NHS hopes to have diagnostic centre in Hull, with Vinci Building creating it

Stuart Pearcey
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NHS hopes to have diagnostic centre in Hull, with Vinci Building creating it
NHS patients could soon be able to access a wide range of healthcare in the centre of Hull if a proposed £18m Community Diagnostic Centre, earmarked for Albion Square, is approved by Cabinet on Monday 18 December. The NHS has secured £16m in funding from the Department of Health and Social Care to develop a CDC in Hull, £12m of which will go towards construction of the facility, with the remaining amount allocated for clinical equipment such as MRI scanners and x-ray machines. If proposals are approved by Cabinet, the council will contribute £2m of funding from the existing Albion Square capital budget to support construction costs. The work should be done by by VINCI Building, the council’s development partner for Albion Square, whilst architects for the project would be FaulknerBrowns Architects. A planning application will be submitted in support of the plans, with Hull City Council and the NHS currently collaborating and progressing designs. Should Cabinet approval be given, it is hoped that construction will begin on site in 2024, with the facility to open in 2025. The CDC would be accessible for patients, with bus services directly serving the location and the Paragon Interchange just a short walk away, meaning the CDC could accommodate patients from outside of Hull and the East Riding. Cllr Linda Chambers, the council’s portfolio holder for public health, said: “This is an exciting project and one that would bring health, economy and practical benefits. Residents often tell us that they want to see a health service that is easily accessible to them. “Albion Square is a significant development in the city centre and its pleasing to know that such plans are being put in place to accommodate this.” Erica Daley, NHS Humber and North Yorkshire Integrated Care Board Place Director for Hull, said: “NHS Humber and North Yorkshire ICB is delighted to be working with Hull City Council, Hull University Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust and other partners on this exciting project in the heart of Hull city centre. “Subject to the necessary planning approvals, the Albion Square Community Diagnostic Centre will mark a revolution in the way patients from Hull and East Riding will be able to access tests, checks and scans and will speed up the detection of many serious illnesses, meaning patients can start treatment and recovery sooner. “The aim of the CDC is to identify any health problems early and improve outcomes for patients with conditions including cancer, stroke, heart disease and respiratory conditions, as well as reduce waiting times and pressures on acute hospital sites.” “Together with other Community Diagnostic Schemes across Humber and North Yorkshire, this represents an £80 million capital investment and – once fully up and running – will mean there’s extra capacity for around 900,000 additional diagnostic procedures a year.”

HMRC cracks down on till fraud at restaurants and takeaways

Stuart Pearcey
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HMRC cracks down on till fraud at restaurants and takeaways
Takeaways and restaurants across the country have been subject to unannounced visits as part of a crackdown on electronic till fraud after the launch of criminal investigations by HMRC’s Fraud Investigation Service.
A small minority of takeaways and restaurants in the UK are using Electronic Sales Suppression tools, involving software or devices that alter electronic point-of-sale records, thus underreporting a business’s sales and consequently evading tax.
Those involved are being urged to contact HMRC now before their wrongdoing is detected. The longer a business delays in disclosing information, the higher the financial penalties will likely be. Since May 2023 the department has received more than 50 voluntary disclosures from businesses about their undeclared sales.
Marc Gill, HMRC’s Director of Individuals & Small Business Compliance, said: “ESS tools give businesses the appearance of trading legitimately, but in reality they are stealing tax that should be helping fund our vital public services.
“We have sophisticated ways of detecting this type of fraud and anyone using, supplying, making or promoting ESS can face fines of up to £50,000 or criminal prosecution.
“We urge those involved to come forward and use our disclosure facility on gov.uk rather than wait for us to contact you – it could lead to a reduction in financial penalties.”
ESS tools are usually hardware or cloud-based software that allow businesses to understate their income in various ways. Sales are put through the till as normal, but the system allows records to be manipulated – sometimes by deleting sales and linking to either domestic or offshore payment platforms.nline food ordering platforms, to check against what has been declared.
As well as a voluntary disclosure form, HMRC also encourages anyone with information regarding ESS or any form of tax fraud to contact them online.  
 

