circular economy platforms of York and North Yorkshire.

“It was great to receive support from MPs across the region for this exciting collaboration between the University of York, Askham Bryan College and Fera Science. I hope my parliamentary colleagues will now join me to push BioYorkshire forward by lobbying the Government for the funds required to help make North Yorkshire the nation’s first carbon negative region while delivering profitable and sustainable technologies."

MP Rachael Maskell said:

“BioYorkshire is an inspired initiative to create thousands of green collar jobs while driving forward sustainable solutions to address the environmental and climate challenges of our age.

Bringing such an initiative to York consolidates our footprint in biosciences while investing in our local economy.”

The Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy estimate new products, services and exports associated with the bioeconomy could be worth an extra £220 billion a year to the UK by 2030.

Preparing for Brexit James Houseman Senior Tax Manager

West & North Yorkshire Business

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BREXIT 21

Get ready for Brexit

Regardless of whether the Government agrees a deal with the EU, from 1st January 2021 the Brexit transition period will end and new rules will come into force for importers and exporters to and from the EU. This will create new challenges and changes. Is your business fully prepared?

Below are a few key questions to ask yourselves: 1. Have you got an EORI number?

Businesses importing or exporting goods must have an Economic Operators Registration and Identification (“EORI”) number. If you’re VAT registered, HMRC should have issued one automatically. If not, you can easily obtain an EORI online.

2. Are you ready to lodge customs declarations?

To import or export goods, a customs declaration needs to be lodged with HMRC. This requires specialist software, so many businesses rely on an agent (usually a logistics provider or customs broker) for this. If you haven’t engaged anyone yet, I recommend contracting and agreeing fees with your chosen agent now to avoid capacity constraints and/or price increases for leaving it to the last minute.

Once engaged, speak to your agent and understand how everything will work – what information they’ll need, how and when you’ll communicate it etc. Bear in mind that if the declarations are wrong, HMRC will come after you, not the agent, so you need to take steps to ensure they are correct.

3. Have you considered customs duties?

If a free trade agreement is not negotiated with the EU, duties will be payable on goods imported into the UK or the EU. The rate of duty depends on three factors: 1 What is it (classification)? Every tangible good can be assigned a ‘commodity code’ – an 8-10 digit number that determines the rate of duty payable.

2 What is it worth (valuation)? Normally the invoice value, but adjustments may need to be made to include royalties, tooling, commission etc. What if you’re importing your own goods, or samples and there is no invoice? How will you value them?

3 Where is it from (origin)? If the UK has a trade agreement with a third country, goods originating from that country may benefit from a preferential rate of duty.

The easiest way to pay duties is through a duty deferment account – you should consider whether one of these is appropriate.

Several of our clients who import goods from outside of the EU and then distribute into the EU are facing the risk of double duty. Steps can be taken to mitigate this but action needs to be taken now to ensure these mitigations are in place as soon as possible..

4 Have you spoken with your suppliers/customers to determine who will be responsible for customs duties and declarations?

Given customs duties and declarations haven’t been an issue for EU-UK trade since the 1970s, it’s unlikely that they have been considered.

Regardless, who does and pays what is determined by contractual terms, or ‘incoterms’. Much like transport or insurance, you will need to agree with suppliers/customers over who deals with customs issues.

Think about what is appropriate – do you want your customers doing their own import declarations and paying duties? Is your supplier capable of managing this additional requirement without causing delays?

Do consider that if you want to act as importer into or exporter out of the EU, you’ll need an EU EORI number (which creates its own headaches). This is a complex area so if you’re thinking of doing this, please speak to your tax advisor.

Confused yet?! Don’t worry, this is a minefield so many people will feel the same as you do! The good news is that help is available if you need it. Here at BHP have a specialist Brexit team who are on hand to help with any queries or concerns you may have.

Contact James Houseman by email, James.houseman@bhp.co.uk or visit www.bhp.co.uk

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West & North Yorkshire Business

22 INTERNATIONAL TRADE

Transatlantic Trade Forum The UK- US Free Trade Agreement Walker Morris recently attended a Transatlantic Trade Forum hosted by Chamber International and sponsored by RSM, for an insight into the current status of the UK-US Free Trade Agreement in light of the impending US election and Covid-19.

Charlotte Wright notes the key takeaways from the forum including top tips for UK businesses expanding into the US market.

Walker Morris has teamed up with Chamber International to deliver this insight.

Why is the UK- US Free Trade Agreement important?

The United States is the world's largest economy and the biggest exporter and importer of goods and services.

As a single country, it is also the UK’s largest export market.

Trade deals create easier access to markets through reduced costs and bureaucracy and this one is a significant opportunity for the UK to strengthen its trade relationship with the US. The UK-US free trade agreement is expected to go beyond the provision of a tariff policy; with public services and food standards’ regulation all being subtly tied to a trade deal.

What is the status of the negotiations?

The negotiations were able to begin following the UK’s departure from the EU on January 31 2020. UK International Trade Secretary, Liz Truss,

and US Trade Representative, Robert Lighthizer, formally launched the trade deal negotiations via a videoconference on May 5 2020. These have continued despite Covid-19 travel restrictions, however delays are expected due to the change in dynamic that video-conferencing brings to negotiations as any ‘closeddoor’ negotiations are likely to be off the table.

The US election also meant that UK-US trade deal negotiations have not been a priority for the US.

What are the key concerns surrounding the UK-US Trade Agreement?

Inevitably there are some concerns given the US election result. A win for the Democratic Party candidate, Joe Biden, will introduce a new administration on a free trade agreement, which has not happened before. However, we already know that

Biden would seek a more EU based deal, possibly reigniting the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership.

UK media headlines have also been saturated with the threat of US 'chlorinated chicken' entering British supermarkets. The key concern is whether the UK’s environmental protection, animal welfare and food standards will be compromised in the wake of a deal being reached with the US. There also appears to be an expectation about UK market access from US companies. Sectors including agriculture, automobiles and pharmaceuticals are all pushing hard to gain entry to the UK market through this free trade agreement.

In turn, UK companies are hoping for greater access for professional services firms, including legal, accounting and consultancy, and a lifting of tariffs on food and farming, manufactured goods and textiles.

Looking Forward: Expand your business into the US market…

Speaking at the Transatlantic Trade Forum, Executive Director of the of the British American Business Council, Sarah Peeler, highlighted the following key considerations for UK businesses looking to enter the US market: 1. Is the US market ready for the product/service you want to export? Is that particular market already saturated?

2. Is your business in an adequate stable financial position to invest in a

An insight into the current status of the UK-US Free Trade Agreement new market? Do not underestimate the costs of international expansion or, importantly, the time it takes.

to the US market. If your company looks and feels American you will win more business.

3. How much of your workforce and resources can you commit to your US strategy?

• When considering expansion from the UK to the US remember that communication is key and location is crucial. West Coast States have more substantial time differences than East Coast States. Places closer to New York are more expensive to operate from and increased taxes, and more complex laws in different states should all be taken into consideration.

4. Have you formulated a marketing strategy for the US market?

5. What will be your USP to the US market?

6. Is your sales pitch compelling?

Tailoring your website, marketing materials and USP for the US market can help – but don’t forget to Americanise spellings!

7. Do you have a good understanding of the legal and accounting issues associated with conducting business in the US? These can include IP protections, technology and data protection/privacy rules and insurance.

8. Do you already export? You can apply knowledge you have already gained from the process of expanding your business into another market.

9. Do you have the necessary capacity to exploit the opportunities that the US market presents and meet anticipated customer demand?

10. Have you thought about how you will receive products including currency, customs etc.?

What advice was provided by key speakers experienced in the US market?

• President of MasterMover Inc, Hugh Freer, reiterated the point of tailoring your website and marketing materials

• Outsourcing services at the outset through recruiting a US team to run certain administrative roles, rather than hiring your own US staff, can create an effective start without having to delve into employment law issues, including visas. Remember, unlike in the UK, healthcare is an operational cost in the US. Start-ups seeking to tap into local talent will be expected to offer benefits. The average cost of offering healthcare benefits is around £12,000 a year for an employer.

• Managing Director of Loadhog, Shaun Khan, shared his experience of using a sister company already operating in the US, showing the importance of accessing knowledge you may already have.

• Market Insights Consultant at OE Electrics, Joe Prendergast, discussed the expectations of the US market and how, despite Americans being very receptive to British businesses, they expect a hands-on approach and require frequent communication.

How can Walker Morris help you?

If you are thinking about expanding your business into the US market, we can help you with the legal considerations surrounding the movement of goods, services, people, data and capital. Our International Trade Group has a team of specialist lawyers who can support you along each step of the way.

Who should they speak to for help?

Andrew Northage is the head of Walker Morris’ International Trade Group and, alongside Claire Burrows, advises on regulatory matters (including transfer of data) for international trade.

James Crayton and Charlotte Wright in the Commercial Team advise on international contracts for the sale and purchase of goods and services.

Malcolm Simpson and Nick McQueen in our Litigation and Dispute Resolution Team advise on international disputes.

Suzanne Treen in our Employment Team advises on all business immigration issues.

Alan Harper and Sarah Williams in the Intellectual Property Team.

Peter Considine and Catherine Raftery in the Finance Group advise on international trade finance.

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West & North Yorkshire Business

24 BREXIT

The new trading landscape -

are you ready?

On the 1st January 2021 a new customs border will be created between the UK and the EU. As goods move across the border there will be a significant increase in the requirements to declare the details of those goods via custom declarations.

The accuracy, completeness and submission of the information and statements required to draw up a customs declaration will be critical to keeping goods moving and mitigating risks and liabilities.

Supply chains that have been optimised for speed and fluidity will need to find the space and time for customs authorities to carry out checks and inspections.

The challenge facing UK traders • Significant increase in the volume of customs declarations required • Added complexity that will impact supply chains • Under supply of customs brokers to meet demand

How we can help Our Customs Intermediary Service consists of three elements. A Customs Declaration Service designed to meet your declarations needs, imports and exports, supported by two optional support services. Our Customs Advisory Service is a team of subject matter experts ready to help with complex enablement, classification or tax queries. Our Supply Chain Analytics service can provide a clear view of your entire supply chain and guidance on managing risks.

Customs Intermediary Service • Assess your state of readiness for the new border controls.

• Complete and submit import and export declarations.

• Calculate duties, tariffs and VAT due.

• Solve complex classification issues.

• Review and assess supply chain risks.

To find out more about our declarations service 1

Navigate to our Customs Intermediary Service registration website

2 Register your interest by completing the online form 3 Have a conversation with a member of our Customs Declaration team (they’ll call you) www.pwc.co.uk/customs Or call our customs team today on: 0330 726 0113

Q4

West & North Yorkshire Business

26 BREXIT

UK - EU Trade Relations The Chamber continues to lobby Government and seeks answers to the unanswered and partially answered questions which members have raised with us since the referendum in 2016. More information can be found on our Post-Transition Brexit checklist.

