It was common for small businesses to be engulfed in turmoil even before the pandemic struck. Today, many of them are in a very vulnerable position. Still, though many businesses have struggled, their fighting spirit has not wavered, and a sense of community must be built and felt. The nation needs to band together to keep firms afloat, and you may be wondering what part you can play in these proceedings. Consequently, here are some of the best ways you can help small businesses in your area today. Use Social Media It doesn’t take much to open an account on Twitter or Facebook or to use them as savvy tools for business purposes. Try to shout businesses out if possible. An online post that highlights a firm’s capabilities, services, and excellent service could really help them. You could provide links to stock pages, eco-friendly measures, or charitable causes they are supporting, highlighting their work ethic and strong moral character. If possible, don’t just like, share, and retweet – put your admiration into your own words for a more effective promotional effort. Be sure to include relevant keywords and hashtags to boost the visibility of your posts. Additionally, if you’re promoting an event of some kind for a firm, it could be worthwhile building up some hype before you make any big announcement. That way, you can ensure that you reach as many people as possible. Remember, many firms compete for shoutouts, so receiving them for free could be a big win for them. Invest in Them If you have capital at your disposal, investing in early-stage businesses that are going through their initial stages of growth could be a good idea, albeit with significant risk. There are specific schemes set up which provide growth opportunities and potential tax advantages. All of this is made possible within the Oxford Capital Growth EIS fund. You can back a diverse portfolio of UK early-stage companies in a range of sectors, including eCommerce, fintech, artificial intelligence. Cash injection into start-up businesses opens up an ever-expanding series of doors for them, propelling their growth going forwards. Remember, in doing this, you’re not just helping the small business succeed. You’re helping people earn their livelihoods, and you’re helping to keep the UK economy moving. Be Mindful of Your Interactions There are lots of things that customers can do that waste a firm’s time. These can be:

• Asking questions of customer service personnel that are answered by reading their web copy/FAQ pages.
• Engaging in small talk with staff who are clearly busy.
• Disputing price points and shipping arrangements.
• Cancelling tables in restaurants at the last minute.

Of course, more offences could easily be mentioned, but all of these incidents can add up to significant time loss for a business. Additionally, the old saying is true; time is money. Think about how you could approach each interaction with a company a little differently and keep their pressing needs in mind as you do.

A collaboration of educators and employers from South Yorkshire have successfully secured over £12m to establish a new South Yorkshire Institute of Technology (IoT). The Department for Education (DfE) made the announcement as part of the second wave of IoT bids to have funding confirmed by the government. New employer-led IoTs offer higher level technical education to help close skills gaps in key STEM areas. They are part of the government’s plans to reform technical training to help employers get the skilled workforce they need and offer local people rewarding jobs. The South Yorkshire IoT joins Further Education institutions, Higher Education institutions and local employers together to provide pathways from STEM based T-Levels to Higher Technical Qualifications, apprenticeships, and degrees. The IoT will also offer flexible courses for adults looking to reskill or upskill. The collaboration includes DN Colleges Group, Sheffield Hallam University, Barnsley College, and the University of Sheffield AMRC Training Centre as core education partners. RNN Group, the Sheffield College and the National Centre for Advanced Transport & Infrastructure (NCATI) are also associate partners. In addition, the core employer partners include AESSEAL PLC, Engie UK, HLM Architects and WANdisco. They will have a place on the Board of the IoT and one of them will be chair. The South Yorkshire IoT will work closely with employers to provide specialist provision for over 1,500 learners, aiming to meet the demand for construction, digital, engineering/manufacturing, and healthcare science higher level technical skills within the region. The IoT will target key sectors and occupations, making a substantial contribution to increasing the region’s productivity and ability to attract and retain employers with higher-level technical skilled roles. Mick Lochran, CEO of DN Colleges Group, which has led on the formation of the IoT, said: “I am so proud that South Yorkshire has been awarded an IoT as it has the potential to change the whole dynamic of our region. The working partnerships, between employers and education providers, has been amazing and provides a sound foundation to deliver a successful IoT.” Provision will be designed to be accessible to people across the region and target underrepresented groups. Investment will see IoT sites established across the region, including:

• DN Colleges Group will be delivering provision from within the existing Doncaster College site;
• Barnsley College will reconfigure and refurbish its existing Church Street building to create a dedicated IoT centre in the centre of Barnsley;
• Sheffield Hallam University will create a dedicated IoT space within the existing campus in Sheffield City Centre;
• The University of Sheffield’s AMRC Training Centre is planning to refurbish and upgrade a dedicated space at its Rotherham site with industry standard digital engineering laboratories.

