Incommunities appoints new Director of People
Bradford-based housing provider Incommunities has appointed Dr Bilal Mohammed as its new Director of People.
Bilal brings extensive experience in people and transformation leadership across a variety of sectors, including retail, e-commerce, technology, and higher education.
He joins the organisation from University Academy 92 (UA92), a higher education institution based in Manchester co-founded by Gary Neville, where he served as Director of People and Operations.
Bilal has also held senior positions at Asda, Apple, and Carwow, and has provided consultancy to major brands such as Lloyds, Gymshark, O2, Shell, and Sainsbury’s.
He sits as a non-executive director on the board of Løci, a British urban-lux apparel brand. Bilal also serves as a board advisor to the Apple EMEA leadership board.
Speaking about his appointment, Bilal said: “I’ve spent much of my career in highly commercial, high-growth organisations, where the focus was primarily on commercial success. My decision to join UA92 was a turning point in my career, as I began to align my work with organisations that prioritise social impact and purpose.
“One of the key reasons the role at Incommunities appealed to me is because the organisation’s values resonate deeply with me – its commitment to delivering high-quality, safe homes with a strong social mission, and its work to make a difference in a region that is home to me.
“The organisation is in an exciting position, having undergone a significant reset and built strong foundations upon which it can grow. I’m excited to join an energised and passionate team, and I’m looking forward to helping shape and deliver a sector leading experience for all our people, customers, and communities.”
Sara Sheard, Executive Director of Business Operations at Incommunities, added: “Bilal’s wealth of experience in leading people strategies in complex organisations will be vital as we continue to strengthen and develop our workforce, ensuring that we meet the needs of our customers and communities, whilst creating a great culture and experience for our colleagues.
“A key part of Bilal’s role will be leading the next phase of our EDI journey, working closely with our Board, colleagues, and customers to ensure we build a truly inclusive and empowering culture. His expertise will be invaluable as we continue our progress.”
Stove supplier secures £125k investment package
An investment package of £125k is supporting ambitious growth plans for Whitby and Guisborough-based Heritage Stoves, a family-run firm supplying wood burning and multi-fuel stoves.
This funding supports Heritage Stoves following the acquisition of Heritage Hearthstone Fires & Stones, which has been operating since 1997. Following the acquisition, Heritage Stoves will supply and install premium wood-burning and multi-fuel stoves from leading brands to domestic and business customers.
Founded in May 2024 by husband-and-wife duo Daniel and Stephanie Bird, Heritage Stoves brings together the couple’s skills. Daniel’s a qualified heating engineer, and Stephanie, with four years of experience managing the Guisborough office of Heritage Hearthstone Fires & Stones, was approached by its retiring owners to take over the business due to her deep familiarity with its operations.
Daniel said: “This investment marks an exciting new chapter for Heritage Stoves. Acquiring Heritage Hearthstone allows us to build on a trusted legacy while driving local economic growth. We’re committed to offering exceptional products and services to both consumers and businesses.”
The investment, provided by NPIF II – BEF Smaller Loans which is managed by the Business Enterprise Fund (BEF) as part of the Northern Powerhouse Investment Fund II (NPIF II), includes additional support from BEF’s Community Investment Enterprise Fund 2 (CIEF2), backed by Lloyds Bank and Big Society Capital, as well as the British Business Bank’s Start Up Loans programme.
Antony Nicholson, investment manager at BEF, said: “Daniel and Stephanie’s vision, combined with their industry expertise, demonstrates the transformative potential of strategic investment in local businesses. This is precisely the kind of venture NPIF II is designed to support.”
Lizzy Upton, senior investment manager at British Business Bank, added: “Securing finance to accelerate growth is a key part of a business’ journey, and this funding from NPIF II will play a transformational role in helping Heritage Stoves expand its operations following the acquisition. While allowing the company to purchase new stock, it will also be used to create and protect jobs, adding further impact to the local economy.”
The £660m Northern Powerhouse Investment Fund II (NPIFII) covers the entire North of England and provides loans from £25k to £2m and equity investment up to £5m to help a range of small and medium sized businesses to start up, scale up or stay ahead.
BEF specialises in delivering smaller loans between £25,000 and £100,000 to businesses in Yorkshire and Humberside. Committed to breaking down barriers to finance, BEF ensures SMEs across diverse industries receive the support they need to thrive.
Yorkshire food group acquired
Karnova Food Group has been acquired by OSI UK, part of OSI Group.
Karnova Food Group was created through the acquisition and integration of Yorkshire Premier Meat and Smithfield Murray by Endless LLP (Endless) in 2022 and 2023 respectively. The combined group created one of the UK’s leading value-add business-to-business protein ingredients suppliers with revenues of over £135 million.
The buyer, OSI Group, is a privately owned global business, headquartered in Aurora, Illinois, with 67 manufacturing facilities, more than 20,000 employees operating out of 16 countries and supplying customers in 77 countries.
Di Walker, Chair of Karnova, said: “Since Endless acquired both Yorkshire Premier Meat and Smithfield Murray we have delivered significant growth with new and existing customers and focused hard on quality and service.
“Endless has been instrumental in helping us on this journey and we are very grateful for the true partnership and financial support they have given us.
“I am absolutely delighted that OSI have decided to acquire Karnova as it is a great strategic fit and they will be a fantastic long-term owner for the business and its employees.”