In October, the Government launched its “Time is running out campaign” to encourage businesses to prepare for leaving the EU customs union and single market in January 2021.

In response, British Chambers’ Director General, Dr Adam Marshall said, “Facing the triple threat of a resurgent Coronavirus, tightening restrictions and a disorderly end to the transition period, it is little wonder businesses are struggling to prepare. Many firms will be tired of posturing, cliff edges and deadlines, while others are still grappling with fundamental challenges as a result of the pandemic.

“More businesses will undoubtedly step up preparations for change over the coming weeks, but many are still facing unanswered Brexit questions that have a big impact on their day to day operations.

“A UK-EU deal is still both possible and critically important. No matter what happens, businesses will have to change. But we need a deal that supports businesses and jobs, and final clarity over what changes they must make.”

For companies trading with the EU, regardless of the outcome of negotiations, things will be different from January 1st 2021. We are encouraging all companies to review their processes and procedures, contracts, documentation and declaration requirements, etc. If you have any questions then you should also talk with the experts in our international trade team. Please don't leave it too late.

Mark Goldstone Head of Policy & Business Representation

“More businesses will undoubtedly step up preparations for change over the coming weeks, but many are still facing unanswered Brexit questions that have a big impact on their day to day operations.”

West & North Yorkshire Business

Q4

BREXIT 27

Brexit Customs Declaration Services All imported and exported goods will require customs clearance at both origin and destination from 1 January 2021 The West and North Yorkshire Chamber has a dedicated International team delivering a customs declaration service, which has direct links to the HMRC handling system and all inventory linked ports.

No matter where your goods enter or leave the UK, your business will benefit from low cost, trouble free customs clearance that keeps your sensitive supply chains moving efficiently and economically.

We’ll help you become customs compliant from day one By choosing Chamber International as your customs broker, you’ll benefit from our comprehensive advisory services designed to help your business become Brexit ready including: •

Reviewing your current trading profile against the new border operating model

•

Identifying potential cash flow advantages from utilising customs simplifications

•

Product classification and coding in the UK Global Tariff

•

Reviewing your international commercial terms (Incoterms)

•

Advising on Tariffs and special measures when importing

Contact on Ioanna Orfanidi by email Ioannao@chamber-international.com for more information

Q4

West & North Yorkshire Business

28 INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY

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Q4

West & North Yorkshire Business

30 INTERNATIONAL TRADE Turkey free trade deal delay Some parts of the free trade deal currently being negotiated by the UK and Turkey “will have to wait”, warned Britain’s Regional Trade Commissioner for the EECAN region, which includes Turkey, at a crucial business forum held earlier this autumn.

Around 70 business leaders from the UK, Turkey and beyond, participated in a unique online forum hosted by Chamber International on October 8th. Focussing on the outlook for bilateral UK-Turkey trade, the forum also touched on the important impact of the present UK-EU trade negotiations on the relationship between the two nations.

Judith Slater Her Majesty’s Regional Trade Commissioner EECAN

Judith Slater, Her Majesty’s Regional Trade Commissioner for the EECAN region (comprising 14 countries including Russia, Turkey, Mongolia and the former Soviet states of central Asia), also Her Majesty’s Consul General to Istanbul, gave an upbeat assessment of the state of negotiations, one which will give businesses from both countries continuity and enable them to, in her words, “mind the gap” at the end of the transition period on 31 December. She described a number of “chapters” of the agreement as being “done and dusted” and “already closed”, but noted that, “we have to wait on certain aspects of the agreement until the UK-EU agreement is done, because Turkey is in a customs union with the EU.” While there are strong hopes that the UK will reach agreements with both Turkey and the EU by the end of 2020, if this does not happen, for whatever reason, British and Turkish companies would revert to trading according to the tariff levels set by the World Trade Organisation. Then, as the Trade Commissioner explained, “it would really be for Turkey to decide if it wanted to pursue an FTA with us in those circumstances. We would hope that they would. There’s a limit to what we can say about this, because we are working hard to get a deal at the moment”.

Trade between Turkey and the UK is increasingly valuable for both countries; British exports to Turkey surged by 35% in 2018, with bilateral trade worth £19 billion per year, before the onset of Covid-19. Only Germany imports more goods and services from Turkey than the UK does, in value terms.

Also at the forum, Lord Janvrin, the Prime Minister’s trade envoy, said: “Turkey offers real opportunities, and I urge you to think long-term, and think fundamentals,” drawing attention to Turkey’s unique domestic strengths, history and geography. “It’s a gateway to the Middle-East and central Asia, and it’s not surprising that many multinationals, Vodafone among them, have chosen Turkey as a regional hub, orchestration regional operations from there,” he continued.

Citing the prominent examples of Muhtar Kent, former CEO and chair of Coca Cola, and Onur Genç, CEO of Banco Bilbao Vizcaya Argentaria (BBVA), both of whom are Turkish, Colman Deegan, CEO of Vodafone in Turkey, himself responsible for 3,000 employees, shared his view that, with a median age of just 32 (eight years younger than the UK) and strong levels of education, it’s “a great place to recruit.”

The UK-Turkey Business Forum was sponsored by Turkish Airlines, who also generously donated two return tickets to Istanbul as prizes at the event. The lucky winners, drawn from the list of attendees, were Tori Bowater (All Steels Trading Ltd) and Maria Arapidou (Belzona Polymerics Ltd).

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BREXIT 31

ChamberInternational expands customs brokerage team as EU transition deadline is 31 December 2020 Overseas trade specialist, Chamber International, has extended its customs brokerage team, ChamberCustoms, with the appointment of Adelina Paduraru (pictured) as an administrator.

Adelina Paduraru, a Romanian, gained a general law degree at the prestigious Ovidious Law University, Constanta, Romania, and a master’s in Public Law. In the UK she has gained a Level 3 Customs Practitioner Award from the Institute of Export and International Trade.

She will work with team leader, customs broker, Ioanna Orfanidi, in supporting businesses which will have to complete customs declarations for the first time after the UK’s transition period for leaving the EU ends on December 31.

Until now only businesses exporting to, and importing from, outside the EU must complete customs declarations but, due to Brexit, and whether or not the UK negotiates an 11th hour trade deal, the number of UK customs declarations will soar by around 500 per cent to 255m a year from January, as about 50 per cent of all UK importers and exporters trade only with the EU and will have to complete them for the first time.

Adelina Paduraru, who speaks Romanian and English as well as French and some Italian and Spanish, has several years experience in international trade as a duty and export administrator for a large West Yorkshire supply chain specialist. She will support ChamberCustoms clients by proving customs clearance and entries, as well as advising on other customs-related matters.

She says: “It is an honour to join such a skilled and respected team at Chamber International at a crucial time for export declarations.”

Chamber International helps hundreds of new and experienced exporters throughout the UK with a wide range of specialist services to make exporting easier and more cost effective.

Working in

harmony

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PROFILE 33 In the current challenging climate for the arts, international law firm Pinsent Masons has announced a second year of support for Opera North’s award-winning music education programme In Harmony Opera North.

While recognising the individual and social benefits of the programme on the lives of over 1,800 pupils in Leeds, Pinsent Masons was also impressed by how quickly and effectively Opera North responded to the challenges of lockdown. By broadening the assets available, the team ensured that all the children were able to continue accessing high quality music education while schools remained closed. Online materials were distributed weekly, including videos of rhythm games and songs with accompanying art activities for the younger children, and explorations of Brahms’ Hungarian Dances, Grieg’s Peer Gynt, Elgar’s Enigma Variations and works by the African-American composer Florence Price for older pupils.

Jacqui Cameron, Opera North Education Director, said: “What lockdown showed was how crucial the arts were in maintaining young people’s wellbeing.

Thanks to the generosity of Pinsent Masons and others, we were able to ensure that our In Harmony programme carried on being delivered into pupils’ homes the whole time, keeping them engaged and inspired by music, as well as encouraging them to respond creatively to the situation.”

With schools now open, In Harmony Opera North has moved back into the classroom. Working in smaller groups to fit in with government guidelines, the team has resumed its work teaching each child how to play an orchestral instrument. While singing restrictions remain in place, digital choral content has also been developed for use in the classroom and at home.

Participating primary schools include Windmill Primary School in Belle Isle, where the project launched in 2013, Low Road Primary School in Hunslet, New Bewerley Community Primary School in Beeston and Richmond Hill Academy in Cross Green.

In addition, after school sessions have been adapted for secondary school pupils at The Ruth Gorse Academy.

Due to the popularity of In Harmony among the pupils, live instrumental sessions mixed with supporting digital material are being delivered safely in order for the children to receive the best possible learning experience each week. The team also continues to

deliver sessions at The Stephen Longfellow Academy which works with students who are struggling to maintain a full-time place in mainstream education.

Jacqui Timmins, Pinsent Masons Head of Office in Leeds, commented: “Now more than ever we are delighted to be inspiring young lives with our support of the In Harmony project with Opera North.

“We were hugely impressed with the way Opera North adapted at such speed to continue the project despite restrictions, and with relatively little disruption to the programme. It is vital that these students continue to have some sense of normality in their school lives through the ongoing pandemic, In Harmony provides this. We have been able to see first-hand the positive impact In Harmony has on students and the community through regular updates and some short performances.”

Embedding music in schools in this way has been shown to enrich the lives of both pupils and staff, as well as those of the wider community, raising aspirations and self-confidence as well as aiding the development of creative problem-solving and communication skills. An impressive uplift in attainment and behaviour has been seen at every participating school, including a marked improvement in the pupils’ SATs results.

Andy Gamble, Executive Headteacher at Low Road & Windmill Music Federation, said: “The In Harmony programme continues to be an essential ingredient in ensuring the future success of our pupils. We were particularly impressed to see how rapidly the team moved the learning online following the outbreak of COVID-19 so that all our pupils were given the opportunity to continue their musical development from their homes. In the current climate, it is hugely reassuring to know that this flexibility exists.

“In Harmony Opera North defines our identity and ethos, and enriches the social, moral, spiritual and cultural aspects of our curriculum in a way that no other project can match. Long may it continue to change lives for the better.”

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34 PROFILE

Yorkshire Building Society proud to join Leeds Climate Commission Yorkshire Building Society has joined the Leeds Climate Commission, which plans to push forward a commitment to greater investment in carbon neutrality in the years ahead.

The Leeds Climate Commission was established in 2017 to help Leeds to make a positive choice on issues relating to energy, carbon, weather and climate. It brings together key organisations and people from across the city and from the public, private and third sectors.

