- Better planning for business so that firms are not squeezed out of towns and cities.
- Introduction of flexibility in the apprenticeship levy to support everyone in the workplace.
- Strengthened UK-EU co-operation to increase bi-lateral investment levels.
- Dramatic energy grid upgrades to ensure there is sufficient network capacity to meet modern needs.
Business need urgent action to stimulate growth, says Chamber
The British Chambers of Commerce is calling for urgent action from politicians to stimulate economic growth across the UK. Among the key asks are:
Non-profit organisation to enjoy new and improved office space thanks to Levelling Up Funding
A charitable organisation providing support to vulnerable adults in Hull will soon enjoy new and improved office space thanks to Levelling Up Funding.
MRC Estates and Letting Agents Limited and its not-for-profit sister company, CU Support, has been granted £54,402.98 for the restoration to the ground floor of 2-4 Baker Street.
Full planning permission has already been approved for three new windows and the installation of roof mounted solar panels and, on completion, the project will create seven full-time equivalent jobs.
The funding, from monies awarded to Hull City Council in 2021 by the Department of Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, will be match funded by MRC, meaning the overall cost of the project is £108,805.95.
The building will undergo a full refurbishment, with works including a full strip out of the floor space, as well as new doors and frames, air conditioning and ventilation. There will also be new flooring and decorations.
Cllr Paul Drake-Davis, Hull City Council’s portfolio holder for regeneration, said: “Levelling Up Funding has provided so many opportunities to regenerate the city centre and this is another example.
“It is great that the council is able to support both a local business and a non-profit organisation at the same time.”
Private sector activity down again, making for a flat year, says CBI
Private sector activity fell again in the three months to August, marking a full year of declining or flat activity, according to the CBI’s latest Growth Indicator.
Manufacturing was a particular weak spot, reporting a contraction in output of almost 20% – the sharpest isince September 2020 (-19%).
Services also saw a continued downturn in the quarter to August, with business volumes falling at a broadly similar pace to last month (-6% from -8% in July). This reflected another notable contraction in consumer services (-22%) but volumes in business & professional services were broadly unchanged (-2%). Meanwhile, distribution sales stabilised after three rolling quarters of decline (-2%).
Looking ahead, activity is expected to continue falling at a broadly similar pace over the next three months (-6%). Output is expected to stagnate in manufacturing (-3%) and continue to fall slightly in services (-7%) and distribution (-8%).
Alpesh Paleja, CBI Lead Economist, said: “Activity remains weak in the private sector, reflecting difficult trading conditions for businesses and the growing impact of the higher cost of credit. The weakness in manufacturing and consumer services is particularly a stark indication of just how challenging things are.
The upcoming Autumn Statement will need to be mindful of continually challenging conditions for businesses, and ongoing pressure on households from high inflation. It will also need a renewed focus on building the productive capacityof the economy, which is the surest way to drive up growth and living standards”
Manufacturing company fined after workers injured by explosion
A manufacturing company in West Yorkshire has been fined £200,000 after workers were injured by an explosion.
Three workers at Weir Minerals Europe Limited sustained burns while operating a furnace at the firm’s site on Halifax Road in Todmorden on 25 February 2020.
They had been melting a large amount of steel before an explosion took place in the furnace. It had most likely been caused by water entering the furnace while the workers were adding in the scrap metal.
The three men suffered burns to their faces, heads and backs. There was also resulting damage to the surrounding equipment.
A Health and Safety Executive (HSE) investigation found that Weir Minerals Europe Limited was aware of the risk associated with wet scrap metal being added to the furnace. However the protection from rain that was in place at the time of the incident was not adequately implemented and maintained.
Weir Minerals Europe Limited, of Halifax Road, Todmorden, West Yorkshire, pleaded guilty to breaching Section 2 (1) of the Health & Safety at Work etc Act 1974. The company was fined £200,000 and ordered to pay £6,095 in costs at Bradford and Keighley Magistrates’ Court on 5 September 2023.
HSE inspector Jackie Ferguson said: “This was a serious incident that could so easily have been avoided. Companies should be aware that HSE will not hesitate to take appropriate enforcement action against those that fall below the required standards.”
This HSE prosecution was supported by HSE enforcement lawyer Matt Reynolds.
NFU angry that farmers won’t be paid as promised, says President Minette Batters
Payments for the new scheme should have been ready to deliver by December. However, critical delays in the roll-out of the new scheme has meant that farmers are unable to access it in that timescale – and this coincides with major reductions in payments under BPS, leaving farmers facing a double whammy in the run-up to Christmas.
