Plan now to avoid 2023 drought, Environment Agency tells water companies

Stuart Pearcey
-
0
Plan now to avoid 2023 drought, Environment Agency tells water companies
Water companies must start planning now to avoid potentially significant water supply and environmental impacts next summer, National Drought Group members have been told. At its latest meeting, chaired by Environment Agency Executive Director John Leyland and joined by Water Minister Rebecca Pow, the National Drought Group discussed how significant risks remain for water supplies and impacted sectors next year, despite an improving water resources situation in some parts of the country. Above-average rainfall in October and November has been beneficial in wetting up soils and improving river flows, which is recharging groundwater and refilling reservoirs across the country. As a result, reservoir stocks across England are now around 68% capacity. This has led to some water companies revoking drought permit applications and removing restrictions such as hosepipe bans. Normally at this time of year water resources start to recharge as rainfall increases river flows and refills reservoirs, groundwater and winter storage on farms. The start of the recharge has taken longer this year because soils that need to be re-wetted first have been so dry. This means that above average rainfall is still needed to fully replenish stocks and prevent drought conditions in some areas next year. As a result, many farmers and growers are likely to experience the effects of drought into next year and environmental impacts are expected to continue as ecology and habitats take longer to recover from drought stress. EA Executive Director and NDG chair John Leyland said: “We cannot rely on the weather alone – if we are to avoid a worse drought next year, it will require action by us all. Early and precautionary planning must start now to manage the risks that this would bring.” “Building on the work of the EA, water companies and NDG members this year – from implementing drought plan measures such as Temporary Use Bans and drought permits to helping customers use less water – we must keep up our preparations for the worst-case scenario. “Over winter we expect water companies to fix and reduce leaks, identify new sources of water and work with farmers, growers and other sectors to protect our precious water resources should drought remain next year.”

Sheffield Chamber completes new-look all women leadership team

Tess Egginton
-
0
Sheffield Chamber completes new-look all women leadership team
Sheffield Chamber of Commerce has welcomed a new permanent Chief Executive, Louisa Harrison-Walker, with her appointment seen as the final piece of the jigsaw in its leadership team. Following its recent AGM, members took the opportunity to give thanks to James Needham who has completed his term as chair of Board and Antony Davis who has completed his term as chair of Council. Going forward, alongside Louisa, the Chamber has welcomed Rachel Storey as chair of Council and Emma Marshall as chair of the Board with Grace Brierley as chair of the Nominees Committee and Karen Mosley continues as Chamber president. Leadership in the city has grown and changed further afield too, as Kate Josephs sits as Chief Executive at Sheffield City Council, Victoria Brown continues in her role as South Yorkshire chair of the Institute of Directors and recently, Dame Julie Kenny DBE DL was installed as The Master Cutler for 2022 – 2023 – only the second woman to be installed in almost 400 years. What a way to end the year – but there’s still plenty going on for the Chamber as the organisation heads into 2023. New additions include strategic cabinets to bring together expert voices to discuss vital topics such as transport, health and wellbeing, investment, and innovation to encourage real change in the region. Chamber bosses insist these cabinets will not stand still. They will proactively strive not just to be a place to talk about what’s going on in the region but be a place for action too, driving real change to support business. “The Chamber is rapidly becoming the place where business leaders gather to shape the voice of Sheffield’s business community and this isn’t going to stop as we enter the new year,” added Chief Executive Louisa Harrison-Walker.