Katharine Haenelt, MD of OSI UK, said: “We are delighted to be welcoming Karnova into the OSI family. We have been hugely impressed with how the business has developed under Endless’ ownership and see significant opportunities for further growth across the combined businesses.”
Endless Investment Director James Warburton said: “We are very proud of what we have achieved with Karnova in a relatively short time period and have enjoyed working with the team.
“We did not envisage selling Karnova this early but OSI made clear their ambitions for the business and they will be a fantastic long-term owner for the business with a market leading reputation. We wish the whole Karnova team all the best for the future.”
Endless was advised on the sale by Paul Satchell of Spayne Lindsay (corporate finance), Giles Chesher of Squire Patton Boggs (legal), with vendor assist provided by Chris Stott of KPMG.
Management buyout completed at Leeds compliance solutions provider
Product Partnerships Limited (PPL), a Leeds-based regulated compliance solutions provider, has successfully completed a management buyout (MBO) backed by a £10m funding package from Arete Capital and TDC’s Impact Fund.
This investment marks a significant milestone in PPL’s growth journey, enabling the company to expand and enhance its specialist compliance services offering and proprietary technology platform.
Founded in 2014 and headquartered in Leeds, PPL provides outsourced compliance services to retailers offering consumer credit products covering both directly authorised firms and appointed representatives under Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) regulations.
Since its inception, the company has built an impressive portfolio of blue-chip clients, including Google, Aston Martin, JD Sports, Peloton, and Bensons for Beds. Today, PPL oversees more than £260m in credit transactions across its network.
Arete played a pivotal role in structuring the MBO, securing a tailored private credit facility with TDC via its Impact Fund to facilitate the transaction and future acquisitions.
As part of the deal, Arete has also helped to strengthen PPL’s board and leadership team, appointing Peter Cowgill as Chair, as well as a new Chief Compliance Officer and Chief Financial Officer. Peter, ex-Executive Chairman of JD Sports, brings a wealth of retail experience to the role.
Phillip Garlick, Chief Executive of PPL, said: “The investment from Arete and TDC is significant for our business. It provides us with the financial firepower to invest in compliance resources, accelerate organic growth, explore strategic M&A opportunities, and continue our expansion into high-potential sectors such as green energy.
“We are also committed to further developing our proprietary technology into a fully-fledged SaaS solution, enhancing value for our clients.”
Simon Lord, Partner at Arete, added: “PPL is a dynamic, growing business with significant untapped potential. The demand for compliance-based solutions in the retail sector is stronger than ever, and PPL is perfectly positioned to capitalise on these opportunities. We are excited to support Phillip and his team on this transformational journey.”
Jon Petty, Investment Director at TDC, said: “Through our Impact Fund, we are committed to supporting high-growth northern SMEs. Phillip and the PPL team have demonstrated their ability to drive sustainable growth, and this investment will enable them to expand further, create new jobs, and contribute positively to the regional economy.”
The deal was led by Simon Lord and Jamie Newall from Arete, with support from Hill Dickinson (led by Matt Noon/Alex Thow), Cortus (led by Ben Emmett) and Claritas Tax (led by Peter Hully) – that provided legal, financial and tax structuring expertise to Arete during the transaction.
£22.8m funding secured for holiday lodges at coastal wellness retreat on North Yorkshire Coast
OakNorth, the digital bank for entrepreneurs, has provided a £22.8m loan to support a joint venture between O’Shea Group and Galliard Homes.
The £22.8m loan will be used to fund the next stage in converting the historic 19th century, Raithwaite Sandsend Estate. Located between the North York Moors National Park and Sandsend beach on the outskirts of Whitby, the 85-acre site will see the development of 179 luxury villas, lodges and cottages.
This next phase follows the reimagining and reopening of the estate’s two hotels, Saltmoore House and The Beach House, in November 2024, totalling 78 rooms and suites.
Stephen Conway, Executive Chairman & Co-Founder of Galliard, said: “We look forward to welcoming guests to our new wellness-led sanctuary, located along the picturesque North East coastline. The Raithwaite Sandsend estate has a unique and extensive history, so it is our privilege to be breathing new life into the site, whilst preserving its historical significance to the region.
“OakNorth once again proved themselves to be a fantastic funding partner – we have worked with the team for years and keep going back as their flexibility, transparency, and entrepreneurial approach is second to none.”
Mark O’Connor, Investment Director at O’Shea, said: “Over the past six decades, we’ve become a respected name in the property industry, with our long-standing relationships with developers, housing associations, and local authorities leading to many successful joint venture partnerships.
“We were delighted to once again work closely with Stephen and the team at Galliard, with OakNorth being the clear funder of choice given their expertise in the sector and reputation for backing independent property developers such as ourselves.”
Damien Hughes, Senior Director of Property Finance at OakNorth, added: “This deal presented an exciting opportunity for OakNorth to support two of our long-standing customers with their latest JV project.
“The combination of the development expertise from both O’Shea and Galliard, alongside the well-renowned hotel management team that have been brought in, will no doubt be core reasons behind the project’s success. The location of the site and abundance of luxury offerings will also be a draw for not just UK staycationers, but international tourists too.”
Sheffield’s city brand to be given a boost
Sheffield’s city brand is to be given a boost with the aim of supporting economic growth by attracting more tourists and trade to the city.