Informed by the work of the UK Committee on Climate Change, the Leeds Climate Commission seeks to be an independent voice in the city, providing authoritative advice on steps towards a low carbon, climate resilient future, to inform policies and help shape the actions of local stakeholders and decision makers.

It will monitor progress towards meeting the city’s carbon reduction targets and recommend actions to keep the city on track. This will involve advising on the assessment of the climate-related risks and improvement opportunities in the city, and on tracking progress towards climate resilience Yorkshire Building Society is a carbon neutral business and reports on all emissions in accordance with the Green House Gas Protocol, an internationally recognised method of reporting emissions and environmental impacts.

As of October 2020, just 1% of YBS waste has been sent to landfill, meaning the remaining 99% has been recycled or recovered. A total of 4,064,648 sheets of paper have been removed so far in 2020, when compared to the same period in 2019, equating to an overall reduction of 32%.

The Society also has two eco-friendly, fully sustainable, natural roofs, which are planted with the mat-forming perennial succulent sedum, at its Bradford offices in an attempt to harness the environmental potential of an otherwise unused space. At the same location, the Society saves 35,750 litres of water annually using new water saving technologies across its toilet facilities.

Tony McKenna, who leads Property at Yorkshire Building Society, said: “We are proud to be an environmentally sustainable organisation committed to helping Leeds and indeed the country become climate aware, taking real concrete action to reduce emissions. Joining the Leeds Climate Commission is an important part of our journey, demonstrating leadership in this important area of public policy.�

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PROFILE 35

Learning to adapt COVID-19 has brought huge challenges to many businesses throughout the region – including independent schools.

When the country plunged into lockdown schools were at the forefront of the ‘new normal’. Teachers swapped classrooms for virtual learning platforms overnight and wrestled with changes in the way they worked.

Whilst the changes affected every school throughout the country, they posed a specific threat to independent schools like Bootham in York. Of course, Bootham was determined to do the very best for students- that goes without saying – but it also had the added burden of making sure parents were happy to continue paying their fees.

Private education is not cheap and in times of economic crisis, luxury goods or services are often the first to suffer. Many families make huge financial sacrifices to be able to afford school fees and so it became more important than ever to show that the School was providing value for money.

Teaching staff gave up their Easter holidays to come up with creative ways to present information, whilst also mastering new technology. Because of this, Bootham School was able to deliver an almost full timetable during lockdown, employing a mixture of online teaching and interactive lessons.

Staff worked hard to keep students engaged and to give regular feedback to parents who were naturally worried about how their children

were faring both academically and emotionally.

An online tutoring system and counselling service provided valuable support and provision was made for vulnerable children to come into school.

Efforts were also made to include the whole school community. Virtual coffee mornings, choir sessions and quizzes were arranged for staff, students, alumni and parents. An online Recital Programme featured West End Stars, Comedian Mark Watson and Poet Harry Baker was broadcast via social media channels, with thousands watching live or on YouTube later.

Throughout all of this, the School sought regular feedback from parents. Like any other sort of customer survey, it was crucial to hear their thoughts and identify any areas for improvement.

Feedback was excellent and positive word of mouth resulted in an increase in enquiries. With the economy in crisis, a downturn in numbers of applications might have been anticipated, but the opposite happened. Numbers are buoyant and the School has waiting lists for several year groups.

The decision has been made to keep Schools open during a second lockdown. Whether this will be viable in the long run, remains uncertain.

What does seem to be certain, is the schools will continue to learn from the experience and will be more confident in using innovative technology in addition to more traditional lessons.

Jenny Dinning, Head of External Relations at Bootham School in York, outlines how the School has had to adapt during the pandemic.

Investing in people and pipes for a greener, fairer future

By Melanie Taylor, Head of Stakeholder Relations, Northern Gas Networks

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PROFILE 37

‘Build back better’ is a phrase that has been used a lot in recent months, as we look for imaginative ways of recovering from the seismic economic shock of 2020.

The phrase implies that recovery policies need to have a central focus on well-being and inclusiveness, as well as a strong environmental emphasis.

At Northern Gas Networks, we couldn’t agree more. These themes will be central to our investment and policy decisions over the next five years.

As the North of England’s gas distributor, we are seeking to reinvent the way we use our vast network of underground pipes – re-purposing them to carry green, sustainable hydrogen to homes and businesses, instead of traditional methane gas.

A hydrogen revolution can not only help the UK meet its net zero carbon targets, but can also establish the North of England as a world-leading expert in this fuel for the future – creating thousands of new jobs.

Even before the pandemic, our H21 project was helping to alert industry and central and local government to the benefits of hydrogen.

As part of this wide-ranging programme, we have created a bespoke testing facility at RAF Spadeadam in Cumbria, to demonstrate that hydrogen can travel safely through existing gas pipes. A further site, at a disused housing estate in Redcar and Cleveland, is now being prepared for real-world trials.

We are also a key partner in HyDeploy – a pilot project in which local homes get to test a blend of natural gas with 20% hydrogen, for all of their usual cooking and heating needs.

It’s easy to get excited about this technology and the contribution it can make to a net zero economy, but we must invest in people, as well as pipes.

In September, we launched our latest engineering apprenticeship scheme, to recruit a diverse range of young people to grow their careers with us and help us create greener energy for the future.

In October, we launched our Opportunity Action Plan, in partnership with former Secretary of State for Education, Rt Hon. Justine Greening. This is a practical strategy dedicated to ‘levelling up’ the employment landscape, empowering everyone to develop their talents and fulfil their potential, regardless of background or income.

As part of the Action Plan, we will be focusing on areas in our region that have lower access to opportunities, by delivering support from early years through to adulthood. Activity will range from mentoring programmes for school children, through to work experience and apprenticeship opportunities.

Through initiatives such as these, we are proud to help create a more equitable and environmentally sustainable region, at a time when we all desperately need to see some green shoots.

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38 PROFILE

Innovation can fuel Yorkshire’s green economic recovery Deb Hetherington, Head of Innovation, Bruntwood SciTech - Leeds, explains how the region’s tech sector and opportunities in the green economy will be at the heart of its long-term future.

A second national lockdown that followed a tightening of local restrictions have created further turbulence for Yorkshire’s business communities, and it’s hard to imagine a sector that won’t face upheaval as a result.

But Yorkshire’s firms have proven their resilience before.

With its mix of entrepreneurial talent, an exciting digital and tech scene and established large corporates, the region is an attractive destination for investment, which has flooded in since the 2008/09 financial crisis. And the region has a history of working together to pull through in the face of adversity.

We’ll need to draw on this strength of collaboration now more than ever as the region plots a path towards recovery.

An added dimension unique to the pandemic are the changes it has brought to how we live and work. This includes the acceleration of trends that were already placing some jobs at risk such as the adoption of AI and robotics.

But the pandemic will create new opportunities too. For one thing, it has presented a reset moment that will enable us to plot a course toward a greener regional economy.

Taken together, these factors mean that we cannot develop short-term recovery plans based on the tactics of the past. We need to push our horizons further and enable investment into areas like product innovation and R&D as a way of upskilling employees and generating new high value jobs.

This is what makes the Leeds Economic Recovery Framework so important. Developed by Leeds City Council together with key stakeholders from across the region, it provides a roadmap out of the pandemic and beyond.

Underlining the scale of the green opportunity, it predicts

that the city will be home to 34,000 low carbon and renewable energy jobs by 2050.

The framework also places huge emphasis on the need for innovation - both in finding new ways of working and to find investment for businesses looking to scale-up - to boost productivity across Yorkshire. Leeds is home to a flourishing ecosystem of innovators, and this hub of talent will play a critical role in fuelling prosperity and helping the government to fulfil its levelling-up commitment.

It’s vital we find new ways to harness collaboration between Yorkshire’s innovators and give them the support they need to access finance, talent, new markets and expertise. This is a big focus of mine. As well as providing workspace at Platform in Leeds, we also provide connections to strategic partners such as the region’s universities and NHS trusts.

Our tech hub at Platform has been designed to both support entrepreneurs and start-up businesses in the digital tech sector and creative industries to grow and foster greater collaboration. Businesses based there have access to expert support services delivered by regional sector specialists and national partners. The incubator is currently home to a range of start-ups, from coding bootcamp provider Northcoders to diabetes management platform DigiBete, and legal tech company, Madar.

Leeds’ digital sector is growing faster than any other city in the UK, and now employs 30,000 people, having picked up a real momentum in the last decade. Start-ups in subsectors such as fin-tech, health tech and legal tech have flocked to the city, lured by the digital community’s close ties with the city’s universities. It’s crucial we support this thriving network and drive further investment and job creation to both support the economic recovery from the pandemic and make for a more sustainable future.

Find out more about Bruntwood SciTech and the opportunities available to support your business by visiting bruntwood.co.uk/scitech

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PROFILE 39

11 & 12 Wellington Place aims for highest environmental standards Developer and Asset Manager, MEPC, has joined Better Buildings Partnership to deliver the first Pioneer Project in Yorkshire, setting a new sustainability benchmark for the region.

Aiming to change the way new office developments are designed in the UK for the better, the Design for Performance initiative focuses on minimising the energy consumption of the building during operation, by addressing the performance gap between the assumed energy consumption at design stage and actual consumption.

As a Pioneer Project, 11 & 12 Wellington Place will implement the Design for Performance approach, as well as supporting the overall programme with the Better Buildings Partnership, delivering 245,000 sq. ft of target BREEAM outstanding office, retail and leisure space in Leeds city centre.

Paul Pavia, Head of Development at MEPC, said: “In response to rapidly changing attitudes towards climate change (accelerated by the COVID-19 Pandemic) and our own agenda for responsible investment, we strive to ensure that our buildings achieve best in class for performance in terms of sustainability and wellbeing.

“This is why we joined the ‘Design for Performance Pioneer’ project, and we’re proud that 11 & 12 Wellington Place will be the first building in Yorkshire to be part of the scheme. We will deliver the most energy-efficient office building in the city and the energy we do use will be offset through investment in renewable technologies and other environmental initiatives across our portfolio. We are also working with our contractor to identify opportunities to reduce the carbon footprint generated by the construction process and materials used.

“In the current climate, businesses will and should be demanding more from the buildings they choose to operate from, with sustainability and environmental impact being some of the most important factors.”

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40 PROFILE

Driving electric growth Autohorn Fleet Services hits electric car target as one the greenest fleets in Yorkshire.

York based vehicle hire and lease specialist, Autohorn Fleet Services, is celebrating after achieving its target of having 100 pure electric cars in its fleet by 2020 with the recent delivery of a new BMW i3. A range of hybrid, self-charging and electric vehicles now make up over 25% of its fleet.