Yorkshire door business secures multimillion pound support for growth plans

Tess Egginton
-
0
Yorkshire door business secures multimillion pound support for growth plans
Distinction Doors, the composite door manufacturer, has secured a multimillion-pound funding package from Shawbrook, to support its ambitious growth plans. Beginning as a wholesale supplier before transitioning into manufacturing and the retail market, Yorkshire-based Distinction Doors has been supplying composite doors to the UK market for over 15 years. The multi-million-pound deal with Shawbrook will help the team to grow Distinction Doors and the bespoke working capital package includes invoice discounting, an inventory facility and a cash-flow facility to support the business’s short- and long-term ambitions. Andrew Fowlds, CEO of Distinction Doors, said: “Our success has largely been down to maintaining good relationships with our customers and we felt that Shawbrook shared the same culture. Not only was the team interested in our business, but they explored solutions that we hadn’t thought about, and that really impressed us. They were a natural partner for us. “This funding has allowed us to invest in our machinery and increase our inventory in the short-term, but also enabled us to begin thinking about our longer-term growth too, and sustainability will play a large role in this.” Nick Salmons, director, corporate lending at Shawbrook, said: Distinction Doors is an impressive business, and I am confident our support will enable the team to power up its innovation and ingenuity to fully embrace its potential. I’m looking forward to seeing the business go from strength to strength.” BHP Corporate Finance acted as financial advisor to Distinction Doors. BHP partner, Don Gray said: “It was clear from the beginning of the relationship that Shawbrook and Distinction Doors were a good match. Shawbrook’s ability to provide a bespoke package that suited Distinction Doors’ needs was key, and I look forward to seeing Distinction Doors’ growth following this funding injection.” Rob Fawke of Gunnercooke acted for Shawbrook, and Paul Trudgill from Knights acted for Distinction Doors. Matt Milnes of Hentons Corporate Finance provided financial due diligence.

Yorkshire glazing specialist hits 1,000-tonne recycling milestone

Tess Egginton
-
0
Yorkshire glazing specialist hits 1,000-tonne recycling milestone

A Leeds-based manufacturer of glass units for windows which feature integrated blinds has saved 1,000 tonnes of post-consumer waste glass from landfill in two years, and instead diverted it into the production of new glass in a scheme which has provided funding of more than £60,000 for local environmental and community schemes.

Morley Glass, which employs 110 people at its factory in Morley, is one of Europe’s biggest manufacturers of double glazed units that have built-in Venetian or pleated blinds, producing an average of 16,000 units every month. These are sold to window installers across the UK.

In 2020, the company invested in reducing its own process waste and providing a post-consumer glass recycling service to customers by installing machinery that could crush waste glass into what is known as cullet. This can be fed directly into the manufacture of new glass which not only reduces needless landfill waste, but it also cuts the volumes of virgin raw materials needed to make glass and saves energy as turning cullet into new glass requires less energy.

The scheme, which is run in conjunction with international glass manufacturer Saint-Gobain Glass, who make window and door glass at their factory in Eggborough near Selby, is continuously audited. This means Morley Glass can see exactly how much waste glass is being collected and the benefits it delivers.

The data shows that in two years, the amount of glass cullet produced by Morley Glass is equivalent to the weight of 150 elephants, saving around 325,000kg of CO2, as every tonne of glass cullet prevents 300kg going into the atmosphere. Over 920,000kg of sand, the main raw material for glass, has also been saved and the overall energy saving to Saint-Gobain Glass is calculated at 541 ‘energy years’ – that is the energy used by an average UK household in 12 months.

In addition to saving resources and energy, the recycling scheme has another important benefit for communities in West Yorkshire. All the money raised by the sale of the recycled glass material to Saint-Gobain Glass goes into a fund set up by Morley Glass called GreenVision.

This offers £500 one-off grants to charities, individuals and community groups who are located in West Yorkshire and dedicated to providing environmental or social improvements in their local area.

The type of initiatives that GreenVision can support is extremely diverse. Amongst those who have benefited to date is Roundhay School, who used their grant to set up a system for collecting school uniforms that children have outgrown, so that parents of children newly transferring to the school can take anything they need free of charge. And at Longroyde School in Brighouse, teachers accessed GreenVision funding to support a project for the children to create and cultivate green spaces as part of an ‘Easter Garden Project’.

Ian Short, Managing Director of Morley Glass, said: “What started out as a simple business improvement idea has snowballed into an initiative that is delivering far-reaching benefits at a time when environmental and social sustainability have become priorities. We are thrilled to reach our 1,000 tonne milestone in just two years, which clearly demonstrates how popular the recycling service is with our customers who can save money on waste disposal costs too.

“And of course, the more waste glass we are able to collect and process, the more support we can provide through GreenVision to local people and groups who are giving up their time to improve their local environment or deliver social benefits. Applying for a grant is quick and easy, so if this is you, please go to our website and submit a GreenVision application today!”

Morley Glass is also offering a free collection service to any window installer located in the Leeds area who would like them to turn their post-consumer waste glass into funds for the community. This can be arranged by calling 0113 277 8722.

Northern Mayors meet Transport Secretary to level with Government on rail chaos

Tess Egginton
-
0
Northern Mayors meet Transport Secretary to level with Government on rail chaos

Ministers must act to end months of rail chaos that is causing misery for millions across the North, West Yorkshire Mayor Tracy Brabin said today, ahead of crunch talks with the government (30 November).

