Yorkshire bedmaker receives two King’s Awards during Lord Lieutenant of West Yorkshire visit

Tess Egginton
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Yorkshire bedmaker receives two King’s Awards during Lord Lieutenant of West Yorkshire visit

Fifth-generation family bedmaker, Harrison Spinks, has welcomed the Lord-Lieutenant of West Yorkshire, Mr Ed Anderson, to its Leeds headquarters to formally receive its two prestigious King’s Award for Enterprise in Innovation and International Trade.  

The King’s representative visited the 183-year-old bed manufacturer’s Innovation Centre in Leeds to present its two King’s Awards to the company, which is headed by Group Chairman, Simon Spinks.

The King’s Awards for Enterprise, previously known as The Queen’s Awards for Enterprise, is the highest official UK award for British businesses – Harrison Spinks’ latest two awards add to the five it has previously received. 

The King’s Award for Innovation was granted in recognition of the company’s significant work as an industry leader in innovation and design, including its design and manufacture of revolutionary glue-less fine-wire pocket springs. 

Harrison Spinks also secured the King’s Award for Enterprise in International Trade thanks to its continued focus on manufacturing premium, responsibly sourced, handmade beds and spring components in international markets.  

Simon Spinks, Group Chairman for Harrison Spinks, said: “We’re all feeling extremely proud and humbled to have welcomed Mr Ed Anderson to our headquarters to receive our two King’s Awards. He met with colleagues across various areas of the business, acknowledging the group effort that has made these award wins possible.   

“These awards are especially important to us as a British business – we are a company that champions homemade and homegrown materials and supports other manufacturing businesses both in the UK and overseas – they are a reflection of the hard work the team has delivered, ensuring we are constantly championing innovation and high-quality design while keeping the planet in mind.”

Unity appoints interim chair

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Unity appoints interim chair
Abdul Hamied has been appointed interim chair of Leeds-based housing association Unity Homes and Enterprise. He succeeds Shruti Bhargava, who has stepped down as chair after nine years, and will be in post for up to 12 months before handing over to a new chair for a six-year term. Mr Hamied, deputy director of the Healthcare Inequalities Improvement Programme at NHS England, has served on the Unity board since 2018.   He previously spent six years on the board of Manningham Housing Association in Bradford. A graduate of Sheffield Hallam University, Manchester Metropolitan University and the University of Sheffield, Mr Hamied has held a series of senior positions in the NHS and local government supporting, facilitating and stimulating transformational change and service improvement. Established in 1987, Unity Home and Enterprise manages 1,386 properties for tenants from all communities and ethnic backgrounds in Leeds, Huddersfield and Cleckheaton. Abdul Hamied said: “It is a great privilege to become Interim Chair of such a highly respected and valued organisation with its roots firmly in the local communities it serves. “I recently attended an away day with Unity’s senior management and fellow board members. As one of the country’s leading BME housing associations, there was a real sense of shared purpose to continue being ambitious, resilient, adaptive and willing to embrace new initiatives whilst ensuring we remain in touch with our customers and committed to tackling inequalities in housing. That is the mantra with which I will approach the year ahead. “One of my priorities will be to help attract the best possible candidates to lead Unity through the following six years of our development. That process will begin shortly, and I encourage anyone who believes they have what it takes to succeed in the role to get in touch.” Cedric Boston, Unity Homes and Enterprise Chief Executive, said: “We are delighted to welcome Abdul as Interim Chair. “He brings a wealth of experience and, having worked closely with him since I joined Unity almost three years ago, I am a huge admirer of his talents. “Abdul’s familiarity with what we do is also incredibly helpful and will enable him to have a swift and positive impact on the many exciting ventures with which we are involved.”

Company prosecuted for failing to secure empty premises

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Company prosecuted for failing to secure empty premises

Rotherham Council has successfully prosecuted a company after fire services were called out five times within a year to deal with fires within a derelict building and grounds.

