Commenting on the launch of the Youth Contract today, Caroline Williams CEO Norfolk Chamber of Commerce, said: “For too many businesses, economic uncertainty has made it tough to hire more young people over recent months. Norfolk companies are concerned that many lack basic skills or past work experience. That translates into higher training costs and greater risks for employers.
“The Youth Contract will significantly reduce those risks, and give employers more confidence to invest in young people. We are pleased that the government has listened to our concerns about administration and about the need for up-front payments, particularly for smaller businesses that are keen on taking up the scheme but worried about delays.
“Business isn’t just good for Britain, it’s good for young people, too. Companies are ready to play their part to support the next generation into work, since younger workers are vital to future business success. Assuming the Youth Contract proves successful and popular with our employers, we will continue to push for it to be extended even further.”
Many businesses in the region will have the option of paying tax based on cash profits, rather than full accounts, under new proposals that could come into effect next year.
But they will need to consider a number of factors in making that decision, according to PKF Accountants & business advisers.
Michael Muskett, Norfolk-based senior partner for PKF, said that some smaller businesses could benefit but others might lose out and it was vital to weigh up the pros and cons.
His advice follow HMRC’s consultation document on ‘Simpler income tax for the simplest small businesses’. It provides more detail on George Osborne’s proposal to allow businesses with a turnover less than £77,000 to pay tax based on cash profits rather than full accounts.
“As things stand, entrepreneurs need to weigh up some of the following points in reaching a decision,” said Mr Muskett.
Pros – Simpler paperwork and less detailed record keeping – In the first year, converting businesses can write-off of 100% of the remaining capital allowance pools -Using an established standard mileage allowance will be simpler – Ongoing asset purchases (apart from vehicles) can be written off as an expense; seemingly with no size limit – Fixed rate expenses for use of home offices will reduce arguments with HMRC over expenses.
Cons – Insisting on the use of 5 April as the year-end date means some people will end up advancing tax payments for the year before they join and they may, therefore, struggle with overlap relief claims – No relief for interest on loans used to support the working capital of the business is allowed. – LLPs and companies are excluded so those using the new basis cannot limit their personal liability – No ‘sideways’ loss relief will be allowed – Businesses will be locked in to claiming standard mileage allowances on cars (rather than CAs) even after they opt out of the scheme.
“Overall, the proposals will probably benefit businesses without large capital assets, such as smaller retailers, consultants, freelancers, domestic service providers etc, and short term roles – for example, those forced to work as a self-employed consultant between jobs,” said Mr Muskett.
It was alarming to read that there has been a growth in the number of businesses targetted by bogus enforcement officers.
As an ex Health and Safety Enforcer- at the time i would wonder why anyone would pretend to be one of them!! but it does give you an ‘access all areas’ pass intoa businesspremises
So the advice is simple- who ever comes knocking on your door- please do check their ID
All real Inspectors will carry ID with a signature and a number to check that they are who they say they are
An Enforcement Officer whether from the Health and Safety Excutive of from the Local Authority has the right of access at any reasonable time; to talk to any member of staff, to check any records and to check the premises- you must know eho you are letting into your business
They will not generally tring up and make appointments; so be wary if you do recive a call- always ask for the name, the reason for the visit and a contact number- so you can check that they are who they say they are
There have been recent cases of businesses making appointments with person who say they are from the HSEand are in fact unscrupulous consultants!
The cloud is nothing new, but in recent years its importance to business has become much more evident and is being embraced by both small and large enterprises.
The decision to adopt cloud computing facilities by businesses can throw up a number of questions that wouldn’t necessarily be faced if you were looking at more traditional software solutions.
What is cloud computing?
Cloud computing is an all-encompassing term and refers to a number of differing computing processes rolled into a centrally accessed source. In essence the cloud is a central computing resource handling such things as authentication, processing, data storage and networking.
Although the cloud may have the appearance of being a single central system, it is actually a distributed set of servers often operating in differing geographic locations.
The cloud is accessed over the Internet by end users through computers, mobile phones, tablets etc. The end user is therefore acting as a “dumb-terminal” which consumes resources from the cloud. You have probably already accessed cloud applications if you have used services such as Hotmail, Gmail or Yahoo Mail.
Application providers write software that can be run using cloud resources and accessed by their clients, this is known as Software as a Service (SaaS), examples include Salesforce.com, Office365 and Basecamp. Additionally, application vendors may write software that is delivered to their users though an Application Programming Interface (API) such as Google Maps.
A business may subscribe to these applications or perhaps utilise the cloud itself to write their own bespoke software, either way, end users will usually pay only for the services they use.
What are the benefits of cloud computing?