A city’s brand and identity play a crucial role in attracting visitors, investors, new residents and new talent by promoting a place’s unique assets to the world and giving a city a recognisable identity.
In turn, this helps drive economic growth, bring in business and makes a city a better place to live and work for residents.
Research suggests that by improving people’s perception of the city by just one decimal place, so for example, increasing it from 3.5 to 3.6, it is estimated this would equate to a rise in economic value of 5%. For Sheffield, this would mean an additional £70m for the city, in tourism alone.
City branding also helps to foster a sense of pride and belonging amongst local communities and residents.
Sheffield already has a strong visual identity, which has been developed over the past six years and has supported the city’s visitor economy by helping to raise awareness and profile of the city across the UK and beyond.
But by refreshing the branding helping Sheffield to ‘stand out’ and ‘stand apart’, the team at Marketing Sheffield aim to gain the city recognition as one of the UK’s top five most attractive cities for trade, tourism and talent.
Councillor Martin Smith, Chair of the Economic Development and Skills Committee at Sheffield City Council, said: “We know from research the impact of place branding and perception on an economy. It suggests that a positive shift in perception equates to a significant rise in tourism and economic value.
“The work to develop our city’s visual identity is nothing short of inspiring. I am confident this will have a positive impact on our city, local businesses and residents by helping us attract more visitors and talent and set Sheffield apart from the rest.”
The Marketing Sheffield team, part of Sheffield City Council, have been working on refining and developing the city brand over the past 12 to 18 months, alongside partners, businesses and organisations across the city.
The concept for the work is to highlight the impact Sheffield has on the world – how what has happened in the city over the years and continues to happen, inspires changes in the world elsewhere.
Louisa Harrison-Walker, Chief Executive of The Sheffield Chamber of Commerce, said: “The development of the city’s place brand goes beyond just attracting tourists and visitors to come and visit the city.
“One of our roles is to promote Sheffield as a place for investment. We want to promote the city to talent who might want to come and make Sheffield their home, to individuals that want to come here and open sustainable businesses that provide job opportunities.
“Every single one of our sectors here in Sheffield can use this branding as it applies to so many of corners of our workforce and industry.”
As part of the work, web content will be developed that will focus on a range of themes and messages that relate to how Sheffield has had an impact on the world. From Sheffield’s green credentials that have been recognised internationally, to Sheffield’s advanced manufacturing capabilities that have had a huge impact around the world.
There will also be a new video/animation to launch the city brand and promote these key messages, which has been worked on by local creative talent.
By commissioning local, Sheffield talent to bring the work to life, the team hopes to harness local pride and encourage the city and its people to get behind and support this proposition for the city.
It will also be delivered by a range of stakeholders across the city, who will act as champions of the branding.
At an Economic Development and Skills Committee on Thursday 6 February, Members endorsed the development of the branding work that had been completed so far and approved the ongoing work of Marketing Sheffield, alongside partners and stakeholders, to bring the brand to life for Sheffield through a range of campaigns and activities.
The new branding is set to be launched in the coming weeks.
British Gas pledges 400 new apprenticeship roles this year
British Gas has used National Apprenticeship Week to announce it will have more than 400 apprenticeship roles available in 2025 to help accelerate the drive to net zero.
The new apprentices will be helping customers with energy efficiency advice, fixing boilers and installing net zero measures to help customers save on bills and reduce their carbon emissions. British Gas is aiming to attract more women into these roles to close the gender gap in engineering as well as people from underrepresented backgrounds. Training will take place at the Ofsted regulated and award winning British Gas Academies. It comes as new research by the company reveals a major shift in attitudes towards apprenticeships, challenging long-standing views on career and education choices. The research shows over half (55%) of UK adults said their view of apprenticeships has improved since they finished school, while only 2% report a negative shift. Additionally, nearly a quarter (23%) would now consider an apprenticeship to change careers, marking a shift in how we view work, training, and future prospects. When it comes to the reasons why, nearly three-quarters agreed apprenticeships offer a route to long-term job security, and two-thirds see them as means to build essential skills. Avoiding student debt (55%) and faster career progression than university (51%) also rank as key advantages. Chris O’Shea, CEO of Centrica, parent company of British Gas added: “It’s vital that we reflect the diversity of the customers and communities we support, and we’re committed to creating the workforce of the future that can deliver the UK’s net zero ambitions. Our apprenticeship programmes are a brilliant opportunity for anyone who is interested in pursuing a career, whether it’s their first ever job or they’re looking for a career change. Our schemes not only offer the chance to learn new skills, but also an entry point to a lifelong career, with plenty of opportunity to grow.”North East Lincolnshire Council puts out tender request for way finding in Cleethorpes
A tender has been released to the market to find a company to help improve wayfinding around the main resort area in Cleethorpes.
The recent Cleethorpes Masterplan development highlighted wayfinding as something that needed to be improved in the resort, and this was incorporated as part of the major bid to Government for project funding, which also resulted in funding being made available for the Sea Road, Pier Gardens and Market Place projects.
This initial tender is for a company to create a strategy and design specifications for signage to help people navigate around the resort, as well as generating ideas for signage that holds interesting heritage or environmental information, and also live information on events and beach safety.
Once the work has been completed, a separate tender will be released for the manufacture and installation of the signage at a later date.