Reducing emissions and it’s environmental footprint is at the heart of Autohorn’s operations. It has been leading the way as one of the greenest fleets in Yorkshire for almost a decade, offering customers a wide range of electric vehicles from BMW, Kia, Jaguar, Tesla and Audi. Autohorn Fleet Services also has seven of its own electric charging points across York.

Managing Director, Lee Underwood, Autohorn Fleet Services, said: "We are delighted to have achieved our target of having 100 electric cars in our fleet by 2020 to cater for the ever-increasing demand of electric vehicles. With the quality and range of the electric cars available in our fleet, we have something to suit everyone. We offer customers the opportunity to ‘try before they buy’ and see if going electric suits their mobility needs.”

Electric vehicles are also becoming increasingly popular as company cars as they currently benefit from a zero percent Benefit-in-Kind tax rate and, with several other government initiatives, they are not only better for the environment, but also better financially.”

Autohorn Fleet Services’ commitment to supplying electric vehicles has seen them awarded ‘Go Ultra Low Company’ status. This government and automotive industry initiative exists to help promote the work of UK organisations and means Autohorn is publicly recognised for including electric vehicles on its fleet, and is a leader in low emission business motoring.

City of York Councillor and Executive Member for Environment and Climate Change, Paula Widdowson said: “I am delighted to see that yet again, Yorkshire is leading the way in sustainability. Autohorn have shown real commitment to furnish their customers needs and protect the environment by providing an exciting new green fleet.

Well done.”

With expertise in electric vehicles, Autohorn Fleet Services Director, Scott Jenkins, also sits on the British Vehicle Rental and Leasing Association (BVRLA) rental committee and has participated in government led consultations surrounding the future of low emission motoring as well as providing advice to other companies about how to transition successfully to operating electric vehicles on their fleet.

BVRLA Chief Executive, Gerry Keaney, said: “BVRLA members are leading the transition to cleaner road transport. The association’s 2019 Sustainability Credentials show that 100% of members’ rental cars and 88% of rental vans are Clean Air Zone compliant, well ahead of the average for all UK cars and vans, reaffirming that BVRLA members have the cleanest vehicle fleet on the road.”

Businesses are taking back control with Smart Meters National restrictions continue to significantly affect businesses across the country and there is an enormous pressure on their financial situation.

Businesses may be juggling reduced income whilst navigating new income streams such as various government support measures. They might be facing unexpected expenditure on PPE and the cost of making their business Covid secure.

As such, it is extremely challenging to budget month to month; something which is especially true for smaller businesses, who may already be operating with limited cash flow.

Take control with a smart meter More than ever, the battle to keep control of company outgoings is crucial if they are to survive in this tough climate. A straightforward place to start in this battle is a universal cost and key expense: energy bills.

While every business receives regular energy bills, the vast majority don’t track how – and where –they are using their gas and electricity.

Only pay for the energy you use

Another key benefit of smart meters is that businesses get billed exactly for the energy they use. Unless very regular meter updates are provided, bills generated without the input of smart meters are estimated, based on the usage from a previous period.

If businesses have temporarily closed or furloughed some of their teams, this could be hugely damaging as they would be paying for energy they haven’t used yet, and might not use for several weeks, potentially making a big dent in their already fragile cash flow.

Don’t miss this opportunity A smart meter is a positive step in taking control of business outgoings and if your firm has 10 employees or less your business could be eligible.

To see whether smart metering can work for your business, contact your energy supplier. It could be one of the best calls you make this week.

A proactive way of taking back control of this expense is by installing a smart meter, to show exactly how much energy is being used in real time.

IN PARTNERSHIP WITH SMART ENERGY GB

“By providing this assistance, it gives young people a tremendous opportunity in their own lives and careers, and will make a real difference to many more people in the future.�

Russ Piper Sovereign Health Care

Saffah Farooq is one of three students to benefit from an assisted place at Bradford Grammar School

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Students aim for medical careers Three teenagers are looking ahead to careers in the medical profession thanks to assisted places at one of the best independent schools in the North.

Saffah Farooq, Ans Muhammed and Nouman Zahid are hoping to secure professions in dentistry and medicine thanks to the places at Bradford Grammar School (BGS), which are being sponsored by Sovereign Health Care in Bradford.

Saffah, whose father was diagnosed with myelofibrosis, a blood cancer, three years ago, never thought she would end up studying at BGS. She said: “I was so happy to get a place. I never thought I’d study at a private school and it brought a lot of happiness to all of my family, especially my dad who’s had to endure chemotherapy and has been in and out of hospital.

“My mum encouraged me to keep focused and work hard. I was nervous before joining but the people were really welcoming and the teachers were all nice. You get a lot of support from the teachers to help you succeed, especially if you find something difficult.

“With everything going on with dad it’s made me even more certain that I want a career in medicine.”

Saffah, 17, of Bradford, is studying for A Levels in biology, chemistry, maths and an EPQ (extended project qualification).

Her fellow student Ans, 17, of Huddersfield, joined BGS in Year 12 from Heckmondwike Grammar School and is studying for A Levels in biology, chemistry and RE. Ans said: “We were really pleased to get the place. I was nervous about making friends, like you would be at any new school, but the teachers were fantastic, and I had no problems at all settling in.”

Nouman is studying for A Levels in chemistry, physics, biology and maths and joined the

school from Dixons City Academy in Bradford.

Nouman has aspirations of becoming a neurological surgeon.

Russ Piper, Chief Executive at Sovereign Health Care, said: “The Sovereign Assisted Places at BGS are part of our commitment to help improve people’s lives in Bradford and West Yorkshire. By providing this assistance, not only does it give these three young people a tremendous opportunity in their own lives, we are hopeful their chosen careers will make a real difference to many more people in the future. While Sovereign has provided the assistance, the hard work and dedication is all their own and we wish all three the very best as they embark on their final year of A levels.”

Lindsey Davis, Development Director at BGS, said: “We are so grateful to Sovereign Health Care who have funded these assisted places.

They, and many of our Old Bradfordians and other organisations, make a huge difference to the lives of young people by funding assisted places to attend BGS. The places do more than provide access to an outstanding education – they also open up access to a network of supportive peers and alumni. We wish Saffah, Ans and Nouman every success in achieving their dreams and forging fulfilling medical careers.”

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Future Technologies Centre:

Skills for the next generation The Future Technologies Centre is a new education, research and skills training framework. It has been designed by Bradford College to support the growth of technology skills capacity and capability within the West Yorkshire region.

The initiative aims to align college curriculum and skills training programmes with the future skills demand of key industry sectors.

At the same time, it is designed to meet the climate change and low carbon plans of the region.

Asa Gordon, Assistant Principal at Bradford College, said: “Bradford College’s ability to align its skills and training with the needs of employers and stakeholders is crucial to meeting future technology opportunities available in West Yorkshire.

“Working with regional employers and stakeholders will allow us to create the careers that will be key to the region’s success.”

In the project’s first stage, the College linked with industry, education and community partners to create an ‘overview’ steering group. Three ‘Hubs’, representing key industry skills needs, have been created, with more planned for the future:

Sustainable Transport Hub

Sustainable Construction Hub

Allied & Medical Health Technology Hub

The Chair of the ST Hub is Chris Cotterill of the Institute of Motor Industries. Chris said: “The evolution of technology, combined with ever-more pressing environmental challenges, means that the skills and knowledge requirements of many job functions are changing radically.

The Chair of the Sustainable Construction Hub, Andrew Dorree of BAM Nuttall, said: “For an area that covers Yorkshire/Leeds City Region, a wider community that has always been rich in history through its construction routes, our priorities must include the way we attract new talent.

Using values as the lure, and ensuring we talk to people on the right level, will help us address issues such as diversity and inclusion.

The Applied and Medical Health Technology Hub encompasses medical technology and health skills development. It provides an innovative mix of applied research, technical skills training, innovative learning, employerdesigned projects, and work placement opportunities.

This is certainly true of the automotive industry and as chair of the Sustainable Transport Hub, I am invested to collaborate with the steering group members to produce a Hub with the facilities, resources and curricula that delivers professional people in Bradford and surrounding areas for our rapidly evolving sector.”

“The future for sustainable practices is now. The future, in terms of the environment, is at a critical point with regards to what type of world we want to leave behind for future generations and our youth in particular, have mobilised. They are on the front lines of change and we should strive to work with them to facilitate that change through openness and a willingness to provide the opportunity to people to re-skill and up-skill to help us fulfil our vision for the area.”

If you would like to find out more about the Future Technologies Centre and work with us, please contact Asa at a.gordon@bradfordcollege.ac.uk

Future Technologies Centre The Future Technologies Centre will: • Deliver a modern skills curriculum fit for industry now and in the future.

• Re-skill individuals to engage with new employer-led technologies.

• Increase the availability of a skilled workforce, encouraging businesses to locate closer to the skills source and further drive technological growth.

• Deliver a skilled regional workforce to encourage adaptations to existing technology as well as advancement of new technologies, enhancing existing businesses as well as attracting new ones.

• Support businesses to locate to a low carbon, environmental and socially responsibility region and add value to their products and services.

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TF Automation benefits from University partnership Partnering with the University of Bradford has been described as a ‘win win’ for small businesses.

TF Automation has been working with the University for 15 years, offering work placements, internships and full-time positions.

The partnership, part of the University’s Knowledge Transfer Network (KTN) enables both sides to benefit, says managing director Tony Hubbert.

“We feel strongly about working with young people and students and supporting their career paths by offering valuable and tangible paid work experience. We have worked closely with The University of Bradford over many years. Students gain an understanding of how a whole business is run and they are an integral part of a much smaller team.

“We have always found University of Bradford students engaging, positive and professional in their approach, whether they were employed full-time or only with us for a few weeks and in turn, we have given them valuable and meaningful work and projects to carry out.”

In total, TF Automation has given around 15 student employment opportunities mainly in marketing and digital communication, as well as one-off IT-based projects and data analysis.

In recent years, the University has run workshops to support students in preparing for their placement options. The company has attended these workshops, supporting mock assessment centre days to help students with interview techniques.

Last year TF Automation was approached to run a case study project for the University’s MSc Marketing and Communication students.

Tony explained: “We created a real case study brief which was presented to students and included a factory tour and question and answer session. Students then had to create a full marketing campaign, including research and in-depth analysis and then formally present their findings and recommendations.

“We have implemented some of their recommendations.

We employed one of the students part-time to assist in the delivery of the marketing campaign. We are planning to run this project again in the Autumn term of 2020.”

“The same case study project was also presented remotely by TF Automation to International MBA students studying Integrated Marketing Communications at the University of Dubai.

TF Automation also supports younger students through a Bradford Chamber of Commerce initiative – Bradford Manufacturing Weeks – which is now into its third year, running a series of site visits (these were virtual in 2020) incorporating hands on engagement with their machine build team to highlight manufacturing and engineering opportunities and options to students in the Bradford area.