“We now know that farmers will not be paid this year, despite assurances that they would be,” said NFU President Minette Batters. “With farm input costs through the roof and interest rates soaring, this leaves farmers in a perilous place.
“The old scheme goes, the new one’s not ready, and farm businesses are caught in the middle. That’s not fair and we are calling on ministers to recognise that and make it right.”
Wednesday 13 September 2023 marks the NFU’s annual Back British Farming Day – a celebration of our farmers and growers, our great food and the countryside, and of the people who make a huge contribution to the UK economy. “It would be great if government could have some good news on this for farmers then,” Minette added.
The NFU says problems with SFI do not only affect farmers. The government has legislated for environmental targets through this new scheme, known as “public money for public goods”, and farmers have embraced that concept. With the scheme delayed a lot of on-farm environmental work it is designed to pay for cannot begin.
Therefore, the organisation are calling on ministers to halt any further reduction in existing farm payments – due to fall by £720 million this year alone – until delivery problems with SFI are solved.
“All we’re asking for is government to bridge the gap it has created by taking away one set of payments, but not delivering access to their replacements on time,” said Minette.
Ministers had previously committed that SFI 2023 would be open in August, with payments coming in December. But it will now only be partially open and not until mid-September. It takes some months between a farmer being accepted on to the scheme and payment being made.
Farmers were able to register “an expression of interest” on 30 August, with a handful then expecting “an invitation to apply”, meaning the scheme was “technically” open but the reality is very different.
Payments farmers were relying on will now not come this year and will come to only a handful of farmers in the early part of 2024.
The Sheffield College secures £2.6m cash injection to expand facilities
The Sheffield College has secured a £2.6 million cash injection to expand facilities for apprentices and students who study and train at Olive Grove Campus.
Based on Olive Grove Road, the campus specialises in engineering, motor vehicle, gas fitting and plumbing courses and qualifications.
Now the campus estate is set to expand following the approval of £2.6 million from the Department for Education’s Post 16 Capacity Fund for 2023/24.
Upgrading the facilities is part of wider college plans to transform Olive Grove Campus into an Advanced Technology Centre for the city.
Andrew Hartley, Deputy Chief Executive, The Sheffield College, said: “This is fantastic news for our college community as well as the city and beyond.”
He added: “Investing in the latest facilities to provide our apprentices and students with the best possible learning experience for their future careers is our top priority.”
Current automotive and engineering workshops will be expanded with a two-storey building extension.
The new facilities, involving industry standard training spaces, will include:
- five motor vehicle bays including three ‘clean’ bays for electric/hybrid cars.
- two motor vehicle body and paint bays.
- ten welding bays.
- five new classrooms.
- enhancements to the learning resource centre and reception area.
- additional digitally enabled quiet learning and student social spaces.
Drax announces chair designate to take over at year’s end
Drax has appointed Andrea Bertone as a non-executive director and Chair Designate of the Company to take over when Philip Cox steps down at the end of December after nine years in the role.
Will Gardiner, Drax CEO said: “Andrea’s extensive executive experience in the international energy sector will provide Drax with a deep understanding of global markets and their underpinning regulation, as well as invaluable experience in leading transformative change in multinational businesses. In addition, the breadth of Andrea’s non-executive roles in diverse and global businesses will further enhance the experience and capabilities of our Board.”
The appointment of Ms Bertone in the role of Chair Designate allows for a managed handover from Mr Cox before she takes over the position.
Ms Bertone is the former President of Duke Energy Corporation’s (“Duke”) international division. She spent 15 years at Duke, including seven years as President of DEI with executive responsibility for a portfolio of c.4,400MW of hydro and thermal assets. Prior to serving as President, Ms Bertone held senior legal positions between 2001 and 2009 at DEI, including as associate General Counsel from 2003 to 2009, as part of which she oversaw legal and regulatory matters for the Group’s business in Latin America. Ms Bertone left Duke in 2016. Prior to Duke, Ms Bertone’s roles included Latin America counsel with Baker McKenzie.
Ms Bertone, who lives in Houston, Texas, earned a Bachelor of Law from the University of Sao Paulo Law School in Brazil and a Master of Law in International and Comparative Law from Chicago-Kent College of Law at the Illinois Institute of Technology. Ms Bertone is a member of the Brazilian Bar Association.
Metro Mayor pledges to use UK-made steel in his region
West Midlands Metro Mayor Andy Street has signed the UK Steel Charter, committing to using UK-made steel from companies such as Scunthorpe-based British Steel wherever possible in key projects in his region.
The UK’s steel sector employs about 40,000 people directly and supports a further 50,000 in supply chains. Andy will throw down the gauntlet to challenge construction companies, businesses and other mayors to explore where the steel they purchase is made and if they are supporting homegrown jobs.