Keighley cardboard tube manufacturer starts 2025 with £400K investment in solar power
A 150-year-old Keighley manufacturing business has committed to a further £400,000 investment in solar power generation. This adds a further 380KW generating capacity to the existing 120KW array, giving a 500KW array in total.
This investment decision gives further justification to the positive conclusions drawn by their external ISO 14001 auditor following an audit in December. The report also highlighted the many other environmental improvements the business made in the last 12 months, such as reductions in electricity usage, raw material waste and compressed air usage.
As a fifth-generation family-owned firm, Stell manufactures cardboard tube and core products, including reel tubes, label and tape cores. The firm supplies over 16,000km of cardboard tubes across the UK and Europe each year from its specialist 100,000 sq. ft facility in Keighley.
Stell has a sustained track record of continuous improvement of its facilities and process to reduce its environmental footprint. The factory is heated from sustainable biomass, lit by latest generation LEDs and all waste streams are measured, managed and reduced.
Director of Stell, Sam Stell says: “As a UK cardboard core and tube manufacturer, we take our environmental footprint very seriously. We’re ISO 14001 accredited and we invest heavily in clean tech, so we’re well underway in our net zero journey”.
“Since our founding in 1872, our processes have evolved countless times, but our dedication to environmental responsibility has remained a constant. By thoroughly reviewing and refining our operations, we have aligned with globally recognised environmental benchmarks, providing our customers with the assurance that they are partnering with a manufacturer dedicated to promoting eco-friendly practices throughout its supply chain.”
ISO 14001 is a globally recognised standard that provides a framework for implementing effective Environmental Management Systems (EMS).
The accreditation sits alongside Stell’s ISO 9001 certification, which acknowledges the firm’s ongoing commitment to quality management systems in its end-to-end procedures.
Cornhill Market regeneration earns plaudits for Lindum Group
Lindum Group’s regeneration of Lincoln Cornhill Market and its commitment to being a great employer have been celebrated at the Lincolnshire Construction and Property Awards 2025.
Our innovative refurbishment and extension of the Grade II Listed 1930s market hall and refreshed City Square public realm won the Development Project of the Year (over £5 Million) category.
We also won the Employer of the Year category in recognition of our positive and inclusive workplace culture, in the awards event hosted by Lincolnshire Chamber of Commerce.
Lindum Co-chairman Freddie Chambers said: “The recognition for our Lincoln Cornhill Market work demonstrates our commitment to working in partnership with clients on all our projects to deliver successful outcomes in terms of quality, craftsmanship and value for money.
“As an employee-owned company of more than 600 people, we try to look after our staff, who go the extra mile for clients and their colleagues day-in, day-out.
“We believe in apprenticeships and training, to support our colleagues and for Lindum to be an enjoyable and rewarding place to work. After all, our employees are at the heart of our business success, and it is thanks to them that we have won these awards!”
NFU urges Government to take strong stand to protect biosecurity
He says the latest foot and mouth outbreak in Germany provides a stark reminder of the importance of upholding biosecurity standards as an important part of national security. He said: “And while the government is investing in its border controls, reports of an upsurge of illegal meats being seized at customs demonstrates the need for a stronger deterrent to match the scale of the threat.”
The NFU believes import controls have a vital role to play in upholding our nation’s biosecurity, food safety and international reputation. “Domestic producers, whether farmers, food companies or retailers, face a myriad of regulations and laws within the UK that ensure the food we eat is safe, consumers are not misled, and our environment, farmed animals and wildlife are protected.
“British farmers must feel confidant that border checks and controls safeguard the nation’s food. The implications go beyond the direct threat to domestic livestock and farm businesses, impacting whole sectors that can find their ability to trade and export restricted. The UK exports over £9 billion worth of animal and plant products each year which rely on the UK’s reputation for high biological security.”
The NFU would like to see the Border Force, working in partnership with our Port Health Authorities, to be given adequate resources to effectively stamp out illegal sanitary and phytosanitary activities.
Alongside this, the government is creating a new UK Border Security Commander, whose responsibility will be to minimise threats to the security of the UK’s borders. Its focus is tackling organised immigration crime, but the NFU believes that threats to our food supply and biosecurity must also be prioritised.
The farmers’ union says consequences for those undertaking illegal activity must be sufficiently severe as to act as a disincentive. It says more needs to be done including:
- Routine recording of passport details of drivers sent from the Border to a BCP would encourage attendance.
- Sufficient sniffer dogs to identify vehicles transporting meat and meat products prior to boarding and during crossings.
- Vehicle X-ray machines (to identify consignments of meat (including bones) strategically placed within the curtilage of ports.
- Seizure and destruction of vehicles and other equipment used in the transport of illegal products.
- Effective and prominent communication (posters) at ports of entry and alerts provided during on-line travel booking systems.
Motorhome business takes new lease on Tritton Road site
New business Lincoln Motorhomes has taken a new lease on a long-established motorhome sales & servicing site in Lincoln in an off-market deal.
The company is already trading from the 2-acre site, with circa 5,000 sq ft of workshop & office accommodation on Tritton Road, with reports that business is ‘brisk’ at the beginning of the year.
Although Lincoln Motorhomes was just established in October last year, the Tritton Road site has an association with motorhomes sales & servicing for almost three decades.
Such longevity in the sector is a claim that Lincoln Motorhome’s founder and director, Iain Robertson is more than qualified to make. He has over 35 years’ experience in the sector and is widely acknowledged across Lincolnshire by those connected with the motorhome trade.
