Tudor Lodge is pleased to be helped with the launch of Yu Life, a new innovative insurance tech company that aims to be the UK’s first ‘lifestyle insurance business.’ Companies are able to buy life insurance for their employees and promote their wellbeing by offering rewards through the Yu Life app. Employees will receive discounts and added benefits for keeping fit and completing a certain number of miles walked, helping employers demonstrate their care for their employees’ wellbeing.

What We Are Doing For Yu Life

The website Yu Life (https://www.yulife.com/) has launched in the UK this summer and the first priority is to help the company rank for its own brand name. With lots of PR generated, we have had to take a methodical approach to follow up each journalist and ensure that there is a link pointing to the site. This demonstrates to Google that the site is relevant and with good links from several sources, it shows that the site is worthy of ranking for its own name and indeed other relevant keywords.

In addition, we have aimed on bulking up the site with more content. Naturally, a site with 30 pages is going to perform better than a site with only 5 pages (generally speaking) and we have made sure that each page is optimised with the corrent meta-titles, descriptions, h tags and internal links to maximise SEO results.

Keyword Research and Content

With an overlap of life insurance, employee benefits and wellbeing, we have sat down with the Yu Life team to come up with a number of keywords that the website can target on Google. Specifically those that will help convert customers and employers to take out life insurance policies for their staff – not for the sake of just ranking on Google anyway.

Our keyword analysis has been achieved through a variety of tools including Keyword Research Tool and Keywords Everywhere and competitor analysis of other websites. Once we have determined the keywords to target, we then simply dedicate a landing page of around 500 pages specifically to target those phrases. One must be careful not to create too many landing pages or overlapping the keywords, but finding a very focused approached. 

Whilst it is still early days, the build up of links and content is starting to take place and no doubt we will be able to add value to Yu Life’s SEO and through their quest to becoming a household name.

A common source of tension between adjoining landowners is when differing views are held in respect of the position of the boundary which separates their respective land. Disagreements of this nature can often lead to protracted disputes and an irreparable breakdown in neighbourly relations. Part of the problem is the very common misconception that the first port of call, when seeking to determine the position of the boundary, is to consider the Land Registry title plans. Whilst this may seem like an obvious and sensible starting point, the reality is that the Land Registry plans will often show “general boundaries” only, rather than the legal position of the boundary, and can therefore have significant limitations in respect of their accuracy. Warring neighbours often rely solely on the “Land Registry” plans which kicks off the dispute on the wrong foot. The primary source of establishing the boundary line between properties should, instead, be the original conveyance – that being the conveyance which first divided the land and created the boundary. A conveyance contains a “parcels clause” which should define the land in question with sufficient clarity to enable the boundary to be determined. There are, however, occasions where the parcels clause falls short of being able to provide a definitive answer, particularly where the measurements in dispute are small. In those circumstances, the next step is to consider the extrinsic evidence, such as; the physical features on the ground, sales particulars, the conduct of the parties, photographs, architects drawings – to name but a few. Therefore, whilst the position of a boundary may initially seem like a straightforward matter of fact, it can be a far more complex issue, often requiring detailed consideration as well as specialist legal advice. At Leathes Prior we have a dedicated Property Disputes Team which is extremely experienced in working out the legal positon of the boundary by reviewing the deeds and extrinsic evidence; members of our team are often found rooting around searching for old fence posts and tree stumps! If you require advice on any boundary issues, please do not hesitate to contact our Property Disputes Team on 01603 610911 who would be more than happy to assist. Please note the content of this article is for general information only and does not constitute legal advice. Specific legal advice should be taken in any particular circumstance.

