Sheffield takes a new stance on outdoor advertising restrictions

Stuart Pearcey
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Sheffield takes a new stance on outdoor advertising restrictions
Sheffield City Council is to introduce a new advertising and sponsorship policy going beyond national legislation to control the way in which a number of products are promoted – even if it means turning down income opportunities. From April 1st its new policy will include restrictions on advertising products covering high fat, salt & sugar (HFSS) food and drinks; alcohol; gambling; vaping; and high carbon/fossil fuels. The policy – developed over a two-year period – will be formally adopted with effect from 1 April 2024 and a two-year review period has been set to allow for assessment of developments both within Sheffield itself as well as nationally. Many of the products and services that the Council has voluntarily restricted are often targeted at the most vulnerable groups in society, who are generally more at risk from harmful adverts. By removing harmful adverts from around the city, the Council hopes to have more space for those products and campaigns that bring benefits to both our health and the environment. Terms have been included that will enable the Council to successfully negotiate commercial third-party agreements in relation to major events and long-term leases, and to support local businesses in promoting products and services. This balanced approach allows a progressive attitude to improving lives while embracing opportunities for the city to attract the best and most commercially viable prospects. Greg Fell, Director of Public Health at Sheffield City Council, said: “Health is often framed as a personal thing – if only we took more personal responsibility. But we know what’s upstream of that. We know corporations spend huge sums of money to shape how we spend our money. That matters, because that has health consequences. It sets norms. “There’s a really high level of public support against adverts that are causing public harm, especially to our kids. That is happening in Sheffield, right now. “It’s a really important step in the right direction that the council has taken.” Consideration has been given to how policy restrictions will result in saying no to some income opportunities, but a supporting marketing plan will actively promote opportunities to reach acceptable businesses and support will be available to help brands create acceptable adverts under the new policy terms. Where existing contracts are in place, adopting the policy restrictions would be encouraged but not enforced. All new contacts would be agreed under the terms of the Advertising and Sponsorship Policy.

Managing Director hire and new Leeds office for honey

Tess Egginton
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Managing Director hire and new Leeds office for honey
Housebuilder honey has revealed the opening of a 5,000 sq ft office in Leeds this June and the immediate hire of a Managing Director to deliver its expansion plans in Yorkshire and the Midlands. honey has recruited former Avant Homes Central Managing Director, Chris Coley, to lead two newly created operating regions, honey Yorkshire and honey Central. The honey Yorkshire team will be based in the new Leeds office which has been taken on a seven-year lease and is located on the Thorpe Park Leeds development just off junction 46 of the M1. Prior to joining the business, Chris worked at Avant Homes for almost 19 years where he was a colleague of honey founder and former Avant Homes Chief Executive Officer, Mark Mitchell. Since being launched in October 2022, honey has secured 14 sites across Yorkshire and the Midlands that will deliver 1,781 homes and a combined gross development value of £530m. The average selling price of a honey home is £300,000. The company is backed by private equity firm Alchemy Partners and its Alchemy Special Opportunities Fund IV which has £937m of fully committed capital. Chris Coley said: “honey is a business with a clear purpose and a huge amount of ambition so it’s exciting to be able to lead the company’s expansion throughout Yorkshire and the Midlands. “I’ve been tasked with maintaining honey’s momentum as we simultaneously build and sell our homes whilst finding and securing further residential development opportunities.” honey currently employs 52 people across both office and site-based roles and, once the Leeds office opens, will have capacity for 84 office-based people. Chief Executive, Mark Mitchell, said: “Chris joins us at a time when we want to accelerate our growth plans and, along with our senior management team, he has overall responsibility for their delivery. “Now we have two operating regions, and will soon have offices in both Leeds and Sheffield, we have the platform required to deliver ongoing sustainable profitable growth.”