In refreshing the sales and servicing offer to a national client base Lincoln Motorhomes has inherited through the Tritton Road connection, Iain Robertson and his team of twelve employees are keen – in addition to the pre-owned motorhomes and caravans sales side – to emphasise the extent of their vehicle servicing offer. That being ‘a top to toe, inside & out’ service covering all mechanical, body work, cab and living accommodation needs of their customers’ motorhomes.
Will Wall, of Eddisons agency in Lincoln who acted on its client’s behalf in concluding the terms of the lease with Lincoln Motorhomes, said, “We’re glad to have played our part in securing the site’s long association with the motorhome sector.
“We have no doubt Iain and his team will bring new vigour and revive the profile of the much-prized Tritton Road site to new and established members of the motorhome community far and wide.”
Business start-ups rise by a third as insolvency-related activity falls across Yorkshire and Humber
There was a significant increase in the number of new start-ups as well as a sharp drop in insolvency-related activity across Yorkshire and the Humber and the UK in the first month of 2025, according to the latest research from the UK’s insolvency and restructuring trade body, R3.
The research, which is based on an analysis of data provided by Creditsafe, shows a 35% increase in new business start-ups in the region in January, with insolvency-related activity falling by 30% in the same month.
The increase in business start-ups in Yorkshire and the Humber, from 3,235 new businesses established in December, to 4,375 in January, comes after a 16% fall in the number of new start-ups at the end of last year. Insolvency-related activity, which includes liquidator and administrator appointments and creditors’ meetings, also fell, following a small rise, of 5%, in December.
Business start-up numbers increased significantly across every region of the UK in January: by 37% in the East Midlands and 36% in East Anglia. Northern Ireland saw the slowest rate of increase, at 14%, and was also the only region to see a hike in insolvency-related activity, which was up by 50% compared to December. Every other region experienced a decrease in insolvency-related activity, with the East Midlands seeing the largest drop at 43%.
Dave Broadbent, chair of R3 in Yorkshire and partner at Begbies Traynor in York and Teesside, said: “This is certainly welcome news and it’s encouraging to see some signs of growth amid the economic uncertainty that businesses continue to face, with rising prices, increased employment costs and the threat of tariffs adding to the shockwaves from the pandemic and Brexit that are still hitting the economy.
“Needless to say, many businesses are really struggling with all these challenges and the R3 data also shows that over 47,000 firms in Yorkshire and the Humber have invoices which have gone past their due date for payment, an increase on December’s figures.
“While this month’s Bank of England interest rate cut should help to give businesses some much needed breathing space and make borrowing cheaper for those firms with plans for growth, we always advise clients that it’s essential to monitor their financial position carefully and seek professional advice as soon as possible as in a fragile economy like this, things can rapidly take a turn for the worse.
“Help and support for businesses is out there and swift and decisive action is often what can save the day and help to turn a financially challenging situation around.”
Bridlington mental health care home sold
Specialist business property adviser, Christie & Co, has sold The Lombrand care home in Bridlington, Yorkshire.
The Lombrand is a residential care home registered for 21 service users in the category of mental health. It is located on Tennyson Avenue on the north side of Bridlington, a short walk from the town centre and to the North beach and cliff walks.
It was sold through Jonathan Wickens at Christie & Co on behalf of Richard and Elaine Flowers who, after 14 years running the home, can now look forward to a well-earned retirement.
The purchaser is Flying Angel Limited, which has provided residential care to male clients with mental health needs since 2016.
Sudesh Bhunjun, Director at Flying Angel Limited, said: “We are delighted to have acquired The Lombrand Ltd from Richard and Elaine Flowers and look forward to working with the staff, residents, and relatives. We endeavour to provide holistic support to our residents, making their stay at Lombrand enjoyable and meaningful.”
Jonathan Wickens, Director – Care at Christie & Co, said: “This sale highlights the continued demand for care homes across the region. We have a number of transactions due to complete in the first quarter of 2025, and there are still established operators looking to acquire similar homes across the region.”
The Lombrand was sold for an undisclosed price.
Mayor partners with colleges to upskill students into local jobs
A new partnership between West Yorkshire’s Mayor and seven Further Education colleges aims to upskill students into local jobs to support businesses and grow the economy.
Announcing the Further Education partnership, which has been signed by the West Yorkshire Consortium of Colleges and every college Principal in the region, Mayor Tracy Brabin pledged to “put more money in people’s pockets” by ensuring that college courses better reflect local job opportunities.
According to the agreement published today (10 February), every college across Bradford, Calderdale, Kirklees, Leeds and Wakefield will work to strengthen their relationships with local businesses to respond to their skills needs, including through the co-creation of courses to guarantee direct pathways into good jobs.
The agreement follows the publication of the multibillion-pound West Yorkshire Local Growth Plan, which promises joined up action on skills, housing and transport to build an eco-system that supports small and medium-sized firms to grow and succeed.
Through deeper devolution and partnership working with colleges, the Mayor aims to build a skills system that can support the region’s fastest-growing business sectors, including financial and professional services, advanced manufacturing and engineering, and health and life sciences.
Tracy Brabin, Mayor of West Yorkshire, said: “Here in West Yorkshire, we’re building a region of learning and creativity, with our seven excellent colleges equipping our residents with the skills they need to flourish.