David Spicer, Director of Business Engagement, Faculty of Management, Law and Social Sciences, said: “Micro and small businesses can particularly benefit from working with the university as we offer a low risk, low cost route to supporting businesses. We have business managers across the university to support businesses to innovate and develop via funding and pro-bono opportunities.

“TF Automation started their journey with us 15 years ago as a member of our thriving KTN. The relationship has developed from the monthly KTN academic and practitioner speaker programme, through to working with our students on live business projects in the UK and our Dubai MBA programme, proving a local SME can benefit from the School of Management’s international reach and reap the benefits of securing fresh perspective and informed solutions to business opportunities or issues from a diverse pool of emerging student talent.”

“The KTN comprises micro and small business owners, who access the School of Management’s regular networking events and webinars, profiled by academic and practitioner expert sessions, which support businesses to realise opportunities and develop capability to innovate new products, services and processes. In short, it’s a win-win, because both parties benefit.”

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PROFILE 47

How can the UK

economy emerge from the perfect storm?

With the combined impact of Covid-19 and Brexit, it may seem that the UK is facing the perfect storm. But with resilience and the strength in adversity that makes Britain great, this is the time for its businesses to demonstrate true spirit.

Chris Harding, Managing Director at Leeds based civil and structural engineering consultancy JPG Group, shares his views on future economic decisions that can help business to thrive again.

After four years of posturing, Brexit needs to be brought to a conclusion. A soft Brexit, maintaining a single market and customs union, or the negotiation of new Fair Trade Agreements (FTA) with markets not currently covered in the EU trade deals, such as USA, Australia and New Zealand, has to be the way forward. A hard Brexit, reliant on the WTO rules must surely be avoided in order to protect the UK from cheap imports which will threaten the UK manufacturing sector.

The UK’s manufacturing industry accounts for more than 10% of GDP and nearly 50% of all UK exports. Indeed, it is the ninth largest manufacturing nation in the world employing around 2.7 million people.

JPG has a long legacy in consulting across the manufacturing sector in the North and understands first-hand the importance of this sector, not just in trade but also in the development of skills and the promotion of innovation in both traditional sectors and in advanced manufacturing. Our team has recently consulted across a range of sectors for Arla Foods, Haribo, A Safe, McLaren Automotive and UK Atomic Energy‌all significant projects that have impacted the regional economy.

Further devolution of funding and power to the regions can only help business to respond to market needs more quickly. The Northern Powerhouse collective is home to over 15 million people with over one million private sector businesses and an economy the size of Belgium! Manchester is already leading by example, but more can be done across other northern towns and cities that have their unique attributes to promote.

Certainly, the Northern Powerhouse had made great strides since 2014 and it will be interesting to see how Luke Hall takes to the helm to reassert the good work already achieved through private sector support.

Further investment in skills has to be a national priority as young people, our next generation, are likely to feel the impact of Covid-19 for years to come. Science, technology, engineering and mathematics are key areas of skills shortage in the UK and we need to see more structured investment in training and education. As a business, JPG champions modern apprenticeship schemes where individuals can gain valuable, hands-on experience without the financial burden.

Longer term, our immigration policy must surely secure targeted growth with a points based system, placing greater emphasis on high skilled global talent.

Chris Harding Managing Director JPG Group

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48 RETAIL

What’s in store for retail after the COVID-19 lockdown?

Retail businesses face extremely challenging trading conditions as the COVID-19 lockdown ends and non-essential high street stores start to reopen their doors. Given that footfall was already falling before the outbreak took hold, the pandemic-driven drop in consumer spending means it could be a long haul to recovery.

Major retailers and department stores, including Oasis, Warehouse, and Laura Ashley, have filed for administration during the COVID-19 outbreak, so what is in store for retail as a whole after the coronavirus lockdown ends?

Enticing shoppers back into stores Safety will clearly be a priority for customers and staff, and retailers that can effectively market a ‘new normal’ - strict social distancing, wellpositioned hygiene facilities in-store, a safe checkout experience, and controlled numbers may stand a better chance of success.

As Real Business Rescue’s Yorkshire Regional Managing Partner, Julian Pitts, pointed out in a recent article, there is hope for the future of retail in the UK: “Traditionally quieter times for hospitality, retail, and travel providers may end up being busy with people keen to make the most of their new-found freedom and this pent-up demand could prove to be their saving grace.”

Not a level playing field It is certainly not a level playing field for retailers, however. Store layout dictates how successfully social distancing can be implemented, so unless money is spent on redesigning floor space, some store owners will find it easier than others to control shopper numbers.

Fashion retailers may also have a harder time than other retail sectors due to the nature of typical shopper interactions. It is natural to pick up and handle clothing in-store, and to try items on, which creates further safety issues for staff and visitors in terms of managing the changing room environment.

So how will these and other retailers encourage consumer spending, and could shopper habits have already changed for good?

Encouraging consumer spending With significant job losses and general uncertainty about future incomes, people who only a few months ago were enjoying meals out and spending on the high street without thinking twice, may now reconsider their outlay on nonessential items.

As Julian explains: “It could be years rather than months before the economy recovers if consumers decide to keep tighter control of their disposable income.

“Discretionary spending has been a huge driver in propelling the economy forward over the last couple of years; however, there is now the very real possibility that spending to the same level may not return for a number of years.”

Deferring the pain Retail businesses of all sizes have taken advantage of the considerable government support that has been made available, which has helped to prevent total economic collapse.

When deferred tax payments and rent arrears need to be repaid and loan interest paid back, retail businesses will have to rely heavily on footfall and consumer spending to survive.

Although some consumers will be motivated and hugely relieved to shop on the high street once again, others may need a little more encouragement - gradually gaining customers’ trust is vital as we progress through these most challenging of circumstances.

As Julian describes: “It is not going to be a quick recovery for retail.

“If Wuhan’s recovery can show us anything, it is that patience will be required; just because the country is ready to reopen for business does not mean consumers will be ready to return to their old ways.”

If you would like to find out more about dealing with COVID-19 challenges and the potential rescue procedures available for businesses, please call Julian and his team at your local Real Business Rescue office in Leeds.

What’s in store for retail?

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50 TOP TIPS

Tips for local business success this Christmas Small business tips from Barclays

Christmas has a major impact on the workload of most businesses. Whether it means gearing up for a festive rush, or preparing for a slowdown over the holiday period, planning how to handle the change in your firm’s activity is crucial in making the most of the season.

Whilst this year has been unpredictable to say the least, Barclays has developed the following guidelines to help you prepare for the festive season.

Caroline Pullich, Head of SME Yorkshire at Barclays, said: “This year has been challenging for many small businesses across the country. Christmas is a wonderful opportunity for many to connect more with their customers, and boost sales over the festive period. Whether you’re gearing your business up for the holidays, or taking stock before the end of the year, make sure you take the time to plan your approach to make the most of the season.”

Boost your online presence

Fraud and scams

With many shoppers going online this year for their festive purchases, now is a great time to boost your digital presence, whether that’s giving your website a refresh or investing more time into your social media.

And to give your businesses an extra marketing boost, Barclays have teamed up with Nextdoor, the neighbourhood hub, and are offering all UK businesses two free Business Posts per month allowing you to connect with local residents without the need for ‘likes’ or ‘followers’.

Christmas is a busy time of the year, which makes it appealing to opportunistic criminals. Whether you’re trading digitally or physically in store, ensure your staff are trained to spot different types of fraud, such as fake invoices or CEO impersonation. If you feel under pressure to make an ‘urgent’ payment to your supplier, double check the payment details verbally with a genuine contact, and if you need further support, contact your bank.

Cash flow and stock

Higher levels of stock, more staff and greater cash flow can all have an impact on your insurance policy. Check you are still covered - or extend your policy, if necessary.

And if you’re receiving larger orders with suppliers than usual, it may be worth insuring these invoices against defaults. For example, Barclays partner Nimbla offer the ability to take out insurance against individual invoices, rather than the whole book.

If you need to free up cash flow for the busy Christmas period, now is a good time to review your accounts to make sure they are up to date. Speak with your bank early to discuss your financial arrangements and take the time to review your business plan for the months ahead. To help, Barclays Back to Business toolkit, launched in collaboration with Cambridge Judge Business School, is packed with 15 hours of free practical tools centred around building business resilience. Additionally, it’s worth ensuring you have enough stock to see you over the busy period, but be careful not to over order if you want to avoid surplus stock in the New Year.

Ensure you are insured

Check in on yourself and your team It’s fair to say that it’s been a challenging year for a lot of businesses. So give yourself and your staff a moment to rest and recharge, ready to get back to work energised in the New Year.

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52 AA ADVICE As England endures lockdown, the AA is advising customers to undertake simple maintenance now, to help their vehicles run smoothly again later.

Ben Sheridan, AA Patrol of the Year, gives his top tips on maintaining your vehicles through lockdown: If being used occasionally

Advice for Electric Vehicles (EVs)

If vehicles are likely to be used for occasional essential journeys, you’ll want to know that they are ready when needed.

Electric and hybrid vehicles have 12-volt batteries, the same as conventional cars. However, they charge differently.

One of the key things to look out for is the battery.

There is more demand on car batteries during winter with increased use of lights, wipers and heating. The age of the battery, how the vehicle has been used and the cold temperatures all affect performance.

Pressing the start button so the ‘ready’ light comes on will operate the charging system. Putting the vehicle into ‘ready’ mode for 10 minutes once a week should keep the 12-volt battery topped up.

You can help keep batteries in good working order by using a mains-powered battery maintainer or, if this isn’t possible, starting the engine once a week and allowing it to run for at least 15 minutes to give the battery time to charge.

Most modern vehicles with a fairly healthy battery should last at least two weeks without needing to be started up, but if there’s any doubt about the condition of the battery, start it once a week just to be safe.

If your vehicles are garaged, remember to pull them out into the open first; don’t run the engine inside a garage, and never leave a vehicle unattended with the engine running.

If not being used at all If you’re locking your vehicles up for the month or even further into winter, there are steps you can take now to see them through the period of disuse; known as laying-up.

If a vehicle is kept off the road and isn’t being used at all, you may be able to make a Statutory Off Road Notification (SORN).

Before parking up, it’s a good idea to top up with fuel.

A full tank doesn't attract condensation, which could cause issues if allowed to build up over time.

More information on laying up vehicles for winter can be found at: https://www.theaa.com/driving-advice/ laying-up

Some electric and plug-in hybrid vehicles can maintain their 12-volt batteries if they’re plugged in to the mains charger, so vehicle owners should check their EV handbook for details.

