The government is working to boost economic activity across the UK, ensuring that towns, cities and regions across the country can begin to benefit from the opportunities of leaving the EU. As part of this work, they aims to create up to 10 Freeports in locations across the UK.
The government wants to establish Freeports, which have different customs rules than the rest of the country, that are innovative hubs, boost global trade, attract inward investment and increase productivity. In doing so, they want Freeports to generate employment opportunities to the benefit of some of the most deprived communities around the UK.
The government has the following objectives for UK Freeports:
Establish Freeports as national hubs for global trade and investment across the UK.
Promote regeneration and job creation.
Create hotbeds for innovation.
The government has drawn on evidence from successful Freeports around the world to develop a UK Freeport model. The proposed model includes tariff flexibility, customs facilitations and tax measures. We are also considering planning reforms, additional targeted funding for infrastructure improvements, and measures to incentivise innovation.
To support this work, the Department of International Trade are running a formal consultation to understand your thoughts on the UK’s plans for Freeports. They aim to feed your views into the policy development process.
They want all the nations of the UK to be able to share in the benefits of Freeports. As such, they intend to work with the Devolved Administrations to develop proposals that would enable the creation of Freeports in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, in addition to those in England.
So take part in the consultation today, share your views and have an impact on the development process for this exciting opportunity for the UK. Please see the PDF below for the official Freeports Consultation document from the Department of International Trade.
Successful Norfolk entrepreneur Chris Sargisson commences his new role as Chief Executive of Norfolk Chamber of Commerce today, Monday 12 June.
Chris was educated in Norwich and lives in the city with his wife and two children. He worked in the 1990s shaping Norwich Union Direct before leaving to set up and launch its4me plc, one of the UK’s most successful online car insurance brokers and major Norwich employer. Chris also created House Revolution, one of the UK’s first online estate agencies, alongside running his own business consultancy practice which has helped organisations of all sizes across the UK.
The new Chamber Chief Executive will be attending many of the key Chamber networking events in the coming months, so there will have plenty of opportunities to meet with Chamber members.
Upon starting the role, Chris said:
“To represent the many Norfolk businesses that form the Chamber membership is incredibly exciting. I’m extremely honoured to have been given this opportunity and genuinely looking forward to using my entrepreneurial business experiences to support, develop and build upon the already outstanding hard work and successes of the chamber team.”
Britain is getting greener. The drip feed of climate change news stories, new-look rubbish dumps and colour-coded bins filling our front gardens has paid off and the amount of rubbish recycled or thrown away by the British has fallen by 15% over the last six years. Recycling has made a big impact, with around half our household waste now recycled. However, there’s also been an overall reduction in the amount of household waste produced, falling in by as much as 7% in some places. Some of this is down to the recession – people spending less equates to less packaging; a stagnant housing market means less moves and fewer attics, cellars and sheds to be cleared. However, one of the most striking trends is the decline in the amount of newspaper being recycled and this correlates directly to the 28% fall in the circulation of British national dailies as we increasingly turn to digital sources for our news. In fact, the latest Reuters Institute Digital Report shows that smartphones now play a big role in news consumption with 28% of their survey sample accessing news via their mobile each week in the UK.
Good New for the Environment? Good news for the environment then? Possibly, but the perception that digital news is somehow ‘carbon light’ compared with newspaper products is wrong. The Guardian has taken the bold step of publishing the carbon footprint for its entire digital media operations and estimates that for providing content for www.guardian.co.uk and www.guardiannews.com this was about 10,000 tonnes of CO2e last year. This is around a third of the company’s current overall carbon footprint and about the same as the carbon emissions of Luxemburg!
Behind this ‘big number’ is the Guardian’s willingness to try and get under the skin of the complexity of the internet and attribute realistic power consumption and CO2e figures to each leg of the ‘news pixel’s’ journey – from the device you read the news on, across the network, to the various datacentres and servers they control around the world and back again. Most revealing is the fact that the vast majority of the energy consumed is by customer devices – Wi-Fi hubs, modems, laps tops and smart phones account for about 86% of the footprint, while the data centres that support them account for single digit percentage points of power usage.
The Guardian covers its report with caveats around the estimates and informed guesses it has had to make about these emissions, however the holistic view of the energy consumed by a pixel of news from the journalist’s typing fingers to the reader does reveal that behind the shift from paper-based news to digital news is an equally important shift in energy consumption from the producer to the consumer.
“To create a truly sustainable economy, growth needs to be linked to positive impacts upon the environment and resources used, not only effectively but also intelligently” This statement from the New Anglia LEP Green Economy Pathfinder manifesto is difficult to argue with it.
So why in the past has adopting sustainable business practices so often been viewed as a ‘nice to have’ or an ‘ideology’. In 2013 this simply is not the case. Sustainability is now seen as an efficiency driver, especially when expertise is effectively shared and businesses collaborate. What is clear, is that if you want to save money and be more competitive, you have to engage with sustainability.