The future is within touching distance withh EE confirming that their 5G rollout could be available in late 2019. The general expectation is that 5G will be a reality for most of the UK by the mid 2020’s. What will this mean in reality? A 5G connection will allow you to download a full HD movie in 10 seconds, 4G would take 10 minutes. More significant is that this brings into reality driverless cars, drone delivery, a true Internet of Things with the ability to connect to all sorts of devices wherever you are. This will herald a new technology revolution with consequences we can only guess at

Most commecially run kitchens do not have the benefit of a bespoke suppresion system to protect the kitchen appliances, staff and ongoing business continuity. These notes are for the benefit of those in catering who run a commercial kitchen or for those management staff who are responsible for a business where a commercial kitchen is a key and fundamental part of the daily activites for the business

The dedicated system linked to the main house fire alarm will extinguish a canopy fire and orevent re-flash to minimise damage in the kitchen and reduce the risk to the staff working within

Canopy protection systems should be considered in all of the following environments as part of the overall fire safety program.

Hotels, Schools state and private, Care Homes, Pubs, larger Sports Centres , larger manufacturing plants with an in house catering provision for staff should all be assessed correctly to look at both the life safety and consequential loss issues for having canopy protection.

Whilst the building regulations are a little vague as to the use of a canopy packages and most risk assessors don’t request it as they defer to the BCO, the use of canopy protection must be given far more serious consideration for a variety of reasons. From a life safety position a canopy package for a commercial kitchen that carries as a typical layout x 2 chip fryers with 25L of fat, plus a 6 burner grill and griddle and salamander grill, an automated suppression system is far more appropriate than expecting staff to try and tackle a chip fire with a wet chemical extinguisher.

What do you do when the extinguisher is empty ? and what do you do if, after the extinguisher has been exhausted there is an issue of reflash.

From the position of the clients insurance provider, they will not want staff trying to put out anything more than a small bin fire due to the potential for an employers liability claim being made in the event that a member of staff tries to put out a fire and ends up with injuries.

Furthermore looking at things from the insurance providers position they will also look at the potential for a large and costly consequential loss claim for kitchen damage that prevents the kitchen being used for what might be several weeks following a relatively small fire.

For the client to consider the the potential costs of hiring in a portable kitchen, or trying to bring in food from an outside source will run into many thousands even for only a few weeks.

There is a clear life safety issue within a commercial kitchen environment for the use of automated suppression and that FRA’s do not make references to its application are really not giving the client the very best guidance.

Best practice and diligent design would have a canopy package included within whatever the L or P system was being installed with interface links for its connection to the main “house” system, not to do so is both weak in terms of the assessment and taking a to narrow view of the issues specific to the site in terms of both potential staff injury’s and a very large insurance claim in the event that the kitchen is written off before the brigade arrive and can deal with it.

Within the kitchen areas there are 2 other issues which will also need to be addressed 1. Enhanced escape lighting in what the assessment should deem a hazardous area 2. VAD units for the fire alarm under EN54 Part 23 with a validated DB test to assess the ambient noise

Cost effective and tax friendly funding is available to cover these types of projects (subject to the usual acceptance) so please feel free to contact me be you a contractor or end user to discuss in confidence where and how Veritas can help you

nor(DEV):con 2019 Call For Speakers

Thursday 21st to Saturday 23rd February 2019 Kings Centre 63-75 King Street Norwich NR1 1PH   nor(DEV):con, the Norfolk Developers Conference is back for 2019 and stronger than ever with new tracks and an updated format. nor(DEV):con is Norfolk and Norwich’s premier and most well attended conference for everyone involved in software development and business.  

Call for Speakers

The call for speakers is open from now until Friday 28th of September 2018. To submit a proposal, please send an email to paul@norfolkdevelopers.com with the following:  

• Session Title
• Session abstract
• Session topics:
  • Pre-conference workshop
  • Tech
  • Process
  • Workshop
  • Stephen Fry
  • Business
  • Lightning talk
• Session length
  • 45 min presentation
  • 90 minute presentation
  • 90 minute hands on workshop
  • Full day hands on workshop
  • 5 minute Lightning talk
• Technical level
  • Beginner
  • Intermediate
  • Advanced
  • Business
• Speaker(s) Bio
• Availability for Thursday 21st (full day workshops only), Friday 22nd and Saturday 23rd February.

  Further information will be required if you proposal is accepted.  