Forgemasters clears audit hurdle ahead of expansion in nuclear industry

Stuart Pearcey
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Forgemasters clears audit hurdle ahead of expansion in nuclear industry
Sheffield Forgemasters is poised to expand into nuclear fabrication after passing a highly-testing audit to regain coveted ASME status as a key supplier of heavy forgings and castings to the civil nuclear power market. The company is on track to receive its nuclear qualification after an audit by the American Society of Mechanical Engineers recommended it for Material Organisation and welding  accreditations. ASME NPT (Nuclear Partials) is an advanced accreditation, enabling the business to become the only UK producer of heavy forgings and castings able to physically weld-fabricate such safety critical components for the heart of a nuclear power plant. Ian Nicholls, group technical director, said: “The accreditation is a huge development with enhanced requirements and disciplines embracing all our processes, employees and selected sub-suppliers.” Sheffield Forgemasters will be able to supply castings and forgings for civil nuclear applications, and will be able to carry out weld construction activities on these materials through ASME NPT Certification. The ASME CNC committee will need to approve the audit’s findings before the certificate is granted. Ian added: “ASME accreditation opens up significant possibilities for the UK’s nuclear new-build programme and taps into a growing need for nuclear power to solve the world’s energy crisis.” “The ASME code is the most comprehensive series of guidelines for civil nuclear manufacture in the world with an emphasis on doctrines that resonate with the European Nuclear manufacturing code, RCC-M, and other submarine nuclear standards. “Code compliance is a significant undertaking for any company wishing to enter the UK civil nuclear supply chain, requiring comprehensive understanding to avoid code violation. Businesses will need to understand how to engage with this process, and currently, very few UK companies do.” Sheffield Forgemasters first gained ASME accreditation as a Nuclear Materials Organisation in 1992, and will now continue its work to develop manufacturing technologies for the next generation of SMR civil nuclear power plants.

East Riding and Hull urged not to fall behind in embracing devolution

Stuart Pearcey
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East Riding and Hull urged not to fall behind in embracing devolution
East Yorkshire and Hull have been urged not to “fall behind” regions that have already embraced devolution. The call comes from Tees Valley Mayor Ben Houchen, who has told East Riding councillors about how the East Riding and Hull could make a success of devolution, based on his experiences leading the Tees Valley Combined Authority. East Riding of Yorkshire Council and Hull City Council have agreed a proposed deal with the Government that would lead to the creation of a Hull and East Yorkshire Mayoral Combined Authority, led by a directly elected mayor, who could be in post by spring/summer 2025. It will be put to East Riding councillors on December 21st. The MCA would have devolved powers to invest in areas such as transport, skills and housing, as well an additional £400m of devolved funding over the next 30 years to drive growth and deliver local priorities. Mr Houchen said it was a “travesty” that one of the UK’s “most successful and important regions” was currently “not at the table” when it comes to securing large investment. He said the absence of a devolved combined authority had led to missed opportunities in the East Riding and Hull, with businesses to choosing to invest in devolved areas such as Teesside over the Humber region. “The longer areas like Teesside and the North West continue to steal a march, the longer areas like the East Riding and Hull will fall behind,” he said. Mr Houchen pointed to Humber Freeport as an example of a huge opportunity for the region, but stressed the importance of having a mayor if the region is to take full advantage of it. “It’s absolutely vital you get it right,” he said, “but you will never succeed to the extent that you should until you get a devolved mayor who can really supercharge all the technical policy bits.” Speaking from experience, Mr Houchen said elected mayors could “really bang on doors in Whitehall”, where they “have a standing that is completely different to any sort of backbench MP or local councillor”. On the extra investment that devolution can bring, he emphasised that, while the initial devolution deal is important, it is just the start of a journey, as devolution would open up new funding streams, powers, and opportunities that are currently not available to the region. The Tees Valley Combined Authority has so far secured more than £1.6 billion on top of the funding agreed as part of Tees Valley’s original devolution deal in 2017, bringing the total to more than £2 billion, said Mr Houchen. “People get fixated on how much money we getting out of government on day one,” he said. “Is it going to be £400 million, £500 million, £550 million? You know, it’s all great, right? And I’m sure you’re all going to push to get as much money for your local area as you can, and rightly so. “But don’t let it get in the way of the deal, because once you have a mayoral deal, once you have a combined authority, there are funding streams, there are powers, there are opportunities that open up to you that just aren’t available today. “And so I think you will be sat here in five or six years’ time, as we are, saying, actually, whatever financial deal we agreed in 2023-2024, that’s grown to many, many hundreds, if not billions of pounds more than you started out with.”