Getting back on the road Once you’re ready to use your vehicles again, check that the MoT and tax are still current. If your MoT is due to expire during the second lockdown period, it would be a good idea to get it booked in as soon as possible as many garages are still dealing with high demand from the MoT extension. Vehicle owners can find a local AA-approved garage, select a date and book an individual MoT online via AA Smart Care or contact your AA account manager if you have multiple vehicles to maintain.

Before starting the vehicle, make sure there’s nothing nesting under the bonnet which might have caused damage to pipes or hoses, and check all the fluid levels before starting the engine.

Before driving, check the tyre pressures and inflate them if needed. It’s also worth checking the condition of the tyres, looking out for any defects.

If your vehicles have been standing unused for a long time, it’s a good idea to arrange a full service once you’re ready to use them again.

Further lockdown maintenance advice is available at: https://www.theaa.com/breakdown-cover/advice/carmaintenance-tips

AA Advice

Looking after your vehicles when they are not being driven regularly

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54 REPRESENTATION

Goodbye to Juliette and welcome Alex The Chamber passes on warm wishes to Juliette Healey, the Bank of England’s Regional Agent for Yorkshire & Humber as she takes up a new role in the organisation, working nationally on a range of projects. Juliette has been the “eyes, ears and voice” of the Bank of England in our region since January 2012, and she and her team have worked closely with the Chamber sharing economic intelligence and ensuring that business issues and concerns are fed back to Threadneedle Street. Juliette has been a regular speaker at Chamber events over many years, providing the latest information and forecasts of the UK and global economy.

The Chamber and the Bank working closely together has never been more important than in 2020, of course, as the ramifications of COVID-19 have been so disruptive and damaging. The two organisations have been able to provide accurate, useful and timely regional economic data to policy makers to help and support them during this incredible year.

Juliette is succeeded by Alex Golledge, who steps up from Deputy Agent for the South East & East Anglia.

Mark Goldstone, Head of Policy at the Chamber, said: “We wish Juliette all the best in her new role, and thank her for her support and contributions to the Yorkshire economy. It’s been a real pleasure working with her over the last 9 years and we look forward to working with Alex in the same spirit of collaboration. It’s clear that COVID will remain a barrier to growth over the coming months and we also have to navigate our way towards new trading relations with the EU from January 2021. Ensuring that policy makers within the Bank are kept informed and updated about economic conditions in our region will remain a top priority for the Chamber.”

Of her time in the role, Juliette said: “It’s been an amazing nine years with the aftermath of the financial crisis, Brexit, COVID and the ever present challenge of climate change.

From what I’ve observed it is the firms that innovate, evolve and collaborate that usually have the greatest chances of success. And after any crisis people need to work together – to share the costs, the risks and to make things happen at scale. I’ve seen a lot in Yorkshire that gives me hope for the future.”

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Pandemic plea to PM The British Chambers of Commerce (BCC) continues to liaise with the Government on Covid-19 issues, particularly on supporting the economy and minimising the impact on business of the restrictions introduced.

As well as speaking to the Business Secretary, Alok Sharma, weekly, discussions are held with other senior ministers on a regular basis. The recent controversy and disputes surrounding the introduction of a three-tier restriction system to help fight the pandemic has also led to Chamber involvement; and we are in no doubt that our contribution is making a difference on the ground – in business and the economy. A recent plea from the BCC, backed by 53 Chamber Chief Executives and supported by rigorous detail, calling for five business tests to limit the impact of restrictions on business and jobs, has been hard to ignore.

The plea, in the form of a letter to the Prime Minister, has set out clearly how the five tests can help avoid economic paralysis and restrict any further damage to business and consumer confidence.

The tests are: • Make restrictions evidence-based and effectively targeted; • Give businesses time to prepare and make restrictions crystalclear; • Ensure financial support is commensurate with the impact; • Improve the test, trace and isolate system; • Clarify the process for increasing/decreasing restrictions.

The full letter can be found on our website, or on the BCC website (possible link to include? Or pathway to it?) https://www.britishchambers.org.uk/news/2020/10/bccchallenges-pm-to-meet-five-business-tests-for-covid-restrictions We do believe, through our various interactions with government ministers, officials and other representatives, that Chamber contributions to the debate around Covid-19 are taken seriously and have a direct impact on policy and decision-making.

Mark Goldstone, Head of Policy at West & North Yorkshire Chamber of Commerce, said: “While businesses are working very hard to implement the guidelines and ensure a Covid-secure environment, they’re also facing very difficult challenges and making tough decisions.

Without more clarity, effective targeting and appropriate preparations and support, more businesses will fail and jobs will be lost. This letter and the five tests points the way towards a stronger strategy to help preserve the economy, limit those losses and help steer the country through the next crucial period.”

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56 ENVIRONMENT

Leeds’ Clean Air Zone is no longer required Leeds’ planned Clean Air Zone is no longer required thanks to businesses switching to cleaner vehicles faster than expected, a joint review by Leeds City Council and central government has concluded.

Senior councillors will discuss the conclusions and proposals to voluntarily introduce new air quality targets that go further than the national standards at a meeting of the council’s Executive Board next week.

More than 90% of buses and 80% of heavy goods vehicles driven in the city now use cleaner Euro VI engines and therefore wouldn’t be charged if a zone was introduced. Research shows that the newer vehicles emit significantly fewer emissions than older models, especially when travelling at the slower speeds often travelled in urban environments.

Nearly half of the city’s licensed taxi and private hire cars are also now hybrid or electric.

Because of the dramatic shift to cleaner vehicles, the review found that air pollution in Leeds on key routes is below legal limits and is not likely to exceed them again—even if traffic were to return to ‘normal’ levels or slightly higher.

Transport infrastructure improvements and the surging popularity of ultra-low emission vehicles in Leeds are further accelerating improvements to the city’s air quality.

The council has written to the government requesting to keep £6.9 million of CAZ funding that Leeds had previously secured to ‘lock in’ the full extent of air quality improvements.

The money would be used to continue offering grants to help local businesses switch to cleaner vehicles as well as to provide free licensing costs to drivers of less polluting taxi and private hire cars.

Leeds will also be able to keep and re-purpose the ANPR camera infrastructure that had been installed to monitor and enforce the zone. In the unlikely event that air quality declined for any reason, the council retains this infrastructure and could seek support from central government to introduce a Clean Air Zone.

As part of an updated air quality strategy being brought forward early next year, Leeds City Council is proposing to voluntarily introduce stricter new targets for local air quality that are aligned with World Health Organisation guidelines.

Councillor James Lewis, Deputy Leader for Leeds City Council and Executive Board member with responsibility for air quality said:

“Thanks to our city’s collective effort, Leeds residents are breathing air that is cleaner and safer than ever before.

“When we consulted on the CAZ in 2018, we said that we hoped that no one would be charged because businesses would switch to less polluting vehicles before the charging system takes effect. That is exactly what has happened.

“We have achieved the aims of the Clean Air Zone without having to charge a single vehicle. If Leeds were to introduce a CAZ today, only a fraction of vehicles would be affected because the vast majority of businesses are now driving cleaner vehicles than they were just a few years ago.

“While we celebrate that our air is cleaner than ever, and cleaner than some other UK cities, this council also recognises that air pollution remains the biggest environmental threat to our health.

“That’s why we’re considering voluntarily introducing even stricter targets for Leeds, aligned with WHO guidelines. We will continue working hard to protect the health of everyone in Leeds from the effects of polluted air.”

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Planning for the future

Chamber response to government consultation In August the Government launched its ‘Planning for the Future’ white paper as it consulted on proposed reform the country’s planning system.

In the Government’s own words, the Planning for the Future consultation ‘Proposes reforms of the planning system to streamline and modernise the planning process, bring a new focus to design and sustainability, improve the system of developer contributions to infrastructure, and ensure more land is available for development where it is needed.’

Speaking about the response, Amanda Beresford, Leeds Chamber of Commerce President and Planning Partner at Schofield Sweeney, said, “The Chamber’s Planning Group, in consultation with the British Chambers of Commerce National Planning Experts Panel, have submitted our response to the Governments consultation on its White Paper – ‘Planning for the Future’.

“The White Paper proposes radical changes to the planning system which if enacted could have significant implications for the Region and its businesses. Whilst our consultation response welcomes the Government’s aspiration to produce a planning system ‘that is simpler, clearer and

quicker to navigate’, we have recommended that in developing the proposals the Government should ensure that the provision of land for employment is given the same priority as land for housing.

“In addition we have said that the levelling up agenda is given priority, especially in terms of housing, of any infrastructure levy and the joining up of policies across the Northern Powerhouse region. Lastly we have said that Local Planning Authorities need to be sufficiently resourced to enable them meet the demands of any new system.”

Planning is a vital component for any functioning economy and the Chamber remains committed to ensuring we have a system which balances the needs for development of employment sites, infrastructure and housing.

The full consultation response can be accessed here https:// www.wnychamber.co.uk/news/planning-for-the-futurechamber-response-to-government-consultation/

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58 SKILLS

Why we need to review our

workforce skills The COVID crisis has forced companies into different working arrangements and for many employees the furlough scheme has meant that they have been away from the workplace through a period of immense change. The increasing use of digital technologies along with remote working has shown us that we can be more productive, but has also highlighted the gaps in our ability to manage what were previously considered to be routine tasks.

Managing our colleagues and client relationships in a virtual world has not been straight forward; I think we are all utterly fed up with the phrase, “You’re on mute!”

Cultural changes within the workplace, a focus on innovation and creative problem solving, increasing automation of processes and business services all point to a need for upskilling our workforce.

In Autumn 2019 the Chamber network across the UK launched its Workplace Training and Development Commission, this was convened to consider the question ‘How can we achieve a world-class system for retraining and upskilling our workforce to take advantage of technology, working practices, and industrial and consumer trends?’. Little did we know just how prophetic this work would become less than a year later.

Low levels of productivity, increased automation and an ageing workforce will continue to present significant challenges for businesses and that was

before the pandemic hit our shores.

The introduction of a new pointsbased immigration system from January 2021 will increase recruitment and employment costs for firms unable to fill job vacancies from the local labour market and add to the difficulties they face in accessing skills.

The inability to articulate skills needs or to forecast human resource requirements, especially within smaller businesses, has been a perennial issue.

Investment in training similarly, has been falling for many years; Chamber research suggests in 2019 firms were investing less than in 2014.

The commission identified that there needs to be more focus on meeting the needs of all adults in work. This may require less emphasis on qualifications and more priority being given to ensuring all employees have regular access to flexible, bite-size units of learning relevant to their current and future job role.

This change of mind-set towards shorter and more agile learning will result in adults receiving training to become more productive. However, while employers will measure the quality and impact of training through improvements in the employee’s onthe-job performance, individuals need a different way of recording their bespoke training, modular learning and achievements, to support career progression. For example, an online ‘skills passport’ for all employees could meet this need while also providing collective data on the volume of

training activity taking place in local areas and across the country.