Ms Brabin will “level with” with Transport Secretary Mark Harper when they meet today and say that “levelling up” at a bare minimum means ensuring that Northerners can get to work and education opportunities.

Speaking ahead of the meeting, West Yorkshire Mayor Tracy Brabin said: “Enough is enough – the Transport Secretary has promised to get a grip on this crisis, and we welcome that. But the people of the North need more than warm words – we need a concrete plan that will get our rail network back on track.

“This chaos is having a devastating impact on the Northern economy and our attempts to rebuild from the pandemic, while we try and support our communities against the cost-of-living crisis with record levels of inflation.

“The Secretary of State is the person who can step in and has a fresh opportunity to help solve the problem, and that’s exactly what we’ll be telling him today.”

Today’s talks come after the Mayor of West Yorkshire convened an emergency meeting last month, which brought together the Metro Mayors of Greater Manchester, Liverpool City Region, South Yorkshire and North of the Tyne. The Mayors – who represent nine million people across the North of England – agreed a joint action plan and demanded a meeting with the new Transport Secretary Mark Harper.

The Northern Mayors called on Mr Harper to get an urgent grip of the situation and urged the minister to get operators and unions round the table to get a deal done on rest day working and to put Transpennine Express on a six-month probation to raise performance before its contract is up for renewal in May 2023.

Rail operators in the North have been cancelling thousands of journeys – leaving passengers unable to get to jobs, education or see their families. Some cancellations are made at the very-last minute, leaving commuters stranded on platforms and stations, and thousands more journeys are experiencing shocking delays with trains sometimes up to an hour late.

The Mayor is also concerned about suggestions that rail operators – already failing to deliver reliable services – have been asked to make savings of 10% to operating costs. These cuts will have a far more drastic impact on services in the North than in London and the South East which enjoys much more regular services.

Plans on track to reopen South Yorkshire’s ghost railways

Tess Egginton
-
0
Plans on track to reopen South Yorkshire’s ghost railways
Plans to bring back lost rail services and restore closed stations in South Yorkshire are gaining momentum, as the region moves forward with bids to level up and reconnect left behind communities. Cases for funding have been put to Government to reopen the Don Valley Line, between Sheffield and Stocksbridge, and the Askern Line, between Doncaster and Knottingley, for local passenger services. If given the green light, proposals will go to the next stage of the national ‘Restoring Your Railways’ programme to provide better access to jobs, homes and education. South Yorkshire’s Mayor, Oliver Coppard, said: “There is huge support for our plans to reopen the Askern and Don Valley railway lines, because of the chance it gives us to level-up communities currently left behind because of poor public transport links. “Fixing South Yorkshire’s public transport system has to include reopening our railways and better joining up our train, tram and bus networks. Because our communities rely on these links to access the work, education and social opportunities that everyone deserves. “The government have set a timeframe for levelling up transport connectivity across our region by 2030, but in order to achieve that goal we need them to deliver the full Northern Powerhouse Rail and match our energy and ambition for upgrading services. Projects such as ‘Restoring Your Railways’ offer a good starting point.” South Yorkshire’s Askern and Don Valley Lines are two of 13 schemes shortlisted in October 2021 to progress to the next stage of the Government’s £500 million Restoring Your Railway fund, designed to reinstate local rail services and restore closed stations. Sheffield City Council, Doncaster Council, Derbyshire County Council, Northeast Derbyshire District Council, Chesterfield Borough Council and Network Rail will play a leading role in the delivery of the schemes. Councillor Julie Grocutt, co-chair of the Transport, Regeneration and Climate Change Policy Committee, and Local Member for Stocksbridge, said: “There is no doubt that restoring passenger rail services between Stocksbridge and Sheffield on the Don Valley Line would provide significant economic and social benefits to Stocksbridge, Deepcar, Oughtibridge, Wadsley Bridge and Neepsend, as well as neighbouring communities. “Existing transport connectivity in this area is poor. Stocksbridge is less than 10 miles from Sheffield City Centre but on current bus services, journey times are taking as long as around one hour. “The key to enabling our communities to grow and prosper is to connect people to opportunities, in a sustainable and inclusive way. That can only be done with an efficient and reliable public transport system that people trust. Whilst buses are a critical part of our transport network, and we will continue to fight for better services, a rail link is essential for long-term growth that helps to meet our net zero targets.” Further plans to restore services on the Barrow Hill Line between Sheffield and Chesterfield are being developed by South Yorkshire Mayoral Combined Authority and Network Rail. It could see stations reinstated at Sheffield Victoria, Beighton, Killamarsh, Eckington/Renishaw, Barrow Hill/Staveley and Whittington, and the return of a regular service, linking Sheffield, Northeast Derbyshire and Chesterfield. Proposals for opening a new station at Waverley have also been submitted for Government review.