“But to realise the enormous potential of our economy, we must revolutionise our approach to skills training, with a relentless focus on the jobs and the sectors of the future.
“By working in partnership with business, we’ll ensure that every college graduate has a clear pathway into employment, supporting them to put more money in their pockets and contribute to a stronger, brighter economy.”
Small firms call for £3k incentive to help them take on apprentices
Increasing the financial incentive for small businesses that employ an apprentice could help encourage more to do so, according to new data from the Federation of Small Businesses (FSB).
To mark this year’s National Apprenticeship Week in England, which starts today (Monday 10 February), the business group has released statistics that found almost half (47%) of small business employers say reintroducing a £3,000 incentive would encourage them to take on apprentices.
Of those small firms that currently employ an apprentice, almost three quarters (73%) say the financial incentive could mean taking on more in the future.
Currently, employers are given £1,000 when they hire an apprentice under 19 years old. FSB is calling on Government to use the summer’s Spending Review to update this to a £3,000 incentive for those hiring an apprentice under 25 years old, exclusively for SMEs.
FSB data also highlighted that 36% of small business employers who currently employ apprentices say reduced admin or paperwork would encourage them to take on more. FSB wants Government to introduce a standardised way of tracking both on and off the job training that apprentices do. This is currently done by apprenticeship providers, all of which have differing approaches, creating more work for employers.
Latest Government statistics show that although the number of apprenticeship starts has increased overall, lower-level apprenticeships, which are traditionally done by smaller firms have fallen. More needs to be done to encourage more small firms to take on entry-level apprentices.
FSB is calling on Government to set targets to increase the number of apprenticeship starts in small businesses across the parliament.
Tina McKenzie, FSB Policy Chair, said: “National Apprenticeship Week is a great opportunity to shine a light on all the fantastic small businesses out there that currently employ apprentices – nurturing their skills, while at the same time growing their business.
“Our members who employ apprentices often tell us how they help fill skills gaps in their team, and also bring in fresh new ideas.
“We’d love to see the starts numbers increasing and more small firms taking on apprentices, particularly at the entry-level. Our research shows what a difference bringing back the £3,000 incentive, which was briefly introduced during the pandemic, would make to the numbers. The Government has an opportunity to make a difference on this at the Spending Review in June.
“With so many struggling with the admin side of taking on an apprentice, it’s clear time and resources are in short supply for small businesses, most of which don’t have a separate HR team. Providing financial incentives would help to offset this.”
Leeds Sustainability Institute’s new test cells to advance building performance measures ahead of housing industry changes
The Leeds Sustainability Institute (LSI), part of Leeds Beckett University, is launching two new test cells to baseline the real-world thermal performance of UK homes and further advance its innovation in energy efficiency testing.
The launch of the two test cells at Citu’s Climate Innovation District in Leeds, is part of a wider project by LSI to gather real-world thermal performance data on British house types to allow the evaluation of the effectiveness of new build homes and innovative retrofit solutions.
This work comes at a critical time, with the Future Homes Standard (FHS) set to take effect in 2025. For the first time, developers will be required to test and verify the thermal performance of new homes after construction, ensuring they perform as designed.
These test cells will function as laboratories, enabling the development of more reliable methods for measuring building performance. By improving measurement techniques, housebuilders, landlords, and homebuyers can gain greater confidence that their properties perform as expected and meet modern energy efficiency standards.
Alongside the launch of these new facilities, the LSI has been conducting an extensive building performance testing program at the Net-Zero Research Village (NeRV) near Gateshead. Powered by Northern Gas Networks, NeRV serves as a cutting-edge testing ground for emerging retrofit net-zero technologies.
At NeRV, the LSI team is assessing nine different home types, each representing a typical British housing era—from 1910s terraces and 1930s semi-detached houses to 1950s bungalows, 1970s flats, and 1990s detached homes. Their research will establish baseline thermal performance metrics for each housing type, allowing the evaluation of the effectiveness of innovative retrofit solutions.
The LSI’s research will provide data to improve tools that will help the industry meet its ambitious new build and retrofit targets, and help the industry move away from relying exclusively on models to predict hypothetical improvements.
This is also critical as the UK government is accelerating efforts to retrofit existing homes to meet net-zero targets. To support this, new “pay-by-performance” mechanisms have been introduced in initiatives like the Energy Company Obligation 4 (ECO4) and the Great British Insulation Scheme (GBIS). These programs emphasize the need for accurate measurement tools that can verify real energy savings before and after retrofits.
Professor David Glew, Director of the Leeds Sustainability Institute at Leeds Beckett University, said: “We’re partnering with developer Citu to establish these two test cell sites in Leeds to help define a pathway for housebuilders to integrate measurements into their everyday construction processes and meet upcoming net zero regulations.
“The coming shift in focus within the building regulations towards measured data is a step change for the industry, and we are doing this research to improve and validate the tools industry needs to ensure they will comply with the requirements.
“It is essential for all parts of the construction industry, from housebuilders, landlords and energy companies to green tech and finance innovators, to know the real performance of their energy efficient products and homes.
“Without reliable tools and methods to test and baseline performance, we won’t have the certainty we need to support the net zero transition of our housing stock. The benefits of our research will be transformative, from ensuring that the sector meets its legal responsibilities to hitting energy saving targets and even helping new tech on its journey to adoption.”