Education secretary Nadhim Zahawi said the new IoTs will “boost access to more high-quality and flexible education and training – giving people the chance to learn at a pace that is right for them, while ensuring we have the skilled workforce needed to boost our economy.” The South Yorkshire IoT is supported by the South Yorkshire Mayoral Combined Authority, all regional local authorities and local Chambers of Commerce. Professor Sir Chris Husbands, Vice-Chancellor of Sheffield Hallam University, said: “This is fabulous news. It shows what collaboration between universities and further education providers can do for the region “This is a step-change investment in technical education and Sheffield Hallam is delighted to have played our part in securing it. The IoT will drive economic success, build talent and create opportunities. “We are looking forward to using our expertise in work-based applied learning to make the South Yorkshire Institute of Technology an outstanding success.”

It’s that time of year, when Business Link Magazine invites the region’s business leaders to offer up their predictions for the year ahead.  It has become something of a tradition, given that we’ve been doing this now for over 30 years. Here we speak to Konrad Czajka, Managing Director of Czajka Care Group. Brexit has done the care sector no favours whatsoever. Next year we will continue to have huge challenges around recruitment, retention, compliance and operational issues, including the complications surrounding compulsory vaccinations for staff. In 2022, there will be massive inflationary pressures, especially on pay rates, utilities and insurance. There are 1.4 million older people with unmet needs. 43% of people over 85 years of age require some form of support, but only 20% of those people are receiving it. The government now realises that if they want a functioning, effective NHS, they will need a strong and sustainable social care sector. A well-funded and good quality social care sector is fundamental to a healthy nation and well performing NHS. The social care sector will continue to care for the most vulnerable members of our society, and it is worth remembering that our complex levels of support, will protect the NHS from being overwhelmed. We will continue to care for people at the end of their life, dispense medication prescribed by clinicians, support individuals with mental health issues and those with complex dementia or physical disabilities. The social care sector will care for more people than the NHS and employ more staff than the NHS and social services put together – 1.75 million to be precise! Our investment returns over £4.3 billion into the economy and in many local areas social care is the biggest employer and drives economic activity. The fear and anxiety caused by the pandemic has been immeasurable and the scars of the past two years have been the most painful in our professional careers. In 2022 we will engage with the Commissioners and the Care Quality Commission to ensure that the older, infirm and disabled people living amongst us receive the quality care they deserve. Despite the enormous challenges we have faced over the last few years, I am still optimistic about what the future holds for the social care sector. Next year the Care Associations will continue to work together through the Care Association Alliance to ensure a strong and influential representation at national level. Together we will, and we are, making a difference!