Add capacity, without additional infrastructure, licensing or training Since the cloud is made up of any number of separate servers it’s easy to expand, or reduce the servers available to run a particular task, usually with no noticeable impact on the running systems. This process can often be automated to allow for peaks in usage.
Access applications from anywhere Users can access applications from desktop computers, servers, mobile phones, tablets or even through a TV set.
Inexpensive user hardware The heavy processing is achieved using cloud resources so business costs are reduced since only basic end user hardware is required.
Licensing and management simplified There is no need to pay for expensive operating systems, licenses for software or a big IT team, the costs of these are rolled into the overall cost of the service.
Reliability Availability is improved since cloud hardware is self-correcting, so if a piece of hardware in the cloud fails there will normally be another replacement piece that will automatically take over that task.
Multi-tenanted applications allow for sharing of resources and costs It’s not necessary for a business to pay for software development and hardware, they are one of many businesses utilising the same application and hardware for the same task.
Green There is often an environmental benefit to using cloud systems. Only the resources required for the task are consuming power, whereas traditionally if a server was running an application, such as your company email, it may be underutilised if your requirements are low.
Why should I avoid cloud computing?
Privacy and Security The overriding concern of many businesses is the security of the cloud. If the cloud goes offline, and there have been instances of providers being offline for many hours recently, then this can have a more significant effect on operations than a single server going down. Businesses should also ask themselves who owns their data stored in the cloud, could the providers prevent access to that data?
Customisation The benefit of a shared application can be attractive, but if you need to make modifications to the application to accommodate your particular business requirement this can prove costly, if at all possible.
Connectivity If you lose connectivity to the Internet you won’t be able to access your cloud systems. This can be a particular problem if you are in rural areas or using mobile devices.
What does the future hold?
Industry experts see the future of business computing leveraging the power of cloud computing not only for the cost benefits but also for improving collaboration, outsourced IT expertise and centralising data.
The Cabinet Office has recently developed their own G-Cloud procurement strategy whereby application providers write cloud based systems for consumption by government departments. The hope is that these departments will move away from buying many similar silo based systems from multiple providers and instead source smaller, more flexible software from specialist providers.
With IT giants such as Microsoft, IBM, HP and Amazon firmly adopting the cloud it’s clear that this technology is not simply a passing fad but will be the way businesses of tomorrow, as well as today, will manage their IT, infrastructures and staff.
Commenting on the threat of a strike by fuel tanker drivers, Caroline Williams, Chief Executive of Norfolk Chamber of Commerce said:
Norfolk is a rural county and relies heavily on access to fuel, add in the fact that Norfolk has a high percentage of small to medium size businesses and it shows that a fuel strike could be very detrimental to businesses large and small. – Caroline Williams
“Norfolk employers are working flat out to keep their businesses afloat and deliver growth during challenging economic times. The last thing they need to contend with is a fuel strike, which could have a damaging effect on their businesses. Norfolk is a rural county and relies heavily on access to fuel, add in the fact that Norfolk has a high percentage of small to medium size businesses and it shows that a fuel strike could be very detrimental to businesses large and small.
Not only will firms struggle to access the goods they need to run their business, staff won’t be able to get to work, and smaller companies will be forced to shut down and lose takings. Public services could end up being affected, and parents who can’t get childcare will have to take time off and lose pay. Furthermore, many Norfolk jobs depend on sending goods to ports and markets overseas.
“People have already started panic buying, which will lead to further shortages and make the problem even worse. For this strike to go ahead would be totally reckless. With the Queen’s Jubilee and the Olympic Games only months away, the world’s eyes are watching the UK and any decisions to strike will only tarnish our reputation to global investors.”
UK GDP in Q4 2011 fell 0.3% on the quarter; revised down from previous estimate of 0.2% fall
Commenting on the revised GDP figure for the fourth quarter of 2011, David Kern, Chief Economist at the British Chambers of Commerce (BCC), said:
“The revised GDP figure for the fourth quarter is disappointing, with most analysts expecting the ONS to confirm its previous estimate of a 0.2% fall. The downward revision is largely due to the new estimate that the service sector fell by 0.1% on the quarter, with the ONS previously suggesting that services were unchanged. Although the fall in investment was much smaller than expected, the improvement in net exports was not as strong as we had hoped.
“The UK economy faces huge challenges, but we still believe that GDP has returned to positive growth in the first quarter of 2012 and there will be no new recession. But the austerity measures and unresolved problems in the eurozone will continue to put pressure on the economy, so it is crucial that policies to support growth are put at the top of the agenda.
“The recent Budget has not done enough to benefit small- and medium-sized businesses. More must be done as a matter of urgency to help firms create jobs, export and invest. While the government perseveres with measures to reduce the deficit, priorities must be reallocated within the overall spending envelope. The credit easing programme needs to be made more substantial, and the MPC must ensure that the QE programme encourages increased lending for smaller firms. Ministers must also look seriously at prospects for the creation of an SME bank.”