Sam Whiteley, Production Manager at Citu, added: “Citu and the Climate Innovation District are driven by creating sustainable urban communities and exploring and incorporating homes built with sustainable materials and innovative technologies.
“So, working with LSI on these two new test cells helps to not only demonstrate our existing credentials but will allow us to continue innovate and drive performance standards in sustainable home building.
“We’re incredibly proud to be part of this wider programme as we all work towards a Net Zero future.”
David Lynch, Energy Transition Strategy Manager at NeRV, said: “The testing LSI have carried out at NeRV will give us granular insights into the baseline energy performance for each property type, ultimately helping us understand what impact low carbon retrofit technologies have had upon each dwelling.
“All of this takes us closer to delivering the data on domestic decarbonisation, and providing the evidence customers need to make informed decisions depending on the type of home they live in.
“With the UK needing to decarbonise 20,000 properties a week for the next 25 years, it’s absolutely essential to have those answers.”
More signs of labour market slack as hiring activity falls at sharper rate across the North of England
The jobs market in the North of England has remained under pressure, according to the latest KPMG and REC, UK Report on Jobs: North of England survey data.
Demand for workers weakened, as reflected by an accelerated drop in vacancies. As a result, hiring activity for both types of staff contracted, again at sharper and historically elevated rates. This triggered a cooldown in pay growth.
The KPMG and REC, UK Report on Jobs: North of England is compiled by S&P Global from responses to questionnaires sent to around 150 recruitment and employment consultancies in the North of England.
Decline in permanent hiring activity intensifies further
January survey data showed that permanent staff placements fell at a substantial and accelerated pace in the North of England. This marked the fifth decrease in the respective seasonally adjusted index in consecutive months, to its lowest since June 2020.
Surveyed recruiters linked the downturn to reduced vacancies, hiring hesitancy amid post-budget uncertainty and elevated staffing costs. Though all four monitored English regions posted substantial decreases in permanent staff appointments, the North led the downturn in January.
Recruiters in the North of England registered a third straight month-on-month decrease in their billings received from temporary employment in January. The decline reportedly reflected a lack of recruitment activity following the 2024 Autumn budget. Having re-accelerated in January, the rate of contraction in temp billings was steep across the region and in line with the UK trend.
January data pointed to a third consecutive monthly decrease in job openings for both types of staff across the North of England. The substantial decline in permanent vacancies seen across the region was the strongest for nearly four-and-a-half years. The rate of contraction was also the most pronounced across the four monitored English regions.
Temp vacancies fell at the quickest rate since June 2020 in the latest survey period and at a stronger rate compared to the UK average.
Softer increase in permanent staff supply in January
There was a further rise in permanent staff supply in the North of England in January, thereby stretching the trend of growth to just over one year. Though strong, the rate of expansion was the weakest seen over this period.
The increase reportedly reflected a challenging jobs market and a subsequent rise in redundancies. The local uplift in permanent staff availability was the joint-softest of the monitored regions, matching that seen in the South of England.
Recruitment agencies in the North of England signalled a further rise in availability of short-term staff in January, thus marking a near two-year run of expansion. The rate of growth in temporary staff supply was steep and the joint-strongest in just over four years (equal with October 2024).
Panellists linked the uptick to a hiring slowdown and a rise in redundancies. For back-to-back months, the North of England posted the fastest increase in temp staff availability seen regionally.
Below average starting salary inflation cools further in January
Salaries awarded to new permanent joiners across the North of England rose moderately in January, marking nearly four years of wage growth. The rate of increase was the weakest for three months and noticeably softer than the average seen since starting pay began rising in early 2021.
Where growth was reported, panellists mentioned a rise in placements for senior roles and increased pay offers to secure candidates. Moreover, the local rate of inflation was slightly faster than the UK average.
As has been the case on a monthly basis since the end of 2023, there was a further rise in hourly wages across the North of England in January. The local rate of temp pay inflation was only marginal and the softest seen across current run of growth, but nevertheless stronger than the UK average, in part due to a sharper drop in temp rates in the South of England.
Phil Murden, Leeds Office Senior Partner at KPMG UK, said: “The challenges within the job market show little sign of easing, with permanent staff placements in the North now slumping at the fastest pace since during the COVID-19 pandemic when hiring had all but stopped. We’re seeing a combination of declining vacancies and an increase in staff supply that’s making it a difficult climate for jobseekers.
“Hiring hesitancy has persisted into 2025 fuelled by firms keeping the impending employers National Insurance rate rise in mind as they approach the new tax year.
“There are small bright spots at the top end of the market, with some businesses continuing to invest in top talent for senior roles – a positive indication that businesses are more readily thinking about their longer-term strategies. Our recent KPE Barometer bears this out, with Yorkshire businesses looking to focus investment on delivering new products and services which will demand the skills and experience that senior top talent provides.”
Neil Carberry, REC Chief Executive, said: “Businesses entered the year uncertain on the growth path, and that has driven a ‘wait and see’ approach to hiring. Around the country, REC members report that clients have plans and are hopeful for the year ahead – but firms are slowing investment until they see more momentum in the economy.
“Salaries awarded to new permanent joiners across the North rose moderately in January and the local rate of temp pay inflation was only marginal. Last week’s move on interest rates was timely as a way of boosting confidence. The more central role of growth in Government thinking since the Chancellor’s speech last month will also help. But it takes time, and real action, to build business confidence.