Mayor steps in to fund health and social care training, in stark warning to Government to fix NHS recruitment crisis

Tess Egginton
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Mayor steps in to fund health and social care training, in stark warning to Government to fix NHS recruitment crisis
Local NHS services in West Yorkshire are benefitting from new investment to train and upskill people for jobs in the health and social care sector. In an unprecedented move for the region, West Yorkshire Mayor Tracy Brabin is funding training for frontline NHS workers. The £1.3 million investment will fund a variety of courses aimed at introducing people to health and social care roles, with clear pathways for progression into secure jobs in hospitals, hospices, and other healthcare settings. This will also help upskill people already working in the healthcare sector, such as nurses who want to progress from hospitals to GP or “general practice” settings, as well as more general “advanced skills” courses, to help people secure better-paid roles in the region. The Mayor has issued a warning to the government that this funding is a “sticking plaster over the gaping wound” of the NHS recruitment and retention crisis, and Ministers must provide sustainable funding for the NHS to train the number of frontline staff it needs to support patients. Tracy Brabin, Mayor of West Yorkshire, said: “Our NHS is in crisis, but here in West Yorkshire, our devolved powers over skills training are allowing us to step in to support our stressed and strained frontline services. “The Government must put forward a real plan to save our economy, rescue our public services, and fix the NHS’s recruitment and retention crisis for good. “This means proper funding for health and social care across the country, but also a single funding settlement for our region, so that we can harness that greater flexibility to support more jobs and build a stronger, brighter West Yorkshire.” The West Yorkshire Combined Authority predicts that over 1,000 new workers will be recruited as a result of the over £1 million investment in skills training for healthcare roles. The funding has been allocated by regional leaders from the so-called “Gainshare” – the discretionary £38 million per year fund devolved to West Yorkshire as part of its devolution deal. This flexible approach to funding has brought decision-making closer to where people live, with this new investment in healthcare training a direct response to local labour market data, which shows that there were more than 3,300 job postings for health and social care roles in February 2024 alone. Data also shows that the NHS staffing crisis is felt more severely in Yorkshire and the Humber than elsewhere in the country, with 9.2% of NHS roles vacant in the year 2022-2023, compared to the average rate of 3.4% across the UK. Cllr Cathy Scott, Leader of Kirklees Council and Chair of the West Yorkshire Combined Authority Employment and Skills Committee, said: “Everyone should have the chance to get the skills they need to succeed, no matter their background or circumstances. “So I’m pleased we’re able to support people into good, well-paid jobs through this investment. “And having the qualified people to take on these vitally important healthcare roles is making a difference throughout our communities, as we work to create a West Yorkshire that works for all.”

Sheffield business community urged to apply for senior public sector roles

Stuart Pearcey
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Sheffield business community urged to apply for senior public sector roles
More than 200 business professionals in Sheffield signed up for an event hosted by the Cabinet Office and Sheffield City Council to learn about applying for senior public sector roles in a bid to increase regional representation on UK public boards. Baroness Neville-Rolfe, Minister of State at the Cabinet Office, said: “Public appointees get the chance to improve vital public services, get more involved with their communities, work with a wide range of talented people and make a difference to society. They are extremely rewarding roles and can help accelerate people’s careers.

“The skills and expertise here in Sheffield can be of huge value to the public sector, so I strongly encourage professionals in the area to consider applying for a position.”

The Government makes more than 1,000 public appointments a year across a range of sectors, with new roles going live every week, to support institutions like the NHS, the Met Office and the BBC. Current roles on offer include: Non-Executive Board Member of HM Land Registry; Independent Chief Inspector of Borders and Immigration; and Member of the Engineering Biology Steering Group.

Businesses warned to check regularly to keep premises free from Legionella

Stuart Pearcey
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Businesses warned to check regularly to keep premises free from Legionella
Businesses are being warned about the need of regular Legionella testing in order to maintain a healthy workplace to avoid employees becoming one of up to 6,000 people who suffer from the disease every year, and which can kill about 10% of its victims.

Legionella is the waterborne bacteria leading to Legionnaires’ disease, a form of pneumonia. While the disease can affect people of all ages, Legionnaires’ is especially fatal to people who are elderly, ill or have a compromised immune system.

The bacteria can be found within water tanks, plumbing systems, cooling towers and air conditioning units, and thrives in temperatures between 20-45°C or stagnant water systems.

Karl Bantleman of Legionella Risk Assessment experts Direct365 said:“The severity of Legionnaires’ Disease cannot be stressed enough. While the disease is less common than others in the UK,  the significant impact it can have on the health of individuals cannot be missed.

“Routine assessment for Legionella is therefore not just a statutory obligation, but an ethical necessity for all businesses. A comprehensive risk assessment aids in identifying conditions that facilitate Legionella bacteria growth and mitigating them immediately. This therefore ensures the safety of a company’s most valuable assets – its employees.