An effective transition to a sustainable economy will also boost economic recovery, create jobs, increase resource security and help make Norfolk more globally competitive. Significant population growth, greater resource constraints and other global mega-trends are challenging business models throughout the economy. The businesses that prepare for these events through innovation, communication and engagement will be the winners of the future.
The New Anglia Green Pathfinder report, relating to business resource efficiency, identified that low-cost and no-cost resource efficiency opportunities could generate savings of around £1.6bn in the New Anglia LEP area alone. So if you are a business who feels that you are missing out, how do you get involved?
As when looking at any business practice you can take advantage of the knowledge of businesses that have already taken up the challenge and can demonstrate that it has made a difference to their bottom line. For instance, local company Bernard Matthews and a keynote speaker at our sustainability conference next week is fast becoming one of the UK’s leading energy neutral businesses thanks to a broad range of green initiatives. Local companies Greenright Homes and Muntons have both delivered real returns from embracing new technologies.
The government has recognized the need to support businesses in this area and there are currently opportunities to secure loans and grants to assist your businesses embrace new low carbon technologies.
There is no doubt that sustainability is a key factor in running a successful business. Business leaders that rise to the challenge and lead the way in the development of low-carbon goods and services will help define the future success of the UK economy.
Norfolk has some of the UK’s most dynamic, innovative and sustainable businesses which are leading the way and it is important that all businesses review how they can embrace this agenda.
I believe Mark Pendlington Group Director Anglian Water Group, who is also presenting at our sustainability conference on 9 May , sums it up well “Business leaders that rise to the challenge and lead the way in the development of low-carbon goods and services will help define the future success of the UK economy.”
In these challenging economic times being resource efficient becomes increasingly important and so I would encourage all businesses to find out more, as being sustainable could really help your bottom line.
Last week, the House of Lords voted again on the Government’s proposed changes to civil liability for employers who breach health and safety legislation.
The Lords had previously voted against Clause 62 of the Enterprise and Regulatory Reform Bill, removing civil liability for such breaches but that was overturned in the Commons, and the matter was returned for further consideration by the Lords earlier this week.
The ‘controversial change’ (not much in real life in our opinion) will see an amendment to s47 of the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974, removing the existing right of an employee to rely on a breach of health and safety legislation, in order to obtain compensation.
The current law provides that where statutory health & safety regulations are not complied with leading to injury or damage, the claimant can seek compensation on the basis of the employer’s breach of those regulations. The changes mean that it will only be possible to claim compensation for accidents which would currently constitute a breach of health and safety regulations where it can be proved by the claimant that the employer has been negligent at common law.
The proposals stem from Professor Lofstedt’s report, “Reclaiming health and safety for all: An independent Review of health and safety legislation” which recommended an overhaul to the regulatory system, including the reduction of (perceived) red tape & the review of strict liability for civil actions.
However, in his progress report published earlier this year, the Government’s approach to civil liability is “more far reaching” than Professor Lofstedt anticipated. Suggestions have also been made that this change will place a heavy reliance on the Health & Safety Executive to ensure compliance, particularly given recent funding cuts (about 35%).
However, those in favour of the change argue that it is not justifiable to hold employers’ liable for incidents outside of their control, which could not reasonably have been prevented and that the change is required to address a perceived and growing “compensation culture”. The Government’s view is that fear of civil suits is causing employers to over implement health & safety requirements and to insist on unnecessarily cautious work practices, both of which are increasing costs and reducing business growth, and stopping people from doing things sensibly- hiring an expensive work platform – when a bit of planning, a well maintained ladder and 2 competent members of staff could have done the job
Concerns have been raised about the impact that the removal of civil liability for health & safety breaches will have on injured parties.
At present, an employer can often defend a civil claim for breach of health & safety regulations on the basis that it has taken all reasonably practicable steps to comply with its duties. There are a few limited circumstances where strict liability applies, allowing an employer no defence if a breach of the relevant regulation is established.
For example The requirements of the Lifting Operations & Lifting Equipment Regulations 1998 (to thoroughly examine lifts/ lifting gear) & the requirement for a Written Scheme of Examination under the Pressure systems (Safety) Regulations 2000 are examples of strict liability, many other requirements have the caveat so far as is reasonably practicable’ which gives business the opportunity to devise a cost/ benefit solution but is obviously open to (mis)interpretation and over zealous enforcement/ action
During the Lords’ debate, the Government argued that the cases that will be most significantly affected by this change are “those which would have previously relied on an absolute or strict liability duty”. This argument appears to be based on the assumption that the issues and evidence to be considered for a claim in negligence will still be broadly the same as those which currently apply in relation to claims brought for a breach of statutory duty where the “reasonably practicable” defence is available, and that therefore the change will not place any greater burden on claimants than they currently face.