Conference Topics

Pre-Conference Full Day Workshops

We’re looking for three full day pre-conference hands on workshops. These should be on a software development or process theme and we’re looking for one beginner, one intermediate and one advanced workshop. Pre-conference workshops attract between 5 and 30 people.  

Tech Track

We’re looking for 45 minute and 90 minute beginners, intermediate and advanced presentations primarily on coding, techniques and libraries. This year we’re particularly keen to include a few Blockchain sessions.  

Process Track

Rather than just concentrating on Agile, this year we have a process track for any type of software development process. Yes, you can even propose a session on Waterfall if you’re feeling brave!  

Stephen Fry Track

Software Development is more than just code and practices. It’s about people. And people are not logical entities that follow easily understood rules. We’re illogical, irrational, and tend to shy away from difficult subjects like mental illness, inequality, and bias. This track looks at the softer side of Software Development, at the people, how they interact, and how we can work with the whole gamut of humanity, because it’s not just Stephen Fry who has  manic depression.  

Workshop Track

We’re looking for 90 minute hands on workshops for up to 20 people. These can be on any of the topics above and delegates bring their own laptops.  

Business Track

The business track is the track for everyone! We’re looking for business based sessions with a technical slant.  

Lightning Talks

On the Friday evening during the wine reception, which will be in the main hall, we’ll also be opening the floor to lightning talks. A lightning talk is a 5 minute presentation and we encourage new speakers as well as experienced speakers to present.  

Speakers Package

• Free entry to the Friday and Saturday sessions at the conference
• Free entry to the Friday night speakers dinner
• Travel and accommodation at the discretion of the conference organise

When was the last time you made a decision to buy something significant without doing some investigation first? When did you last buy a ‘big thing’ without looking at the options or comparing the price? Before the internet this ‘research’ was done on the high street or maybe over the phone with a copy of the Yellow Pages to guide you. While I bet few people are calling bookshops asking for Fly Fishing by J R Hartley, it is searched for more than 200 times a month online. Just like people looking for fictional fishing books the first place you probably do your ‘research’ now is Google. You go there to type in either the name of the business/product you’re looking for, or if you haven’t yet chosen, the type of thing that you want. You are not alone. These two methods of search are the most common; they are sometimes referred to as known search or generic search. For example, if you want shoes you might search for ‘Big Dave’s Shoe Shop’ or ‘Shoe shops near me’. You either know Big Dave and want his shoes or you don’t know Big Dave but still want shoes. Both of these searches are crucial to Big Dave because he just wants to sell shoes. This kind of activity means a business needs a website and that website needs to be optimised to show up on a search engine… Search Engine Optimisation. If you already spend money on newspaper ads, radio ads, outdoor advertising and aren’t seeing that convert into customers then the first thing to look at is what happens when someone hears your ad on the radio… I bet they Google you. If they do, what do they see? SEO isn’t optional anymore – especially if most of your marketing is done offline. If you want people who see your offline advertising to reach your business you need SEO. If this has piqued your interest, and you want to know more, go and have a read of how we get SEO to drive results for small business on our website.