Hull City Council and EN:Able Futures Community Interest Company (CIC) have been awarded almost £200k to deliver a project to invest in skills and support local people into employment. The Pathways into Construction project will engage people more distant from the employment market and take them through a high-quality programme so they can pursue entry-level job opportunities in the construction and built environment sector. The project will be based at the unique purpose-built Humber Construction Hub on Wawne Road in Hull. The hub was made possible by support from Hull City Council regarding the land. EN:Able Futures CIC will host, lead and manage the action-packed 10-day Pathways Into Construction programme at the Humber Construction Hub’s site-based learning environment. The new programme will include a dedicated Development Coach providing key worker support to learners. The comprehensive package of training includes site visits, manual handling, health and safety, First Aid and Construction Skills Certification Scheme (CSCS) cards. Learners will also receive additional advice and guidance to support them into work, to help them gain and sustain employment and long-term careers in the industry. The funding comes from the UK Community Renewal Fund (UKCRF), first launched in March this year. It’s a UK Government programme which aims to support people and communities most in need across the UK to pilot programmes and new approaches. It invests in skills, community and place, local business, and supporting people into employment. The fund is a key initiative in the government’s levelling up agenda, which aims to support people and communities most in need throughout the UK. The Pathways into Construction project is aimed at those living in Hull and the surrounding area, in particular those aged 18 and over and unemployed for 18 months or longer or economically inactive; those not in education, employment or training aged 18 – 24 years and those unemployed aged 30 – 49. Councillor Aneesa Akbar, who chaired the review panel, said: “The council is committed to reducing unemployment and opening up more opportunities to those who are unemployed. “I’m delighted that the Pathways into Construction project has been awarded this funding. It means more local people can learn the skills they need for a career in the construction sector, an area which offers job security and is so critically important to our economy.” Director of Operations at EN:Able Futures CIC Julie Deeley said: “The EN:Able Futures team is delighted to receive this funding. It will help us build on what we’ve already achieved delivering training for local people at the Humber Construction Hub to enable them to become employment and site ready and build a better future for themselves.” Potential learners will be invited to sign up in January. To find out more about the UKCRF, visit the website here.

Three more leading businesses have teamed up with Hull’s employer-led school to open up further exciting opportunities for students and help shape their potential future employees. Graphics and signage experts Designs Signage Solutions and specialist pipework fabricators and steelwork erectors CDS Energy Services have become Major Partners of Ron Dearing University Technical College (UTC), while overhead line, underground cable and substation system leaders LSTC Group has become a Partner. Working alongside the school’s Founding Partners, the Ofsted “Outstanding”-rated school’s Major Partners and Partners develop and deliver employer-led projects, provide work experience placements and lead the careers information, advice and guidance programme. Major Partners also play a key role in the development of the UTC’s unique, employer-engaged curriculum, while both Partners and Major Partners contribute financially to the school and recruit many students as apprentices within their businesses. Established almost 30 years ago, Hull-based Designs Signage Solutions has grown to a 41-strong team operating from 48,000sq ft premises, offering bespoke briefs, designs and installation signage solutions to retail, corporate, sports stadia, vehicle livery and building sectors across the UK. Drawing Manager Chris Murphy said becoming a Ron Dearing UTC Major Partner will help to establish a new pipeline of talent in the industry. The company has already employed one former Ron Dearing UTC student, Ben Moodie, as a trainee in the Graphics Production department. Chris said: “We want to engage with young talent and this partnership gives us a platform to work with the students, identify rising stars before they leave school and show them our industry and what we’re about. “Ron Dearing UTC acclimatises its students to a full working week, rather than a normal school day, to help them get ready for work. By working together and playing a part in the curriculum, we’ll be able to help to shape what we want to see in our future employees.” CDS, which has its head office at Burma Drive in east Hull, works in the oil, gas, petrochemical and nuclear industries. The business has 30 staff and dozens of additional subcontractors, with clients including Tricoya, Vivergo Fuels, px Group, Mitsubishi and more. Managing Director Danny Laybourne said the business plans to take on Ron Dearing UTC students as apprentices in the future, potentially including in Planning and Quality Assurance (QA) roles. He said: “There’s a lack of young people coming through in this industry and we can see that shortage of quality continuing, which is why we wanted to get involved in Ron Dearing UTC. “With Ron Dearing students, we won’t have to start from scratch because they will have completed courses which stand them in good stead to progress within the industry.” New Partner LSTC Group provides engineering solutions to the electricity sector, specialising in the design and survey of overhead lines, underground cables and substation systems in the UK and internationally. Alongside it’s Driffield head office, the company also has offices in Belfast, Derby, London and South Wales. Finance Director Richard Shipley said the company is keen to increase its 85‐strong workforce to 100 within the next two years, including more women in engineering, and plans to offer opportunities for work experience, apprenticeships and paid employment to Ron Dearing UTC students. He said: “I believe that in order to fulfil all of the ambitious plans to achieve carbon net zero and clean energy, it will require a lot of work on infrastructure across the country and globally. There are not enough engineers in the world to do that work and the only solution is to bring more people into engineering. “We want to be part of encouraging people to come into this industry and Ron Dearing UTC is doing a great job of facilitating that.” Every one of Ron Dearing UTC’s Year 13 students have gone on to exciting apprenticeships, university, employment, further education or the Armed Forces for three consecutive years. Glenn Jensen, Senior Assistant Principal and Head of Engineering at Ron Dearing UTC, said: “We’re absolutely delighted to welcome Designs Signage Solutions and CDS Energy Services as Major Partners and LSTC Group as a Partner. “Their decades of combined experience will be invaluable to our students and open up further career opportunities in these growing industries.” Opened in 2017, Ron Dearing UTC caters for students aged between 14 and 19, offering a unique model of employer-led education with a specialist focus on digital technology, creative digital and digital engineering. The school’s Founding Partners are the University of Hull and leading local employers KCOM, Reckitt, Siemens Gamesa, Smith+Nephew and Spencer Group. It is also supported by Hull City Council and many other industry partners, including Arco, C4DI, Fujitsu, Green Port Hull, Ideal Boilers, INEOS Acetyls, Kohler Mira, Luxinar, NEC Software Solutions, Ørsted, Sauce, Sewell Group and Sonoco Trident.