Company boss invests £1.5m in a new workspace, believing in an end to ‘work from home’

Stuart Pearcey
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Company boss invests £1.5m in a new workspace, believing in an end to ‘work from home’
Wayne Spriggs, Founder and CEO of Lusso, believes working from home as a not productive option for his business, and has invested over £1.5 million to have Leeds-based Building Interiors provide a workplace for his team. His sentiment is reflected in the most recent KPMG CEO Outlook Survey which revealed two thirds of bosses believe workers will return to the office, five days a week, in the next three years. The survey reports 87% of global leaders believe that reward could be linked to incentivising a return to the office with many saying that bringing teams together increases creativity and collaboration as well as fostering a corporate culture. After committing to buy a new 12,000 sq ft headquarters building in Teesside during lockdown, Lusso worked alongside office design and fitout specialist, Building Interiors to create a space more akin to a luxury apartment to achieve 100% workplace engagement from the team. Mr Spriggs said: “Lockdown was a necessity, but it has created a mindset that working from home is productive and better for individual wellbeing.  I don’t believe that – delivering a luxury product requires outstanding service and it is critical that our customer service team can physically interact with our salesforce, on the ‘shop floor’ every day.  We saw a dramatic impact during lockdown, not just in customer service delivery but also in our team engagement and their sense of reward. “We decided to buy Lusso House because it was highly accessible, just off the A66, with plenty of room for expansion. We enlisted the expert help of Building Interiors to deliver an exceptional place that our team wanted to work in and from which we could attract strong talent moving forward.” Building Interiors totally redesigned the typically bland 12,000 sq ft office building, transforming three floors into modern and agile workspaces that reflected the high-end nature of the Lusso brand but also provide a fun and motivating environment to work in. It delivered the full turnkey solution including, space design and planning, M&E installation, bespoke joinery and specification of finishes and furniture. The design supports health and wellbeing with the entire ground floor dedicated to recreation with a 24-hour access gym, pool table, arcade games, bar and social spaces. Unique design elements include feature walls, zoned carpeting, feature lighting and areas dedicated to neurodiverse needs. Jeremy Poole, Sales Director at Building Interiors, said: “Our brief was to create an engaging workplace where 100% of the team wanted to be. Quite a tall order given that home working has become so popular. The entire team could easily occupy half of one floor in Lusso House, but Wayne was insistent on providing a plenty of breakout spaces for relaxation, fun and engagement. “We continue to work with Lusso, updating spaces as the business evolves, and we value this project as a flagship for how 100% return to work can be achieved successfully.” The investment for Lusso has already paid dividends since the team has expanded three-fold in the last two years and the business continues to grow at a rapid pace with Middle East expansion next on the horizon. Wayne added: “A business like ours depends on dynamic and motivated teamwork but how can you create that with a fragmented, disengaged team? Whilst I appreciate the prospect of losing strong talent opportunities, the impact of working from home has proved far more negative on the business as a whole.  We are immensely proud that every one of our team has embraced the new office with huge enthusiasm.” Lusso offers single branded collections of luxury furniture, homewares, fixtures, and fittings for residential and commercial settings. Established in 2014 it has grown exponentially to become a £50m turnover business and features in the Sunday Times Fast Track 100.    

Polluter will always pay, says Government as it introduces unlimited fines

Stuart Pearcey
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Polluter will always pay, says Government as it introduces unlimited fines
Companies who pollute the environment can be hit with unlimited financial penalties from the Environment Agency from today. The previous £250,000 cap on Variable Monetary Penalties (VMPs) has now been scrapped and the range of offences they cover has been expanded, meaning the Environment Agency has more tools with which to hold the water industry, and others, to account. The range of offences that can be punished with a VMP now include:
  • Breach of permit conditions from sites that discharge into rivers and seas – for example from sewage treatment works and permitted storm overflows;
  • Illegal discharges to water where there is no permit, such as in the event of agricultural pollution from slurry stores;
  • Illegal waste offences, such as from illegal scrapyards or unpermitted waste management facilities;
  • Permit breaches from manufacturing industries and power stations which contribute to air pollution.
The new unlimited penalties – a measure in the UK Government’s Plan for Water – form part of work to ensure there is more investment, stronger regulation and tougher enforcement across the water system. The changes, which follow a consultation in Spring 2023, affect all firms that have environmental permits, including water and waste companies as well as the agricultural sector and process industries. Penalties issued will be proportionate to the size of the company and the nature of the offence, in line with Sentencing Council guidelines. Environment Agency Executive Director John Leyland said:”These new powers will allow us to deliver more penalties and help us to continue to hold polluters, including water companies, to account.

“The threat of uncapped financial penalties should boost compliance with environmental laws – helping us provide stronger protection to the environment, communities and nature.”

Environment Secretary Steve Barclay said: “Polluters should be in no doubt that if they harm our precious habitats and waterways they will pay. “By lifting the cap on these sanctions, we are simultaneously toughening our enforcement tools and expanding where regulators can use them. These changes will deliver a proportionate punishment for operators that breach their permits and cause pollution.