“It was an invaluable and pretty unique experience”   Here at Naked Element we’re big into supporting the future of tech, and that means young people. One work experience recruit was Chelsea, an ambitious school student who went on to be accepted at Oxford to study Computer Science. We couldn’t be more proud! Here she tells us a little about her journey and what inspired her to take up tech and join Naked Element for some real world experience.   How did you start your work experience with Naked Element? One of my teachers at school was friends with Paul Grenyer (MD of Naked Element), and I was looking around for any work experience in the tech/computing/software industry. I had begun thinking about what I wanted to do in the future and had begun thinking of going into a technology based career. I was introduced to Paul and he asked me what I wanted out of the experience and offered me work experience. After completing a week, he offered to let me come and do another week of paid work!   What skills did you bring to Naked Element do you think? Not sure I brought too many skills but I had some previous programming experience with python and a tiny bit in Java. I’d done my fair share of teamwork and group projects but this was definitely my first experience in a ‘work’ / ‘professional’ environment.   What did your work experience entail? I was really surprised when I arrived on my first day and was given a real project to work on, and actual code to edit. It was a vastly different experience to other placements I had done and I loved the hands on experience. I got to work on a couple of projects including one that would manage your social media posts. What was really interesting for me was seeing the difference between the theory we learn in class and how it’s actually implemented in real life, such as client and server side processing. When I came in I thought I would be completely out of my depth, but even though I didn’t understand Java to start with everyone at Naked Element was willing to take the time to explain to me how something worked and what it was doing. Even being given a task as simple as going through previous code and fixing mistakes or inefficient parts was a useful experience for me and has helped in me checking to make sure my A Level coursework is as efficient as possible!   Were there any stand out moments during your time with the company? Definitely the best part about the work experience was the hands on nature of it. I definitely had never had work experience that was so hands on, it would often just be tours of the departments etc. But with Naked Element I actually got to look and work on code for live projects.   What did you learn while at Naked Element? I learnt a lot on my work experience. I got a serious introduction to Java and experience with JavaScript and CSS as well as what a career in Software Development could entail. As well as the actual tech aspects of the experience. I learnt a lot about the business management side of things and it was interesting going to one of the talks and training sessions and learning how to better advertise the company. It was also brilliant being introduced to other tech companies around Norwich and seeing how they interact.   What made you choose Oxford? I’ve always been pretty ambitious, and I wanted to apply for Oxford on the chance I got in. The opportunities a degree from Oxford would provide would be almost unmatched and I adore the city. I’d also enjoyed looking round on the open days and the taster lectures I had. I currently hold an offer to study Computer Science at Jesus College, I just need to get the grades now!!   Do you think your time with Naked Element helped with your application? I definitely think it helped, it was an invaluable and pretty unique experience that helps make you stand out from the thousands of others who apply. I know a lot of people don’t have the opportunity to get work experience.   Do you have any plans for your career future yet? I’m not sure about a career future. After my work experience I’m definitely looking at software development. I also like the idea of working in cyber security or even AI. I think Computer Science opens up a vast field of job prospects and I haven’t quite got around to choosing one just yet. Luckily I don’t have to.   Do you have any advice for other young people interested in tech? Firstly go out and get experience. It’s not easy but there’s no harm in asking and you’re not going to find what you enjoy or what you’re good out without trying things out. I don’t think there is any harm in broadening your skills and any experience is good experience.

We are delighted to be working with new brand Ohmies, a company dedicated to helping individuals smoke less through cheaper alternatives. It is estimated that smoking in the UK costs the NHS around £2.5 billion per year and it is a very costly habit for individuals, costing the average person around £3,700 per year to maintain the addiction.

With the rate of smokers not slowing down, we are pleased to working with Ohmies, a new website offering a number of smoking alternatives at affordable prices, helping people get off smoking altogether and helping them save money effectively.

Launching a new eCommerce site

The owners of the site needed a simple eCommerce platform to list all their products, images and payment checkout facilities. Using Shopify, it creates a professional platform for shop owners to design the site, list products and monitor any orders and payments. The site is well adapted to desktop, mobile and tablet and offers a simple navigation so customers can scroll through smoking alternatives effectively. 

Using SEO for an eCommerce site

As SEO is our speciality, we took a very methodical approach to help Ohmies optimise their website and boost their rankings on Google for a number of keywords such as ‘smoking alternatives’ and ‘ways to stop smoking.’ 

To target these keywords, we put together a specialist landing page and added relevant content relating to that key term. This creates relevancy in Google’s eyes and creates a page that they can index effectively. 

We ensured that of the hundreds of products featured, every image had specific alt-text so Google could read the image and meta-titles and meta descriptions so each page can be categorised and found by Google.

Acquiring links from other websites is not easy in this highly competitive industry. As a result, we are putting together a number of useful guides about smoking, filled with statistics so that other companies and resources may find it interesting and want to link to it. We then intend to use outreach to ask other websites, resources and guides to link back to the site – helping the site build up its domain and this will strengthen the site’s SEO and its rankings.

