Investment Summit to put Chesterfield’s £45m grant funding in the spotlight
Chesterfield’s success in securing more than £45million in grant funding in this year’s March and October budgets will take centre stage at the fifth Chesterfield Investment Summit.
The free-to-attend event is returning in-person once more and will be held at the Casa Hotel on Wednesday 24 November from 8:30am – 12:00pm.
Christian Neilsen, Urban Design Associate at BDP which developed the Staveley Town Centre Masterplan, in conjunction with Chesterfield Borough Council, will be amongst the speaker line-up.
This is one of the eleven projects that are receiving funding through the £25.2 million Staveley Town Deal. The grant for Staveley was one of the largest given to 45 towns in England in March earlier this year as part of the government’s £1billion Town’s Fund.
In the recent budget, Chesterfield was once again put under the spotlight by Chancellor Rishi Sunak after securing a £19.98 million grant from the national Levelling Up Fund.
Dr Huw Bowen, Chief Executive of Chesterfield Borough Council, who is also speaking at the event will reveal how the government funding will be used to continue to create a better future for market traders, retailers, residents, and businesses.
Around 150 people are expected to attend the event which is organised by Destination Chesterfield and Derbyshire Economic Partnership and is part funded by the European Regional Development Fund.
The event will also hear from Rupert Carr, director of Birchall Properties, the company developing Chesterfield’s £400million all year leisure, education, wellness and entertainment destination, PEAK. He will update delegates on the progress and plans for the ambitious multi-phase leisure development which capitalises on the town’s proximity to Peak District National Park.
Additional speakers also include Cllr Tricia Gilby, Leader of Chesterfield Borough Council, Chris Henning, Executive Director Place at Derbyshire County Council, and Peter Swallow, Chair of Destination Chesterfield and Managing Director of Bolsterstone Group Plc, the company developing the town’s £340million regeneration scheme, Chesterfield Waterside.
Peter Swallow said: “We’re delighted to bring back the Investment Summit in person, after hosting it virtually last year. Chesterfield has continued to move forward and made significant progression on developments within the town in spite of the pandemic, so there is lots to talk about at the Summit. It’s going to be another great event.”
EarthSense moves to Space Park Leicester following significant company growth
After achieving 60 per cent year-on-year growth and a recruitment drive which has seen the team grow to 26, EarthSense will occupy a whole floor at Space Park Leicester. The relocation will enable the air quality monitoring firm to benefit from increased workspace for its expanding team and collaborative working with private sector experts and academics.
The newly established research and innovation centre, provides a shared space for academics, researchers, and industry to carry out world-leading research and skill development to support the city’s fast-growing space sector.
EarthSense first began trading in 2016 following 15 years of cutting-edge research at the University of Leicester, which is leading the development of Space Park Leicester in partnership with Leicester City Council and the Leicester and Leicestershire Enterprise Partnership (LLEP).
The air quality specialist offers commercial services for air quality monitoring and modelling which allow organisations such as local authorities, transport businesses, and construction companies to visualise and solve local and nationwide pollution challenges.
EarthSense’s award-winning Zephyr® air quality monitor provides real-time measurements of harmful gases and particulates in ambient air. Measured air quality data is sent to EarthSense’s intuitive MyAir® web application where it can be viewed, analysed, and downloaded to understand air pollution sources, patterns, and trends in more detail.
EarthSense also offers MappAir®, an air quality model which uses cloud-based inputs to provide visualisations of how air pollution behaves and flows around buildings and urban canyons on a city, national, and global resolution. The model provides historic air quality data and up to three-day forecasts, allowing for future planning around days which are likely to see elevated pollution concentrations.
The EarthSense subscription-based monitoring services received the royal seal of approval in April 2021 after being awarded an Innovation Award by the Queens Award for Enterprise 2021.
Tom Hall, Managing Director at EarthSense said: “We have enjoyed continued growth during a challenging time. To enable us to expand we are becoming part of the Space Park Leicester community where we will not only benefit from the increased space, but also the opportunity to collaborate with other like-minded companies and academics from the University.”
Hall continued: “The new office will give us space to further expand the EarthSense team by recruiting new talented individuals, so that we can respond to developments within the air quality market by further improving our technologies and services.”
Dr Roland Leigh, Technical Director at EarthSense said: “As a company which is a result of research from the University of Leicester, we’re benefitting greatly because of our move to Space Park Leicester and our relationship with the University.”