Venue: UEA London Campus, 102 Middlesex Street, London E1 7EZ
Knowledge Discovery and Datamining (KDD) will enable you to transform large amounts of collected data into knowledge that can drive business decisions. For example, insights into customer behaviour can be used for cross selling opportunities, to improve the customer experience or for targeted marketing campaigns.
Our 1 day course gives an overview of the main techniques for transforming data into knowledge and how these are used in businesses to drive profits.
At the end of the course, you will have:
An introduction to the principles of datamining and analysis
A detailed methodology for KDD
An introduction to datamining software
An understanding of the use of data mining and analysis in a business context
The course is structured to provide time to discuss potential datamining projects with other delegates and our consultants.
Course Cost The cost of this 1 day course is £296 inc. VAT (10% discount for UEA Alumni). Cost includes course materials, lunch and refreshments.
Registration To register, please complete our online application form. This may also be downloaded and returned to us at the address below. Please call +44 (0)1603 591578 to register by telephone.
More Information We can also deliver this course at an employer’s premises and would be happy to discuss details of this and any customisation.
Contact Us Sue Johnson Centre for Professional Development University of East Anglia Norwich Research Park Norwich NR4 7TJ
According to the Royal National Institute of Blind People (RNIB), everyone should have a sight test at least once every two years.
But a recent survey by YouGov showed that nearly a third of UK adults have failed to have their eyes tested in the last 24 months, putting themselves at risk of developing a range of potentially serious eye conditions, such as glaucoma.
Dr Joseph Feder, a board-certified ophthalmologist at the Aurora Health Center, said: “Not all age-related eye conditions are routine. At every eye exam, we are on the look-out for potentially devastating eye diseases such as glaucoma and macular degeneration (AMD). These diseases often begin ‘silently’ and, if left untreated, can cause blindness.”
And Clara Eaglen, Policy and Campaigns Manager at the RNIB, said: “Our eye sight can deteriorate as we get older, but sight loss isn’t an inevitable consequence of ageing. There are things people can do to protect their vision.
“Wearing the right prescription glasses or contact lenses is essential and regular eye tests, at least every two years, can pick up conditions such as AMD or glaucoma.”
So why are people avoiding regular sight tests? YouGov’s research claims that it’s down to a number of factors, including the cost. Fourteen per cent of the 2,102 British adults questioned admitted they delay getting their eyes tested because they cannot afford the perceived cost.
Under the Health and Safety Executive Display Screen Equipment Regulations 1992, in a workplace where staff habitually use display screen equipment such as computers, employers must provide eye tests on request and, in some cases, provide special glasses, too.
Westfield Health’s Chamber Primary Health Plan, which is available to all members of Norfolk Chamber of Commerce, includes an optical benefit, which can help employers to meet their requirements. Employees can manage their eye care, booking sight tests at their own convenience and claiming back the cost of their tests and prescription eyewear up to the limit provided.
For more information about the Chamber Plan, visit www.westfieldhealth.com/chamber or call 0845 602 1629, available 8am to 6pm, Monday to Friday.
Commenting on the government’s decision to move ahead with crucial reforms to planning laws, John Longworth, Director General of the British Chambers of Commerce (BCC), said:
“This country’s impossible planning regime has for too long prevented our development and growth. We have said that without reform, businesses will shelve development projects, and our economy will lose out on crucial inward investment from overseas.
“Business will warmly welcome the government’s decision to push ahead with planning reform. If implemented properly, the new National Planning Policy Framework could give companies greater clarity and certainty when looking to expand. It will also allow planning to be restored to a positive tool, rather than a weapon used to fight reactionary battles against change, growth and jobs. Ministers must ensure that the new system works for companies of all sizes, whether in urban centers or rural idylls, North and South.
“The opponents of planning reform have been voluble in recent months. They have said there’s no need to change the planning system – but the evidence from good businesses trying to expand proves them wrong. The BCC’s own research shows that the complexity, cost and inconsistency of the current system discourage demand from companies that want to grow. That in turn limits economic growth. So a failure to reform the planning system would not just be a blow to business’s bottom line. It would also undermine Britain’s ability to pay for the public services we all want to see.
“No one in business wants to concrete over the countryside, damage the environment, or allow reckless and poor development. Businesses understand the need for planning to promote sustainable and responsible growth. But in its current form, that system limits even the most modest expansion, tying companies up in red tape, heaping costs upon owners and discouraging firms from applying in the first place.”
On the ‘presumption in favour of sustainable development’:
“We welcome the government’s decision to maintain a presumption in favour of sustainable development at the heart of the new system. This presumption will encourage growth while retaining the environmental safeguards that have long been part of the British planning system. It will also provide a powerful incentive for local authorities to complete their local plans to guide growth if they do not already have one in place.”