“Through the launch of the Water Restoration Fund, the money raised from penalties imposed on water companies will go towards restoring and protecting our waters. This is part of the increased investment, stronger regulation and tougher enforcement we are delivering through our Plan for Water.”

Pinc College doubles size of its facility at Dean Clough

Stuart Pearcey
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Pinc College doubles size of its facility at Dean Clough

Pinc College, which specialises in supporting neurodivergent young people in creative sector education, has doubled the size of its campus facilities at Dean Clough in Halifax, taking occupation of a 4,000 sq ft first floor studio at Dean Clough.

As an arts education social enterprise Pinc College delivers art, digital art, and complementary study programme pathways for 16-25 years olds.  It provides an alternative approach for neurodivergent young people with additional support for high needs routes to wellbeing, attainment, sustained engagement, and employment.

Dean Clough is one of four campus locations in Yorkshire for Pinc which has 13 around the UK in total.  The team select locations carefully with strict criteria for heritage sites of cultural interest that can inspire students.  Other campus sites include Cartwright Hall in Bradford and Yorkshire Museum in York.

Lee Clough, Campus Lead at Pinc College, said: “We are pleased to be able to expand our facility at Dean Clough into an even more inspiring space for our students with glorious panoramic views and separate learning spaces to suit our learners’ individual needs.

“Many of our learners have had negative experiences of education before they come to us, but this isn’t about rescuing people, creativity is a vital 21st century skill and divergent thinking is the core ingredient. If you are neurodivergent then you are practically wired for that, with art and culture the most natural vehicle to develop it.

“Fundamentally, inclusion is about the value you have within your community, therefore it is important to us that our students go to college in places of cultural and historical importance. However, Jeremy and the team at Dean Clough have taken it a step further, they haven’t just got us in the building, they’ve put us front and centre. We feel a genuine sense of value and importance here.”

Jeremy Hall, Chairman and MD at Dean Clough Ltd, said: “We are thrilled to accommodate Pinc College with growth space at Dean Clough and it’s wonderful to have their students immersed in the Dean Clough community. Their facility is directly connected to our gallery spaces, and we encourage them to view the free exhibitions and studio programmes and make use of the fantastic breadth of amenities available at Dean Clough.

“Education and personal growth are inherent in the Dean Clough community where thought inspiring exhibitions, installations, theatre productions, wellbeing amenities and an ongoing cultural programme are an integral part of the Dean Clough offer. Indeed, Calderdale College also operates its Creative Arts with Contemporary Art and Design degree course here at Dean Clough.”

South Yorkshire launches new apprenticeship hub

Stuart Pearcey
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South Yorkshire launches new apprenticeship hub
A new Apprenticeship Hub has been launched to create better quality and a higher number of apprenticeships start-ups in the region. The launch was at Rotherham’s Aesseal New York Stadium, with employers, education providers and stakeholders from across the region attending to find out more about this new service. Now launched it will have an initial target of 300 new apprenticeships and will be a one-stop shop for businesses, apprentices, and anyone hoping to start an apprenticeship by providing a range of services, including
  • Information, advice and guidance services to apprentices, parents, and employers
  • Help for businesses (SMEs  in particular) to access technical talent across the region to tackle skills shortages
  • Progression pathways and opportunities into and out of high-quality Level 2 and 3 apprenticeships
  • Helping support the development of a public sector approach to apprenticeships, including flexi-job apprenticeships.
The Apprenticeship Hub has an initial target to deliver at least 300 new apprenticeships in the region by 2025 as part of a two-year pilot scheme. South Yorkshire Mayor Oliver Coppard said: “South Yorkshire doesn’t just need a bigger economy, we need a better economy. But if we’re going to get there, and if everyone is going to be able to access the jobs and opportunities that the new economy will bring, we need to make sure people have the right educational skills, so they can access opportunity wherever it might be. “That’s what our new Apprenticeship Hub is all about; offering people, organisations and businesses a ‘one-stop shop’ for all the information and support they need to get the right skills, in the right place, so we can all benefit from more jobs, grow.” The Hub is based at the South Yorkshire Mayoral Combined Authority offices in Sheffield and will be delivered through the South Yorkshire Colleges Partnership. Fliss Miller, Director of Skills at South Yorkshire Mayoral Combined Authority, said: “This is great news for the South Yorkshire economy. At the moment, there is an opportunity for us to deliver a brand-new service that employers, providers and apprentices across South Yorkshire desperately need. By offering this service, that will be delivered by SYMCA in collaboration with South Yorkshire Colleges Partnership, we are going to be able to fulfil many of the requirements that have been lacking across our region for far too long.” South Yorkshire Mayoral Combined Authority’s Strategy Economic Plan has a vision that South Yorkshire will recover and grow an economy that works for everyone. This includes, in terms of skills, developing 30,000 more people with higher-level skills and 9,000 fewer people with low or no skills.