The way training is delivered in the future may also change. Many colleges and training providers were quick to move to online learning platforms during lockdown and I think this will remain part of any future delivery model. We know employers prefer to see training delivered in their workplaces so this could be a bonus.

As I opened this article I said it was likely that future needs for training may differ from what currently exists. In order to address this, the Chamber has partnered with West Yorkshire Learning Providers, a membership based network of over 80 regional education & training providers, to conduct research into the future skills needs of employers. This research will help us inform colleges and training providers about future regional skills needs; align supply with demand and collectively look to identify and address any gaps in provision. In 2021 funding for adult education will be devolved to West Yorkshire, this presents a great opportunity to ensure, as businesses, we can guide regional policy makers and skills providers. I would encourage all businesses to contribute and be part of the solution.

More information is available here https://www.wnychamber.co.uk/ news/chamber-to-explore-futureskills-needs/ Nick Garthwaite, Chair, West & North Yorkshire Chamber and MD, Christeyns

Hi-tech is playing an increasing role in the laundry industry. In order to maintain standards, achieve sustainability goals and remain profitable, technology is now a crucial part of life in the laundry.

Christeyns may be primarily known for its innovative chemistry and hygiene products, but the engineering behind the science has grown in importance and now provides a crucial backbone for the business, particularly for those customers who are looking to meet environmental goals.

Christeyns Engineering has been expanding its influence in the laundry sector year on year.

As the largest player in the UK Commercial Laundry sector with around 75% market share, high-tech engineering systems have become a critical part of Christeyns’ customer offering and in summer 2019, a new dedicated engineering facility was opened in Cutler Heights, Bradford.

One focus of the engineering team is the development of new technologies such as Speed-O, the use of ozone gas and Christeyns energy and water reducing systems that help laundries reduce their use of natural resources, improve efficiency and cut down on wastage, whilst still offering optimum wash results.

Family-run Imperial Linen in Mansfield, which began operations in 1906, has recently embraced new technology with the installation of a Heat-ex Energo and water management system from Christeyns.

The Heat-ex is an energy saving unit that recovers heat from wastewater and transfers that energy into the incoming fresh water, saving on average 50% on energy usage in the wash process. The heated fresh water is used for warm rinsing which increases the efficiency of the rinsing process and thus a reduction in water consumption.

Warm rinsing increases textile temperature and press efficiency and with less moisture retention in the linen, drying times are reduced providing an additional cost saving, as well as increasing drying capacity.

The aim of the water management system installed at Imperial was to reduce the freshwater consumption on the CBW’s from 6.5L/kg to 4.5L/kg with anticipated annual savings on water of over 12,000m3 per annum, a total energy saving of 1550 MWh per annum and a carbon reduction of 295 tonnes per annum. To date the Heat-ex Energo has saved over £15k for Imperial.

Christeyns’ commercial laundry engineering division, currently handles multi-million pound contracts for laundries nationwide. Providing evaluations and recommendations on an individual basis, Christeyns is able to help laundries like Imperial prepare for the future, meet environmental goals and commit to a more sustainable way of doing business.

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60 MANUFACTURING

Bradford Manufacturing Weeks makes ‘real impact’ on student career insight More than 4,500 young people in the Bradford area were involved in manufacturing-related events during the district’s third Bradford Manufacturing Weeks initiative.

Organisers and participants of Bradford Manufacturing Weeks 2020 are heralding the initiative which blended online events with a practical, in-school challenge, as a “huge success” as final figures show 4,551 young people from 31 secondary schools across the district, took part.

Students aged between 13 and 18 joined 32 online, live sessions and almost 400 took part in the new-for-2020 sani-station competition to create a fun, practical hygiene station for use in schools or colleges.

After 15 manufacturers including Ex-pressed Steel Panels, Solenis, Kemira Chemicals, Produmax and Thorite providing virtual tours, participated in Zoom “Meet the Manufacturer” sessions and provided apprentices for live Q&A sessions to answer student questions, teachers were unanimous in praising the impact of the two weeks of events.

Led by the West & North Yorkshire Chamber of Commerce, Bradford Manufacturing Weeks introduces students to a career in manufacturing through work placements, manufacturer tours, work experience and life skills events.

Delivered in partnership with Bradford-based school and career specialists Aspire-igen and with continued sponsorship and support from Barclays, E3 Recruitment, Naylor Wintersgill, Gordons LLP and Bradford Council, Bradford Manufacturing Weeks also aims to create more inspired, informed and ‘work ready’ applicants into the sector by giving pupils the chance to prepare for the workplace.

In an evaluation report it was confirmed that of the schools who completed the Aspire-igen evaluation survey following the initiative, 100% said their students benefitted from taking part.

Oastlers School in Bradford joined Bradford Manufacturing Weeks events for the third consecutive year with its year 10 students taking first prize – and winnings of £500 for the school – for their creation of a sani-station prototype from existing school resources.

Jack Robinson, Year 10 participant in the challenge, said: “I really enjoyed working on the sani-station project with my friends and it was fun going up against other schools. The part I enjoyed the most was coming up with ideas - what it should look like, how to improve our first design, what it should do and what would help stop spreading the virus.

We were pleased it would be a useful and effective product and were very excited that we won.”

Head Teacher Lyndsey Brown added: “Bradford Manufacturing Weeks this year has been very different to previous years, due to the extraordinary way we have had to adapt due to COVID-19. What hasn’t changed, however, is the professional way the BMW team have adapted to deliver on their promises. The virtual engagement with employers now allows our learners to dip in and out of these invaluable resources for the entire school year.”

Nick Garthwaite, Bradford Manufacturing Weeks founder, West & North Yorkshire Chamber of Commerce chair and Managing Director of Christeyns laundry detergent manufacturer, said: “Feedback from the schools has been absolutely superb with all involved wanting to take part again next year and many stating the experiences have literally changed the perspectives and opened the minds of their pupils, which is exactly what we set out to do.”

Lee Collinson, Managing Director and Head of Barclays Manufacturing, Transport & Logistics sector said: “Bradford Manufacturing Weeks truly evolved this year to become an interactive, inclusive, online event while still keeping a practical element for students in school. The initiative is all about working with manufacturers to inspire, inform and engage with pupils to help them become career ready and informed and we are delighted that based on teacher feedback, that’s exactly what 2020 has done.”

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MANUFACTURING 61

Festival showcased Leeds manufacturing careers in sector ‘hungry for talent’ The Leeds Manufacturing Festival launched with a programme of online events designed to connect young people at schools and colleges across the city with some of Leeds’ most innovative and inspiring manufacturers.

At a live online launch event in November, organisers announced the schedule for this year’s festival, which included virtual career panels, practice interview sessions, speed networking, and employment bootcamps, with many of Leeds’ 1,800 manufacturing firms taking part.

Keynote speakers at the event were Sean Spencer, Managing Director of Herida Healthcare, which manufactures medical mattresses, and James Lyall, who heads custom print business Awesome Merchandise. The challenges of recruitment and

adapting the workplace to maintain productivity and employee safety were discussed.

Festival chair and Managing Director of Daletech Electronics, Tracey Dawson, said: “There really is a wealth of opportunity out there among Leeds’ dynamic and innovative manufacturers. So many firms are hungry for new talent right now and there is a tremendously diverse range of apprenticeships and other career paths on offer in a sector that also pays well above the national average rate, with manufacturing wages currently an average of 13% higher than in other sectors.”

She added: “The myth that manufacturing is somehow old fashioned or an unrealistic career option for young people still prevails, but in fact that couldn’t be further from the truth. It’s great that so many manufacturing employers are making connections with schools and colleges so that students can find out about the fantastic opportunities that there are in

the business of making things.”

Megan Lipp, Head of Development at Ahead Partnership, the Leeds social enterprise which is delivering the Manufacturing Festival activities to employers and schools, said: “We’ve been working with our partner schools and businesses throughout lockdown to ensure employers can reach young people with the valuable knowledge and experience they have to share.

“It makes all the difference to young people as they make decisions about their future career paths and we’re really pleased to be supporting Leeds Manufacturing Festival and helping make sure young people in the city get up-to-date, accurate and inspiring information about this key growth sector and the opportunities it holds.”

Now in its third year, the festival is organised by the Leeds Manufacturing Alliance and Leeds Chamber and supported by Leeds City Council and the Leeds City Region LEP.

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West & North Yorkshire Business

62 PROFILE

We’re BLUE on the outside and GREEN on the inside Mark Granger, Chairman of the Pavers Foundation updates you on Pavers Ltd drive towards Carbon Neutrality and the current economic business situation.

We conducted an employee survey in 2019 which gave us very clear feedback that many of our colleagues would like to see the business increase its support for the environment.

We already do a great deal, for example having a large array of solar on both our warehouses in York, including energy efficient LED lighting and extensive recycling. However, we listened and wanted to take it further, so funded by the Pavers Foundation we have begun our quest to become Carbon Neutral and are working with One Carbon World to help us achieve this.

We are still very much in the early stages and are currently calculating our emissions with a view to have a plan in place with the next 6 to 12 months to achieve carbon neutrality. We believe we would be the first large shoe retailer in the country to achieve this.

We start this venture in what has been the hardest ever period in our business. The business and indeed the world, have experienced unprecedented challenges brought upon us by Covid-19. We feel completely overwhelmed that so many of our Pavers people have pulled together over the months to help protect this business that we all love.

As a business we are progressing and have been encouraged to see almost every week our stores performing better, some are taking longer to improve than others, but we are recovering better than we expected when back in March we forced to close all our 170 stores – a situation we had never encountered since Catherine Paver founded the business almost 50 years ago.

We do of course recognise that economic situation is ever changing, and changing quickly, and if we do enter more local or worst-case scenario national lockdowns, the progress we were making could be halted for a period. However, in context, compared to a lot of our peers and competitors we are in a good place.

Despite the challenging year, we are extremely proud to have picked up a number of awards, the highlight coming from Retail Week teaming up with Glassdoor to find out where employees think the best places to work in retail are and why. So, we were more than delighted to be voted; Favourite Retailer to Work for, Stuart Paver, MD commented “making Pavers a good place to work is a priority enhancing the company’s mission statement of delivering comfort and happiness, this applies to both customers in their footwear purchases and all of our colleagues who work for us”. In addition, we were included in The Sunday Times Top Track 250 Awards, and also awarded Drapers Best Multiple Footwear Retailer. All in all a great achievement in such a difficult year, however all of these awards are simply testament to the hard work and effort our Pavers people put into the company every day.