Millside Developments Ltd were taken to court for their failure to comply with notices served under the Anti-social Behavior, Crime and Policing Act 2014 and Environmental Protection Act 1990. Sheffield Magistrates Court heard how a former school and training centre, the Millside Centre, on Doncaster Road in Dalton, was visited by Council officers following complaints of fire damage, broken windows, and open access to the building and grounds. In addition to the reported fires in 2021 and 2022, the building was attracting anti-social behavior, fly tipping and rough sleeping. Concerns had been raised around the potential harm to someone accessing the building, as well as the site having a detrimental effect on the surrounding area. Following evidence collected on site showing easy access to the building and perimeter, notices were sent to the owners ordering the premises be secured, a structural survey to be carried out, and for the waste to be removed and properly disposed of. Failing to comply with the notices, the company was found guilty in their absence from court, fined £5,000 and ordered to pay £2,819 costs and a victim surcharge of £2,000. Cabinet Member for Transport and the Environment, Cllr Dominic Beck, said: “I hope this case sends out a message to all companies to secure their empty premises and prevent them to be used as a dumping ground for waste. “It makes the area look unkempt and uncared for, affecting the wellbeing of residents. We are committed to doing what we can to hold owners to account and I am pleased that we have secured these convictions as a deterrent to others.” Shayne Tottie, Rotherham district commander at South Yorkshire Fire and Rescue, said: “We welcome this prosecution by Rotherham Council. Repeated call outs to preventable incidents such as this tie up our resources and, more importantly, put lives at risk. “If you own a business and are not sure what responsibilities you have when it comes to fire safety, we have plenty of resources on our website to help you ensure your business is compliant.”

Director outlines RWE’s net zero ambitions for its work in the Humber

Stuart Pearcey
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Director outlines RWE’s net zero ambitions for its work in the Humber
Hull and Humber Chamber’s North East Lincolnshire Area Council met at Grimsby Institute to hear about RWE’s work in and around the Humber from its first UK East Coast Director for Net Zero, Corrine Barry. Corrine gave members an overview of her role in aligning RWE’s net zero ambitions with those of the Humber, Teesside and surrounding areas, supporting the decarbonisation of local industry. She also touched on the creation of new jobs, the development of a future skilled workforce and how the industry will benefit the local supply chain and communities. Corrine told the meeting that RWE is a German company which is responsible for 15% of the UK’s electricity generation, supplying more than 10-million homes. It is thought the company could be investing up to £15-billion in the Humber by 2030 and part of that would be its next major project on Dogger Bank which will see the installation of a 3GW windfarm. The company’s primary focus was in the Humber as it was the biggest carbon emitter, along with Teesside. Talking about recruitment and training, Corinne echoed what other businesses tell the Chamber, that skills shortages are still a key issue. “We’ve recently advertised for some roles for our offshore work – we interviewed 75 people, but out of those we could only appoint 22.” On a positive note, she added: “We have just appointed four apprentices for our Grimsby hub and they are all female – and that wasn’t because we needed to tick some equality boxes, but because they were the best candidates – and that’s very encouraging.”

Next steps approved for new retirement living scheme in Golcar

Tess Egginton
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Next steps approved for new retirement living scheme in Golcar
Kirklees Council’s Cabinet met yesterday, to discuss the redevelopment of Sycamore Grange. Members reviewed the proposed budget and approved plans to move forward with the submission of a planning application and required processes for the construction of the new retirement living scheme. The scheme will now include 41 retirement apartments in addition to nine one-bedroom bungalows, five two-bedroom bungalows and four one-bedroom cottage flats. Additional housing such as the bungalows and cottage flats will be available for older people. These properties will better suit their needs, as well as freeing up space for other Kirklees families. Councillor Masood Ahmed, Cabinet Member for Housing and Highways, said: “I’m pleased with the updated plans for the progression of Sycamore Grange’s redevelopment, showing our commitment to supporting older residents to live independently for longer. “By taking the feedback from the consultation, we’ve tailored the designs to better meet our tenants’ needs. I’m eager to see the continuous progress of this project as work begins next year.” Next steps will see the council apply for planning permission for the scheme. Subject to the planning and building contract process, it is intended that contractors will start on site in late 2024.