However, the removal of strict liability would seem to move the risk of injury through simple misfortune from the employer to the employee, and seems to be a step away from the “no fault” approach to compensation which some have argued for. The Lords’ vote means Clause 62 will be included as part of the Enterprise and Regulatory Reform Bill when the bill receives royal assent.
The major banks ( Barclays, HSBC, RBS (incl. NatWest), Lloyds (incl. Halifax/Bank of Scotland) and Santander (plus NI banks) in the UK and Northern Ireland have agreed that if your loan application is declined you have the right of appeal, as part of the BBA Better Business Finance Programme (betterbusinessfinance.co.uk).
When an appeal is raised, the decision will be reviewed by a second person from within the bank who was not involved in the original decision.
The banks will consider all the information originally provided and ask for more where they think it is necessary.
The whole process is monitored and scrutinised by an independent team to ensure the banks are implementing a fair, prompt and transparent process.
In the first year of the programme, an appeal led to a change in decision in 4 out of 10 cases as a result of the process.
How do I appeal? If you have been declined finance you bank should have given you instructions on how to appeal with your decline. You will need to instigate an appeal if you feel you have been declined unfairly. In most cases it can be started with a phone call to your bank, and there isn’t a charge.
An appeal can be made after any formal request for lending had been declined – this means any application that has gone through a credit assessment, after the bank has received the information from you to make a decision.
The bank should explain to you why your application has not been successful, and work with you to reshape the request if possible and give guidance on alternative sources of finance if appropriate. The banks and the BBA are making this as easy as possible.
Where is there more information? Contact your bank for information on appealing.
Alternatively, the participating banks and the BBA launched the website https://www.betterbusinessfinance.co.uk to provide more information on the appeals process and lending in general.
There is a range of Government support for finance Just as businesses have different finance needs, there are a range of different Government support products for businesses, from grants to loans for start-ups, to tax breaks for angel investors.
You can find information on all Government schemes, a tool to help identify the most relevant ones at: gov.uk/business-finance-support-finder
What is the capital grant scheme? The Low Carbon KEEP capital grant scheme allows SMEs to recoup 40% of the cost of purchasing capital items, such as essential equipment or software, which are fundamental to the success of a Low Carbon KEEP project. All capital items purchased utilising Low Carbon KEEP capital grant funding will remain in the ownership of the SME partner. Should the Low Carbon KEEP project come to a premature conclusion, the amount of the capital grant awarded will be proportionally reduced. . If you decide not to apply for capital funding at the beginning of your Low Carbon KEEP project, but change your mind afterwards, you can still apply at a later date, provided your project has not come to an end.
What is the maximum value of capital funding available? The maximum value of ERDF capital funding available to any single project is £20,000. All grant calculations and payments are made excluding VAT. The capital grant funding can be used to purchase more than one item on more than one occasion
Can you provide an example of a capital grant item which is deemed fundamental? All items deemed eligible for funding must be fundamentally linked to the project activity proposed and be directly beneficial to its delivery. For example a logistics project might legitimately propose capital expenditure on vehicle tracking devices but not on the installation of low energy lighting equipment in the SME Partner’s offices. The role of the capital items proposed must be fully explained and justified in the body of the application. All items must be procured according to ERDF regulations to be eligible for payment. The approval of proposed capital expenditure is entirely at the discretion of the programme’s assessment panel. If in any doubt as to the legitimacy of a proposed capital purchase the partnership must consult with the programme management team prior to submission of the application.
Who is responsible for payment when initially purchasing capital items? All claims to funders are made retrospectively on a quarterly basis, with the SME incurring the entire expenditure in the first instance.
When will the SME partner receive the funds from the capital grant scheme? No grant will be paid to the SME Partner before it has been successfully claimed from funders by the programme management team. This may take several months.
When can the SME partner make a capital purchase to be eligible to claim funds from the capital grant scheme? The SME Partner must be prepared to enter into a Capital Grant Agreement with the Low Carbon KEEP Programme prior to any purchases being made. No claims will be processed without a fully signed agreement in place. All items must be fully evidenced and that evidence submitted in a timely manner to be included in programme claims to the funders.
Any other useful information? All costs detailed in the application must be as accurate as possible. The monetary amounts detailed will be used to form the basis of the Capital Grant Agreement and will not be altered after approval of the project. It is strongly recommended that accurate quotes are sought from potential suppliers to achieve the required level of accuracy.
Energy management is quickly becoming a business necessity. Growing environmental concerns and rising energy prices are substantially increasing cost pressures on businesses – and it’s only going to get worse. Finding ways to reduce your energy consumption and go a little greener is becoming ever more important.
Making changes
Energy management can be time-consuming, but there are several positive changes businesses can make without devoting excessive resource to the process.