“Investing in regular comprehensive assessments is a fundamental step towards preserving staff well-being, mitigating risk, demonstrating corporate responsibility, and effectively safeguarding your business against potentially devastating legal and reputational ramifications.”

People catch Legionnaires’ Disease at work by inhaling the bacteria in droplets of water in the air. It should be noted however that the disease is not contagious and cannot spread directly from person to person. However, while people with weakened immune systems are at more risk, anyone can catch the disease.

Testing for Legionella in a business involves several steps which will need to be carried out by a  professional service due to the complexity of the process and regulations involved. Testing involves:

  1. Risk Assessment: The first step is to carry out a Legionella risk assessment. This involves looking at areas where there’s a risk of Legionella bacteria proliferating, such as hot and cold water systems, air conditioning systems, and cooling towers.

  1. Sampling: Once potential risk areas have been identified, water samples are taken. It’s usually suggested to take samples early in the morning when usage is low and Legionella bacteria are likely to be present at higher levels.

  1. Testing: The samples are then sent to a laboratory where they’re tested using techniques like culture analysis and PCR (polymerase chain reaction) which is a DNA method that detects both live and dead Legionella bacteria, usually giving results within hours.

  1. Reporting: A report will be compiled outlining the testing details, results, and a tailored action plan for your business to ensure that your business is compliant to the L8 Approved Code of Practice.

Council explores possibility of creating high-end hotel in Scarborough

Stuart Pearcey
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Council explores possibility of creating high-end hotel in Scarborough

North Yorkshire Council are exploring the potential of creating a four star hotel on the site of the former indoor swimming pool at Ryndle Crescent in Scarborough’s North Bay.

The council is looking to engage with the hospitality market to understand the best way to bring forward this proposal, which it expects will involve a partnership between the Council and a developer and potentially a hotel operator.

The Council says the need for more high-quality accommodation within Scarborough is supported by the Visitor Economy Strategy 2021-2035 which identified it as essential for the town to provide an even greater range of good value and high-quality accommodation in order to attract more staying visitors, extend the tourism season and continue recovery and growth of the tourism economy.

Importantly hotel development on this site will act to support those developments proposed within the wider North Bay area including the Open Air Theatre.

Deputy leader Cllr Gareth Dadd, said: “The provision of a high-quality hotel is intrinsic to realising the overall objectives to develop the North Bay and remains a key strategic focus for the future growth and prosperity of the town. It would bring in jobs, increased overnight stays and therefore increased spend in the town contributing to the wider economy, community, and social benefit of the county.”

 

125-year lease signed for Doncaster Airport

Stuart Pearcey
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125-year lease signed for Doncaster Airport
A 125-year lease to take over the former Doncaster Sheffield Airport has been signed, Doncaster Mayor Ros Jones has announced. She said the lease agreement is the first stage in the process to reopen the airport, and the next stage would be the appointment of an airport operator to manage the operational airport. “This is a significant day in our ambition to reopen the airport as the lease has been signed. I was determined to find a way to secure the future of aviation in Doncaster and this agreement helps us along the way to reopening our airport and seeing planes taking off once again. “I am optimistic that I can announce a partnership later in the spring. I would like to personally thank Doncaster Council officers who have worked tirelessly with great dedication, insight, determination and skill to get us to where we are today. This has been no mean feat. Let’s look forward to the future with an airport that will help boost the economic and growth fortunes of our city, South Yorkshire and the north. “I would also like to thank my fellow South Yorkshire Leaders for backing the efforts of me and this council to save and reopen our airport. This airport is for the whole of South Yorkshire.” The lease signing forms part of the South Yorkshire Airport City programme which City of Doncaster Council put in place dedicated to working towards reopening the airport. The programme covers all the technical, legal, procurement and financial work necessary to progress securing the site and preparing essential requirements ahead of a partnership with an operator. The programme is not the name of the airport which is yet to be determined.

Bank of England holds interest rates at 5.25%

Tess Egginton
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Bank of England holds interest rates at 5.25%
The Bank of England has held interest rates for the fifth time, at 5.25%. The Bank of England’s Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) sets monetary policy to meet a 2% inflation target, which is expected to be achieved temporarily in Q2 of 2024. At its meeting ending on 20 March 2024, the MPC voted by a majority of 8–1 to maintain Bank Rate at 5.25%. One member preferred to reduce Bank Rate by 0.25 percentage points, to 5%.