West & North Yorkshire Business

Q4

PROFILE 63

On location with ‘I’m A Celebrity’ Womble Bond Dickinson advises ITV Studios on the new location for hit reality show 'I’m A Celebrity…

Get Me Out Of Here' Law firm Womble Bond Dickinson (WBD) has advised television production company ITV Studios Entertainment on its upcoming reality show 'I’m A Celebrity… Get Me Out Of Here'.

“ It has been a pleasure working with the ITV team on this very exciting project and we’re thrilled that the 20th season of ‘I’m A Celebrity… Get Me Out Of Here’ is going ahead despite the coronavirus pandemic.”

A multidisciplinary WBD team, led by partner Yorkshire-based Claire Wilkinson, legal director Lucy Pringle, associate Sarah Wales and solicitor Tim Barber, advised on the show's new location for 2020, which is set to take place in the UK this year due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The firm provided key commercial, real estate, and construction advice.

Claire Wilkinson

Ranking in the UK's top 20 law firms, WBD supports clients with their regional, national and international growth strategies from across 8 UK and 19 US office locations. The firm advises over 40 FTSE 350 companies, including many of the largest businesses in the country, government organisations and wealthy individuals. The firm advises clients across eleven key sectors including: energy and natural resources; financial institutions; healthcare; insurance; manufacturing; real estate; retail and consumer; transport, logistics and infrastructure; pharmaceuticals and life sciences; technology; and private wealth.

Womble Bond Dickinson

Last year, ITV appointed WBD to handle all its UK property work.

In the summer, ITV announced that the 2020 series, which will be broadcast this autumn, will be filmed at Gwrych Castle in Abergele, North Wales instead of its usual location in the Australian jungle.

Claire Wilkinson of WBD commented: "It has been a pleasure working with the ITV team on this very exciting project and we're thrilled that the 20th season of 'I’m A Celebrity… Get Me Out Of Here' is going ahead despite the coronavirus pandemic.

"Our legal expertise and our ability to provide a multidisciplinary team of experts at short notice has enabled us to secure the best possible outcome for ITV."

Q4

West & North Yorkshire Business

64 PROFILE

123 to go

‘Touch-Free’

123 Albion Street set to attract occupiers seeking touch-free offices Town Centre Securities PLC (TCS), is creating a touch-free journey through our transformation of 123 Albion Street office development to support occupier requirements for contactless offices.

123 Albion Street which is located on the newly defined ‘Innovation District’ in Leeds City Centre, is undergoing a £5m comprehensive refurbishment to create circa 65,000 sq ft of Grade A offices.

With suites ranging from 8,000 sq ft up to a 19,000 sq ft floorplate, it is understood to be the largest floorplate currently available to occupiers in the city centre.

The comprehensive refurbishment of the offices, floorplates and common parts includes brand new showers and storage facilities, new cycling storage and EV CitiCharge charging points. In addition, it is to also facilitate a virtually touch-free journey through common areas for occupiers and visitors to the building.

Results from research undertaken by CBRE* (joint agent on 123 Albion Street with Knight Frank), show that of those surveyed, 45% are expected to adopt touch free technology with 41% reporting an increased interest in buildings with WELL or sustainable features.

The introduction of touch-free technology and additional smart building tools are expected to support new work practices as part of updated occupier strategies.

Prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, technology investment was already high on the agenda, with CBRE reporting that 83% of EMEA occupiers were intending to increase future investment in real estate technology.

Helen Green, Property Director at TCS, said; “Delivering this building during lockdown has been an intense experience, but we have been able to respond swiftly to research showing that occupiers are looking for a touch-free experience.

We have designed the building to minimise contact through the main communal areas at 123 Albion Street by installing the latest PIR lighting, contactless lifts, automated doors into the building and offering soap and water dispensers operable on infrared zones. The building has been completely transformed and we are looking forward to welcoming occupiers to the space.”

Alex Hailey, Director of Office Agency at CBRE, continued: “Occupiers are accelerating their digital transformations with enhanced technology becoming a top point on the agenda as organisations work through the Covid-19 crisis.

shows that almost half of occupiers surveyed expect to adopt touch-free technology, which takes it from a feature that is merely an added benefit to one that could be a main influence when making a decision on a new office.

“ 123 Albion Street will appeal to forwardthinking organisations who want space that is future-proofed, well located and high quality.”

We are also seeing a focus on health and wellness, along with workplace design that supports productivity, becoming more prevalent. CBRE’s research

Fronting several main bus routes and a short walk from Leeds Train Station, 123 Albion Street is located adjacent to TCS’s largest single asset, the Merrion Centre, on the main arterial route of Woodhouse Lane, Great George Street and Merrion Street.

In addition to the 65,000 sq ft of prime office accommodation spread over 3 floors, the building offers an additional 22,000 sq ft of ground floor retail space, feature atriums, external balcony’s and on-site parking.

Q4

West & North Yorkshire Business

66 SOCIAL

What you missed online The Chamber has seen great activity across all social media platforms in the past several months. The selected posts below are examples of some of the valuable information and discussions shared by the Chamber and our members on a daily basis.

We would love to know your thoughts on this quarter’s magazine and your local Chamber. What would you like to know more about or see more of in the future? Did any articles stand out to you?

Get involved with the regional business discussion on Twitter by tagging us @WNYChamber and mentioning #YorkshireBusiness.

Our profiles Twitter @WNYChamber

LinkedIn West and North Yorkshire Chamber of Commerce

Facebook West and North Yorkshire Chamber of Commerce

West & North Yorkshire Chamber of Commerce British Chambers of Commerce Accredited

Training teams to meet changing times In uncertain times, the need to remain resilient and agile in response to significant change is ever-increasing. IVE’s Director of Skills and Employability, Chris Strong, considers how businesses can create a culture which is responsive to a changing environment.

If I had asked you a year ago to describe what your working day would look like today, you’d have struggled to predict the present circumstances. We’re in a new environment - a new business environment; a new ‘at-home’ environment; a new economic environment; but if there’s one thing you could have guaranteed, it would have been ‘change’.

At IVE, we support businesses to face an ever-changing landscape, and time and time again, we find the people demonstrating best practice have one thing in common – openness and resilience to change.

Culture change

More than training

This year has, of course, been incredibly challenging. It would be useless to tell ourselves the old adage, “change is good”.

What we can do, however, is adjust how we react to change, how we adapt to new challenges, and how quickly we respond.

Simply put, do you want to react to today, or be relevant for tomorrow?

Through our short courses in leadership and teamwork, our diversity work, and our apprenticeships and consulting, we’re passionate about supporting meaningful change.

At IVE, we help businesses to implement and manage change. We help to establish a workplace culture which champions creative and collaborative working, where clear communication, organisational agility and great ideas thrive.

“IVE have been instrumental in helping our leaders inspire our business during a time of change […] enabling our people to better articulate the vision for the future.

We’ve been blown away by the difference IVE are able to make.” – Altrad

This approach underscores all of our work with leaders, teams, and young people. We invest our profits into our charity, IVE Studio, to develop the creative leadership potential we find in young people – ensuring a diverse, future-ready workforce for tomorrow.

IVE’s Resilient and Agile Leadership Training is currently available at a Subsidised rate for SMEs in West Yorkshire, go to weareive.org/ HPW. They also offer Unconscious Bias, Diversity and Inclusion Training and Apprenticeships for a variety of roles, from leaders to new starters. They are always interested to hear from business leaders who are interested in their approach, or would like to work together.

Visit weareive.org or contact sharonl@weareive.org to start a conversation.

Q4

West & North Yorkshire Business

68 EVENTS

Learning Lunch: Creating Sparks 02/12/20 11am-12noon

Chamber

York Chamber Virtual Christmas Drinks

WEBINARS

03/12/20 6pm-7pm

The Chamber has an extensive webinar offering. Online events are designed to assist you with your businesses needs and give you the guidance and training you require.

Events include networking, learning sessions and topical discussions with key speakers.

07/12/20 6pm-7pm

Online events are free for Chamber members.

Visit the Chamber website to view all upcoming events and book online. www.wnychamber.co.uk/events

Leeds Chamber Virtual Christmas Drinks We Are A Nation Of Spenders Not Savers 08/12/20 11am-12noon

Bradford Chamber Virtual Christmas Drinks 10/12/20 6pm-7pm

Leaders Series: Leading In Testing Times 16/12/20 8am-9am West & North Yorkshire Chamber of Commerce British Chambers of Commerce Accredited

Senior Leaders Workshop Series

Oxygen Growth Consultants Ltd have the pleasure of supporting the Chambers latest initiative supporting management teams not just for the present Covid-19 crisis but beyond.

123

Each workshop will address topics and current challenges faced by member organisations. Featuring short webinars from informed contributors, each workshop will provide the opportunity to discuss and share views with fellow network members.

1

2020 has indeed brought unprecedented challenges, that have been so keenly felt by so many organisations and their management teams. Looking forward to 2021 and beyond we expect most businesses to remain challenged by unprecedented uncertainties. It remains ever important that whilst reflecting on the present we begin to plan our exit from the crisis. In this context for the first three planned workshops are:

Leading in Uncertain Times

2

Led by Mike Stirzaker, with over 20 years’ experience working on behalf of organisations such as SaintGobain, Sherwin-Williams (Ronseal), Collins Aerospace and GSK. In responding to the very real current challenges, Mike will outline the approaches necessary for senior managers to win through and the actions to sustain organisational success despite the present impacts.

Mike will share what might seem counter-intuitive leadership steps that actually work in current circumstances…and some to be avoided.

Right-sizing for Recovery

3

Led by Paul Robbins, previously MD of AkzoNobel Northern Europe (Dulux, International etc). Paul will demonstrate the differences between cost cutting and right-sizing and illustrate how a right-sizing approach optimises the business response to the crisis and protects its ability to recover quickly. Paul will share when each approach is most effective in optimising the organisation’s cost base whilst planning recovery and future growth.

The Collaborative Mindset Nick Hawley, was previously HR Director Eurotunnel UK Operations.

Nick’s workshop will address how leaders can strengthen their crisis response and exit by building a collaborative agenda within their organisation. He explores the paradoxes that leaders are facing and provides insights of how to best respond to these present challenges.

Nick’s experience and insight is appropriate for any business looking to accelerate beyond todays persisting crises and barriers and build collaboration so that answers and opportunities are realised far quicker!

Oxygen Growth Consultants primarily work with private equity portfolio businesses, SME’s, and divisions of multi-nations providing tailored, results orientated, high quality solutions dedicated to supporting execution success. Our rigorous execution-based approach delivers results.

To register your place and for further information visit wnychamber.co.uk/events

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The plan helps policyholders to access essential healthcare, diagnosis and treatment, provides money back towards selected medical expenses, and can be combined with our hospital treatment insurance to provide truly continuous cover.

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