It’s that time of year, when Business Link Magazine invites the region’s business leaders to offer up their predictions for the year ahead.  It has become something of a tradition, given that we’ve been doing this now for over 30 years. Here we speak to Peter Garrett, Managing Director of Keyland Developments, the property trading arm of Kelda Group and sister-company to Yorkshire Water.

Setting global pandemic issues aside, I think I can confidently predict that the continuing scarcity of well-located residential and industrial development land means that we are going to continue to see increasing prices for both.

In fact, I think this could well be my prediction for every year going forward until the country faces up to and addresses land supply issues, which would involve having a grown-up conversation about development in the greenbelt and beyond.

With a development pipeline of over 8,000+ houses and 3.5m sq ft of industrial land all within God’s Own County, Keyland is clearly in a good position to benefit from increasing land values, but looking at the country as a whole, it is simply an exercise in futility to carry on trying to meet the needs of a growing population without properly planning where that population will live and work.

Leeds City Council has welcomed recommendations which could take it a significant step closer to finalising a major development plan that will help deliver high-quality homes and opportunities for local people. A planning inspector has provisionally backed the council’s proposal for 36 pieces of land to be retained within the city’s protected green belt under changes to Leeds’s Site Allocations Plan (SAP). The inspector has also provisionally backed a related proposal that would see an additional site at Barrowby Lane in Manston earmarked for employment use with the aim of further driving economic growth and job creation in east Leeds. The SAP, a key planning policy document which allocates land for future housing, employment, office, industrial and retail use, was adopted by the council in 2019 after a rigorous process of preparation and public consultation lasting six years. Under the original terms of the SAP, a total of 36 sites were removed from the green belt for possible housing use while a 37th – at Barrowby Lane – was removed from the green belt for a mix of potential housing and employment uses. The council then revisited the document following a legal challenge brought by Aireborough Neighbourhood Forum, with the High Court ruling last year that all 37 sites should be temporarily removed from the SAP and returned to the green belt pending further examination by the national Planning Inspectorate. The remainder of the SAP – which covers hundreds of sites across the city – was unaffected by the court ruling. Work conducted by the council with developers and landowners subsequently found that, due to the changing nature of local land supply, Leeds would in fact be able to more than meet its housing requirements for the period up to 2028 without the need for further green belt site releases. Using those findings, the council drew up a series of proposed modifications to the SAP that were submitted for examination by the Planning Inspectorate in March this year. The Planning Inspectorate has now agreed that, subject to public consultation, the council can retain the 36 housing allocation sites in the green belt and switch Barrowby Lane’s status from housing and employment to solely employment. The council’s executive board yesterday approved a six-week public consultation on the proposed changes. Once the consultation has taken place, the Planning Inspectorate will consider any responses received and prepare a report. This in turn, it is hoped, will allow the council to confirm the modifications, giving it a fully adopted and up-to-date SAP. Councillor Helen Hayden, Leeds City Council’s executive member for infrastructure and climate, said: “The Site Allocations Plan has been a massive undertaking for the council and one that will play a central role in shaping the future of our city. “We are committed to doing everything we can to deliver the kind of homes and jobs that people in Leeds need and deserve, and this document will help us achieve that through the weight it carries in the determination of planning applications. “It’s really encouraging, therefore, to see us getting closer to a position where it can be fully adopted by the council and bring more certainty to residents and investors alike.” The council’s original work on its SAP involved carefully assessing sites throughout the city and deciding which were the most appropriate and sustainable to allocate for development, in accordance with local and national policy. The plan was the subject of independent examination by government-appointed planning inspectors, who found it sound and legally compliant. The council’s proposed modifications are set against a background of considerable housing delivery in Leeds on brownfield sites, with 4,200 new homes currently under construction in and around the city centre. This is the highest number of new homes under development in and around Leeds city centre since the global financial crisis of 2008. In its legal challenge, Aireborough Neighbourhood Forum claimed the council had acted wrongly in its approach to releasing four green belt sites in Guiseley and Yeadon, and by later adopting the SAP on the basis of that specific approach. Four grounds raised in the claim were rejected or not allowed to proceed by the judge in the case. The claim was allowed on a further three grounds. Local authorities are required by the National Planning Policy Framework to maintain a five-year supply of deliverable housing sites.