Anna Leach, CBI Deputy Chief Economist, said: “The Bank of England has as expected chosen to keep interest rates on hold for the fifth occasion, following February’s inflation number which came in at its lowest since 2021.

“Nonetheless, services inflation, though falling in line with expectations, remains relatively high at 6.1%. And wage inflation, while likewise having fallen back is still running too hot to sustainably deliver 2% inflation, with risks that the forthcoming rise in the national living wage may yet spur renewed wage pressures.

“The CBI’s own surveys have shown the downward trend in price expectations stall across much of the private sector recently, amidst a renewed uptick in cost pressures. And the ongoing conflicts in the Middle East and Ukraine present further risks to the inflation outlook.

“Unsurprisingly therefore the Bank has reiterated that they’re looking for further evidence of sustained declines in domestic inflationary measures in particular in the coming months before they’ll consider dropping rates, with markets expecting the first downward move to come in June.”

Dudleys adds two to staff at Leeds office

Stuart Pearcey
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Dudleys adds two to staff at Leeds office
Structural and civil engineering consultancy Dudleys has recruited two new professionals to its team in Leeds. David Cardani has joined Dudleys as Principal Engineer.  With more than 34 years’ industry experience, he is a highly skilled engineer and will provide senior support to clients across the board in all sectors. Frances Wallbank has also joined Dudleys as Graduate Engineer. Having graduated last year with a First-Class Honours Degree in BSc Civil Engineering, Frances took on a five-year apprenticeship before joining Dudleys where she will shadow the senior team on projects spanning residential, commercial and care sectors. Dudleys MD Andy Walker said: “Our people are fundamental to the success of the business as demonstrated in very positive trading where we are currently operating 10 per cent ahead of targets. “Our appointment to support Leeds Bradford Airport with its £100 million upgrade plan has significantly boosted performance, as well as multiple instructions with Voyage Care, and Torsion Care. We also retain ongoing instructions with Leeds United, Bettys & Taylors of Harrogate and Keighly & Worth Valley Railway.” “Across the Pennines, we are pleased to be relocating our North-West office from Prestwich to King Street in Manchester city centre.  This super prime location will not only help us to attract the best talent in the region but also places us in the heart of the commercial property business community.” Dudleys provides structural and civil engineering advice across the UK. Established more than 15 years ago, the privately owned consultancy employs a team of 26 highly skilled engineers, operating in all key real estate sectors including residential, industrial, commercial, retail and education.

Huddersfield development company purchases land at West Yorkshire farm

Tess Egginton
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Huddersfield development company purchases land at West Yorkshire farm
Huddersfield development company, John Radcliffe & Sons has purchased land at Yew Tree Farm in Farnley Tyas, West Yorkshire. Radcliffe Developments Farnley has already developed 31 houses in Farnley Tyas on two other farms. The latest farm is 1.5 acres of derelict agricultural buildings, some of which are listed. The development comprises nine individually designed houses and eight refurbished cottages. It contains four Grade II* listed buildings, which are to be sensitively retained and converted. The remaining derelict farm buildings are to be demolished to clear space for nine new homes. John Radcliffe said: “We are delighted to have approval for our latest proposals for Yew Tree Farm. We have worked closely with Kirklees planners to produce a quality scheme in a Conservation Area that appreciates the important historic interest of Farnley Tyas and the character of this special village. We hope to be on site in the Spring, with the first houses available for occupation next summer. “Our development will regenerate Yew Tree Farm by demolishing those agricultural buildings that are no longer fit for purpose, retaining the listed buildings on site for sympathetic conversion, and providing high-quality new homes with appropriate landscaping to create a harmonious scheme within the heart of Farnley Tyas. “We are looking forward to working with our buyers to create their new homes. Our agent, Paul Keighley at Bramleys in Huddersfield, has already had many enquiries, and our marketing is about to start in earnest.” Regional law firm Andrew Jackson Solicitors LLP advised John Radcliffe & Sons on the land purchase. Chris Waterhouse, real estate & property partner at Andrew Jackson Solicitors, added: “Having worked with John and his team for over 30 years, I wish them every success with Yew Tree Farm. They are an impressive team and have shown their commitment to providing a development that will become an integral part of village life for the future.”
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