“An autumn of fiscal gloom, difficulty navigating significant upcoming tax rises and little progress on the practicalities of a costly new approach to employment rights are all acting as brakes on progress. As well as the monetary stimulus to growth, it’s time for greater clarity on how the Government will use its industrial strategy to drive the growth of the whole economy.”
South Yorkshire firms encouraged to comment on planning systems
Businesses across South Yorkshire are being asked to share their experiences with the local planning systems to highlight what works well and where they believe there is room for improvement as part of a new poll conducted by South Yorkshire’s three Chambers of Commerce.
The survey seeks to create a baseline for how businesses currently experience the planning system, understand where there might be blockages, and identify areas for improvement.
Among other things, it asks respondents to outline how satisfied they have been with the outcomes of any planning applications they may have submitted in the past, the ease with which they have been able to engage with the Local Planning Authority (LPA) in question, and their awareness of the various support mechanisms that are available to help them at different stages of the process. The South Yorkshire Planning Survey is open from now until Monday the 10th of March.
Equipped with these insights, the South Yorkshire Chambers will then be able to advocate for positive changes in the planning system while also sharing the findings with those partners that are best placed to make a difference.
Encouraging businesses to complete the Planning Survey, the chief executives for chambers of commerce covering Doncaster, Sheffield and Barnsley & Rotherham issued a joint statement: “The planning system is, of course, instrumental when it comes to helping firms of all shapes and sizes unlock their true potential. When it is working as intended, it plays a significant role in spurring on growth, encouraging investment, and making sure that exciting projects are able to get off the ground in a timely manner.
“Conversely, we know — from anecdotal conversations with our members — that the planning system can also conspire to slow projects down with a negative impact on economic growth
“In such economically turbulent times, when every metric used to measure business confidence is already dropping dramatically and investment intentions are at a concerning low, it’s therefore important that our planning system meets the needs of our private and voluntary sectors and predisposed towards encouraging sustainable development.
“With that said, we’d like to urge businesses to please spare just 10 minutes to complete our Planning Survey, so that we can get under the bonnet of this important issue. The information gleaned here will be invaluable, and as always with any our insight gathering activities, every last response counts.”
The Planning Survey has been sponsored by Clear Insurance Management and the South Yorkshire Mayoral Combined Authority.
Co-Chair of the South Yorkshire Mayor’s Business Advisory Board, Tariq Shah, added: “A well-functioning planning system is fundamental to unlocking investment, driving regeneration, and ensuring sustainable growth across South Yorkshire. The insights gathered from this survey will provide invaluable evidence to help the Business Advisory Board understand the challenges businesses face and identify where improvements are needed.
“By working closely with our partners, we can advocate for a system that is more efficient, transparent, and supportive of the region’s economic ambitions. I strongly encourage businesses to take part—your feedback will directly inform the changes needed to create a more business-friendly planning environment.”
AI ‘lifeguard’ earns prize for Bradford student
A man studying for an Executive MBA at the University of Bradford for his work in developing Deep Blue, which uses an artificial intelligence algorithm to track dozens of swimmers using existing camera networks and highlight potential drownings.
Karl Bay, 44, has won the prestigious Start-Up of the Year Award 2025 in the AMBA & BGA Excellence Awards 2025.
He said: “Winning this award is recognition for the vision we had for this product and the hard work we have put in. This is a prime example of how AI can enhance our lives. It is not being used to replace humans but to augment their capabilities.”
Deep Blue is able to track dozens of swimmers at any one time and has been ‘trained’ to spot potential drowning events or swimmers who get into difficulty – if it does detect something untoward, it alerts lifeguards.
Karl, who was born in Lebanon and has made a career out of developing start-ups, explained: “We will always need lifeguards at swimming pools and beaches. This system is not meant to replace them but to help them. Obviously, there is a limit to the number of people any person can keep track of, on top of which there are other variables such as attention spans and environmental factors.
“Developing a system that is able to track swimmers who are in the sea is extremely complex, because you have to take account of all kinds of variables, such as swimmers disappearing behind waves, or going under the water for a period of time, and so on, but we have developed a mathematical model that works.
“Deep Blue is able to watch all of the swimmers all of the time and send alerts to wristwatches worn by lifeguards whenever it spots something unusual. We have also trained those lifeguards taking part in the trials to be able to read the computer screens so they can identify the problem and act accordingly.”
Karl, who is also the COO of another tech start-up, said he and his two business partners beat two other companies to clinch the Dubai government trials.
The father-of-two said he chose the Executive MBA for its subject content and the ability to forge new contacts.
“I chose Bradford’s Executive MBA because of the subjects on offer. I already run my own companies but I have still learned new skills and my cohort is packed full of people at the top of their game who bring with them unique insights, so from a networking perspective, it has been very useful.”
Interim Dean of the School of Management Professor Saeed Akbar accepted the award on Karl’s behalf, and said: “This is a tremendous achievement for Karl and we’re pleased he has found our Executive MBA to be so beneficial. Karl is a shining example to our students. We’re also pleased to be associated with the Association of MBAs and Business Graduates Association (AMBA & BGA) Awards. Our School of Management is one of the top 1% in the world to hold triple-accreditation, including from AMBA.”