Willerby reorganises and creates gender equality on exec team and operating board

Stuart Pearcey
-
0
Willerby reorganises and creates gender equality on exec team and operating board
Hull-based Willerby, the UK’s largest manufacturer of static caravans, holiday homes and lodges, has reorganised its senior team and made a number of promotions. The executive team and operating board now has an equal number of male and female members, with Peter Munk continuing as CEO. He’s joined by Susan Allan as CFO; new external appointment Nicola Budge as COO; and promotion of Commercial Director Darren Black as CCO. Promoted to the operating board are Aaron Cambridge, who has worked for Willerby for more than 20 years, as Director of Singles Production, and Chloe Lidster, who has been with the company for seven years, as Director of Customer Experience. At 34, she’s the youngest member of the board. Peter said: “We’ve just completed another excellent business year, despite the significant challenges posed by external factors, including the lingering impact of the pandemic, supply chain pressures, rocketing energy prices and the current economic uncertainties. “It’s important we continue to invest in our people, products and facilities, to drive the business forward, not just in the current year, but for many years to come, and we’re committed to doing just that. “The way in which we’re organised is fundamental to the day-to-day running of the business, as well as our long-term ambitions. Investing in our people to enable personal development and career progression is also absolutely crucial. “That’s why we have made these changes and promoted so many leaders who have grown within the business. The new leadership structure gives us a very strong platform to continue our momentum and build for the future.”

Firms asked to look at changes to Gate Burton Energy Park plans

Stuart Pearcey
-
0
Firms asked to look at changes to Gate Burton Energy Park plans
Businesses are being asked their opinions in an additional stage of targeted consultation on proposals for Gate Burton Energy Park. In a six-week consultation window open until December 13th developers Low Carbon businesses can learn more about the localised changes for Gate Burton Energy Park. Low Carbon is specifically seeking feedback on a number of minor additions it has made to the project boundary – known as indicative Order Limits – which result in a small increase in land allocation.

Mike Rutgers, Development Director at Low Carbon said: “The minor nature of the changes does not have any material impact on the proposals we consulted on over the summer, but we’re keen to give people living near to the additional areas the opportunity to provide their views and comments on the changes.

“Our next steps will see us continue to refine the indicative Order Limits for the project in response to comments we receive during this stage of targeted consultation ahead of submitting our application for a Development Consent Order to the Planning Inspectorate.

This is likely to be the last time Low Carbon consults on its proposals for Gate Burton Energy Park before submitting its DCO application to the Planning Inspectorate. However, people will still have the opportunity to contribute to the development process.

Anybody wanting to find out more and submit their views can go to the project website – www.gateburtonenergypark.co.uk – to submit their feedback to the consultation