Northallerton dairy farm shares details of journey to net zero

Stuart Pearcey
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Northallerton dairy farm shares details of journey to net zero
Northallerton father and son dairy farmers Howard and Tom Pattison have welcomed members of the farming and business world to their farm to take them through their journey to become a net zero operation. In the third in the Future Farming series of events organised by the Centre for Business Innovation and North Yorkshire Council, more than 50 farmers, land agents, and agritech businesses came together at Willow Tree Farm. The Dairy Farming for the Future event saw the Pattisons show off their 280 dairy herd, 162-hectare business and the steps they have taken towards a reduced carbon footprint. That includes going soy-free as soya has a high carbon footprint, using less fertiliser and focusing on slurry and muck, and changing their herd’s living space. C4DI’s relationship manager Louise Cooke, said: “Since its official launch in 2022, C4DI Northallerton has seen an acceleration of opportunities for businesses, particularly within the agritech and food manufacturing sectors. “Our focus has been on growing a community within those sectors as well as other digital tech companies to help support innovation and growth amongst businesses. “Our event at Willow Tree Farm supported a growing demand to learn more about the evolving changes within agriculture and how digital technology can support that. Our role as a tech incubator is to support traditional business with innovation and to support tech business to scale and grow. “Having supported thousands of businesses over the last 10 years, we hope to learn more from everyone and grow together through these events.” Executive member for open to business Cllr Derek Bastiman said: “This session followed on our two other Farming for the Future events and was very much about collaboration. To encourage this, we had several agritech companies there to demonstrate products and there was lots of discussion about how we can work together to meet the needs of farmers.” He urged North Yorkshire farmers to consider a new farm sustainability programme to support farm businesses to become more financially and environmentally sustainable, being developed through the UK Shared Prosperity Fund. Support may include farm energy audits, farm carbon footprints, specialist advice around precision agriculture techniques and regenerative agriculture practices. Up to 50 audits will be funded with applications open in November. Farm businesses with up to 50 employees can apply, with priority given to farms ready to implement the recommended sustainability measures. Find out more about the UK Shared Prosperity Fund.

Inflation stays stubborn

Tess Egginton
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Inflation stays stubborn
Inflation failed to drop as expected last month, stuck at an annual rate of 6.7%. Remaining the same as in August, a fall in the price of food and drink has been offset by rises in restaurant, hotel, and fuel costs. Core inflation meanwhile, which takes out volatile factors like energy, food, alcohol and tobacco to give a clear picture of underlying trends, rose 6.1% in the 12 months to September 2023, down from 6.2% in August. For those presiding over interest rate decisions at the Bank of England, the picture becomes ever-more complex. A continued decline in inflation would have presented a case for rates to stay where they are, but if inflation stays stubbornly high, the Bank may consider the only option to be returning to a stint of rate rises again. It comes after figures last month presented a welcome, surprise slowdown for inflation and saw a pause to a run of interest rate increases.