Yacht manufacturer fined £230k after employee seriously injured
A luxury motor yacht manufacturer has been fined after a worker suffered serious crushing injuries to his right hand during a lifting operation.
Leicester Magistrates’ Court heard how on 3 December 2018, an employee suffered serious crushing injuries to his right hand during the lifting of a storage cage at Fairline Yachts manufacturing facility at Nene Valley Business Park, Oundle.
As there was no goods lift in the manufacturing unit an overhead crane was used. As the cage was lifted it began to tip and fall in the direction of the employee. The cage trapped his hand against a boat trolley causing serious crushing injuries to the employee’s dominant right hand.
An investigation by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) into the incident found that the lifting operation was not properly planned by a competent person, appropriately supervised or carried out in a safe manner.
Fairline Yachts Limited of Nene Valley Business Park, Oundle pleaded guilty to breaching Section 2(1) of the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974. The company was fined £230,000 and ordered to pay costs of £7,410.
Speaking after the hearing, HSE inspector Aaron Butel said: “When undertaking lifting operations involving lifting equipment companies should ensure that they are always properly planned by a competent person, appropriately supervised and carried out in a safe manner.
“Companies should be aware that HSE will not hesitate to take appropriate enforcement action against those that fall below the required standards.”
Senior tax associate joins WestBridge Group in Leicester
The WestBridge Group has strengthened its tax team following the appointment of Akshay Vaghela as a senior tax associate.
Akshay has an accounting and finance degree from Manchester Metropolitan University and joins from London based accountancy firm Wilson Wright. In his new role he will be working closely with the directors and the senior management team on a wide range of specialist tax advisory projects.
Commenting on his appointment, Tom Moore, tax specialist and director of WestBridge Group, said: “Although our HQ is based in Leicester and we have a flexible working policy, our client base is nationwide so it is important that we expand our team to cover other key strategic locations. We are delighted that Akshay has joined us as he will bring more expertise and dynamism to our specialist tax team.”
Akshay added: “It’s a really exciting time to join this growing business. Despite only joining recently, I have already had fantastic exposure to high-level projects and witnessed the wealth of experience and specialist knowledge the team here possesses. I look forward to being supported through training by the company and furthering my personal and professional development in this collaborative, nurturing and constructive environment.”
Space Centre sees launch of a different kind on a mission to tackle climate change
This week Leicester’s National Space Centre saw the official launch of a unique approach to reducing the carbon emissions produced by businesses in Leicestershire.
Leicester and Leicestershire Enterprise Partnership and The Business Gateway have funded 100 places for local businesses to monitor and reduce their energy usage using a digital platform developed by software company, Zellar, the world’s first sustainability platform for business. This project is the first of its kind in the Midlands and second only to Manchester in the UK.
Around 100 people gathered in the Planetarium to listen to a range of speakers as they explained what Zellar is going to achieve and why it is needed now more than ever. Chris Brindley MBE, Chairman of Zellar, oversaw the event which he described as “Leicester making the world sit up and take notice.”
His colleague Peter Charlesworth, Chief Operating Officer of Zellar, said: “The key message from COP26 and people like the Queen, David Attenborough and Greta Thunberg is that we shouldn’t just be pledging to do things, we should all actually be taking action now.”
Mr Charlesworth stressed the benefits to business of letting customers know that they are involved in the Zellar programme and pointed out that focusing on sustainability will soon become the norm: “If you’re not doing sustainability now, in five years’ time you may not have a business.”
The LLEP’s Sue Tilley explained that this initiative is part of the Business Gateway’s role of supporting Leicestershire’s businesses with every challenge and opportunity they face. She remembered the city’s track record as one of the first environmental cities in the UK in the 1980s and saw Zellar as a continuation of this history.
“I know how hard it’s been for SMEs since the pandemic, but I believe that being part of Zellar can be a key differentiator for businesses and will help their bottom line. We’re very happy to be investing in our local businesses in this way,” she said.
One of the local businesses which has joined the Zellar programme is The Willoughby Book Club founded by Marianne Chala who said: “It’s vital to me that the business reflects my own personal ideals. I’m really looking forward to getting Zellar’s insight into the changes we can make.”
Other participating companies in attendance were Fisher German, Boards4Agents, Notts Sports and Mattioli Woods. Chief Operating Officer, Nigel Reynolds, said: “Ultimately, it’s a hard-nosed business decision; investment funding in green technologies is set to rise from 15% to 50% in the next few years so we need to be part of it. The government and regulators are going to insist on sustainability very soon, so we see this as an opportunity.”