Ron’s free Christmas lunch returns to Leeds

Stuart Pearcey
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Ron’s free Christmas lunch returns to Leeds

A charity event providing free festive celebrations for Yorkshire’s lonely and vulnerable returned to Leeds this December amid the continued cost-of-living crisis.

First held in 2018, with a two-year hiatus due to the Covid-19 pandemic, Ron’s Christmas Lunch brought together more than 130 elderly members of the Yorkshire community to celebrate with a free Christmas lunch, disco and entertainment at the Marriot Hotel in Leeds.

In partnership with Age UK Leeds, the event was created by Mike Day whose late father, Ron, was active in supporting the region through fundraising and organising trips for elderly and lonely people in the community.

Mike, Head of Sales at Bibby Financial Services, said: “I’m really proud to continue my Dad’s legacy in this way. For many of those who attend, it’s the only festive celebration they will be invited to, so it makes a massive difference to their lives. Not only does the event provide an chance for them to celebrate Christmas, it also gives them an opportunity to meet new people and to bring them some joy during what can seem like the loneliest time of the year for many.”

Last year’s event raised a total of £7,300 through sponsorship and donations from individuals and businesses in Yorkshire, as well as match funding from BFS as part of its Compass initiative. This December, Mike has his sights set on an even higher amount to help with increased costs.

Mike added: “The support we receive from the community in Yorkshire and beyond is truly incredible, and enables us to provide everything from meals and drinks, to entertainment and transport. With the cost-of-living crisis and inflation remaining sky-high, the overheads of the event have inevitably increased so this year we’re targeting £10,000. We’re hugely thankful for any support individuals and businesses can offer, no matter how big or small.”

Lisa Burnett, Income Generation Director at Age UK Leeds said: “There are more than 30,000 people classified as lonely and vulnerable in Leeds and Christmas is often the most difficult time of year for this group. Ron’s Christmas Lunch is a fantastic event that brings together the local community to provide not only festive joy, but also a network for Yorkshire’s lonely and vulnerable. With the pressure people are under due to rising costs, this event is more important than ever in supporting those in need.”

Yorkshire & Humber manufacturers see strong picture as they approach 2024

Tess Egginton
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Yorkshire & Humber manufacturers see strong picture as they approach 2024

Yorkshire & Humber manufacturers are seeing a strong picture as they end the year, with business confidence indicators showing promising signs of a more stable economic environment after the global and domestic uncertainty of the last few years.

However, while Make UK upgraded its growth forecast for manufacturing in 2023 to +0.8%, it is forecasting growth in 2024 of just +0.1%. This reflects the anaemic economic picture for the UK overall and weak growth in the Eurozone, which remains the UK’s biggest market.

The findings come in the Q4 Manufacturing Outlook survey published by Make UK and business advisory firm BDO. According to the survey, output in the Yorkshire & Humber is set to surge at the start of next year to a balance of +53% in Q1, which is substantially above the national average.

This is down to the growth in domestic orders, which are significantly ahead of export orders, reflecting the demand for steel and construction products as well as the ongoing strength of the region’s food and drink sector. The total order picture for the next quarter stands at +67%, which is very strong by historic standards and is resulting in similarly strong recruitment intentions as the demand for skills continues to increase. 

Dawn Huntrod, Region Director for the North at Make UK, said: “After the economic and political shocks of the last few years manufacturers in the Yorkshire & Humber are beginning to see far greater stability and much better trading conditions.

“While one swallow doesn’t make a summer, hopefully the positive announcements in the Autumn Statement can at least allow them to plan with more certainty without having to constantly fight fires.”

Steve Talbot, Head of Manufacturing at BDO in Yorkshire, added: “Manufacturers across Yorkshire have been calling on the Government to provide targeted support to help stimulate growth and investment for some time, and it feels like some headway was made in last month’s Autumn Statement.  

“Yorkshire firms are ending the year on a relatively stable footing with some certainty at least in the tax environment to support their long-term investments in the UK. The hope now is that the region will deliver on its recruitment and order intentions and continue to grow next year.”

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