Enquiries about ‘seagulls’, which usually relate to the large Herring Gull are certainly on the increase. You just need to read the press and every week you will find a story about these birds causing havoc somewhere on the coast or inland.

The main issues that come from business owners relate to mess, attacks on people and property damage.  Typical problems will include bird droppings (guano). Guano is generally known to be a source of bacteria which can be transmitted to humans and ultimately lead to disease. Property issues include blocked gulley’s and drainage problems, however, we also have incidents of gulls pecking through skylights on roofs and attacks on people.

With bird control, you need to put in place a detailed disruption and dispersal programme. Its not a quick fix, it’s a method that over time will reduce the amount of birds or even make the location a bird free zone. The key to success is timing, education and physical deterrents.

In March, Herring Gulls start their nesting season, so it is important to get the plan in place before this time. 

During the summer season, Herring Gulls are feeding and protecting their young and under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981, you cannot disturb nests, eggs or the young which include trying to disperse the adults leaving the young behind. The gulls will seek out food by any means possible. If you feed the birds, leave unsecured rubbish bags out for collection and drop litter in the street, people will make it easy for the gulls and this will be the main reasons the area is experiencing problems, particularly in the spring and summer seasons. People need to take responsibility over educating others on litter and food.

At the end of every nesting season (usually September until February) all nests and nesting material should be removed from buildings as they will return to breed. Gulls will typically return to site year after year as they are fairly territorial. If chicks also return to ‘their site’, any problems experienced now are only likely to increase in line with an increased volume of birds present, year on year.

This is the key time to implement bird control measures.

Bird exclusion netting

Professionally installed bird netting protects buildings without harming birds. The netting will act as a barrier preventing the birds from landing on the building roof. Our team design and install bespoke bird netting systems based on a site survey and when completed they typically don’t need much maintenance.

Bird repellent gel

Bird deterrent gels are non-toxic, they do not harm the birds and are much more discreet than netting. Birds are deterred from landing on a surface by the UV light reflected from the gel. We apply the gel to small dishes at close intervals and will remain effective for at least two years even in harsh climates.

Laser control

Enter the world of technology. Laser control is a very effective way of managing bird issues. An approaching laser beam appeals to the survival instinct of birds, causing them to fly away immediately. One laser system installed on a roof can cover up to 3,000 acres and reach 2,500 meters in the right conditions. The lasers are programmed to operate on various roofs and at set intervals during dawn and dusk. We have had major successes with this method at Sizewell Power Station. One laser has significantly reduced the number of gulls present at this facility.

Dispersal of Gulls using Distress Calls

Another method of dispersing birds is using a device which transmits digitally stored distress calls. The system we use has 9 different bird distress calls, including different gull species, starlings and pigeons. When sounded the birds will lift, circle around where the distress call is coming from, look for a predator below and start to feel that the area is unsafe as they cannot locate anything. These systems are available as a portable megaphone or can be hardwired on a timer. This is the same system as used at airports to keep birds away from runways reducing the risks of bird-strikes.

What is the law? 

All wild birds, their nests, eggs and chicks are protected by law (Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981). Even an empty unoccupied nest may not be removed within the breeding season.

However, in very particular circumstances property owners can have Herring Gull nests and eggs removed by a specialist contractor, under the terms of a Natural England General Licence. This may include:

• It must be for reasons only of public health or public safety. (Nuisance, noise or mess are not legal reasons for removal).
• Other legal methods of resolving the public safety issue have been tried and were unsuccessful or impractical.

Our advice is to start looking to plan a programme which will commence in September. We are happy to provide a free survey and quotation. Please get in touch by calling us on 0800 980 9767 or via our website.