Yorkshire business confidence rebounds as firms target growth

Tess Egginton
-
0
Yorkshire business confidence rebounds as firms target growth
Business confidence in Yorkshire rose one point in November to 3% according to the latest Business Barometer from Lloyds Bank Commercial Banking – the first time confidence has increased this quarter. The survey was conducted between 1st-15th November, before the Chancellor’s Autumn Statement announcement on Thursday the 17th November. Companies in Yorkshire reported higher confidence in their own business prospects month-on-month, up seven points at 19%.  When taken alongside their optimism in the economy, down three points to -12%, this gives a headline confidence reading of 3%. Yorkshire businesses identified their top target areas for growth in the next six months as evolving their product or service offering (37%), investing in sustainability (29%), and growing their workforce (28%). The Business Barometer, which questions 1,200 businesses monthly, provides early signals about UK economic trends both regionally and nationwide. A net balance of 23% of businesses in the region expect to increase staff levels over the next year. Overall UK business confidence fell five points during November, but remained positive at 10%. Firms’ outlook on their future trading prospects was down two points to 25%, and their optimism in the wider economy dropped four points to -2%. Despite a seven-point dip, UK businesses remained positive about hiring intentions with 14% of firms aiming to create new jobs in the next 12 months. All UK regions and nations, apart from the South East, reported a positive confidence reading in November, with seven recording a month-on-month increase in confidence. Of those recording an increase in confidence, Scotland (up 19 points to 24%), Wales (up 12 points to 17%) and the South West (up nine points to 5%) saw the largest monthly changes, with Scotland now the most optimistic overall. Steve Harris, regional director for Yorkshire at Lloyds Bank Commercial Banking, said: “Yorkshire firms have not been immune to recent issues, and have faced a particularly challenging few months with rising costs and wide turbulence in the economy. Despite this, it’s good to see businesses remaining optimistic about their own trading prospects as we head into one of the busiest periods of the year. “In the current economic environment, keeping margins on tight reins while closely monitoring cashflow will allow firms to plan ahead and carefully consider which opportunities they capitalise on.” Business confidence in retail increased to 15% (up from 9%), perhaps reflecting a renewed confidence in trading prospects ahead of the festive season. However, business confidence in the manufacturing sector fell for the sixth month in a row, to 4%, down 9 points, the lowest confidence level since early 2021. The construction sector held gains made in October, remaining unchanged at 20%, although this level still remains weaker than in the first half of the year. Hann-Ju Ho, Senior Economist, Lloyds Bank Commercial Banking, said: “Given the recent political and economic landscape, it comes as little surprise that economic optimism and business confidence have fallen this month. Pay growth expectations remain high by historical standards, which could signal ongoing difficulties ahead for businesses to fill vacancies. “Looking ahead, it will be interesting to see if the clearer policy picture provided by the Autumn Statement will lead to business confidence moving in a more positive direction as we go into 2023.”

Yorkshire agri-tech pollination start-up set to smash crowdfunding target just two days into month-long campaign

Michael Fisher
-
0
Yorkshire agri-tech pollination start-up set to smash crowdfunding target just two days into month-long campaign
York-based pollination and insect biodiversity tech innovator, AgriSound, has successfully raised more than £200,000 of its £300,000 goal in just the first two days of a crowdfunding campaign designed to fund commercial hires and accelerate further development of its ‘game changer’ commercial pollinator monitoring devices. AgriSound’s ground-breaking bio-acoustic listening device – the Polly – has put it on the map this year with the start-up seeing a relentless rise in demand.  Supermarkets including M&S and Tesco, business such as innocent drinks, and numerous commercial food producers and farmers are turning to AgriSound’s Polly devices to increase crop yields more naturally and reduce pesticides, in their search to cut the environmental impact of the average shopping basket and enhance the resilience and sustainability of the UK’s food production system. Pollination is one of the most important natural processes on the planet and is essential for more than 75% of food production. Bees are vital pollinators to many fruit crops and provide £375bn of economic value; however, the bee population continues to decline. In the UK, research now shows that poor pollination costs up to £5,000 per hectare in lost yield and quality. AgriSound’s solar powered ‘Polly’ is an automated, scalable, low-cost listening device that monitors bee levels within a field. These insights are displayed via a web app and are used to take targeted action to boost crop yields and protect bee populations. The monitoring device is a game-changer for farmers and food producers, giving them the tools to manage their crop yield naturally, with real-time, measurable data for the first time. Polly was successfully launched to the UK market in January 2022, with 800 units committed for the 2022 season. AgriSound’s R&D to date has been funded through grants and private investment and the company’s first patent was filed in July 2022. Demand is increasingly escalating with interest, currently, from more than 35 organisations wanting to deploy Polly, as well as listen out for other animals and insect types. AgriSound operates a SaaS model (software as a service), with a monthly fee charged per device. Hardware is purchased and guaranteed for three years. Founder and CEO of AgriSound, Casey Woodward, said: “The whole team is over the moon to see how far we’ve come with funding so quickly. Horticulture is a growing market, expected to reach $40Bn by 2026 (CAGR 10.2%) through the increased use of tech to address productivity challenges and investing in AgriSound in a great way for organisations to align with ESG expectations. So, we’re positive we can push the rest of the way to reach our crowdfunding goal necessary to onboard new commercial hires, improve manufacturing and support, and further develop our Polly device.”
1...758759760...1,018Page 759 of 1,018