It’s that time of year, when Business Link Magazine invites the region’s business leaders to offer up their predictions for the year ahead.  It has become something of a tradition, given that we’ve been doing this now for over 30 years. Here we speak to Kenton Robbins, Managing Director at PFF Group. We all worked tirelessly through 2021, focussing on the belief that 2022 would hail a return to the good times we remember. COVID-19 would be a thing of the past and the New Year would be an opportunity for us all to get back to normal. Yet, as I write we are heading into a ‘soft lockdown’ with a return to working from home being advised by the Government and mask wearing once again as fundamental as coffee and tea! 2022 is going to be the hardest year yet of this pandemic for business. We are staring down the barrel of inflation and supply chain shortages, the like of which we haven’t seen for many years. Energy prices will continue to be the lead item on boardroom agendas through 2022 as we face the greatest increase in wholesale marketing pricing in a generation. Those that have not hedged or have an ability to do so will face profitability challenges based on energy increases alone. Businesses based on a sourcing model of importing cheap goods from across the globe will see their margins eroded like the cliff sides of the East Coast unless they drive significant price increases to their customer base to offset their increased costs. The availability of everyday items we have all taken for granted throughout our lifetimes will soon be something of a fond memory. You only need to walk the aisles of a B&Q store looking for Far East sourced electrical sockets to see an issue that historically would have had the buying dept in a tailspin (incidentally, if any readers have a three-way switched Georgian brass effect socket going spare, I’ll pay good money, no questions asked)! We have spent months focussed on the Northern levelling up debate only to miss the much more significant global levelling up issues right under our noses. As much as I am an advocate for balance between the North and South, it should not distract us from the bigger picture which could be the driver for a year of positive change for UK plc. This coming year will see a huge opportunity for British business to fill the gaps which historically have been filled through so called ‘value’ global sourcing policies, aka ‘cheap’ products. We have to educate the British consumer as to the benefits of buying British and to look beyond buying solely on price – quality and price equals value. British manufacturers are world-leading innovators and produce quality products here in the UK, supporting domestic jobs, as well as the environment. I predict that 2022 will be the year that sees capitalisation of the UK manufacturing sector which will step up to the mark and establish itself in the mind of the domestic consumer as the value driver of the UK economy. 2022 should be the year we all make a choice to invest in ourselves, our country, our products and our planet’s future sustainability by buying the things we make well on our own doorsteps. After all charity starts at home and if there was ever a year that we should look to support ourselves, it is 2022.