The objective of agricultural occupancy conditions (AOC), from a national and local planning perspective, is to protect property in agricultural settings from development and to ensure that agricultural workers are able to secure low-priced accommodation in the locality in which they work. An AOC usually requires that: “the occupation of the property is limited to a person solely or mainly employed, or last employed, in the locality in agriculture…or in forestry (including any dependents of such a person residing with him) or a widow or widower of such a person” In effect this means that the property is subject to a planning condition which requires the occupant of the property to be locally employed in agriculture. Section 336(1) of the Town and County Planning Act 1990 defines ‘agriculture’ broadly to include: 1. Horticulture, fruit growing, seed growing, dairy farming; 2. The breeding and keeping of livestock (including any creature kept for the production of food, wool, skins or fur, or for the purpose of its use in the farming of land); 3. The use of land as grazing land, meadow land, osier land, market gardens and nursery gardens; and 4. The use of land for the woodlands where that use is ancillary to the farming of land for other agricultural purposes. Effect of an Agricultural Occupancy Condition The key effect that an AOC has is upon the value of the property, which is why our teams are so often involved in ensuring they are removed. Although the value of a property subject to an AOC is case specific, in general it will be valued at 10%-40% below the market value of the property unencumbered by the AOC. This is particularly important in transactions which are being funded by mortgage finance, as disclosure of an AOC could result in the lender withdrawing a mortgage offer or the lender’s valuation of the property being adversely affected. It is vital when considering re-financing an agriculturally tied property to ensure that the reduction in value of the property is considered when assessing whether it provides sufficient security for the loan. It is, therefore, crucial in rural property transactions to commission a Local Search and review all planning permissions connected with the property at an early stage to ascertain whether an AOC applies. Complying with an Agricultural Occupancy Condition As with all planning conditions, owners and occupiers of the property are required to comply with them. If an occupier fails to comply with an AOC, the Local Authority may serve an enforcement notice detailing the steps required to comply with the planning condition within a set timeframe. Once this has been served it will apply indefinitely to the property, this means if the notice is initially complied with but there is a subsequent breach, the enforcement notice will be reactivated. Failure to comply is a criminal offence and upon conviction the offender is liable to an unlimited fine.  The time limit for enforcement action for a breach of a planning condition is 10 years from the date of the breach. The difficulty in cases of AOCs is that the breach of the condition must be continuous over the period of 10 years. This means that if at any point within, or after, the 10 year period the AOC is complied with, i.e. an agricultural worker occupies the property, then the 10 year time limit on enforcement action will be restarted. Solutions for an Agricultural Occupancy Condition An individual wishing to negate the adverse effects of an AOC in relation to a property has two options; apply to remove the condition under an application pursuant to s 73 of the Town and Country Planning Act 1990 or apply for a Certificate of Lawful Established Use (CLEUD). 1. Application to remove a Planning Condition In order for an application to remove an AOC to succeed, the applicant will need to demonstrate that there is no longer a need for the property to be reserved for an agricultural purpose. Demonstrating this point can usually be achieved by marketing the property unsuccessfully at a price which adequately reflects the decreased value of the property due to the AOC. The period of time that the property will need to be marketed to provide sufficient evidence can vary so relevant enquiries should be made to the local planning authority, but in general a six month period is usually sufficient. However, there is a risk that a genuine offer is received which makes it more difficult to argue that there is no longer a need for such a dwelling in the locality. 2. Certificate of Lawful Established Use A CLEUD establishes that an existing use is lawful and therefore prevents enforcement action from the local planning authority. If an AOC has been breached continuously for at least 10 years then the occupier may apply for a CLEUD. The application must contain sufficient evidence to demonstrate that the breach has been continuous over a period of 10 years working back from the date of the application. This evidence can take the form of statutory declarations of previous occupiers, letters of employers of confirming previous occupier’s employment or employment contracts. It is important to note that if the AOC is complied with after the CLEUD is obtained, it can no longer be relied upon, and the AOC would come back into force again. For this reason, it is preferable to apply to remove the AOC to prevent any risk that the AOC will be revived upon future compliance. Furthermore, even if a CLEUD is successfully obtained, it does not remove the AOC from the property so a planning application to vary or remove the condition will need to be made. If your property is subject to an agricultural occupancy condition and you need assistance or if you have any questions on anything covered in this article, please do not hesitate to contact our Property Disputes, Planning or Agriculture teams on 01603 610911. Please note, the content of this article is for general information only and does not constitute legal advice. Specific legal advice should be taken in any particular circumstance.