Mr Street is proving his commitment too. Under his leadership, the West Midlands Combined Authority is mounting an 860-tonne order for UK-made steel in the expansion of the Metro Rail for the Wednesbury to Brierley Hill scheme.
Mr Street said: “By signing the UK Steel Charter, we’re signalling our commitment to back British steel – supporting well paid and highly skilled manufacturing jobs and training opportunities that will benefit local people right across our region.
“This initiative can help to increase the amount of high quality steel manufactured in Britain and increase the supply of British made steel contributing to key West Midlands projects.
“I very much hope our decision will encourage others to follow suit – impacting positively on the supply chain, our region and indeed the wider UK economy in the months and years ahead.”
Nick Haycock, General Manager, Mecegaglia UK, said: “We are proud to be the UK’s leading providers of precision carbon welded tubes, having been founded over 30 years ago. With year-on-year investment, Marcegaglia UK now produces 110,000 tonnes of welded tubes. With the recent and more substantial investment, Marcegaglia UK is making is a great opportunity for the UK and our local West Midlands region to boost jobs and economic growth as we develop our capacity.
“On top of this, Marcegaglia acquired upstream manufacturing facilities in Sheffield this year. This primary stainless steel making asset is worth several hundreds of millions to the UK economy. The investment in this facility means a return to full capacity of 500,000 tonnes of steel.
“The UK has now become the second most important country for the Marcegaglia Group.
Producing our steel tubular products here means UK-made steel is supplying national projects like HS2. It is now crucial to create a robust UK industrial strategy to support the competitiveness of the UK steel industry, to preserve and develop production and increase employment, also in view of the export flows requirements.”
Phase two starts on Doncaster warehouse development
Yorkshire developer Marshall CDP has started construction at phase two of its new business park in Doncaster.Marshall CDP developed three warehouse units totalling 48,000 sq ft at Kestrel Court in 2020, complete with fitted office accommodation, securely fenced service yards and car parking, which were let to NCM Auctions, Price Transport and Dual Inventive.Now two new units, offering 21,000 sq ft and 17,000 sq ft, are under construction at phase two, named Peregrine Court, and are due to reach practical completion in December 2023. The units are for sale or to let.Rebecca Schofield, partner and head of the Yorkshire industrial team at Knight Frank, and agent for Peregrine Court, said: “Peregrine Court offers high quality and secure industrial accommodation in an area easily accessible to J3 M18. Offering excellent connectivity and a strong labour pool.”Cllr Glyn Jones, Deputy Mayor and Portfolio Holder for Housing & Business at the City of Doncaster Council, added: “We are delighted to see the incredible amount of progress being made on Peregrine Court. It is excellent to see Marshall CDP once again show great confidence in the Doncaster economy by building this major speculative industrial development scheme.“Our Business Doncaster team is working closely with the letting agents, Knight Frank, to market the development and help find tenants for the two units, which will bring further quality investment and employment opportunities into Doncaster.”
Kirkgate Market scheme takes another step forward
Plans for a new hotel development at Leeds’ Kirkgate Market have reached another important milestone with submission of a full planning application.
If the application is approved, then work could start next year on a development that would drive further footfall into the market, which is already pulling in more than 400,000 visitors a month on the back of a multi-million pound investment programme.
The site earmarked for the scheme is owned by the council and is currently occupied by a number of vacant low-rise shop units.
The hotel would fill the top five floors of the new six-storey building and would have around 140 rooms as well as a bar and restaurant for guests.
The ground floor, meanwhile, would be home to commercial units and a state-of-the-art council-run gym that would improve the local ‘fitness offer’ for people living in the city centre and nearby communities.
The scheme would be developed by the council, with a pre-let lease in place with the proposed hotel operator.
A high-quality approach to design is planned, with the aim of creating a suitably-attractive new neighbour for the Grade I listed market building.
The hotel would also sit close to landmark locations such as the Victoria Gate retail destination, the refurbished Leeds Playhouse and Leeds City College’s Quarry Hill campus, all of which have helped power the regeneration of the eastern side of the city centre.
Councillor Jonathan Pryor, Leeds City Council’s executive member for economy, culture and education, said: “We’re determined to do everything we can to deliver a bright and busy future for Leeds Kirkgate Market while also driving forward the regeneration of the surrounding area.
“These hotel proposals are designed to help us achieve that twin aim, and we have been encouraged by the response we have had to them over the last few months.
“The submission of the planning application marks another important step in a process that we hope will have a positive and transformative effect on George Street and the rest of the eastern side of our fantastic city centre.”