On the use of brownfield land first:
“The reinstatement of a ‘brownfield-first’ approach clarifies the government’s original intention in the draft. While we broadly support this change, local authorities must work to ensure this supports future business growth. An adequate supply of commercial land must be maintained.”
On the greenbelt:
“Local authorities must be careful not to score an own goal by putting too much protection around greenbelt land, some of which has little amenity value and could be better used to provide jobs and homes. Our cities require an adequate supply of land for commercial development, and in some cases this may require making the tough choice to use close-by greenbelt areas, rather than see environmentally-unsustainable development many miles away.”
On implementing the policy:
“We welcome the additional detail on how the changes will be implemented. But government and local authorities must work hard to provide certainty and consistency for businesses looking to expand over the 12-month transition period.”
BCC research shows:
70% of applicants had to pay for planning support during the application process, demonstrating the system’s complexity and cost
21% of businesses that needed planning permission but did not submit an application said it was because of negative perceptions of the planning process, demonstrating discouraged demand
Of those that considered applying but did not, 44% said their decision damaged their plans for growth or constrained output, demonstrating negative economic impact
65% of those who had applied for planning permission in different parts of the country said that they received different advice across local authorities, demonstrating inconsistency and complexity
Over half (53%) of applicants said that when a decision on an application is finally reached, it runs contrary to the advice of expert planning officers. This shows that under the current system politics too often trumps the need for growth.
World-leading sustainability expert Gunter Pauli will be one of the speakers at Norfolk and Suffolk Chambers’ Sustainability 2012 Conference on 10 May at the John Innes Centre, Norwich.
Gunter Pauli is an entrepreneur, lecturer, author and commentator on culture, science, politics, sustainability and the environment. His presentation at the event is entitled ‘Redefining competitiveness by changing the rules of the game’.
Gunter Pauli said: “I am delighted to be speaking at Sustainability 2012, because it’s established as the largest show of its kind in East Anglia and therefore plays a vital role in keeping the region up to date with sustainability issues.
“I hope my presentation will get delegates thinking. The main challenge of the ‘Green Economy’ is that it requires companies to invest more and consumers to pay more. This is justified when the world economy is expanding and unemployment is decreasing, but is a more difficult strategy when demand drops, consumer confidence dwindles and people know their jobs are in jeopardy.
“The aim of The ‘Blue Economy’ is to stimulate entrepreneurs to bring innovations to the market that has been inspired by the way ecosystems work; moving from the core business competencies to the search for a bundle of activities where the best is cheap, social capital is built and everyone aims to meet the basic needs of everyone else.”
Gunter Pauli also writes children’s fables. To date, he has written 36 which have been translated into more than 100 different languages. They are special because of the unique way they stimulate children to think and ask the kind of questions parents usually do not know how to answer.
Gunter says: “These are exactly the kind of questions that inspire children to be innovative and, for sure, we need more innovators as there is little doubt that we are creating a world where our children will have to find ways to solve the problems our generation has created, and, sadly, is still creating.”
The Government of China has recognised this, and has recently approved Gunter’s fables as the staple of all schools across China. So pleased are they with his fables that they have asked Gunter to write one fable for every day of the year. In true Gunter spirit, as if taking on that challenge is not enough, has started talks with TATA, India’s largest integrated power utility, as well.
Caroline Williams, CEO of Norfolk Chamber of Commerce, commented: “We are delighted to that Gunter Pauli has agreed to speak at the Sustainability 2012 conference. He is a very distinguished spokesman on the key issues which we need to address at the conference and we know that he will raise some thought-provoking issues. Securing Gunter, plus a host of other industry-leading speakers, shows how important this event has become for tackling sustainability issues.”
There will also be other expert speakers at Sustainability 2012, including George Padelopoulos, Sustainability Manager, Ethical Trade, B&Q; Tom McGarry, from EDF Energy: and Mark Pendlington, from Anglian Water.
Now in its third year, the Sustainability 2012 conference will focus on Low Carbon Technologies and Built Environment Innovation. The aim of the event is to highlight the clear distinction between how small and large companies need to react and plan for a range of new initiative.
Delegates will be offered a global insight into the need for sustainable developments, the UK-based regional perspectives, as well as county-based opportunities. The conference will also offer a wide choice of learning and interactive workshops and include an exhibition to showcase new products and innovations.
Caroline Williams added: “This conference is a must-attend for regional businesses of all sizes because it clearly sets out the opportunities that are available in the short and long term and the benefits of getting involved.”
For more information, to book a place on the conference, or to book a stand, go to www.sustainability2012.com or call 01603 625977.