Housebuilder submits plans for £105m development

Tess Egginton
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Housebuilder submits plans for £105m development
Yorkshire-based housebuilder Beal Homes has submitted plans for a £105m development creating a new community on the south bank of the Humber. Family-owned Beal has submitted a planning application for more than 500 new homes on a 57-acre site at Immingham in North East Lincolnshire. The proposed development will provide a range of two, three and four-bedroom homes to support major investment in the area. The Port of Immingham is a key gateway for trade to and from Europe and beyond and the area is playing a key role in the Humber’s growing status as a magnet for investment, capitalising on the region’s reputation as the UK’s Energy Estuary. The south bank of the Humber is home to a series of blue chip businesses, including Ørsted, Phillips 66, Centrica and Wren Kitchens, with many of them investing in new facilities and projects, creating new, skilled jobs in the area. That, in turn, has generated growing demand for new homes in and around Immingham. East Yorkshire-based Beal has submitted a “reserved matters” planning application to North East Lincolnshire Council for 525 homes, with landscaping, areas of public open space and associated works, on land off Stallingborough Road, close to the centre of Immingham. The site already has outline planning approval for 525 homes, so the new application is seeking consent for the detailed design and layout of the development. The proposed development features a wide variety of homes, from two-bedroom terraced starter homes to four-bedroom detached properties, reflecting local demand and catering for a broad range of homebuyers. Beal Chief Executive Richard Beal said: “This application sets out our plans to bring hundreds of much-needed, high-quality new homes to Immingham. “It represents a major vote of confidence in the housing market in the town and the wider area. We see Immingham as a place with strong pent-up demand for new homes as well as potential for further growth, driven by major investment on the south bank of the Humber. “We propose to deliver this development over coming years, meaning we will be investing millions of pounds into the area year after year, creating new jobs in construction and supporting services. “The plans are for a wide range of properties, including starter homes that will enable local first-time buyers to take their first step onto the housing ladder.” Beal land director Chris Murphy said: “We have worked closely with planning officers at North East Lincolnshire Council and other key stakeholders to develop and refine these proposals. “The site is allocated for housing under North East Lincolnshire Council’s Local Plan and has outline planning approval for 525 homes, so this application is seeking final approval for the detailed layout and design of the development. “It offers a natural extension to existing housing in Immingham and will enhance the quality, availability and choice of homes in the town.”

Don’t get caught in a scam, HMRC warns self-assessment taxpayers

Stuart Pearcey
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Don’t get caught in a scam, HMRC warns self-assessment taxpayers
Self Assessment taxpayers are urged to be on the lookout for scam texts, emails and phone calls from fraudsters. This warning comes as HMRC received more than 130,000 reports about tax scams in the 12 months to September this year, of which 58,000 were offering fake tax rebates. With around 12 million people expected to submit a Self Assessment tax return for the 2022 to 2023 tax year before next January’s deadline, fraudsters will prey on customers by impersonating HMRC. The scams take different approaches. Some offer a rebate; others tell customers that they need to update their tax details or threaten immediate arrest for tax evasion. Myrtle Lloyd, HMRC’s Director General for Customer Services, said: “HMRC is reminding customers to be wary of approaches by fraudsters in the run up to the Self Assessment deadline. Criminals are great pretenders who try and dupe people by sending emails, phone calls and texts which mimic government messages to make them appear authentic.

“Unexpected contacts like these should set alarm bells ringing, so take your time and check HMRC scams advice on GOV.UK, ” she added.

Customers can report any suspicious communications to HMRC:
  • forward suspicious texts claiming to be from HMRC to 60599
  • forward emails to phishing@hmrc.gov.uk.
  • report tax scam phone calls to HMRC on GOV.UK.
HMRC works to protect the public from scammers. In the 12 months to September 2023, HMRC has responded to 60,000 reports of phone scams alone and got 25,000 malicious web pages taken down.

Yorkshire-based printer invests heavily in factory upgrades and new jobs

Stuart Pearcey
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Yorkshire-based printer invests heavily in factory upgrades and new jobs
Rotherham-based online printer instantprint has invested more than £500,000 on factory upgrades that will create new job opportunities in addition to the 40 new ones introduced since August. The company’s latest investment includes the introduction of a top of the range inline cutting solution that enhances efficiency and reduces paper waste in line with its sustainability strategy. Increased quality and efficiency also means that instantprint is able to pass these savings on to their customers and remain a leader as the fastest turnaround printer in the UK with the latest cut-off time of 5pm for next-day delivery. instantprint has introduced more than 40 new jobs since August, and is still hiring. They are currently hiring for a range of roles and positions including a Senior Graphic Designer, Production Planners and PPC Manager. Laura Mucklow, Head of instantprint, said: “Our investment presents opportunities for both instantprint and individuals in the region who are seeking employment within a dynamic and expanding enterprise. It also means we’re able to offer our customers better quality products on a fast turnaround at a price that is fair. ‘At instantprint we’re all about providing customers with high quality print on a fast turnaround that makes our business clients grow. This investment positions us for sustained success and enables us to do what we do best – help businesses thrive.’
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