Green energy tariffs.Switching to a green tariff doesn’t mean that the electricity coming out of your sockets will be directly from renewable sources. Instead, your supplier will buy the volume of electricity that matches your energy use from a renewable generator. In theory, more businesses signing up to green energy tariffs will increase the amount of power from renewable sourcing circulating through the National Grid. Signing up to a green tariff could mean that your Climate Change Levy is reduced – or even removed entirely.
Smart meters.If you haven’t already invested in a smart meter, now is the time to do it. Smart meters transmit regular meter readings directly to your energy supplier, eliminating estimated bills. Your smart meter can also provide you with a wealth of information about your business energy use – providing you have access to a data reporting platform. The true value of a smart meter lies in its data reporting capabilities, and you need access to that data in order to make the most of it.
Switch things off.Switching equipment off will reduce your energy consumption, and probably your bills – but remembering to switch off the lights and the kettle at the end of each day is only half the battle. Many businesses turn on all of their equipment every morning purely out of habit, even when it’s not necessary. Improving your operational efficiency could mean big energy savings.
Outsource. Outsourcing your energy management is a great way to increase your energy efficiency without devoting excessive staff time to the problem. Your energy management consultant will be able to assess your business energy use and draw up a step by step plan for improvement. They’ll be able to help you identify energy saving technology that will benefit your business, and help you access financing schemes like the Non-Domestic Green Deal and the Energy Efficiency Financing Scheme operated by Siemens Financial Services and the Carbon Trust.
Control consumption and reduce environmental impact
Energy costs and the environment are often pitched as two disparate and incompatible concerns for business, but the truth is they go hand in hand. Reducing your energy consumption by implementing green energy strategies will reduce your business’ impact on the environment and should reduce your energy costs.
There are many banks providing business finance in the UK and dozens more organisations providing finance, from peer-to-peer lenders to asset based financiers.
Each lender’s regional reach and appetite across sectors differs – so it may well be that whilst one lender can’t help you – another might.
The Government and BBA have worked with an array of finance providers to produce a useful directory to help you find alternative finance providers:
There are also Community Development Finance Institutions, peer-to-peer lenders, asset financiers, invoice finance and more that can be accessed through businessfinanceforyou.co.uk and you can find out more at www.gov.uk/business-finance-explained.
Many businesses aren’t aware that when applying for finance, lenders will check the credit scores of the business and its directors.
Your credit score can be affected by a range of things, including:-
Unpaid bills (yours or others at your address)
Whether you’re on the electoral roll
Paying suppliers promptly
Past searches for credit (including getting quotes for finance or utility contracts)
If you have been surprised to be declined finance it may be worth asking a credit reference agency for your score – visit www.bipa.uk.com to find out more.
Commenting on the High Court’s judgement on the judicial review of the Airports National Policy Statement, BCC Director General Dr Adam Marshall said:
“Business communities across the UK will be bitterly disappointed that plans for a world-leading hub airport are now at risk.
“Without expansion, firms risk losing crucial regional connectivity and access to key markets across the world.
“The benefits of a third runway would extend far beyond south-east England. Hundreds of UK companies are already invested in the supply chain for expansion, and tens of thousands of additional jobs will be created if the project goes ahead.
“Heathrow and the wider aviation sector have set ambitious emissions targets, and like every industry, must continue to become greener. Britain’s future depends on investment in a modern, integrated, low-carbon transport infrastructure that keeps trade flowing while minimising environmental impacts.
“There has never been a more important time to demonstrate that Britain is open for business. The government must back Heathrow expansion unequivocally and take all necessary steps to finally move the project forward.”
81% of smartphone uses access the internet on their mobile devices.Google know this is so big that they and others are well into the mobile market big time.
Any household company that you can think of will have their own custom mobile app designed to attract and engage the customers they want to continue serving.
Communication is no longer one way. Your customer both wants and needs to hear from you and about you. And they want to be able to talk back, and share that with others.
So an app, tailored to your company, is the perfect way for you to introduce yourself, interest your customer, entice them to buy and facilitate sharing.
Businesses who don’t, who continue to stay with a static website will miss out on our innate need for regular social contact by communicating with others.
It’s here, it’s big and you need to be part of it.
Look at the number of apps in the Apple and Android market. It’s in the millions. All designed in that commercial effort to fulfil the basic business function of serving customers.
Without customers you have no business. Growing your business through an app is an exciting extra benefit, but the first rule of thumb must be to keep giving your customers what they need to maintain a loyal following.
A fully functioning business app, designed to your business, will fill this communication gap. And it will fill it so well that you’ll go way beyond just keeping the custom you already have.
It has the powerful potential to put you leagues ahead of your competition. So far in front that you can expect a considerable change in your business fortunes.
Isn’t it time you dived in and follow the likes of Google and Apple?