There are fewer than 20 places still available on the Zellar programme so any interested business should apply using the online form on the Business Gateway website here: https://bit.ly/3bH54oj
Wellingborough manufacturer acquires Castleoak assets
Wellingborough-based Robinson Manufacturing (RML) has acquired the fixtures and assets of Castleoak Timber Frame, after the business appointed administrators last week.
The new facilities, in Ebbw Vale, provide RML with substantial additional Timber Frame manufacturing capacity, and it plans to start production almost immediately.
The business also welcomes a few new colleagues to the team who were made redundant in the Castleoak liquidation. They will join RML based out of its Abercarn branch and work between the two.
RML’s CEO, Simon Kidney, explained the rationale behind the expansion: “The location and infrastructure in the Ebbw Vale plant is well suited to help us meet the increased demand we have been experiencing across our existing network of seven factories.
“Timber frame is featuring heavily in the plans of most major national and regional housebuilders moving forward, and the acquisition of additional capacity further strengthens our business for the future.”
Huge new solar farm proposed for Lincolnshire
Plans have been unveiled for a huge new solar and energy storage project, involving 2,800 acres of land, on the border of Lincolnshire and Nottinghamshire.
Cottam Solar Project Limited is developing the proposals following the decommissioning of the Cottam coal fired power station.
The scheme could generate enough clean energy to power 180,000 homes, replace around 30% of the former generation capacity of the coal powered Cottam Power Station, and improve energy resilience by diversifying energy production and storing energy for when it is needed most.
It is said the project could also deliver more affordable energy, as the electricity generated from solar is cheaper than electricity generated from fossil fuels and the project would be subsidy free without taxpayer funding.
The proposals involve three areas of land which would host ground-mounted solar panels and be connected by underground cable. The project would generate around 600 MW of renewable energy.
A phase one community consultation has begun on early-stage proposals, which will run until Wednesday 15 December 2021.
Feedback is sought from the local community to help identify and understand any impacts.
Island Green Power, an international developer of renewable energy projects, is behind the development. It has delivered 26 solar projects worldwide totalling more than 1GW of capacity. This includes 14 solar projects in the UK and Republic of Ireland.
Subject to approval, it is anticipated that construction would start in 2024.
Financial management group surpasses £600m mark
Nottingham-headquartered wealth management and financial advice firm, The RU Group, has announced a record total in assets under management. As of the end of September 2021, the Group now manages over £600m of investments and private wealth on behalf of its clients.
The growth is due to a combination of factors. New client acquisition has played a significant part, while existing clients have increased their investments. In addition, the Group has made some key strategic partnerships to expand the range of Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) investment it can offer.
Ian Browne, head of advice at The RU Group, said: “This is record level of assets under management and a huge milestone for our business. We strive to ensure we are giving the very best advice to our clients and we continually seek feedback on what they are looking for from their investments.
“We understand clients are increasingly looking for socially conscious or sustainable investing options within wealth management and financial advice. These investment strategies aim to combine financial return with positive social value, that’s why we have this year partnered with EBI Portfolios and Invesco to expand the ESG options we can offer to meet client demand.”
In June, the RU Group partnered with EBI Portfolios to offer Earth Portfolios, where every £1 million invested translates to a reduction in greenhouse gas emissions equivalent to charging 12.7 million smartphones.
Further expanding its ESG offer, in September this year the RU Group also entered a partnership with Invesco, one of the largest and trusted global investment managers. The range of ESG solutions include active and passive, equities, fixed income, real estate, multi-asset, thematic and custom strategies.
Ian Browne adds: “Over the last 18 months, we have undergone a restructure to bring all our existing divisions into a single brand identity, sharing values across one unified business. These results are a testament to our team and the ongoing investment in continued professional development as part of our culture of learning and development. We look forward to building on recent success for many years to come.”
Award-winning PKF Smith Cooper continue to expand team with a number of new appointments
Midlands-based tax, accountancy, and business advisory firm, PKF Smith Cooper, have been enjoying a successful year, building up many of their service lines – with their tax team notably bolstered by 6 appointments in recent months.
This success is reflected in the firm’s September announcement, where they revealed that they had joined the global family of PKF International, placing them firmly at the forefront of the compliance and regulatory world, whilst enhancing their appeal as an employer to potential candidates.
The new team members are spread across the firm’s four core offices – situated in Derby, Nottingham, Birmingham, and Ashbourne – and include a mix of talented graduates brimming with enthusiasm, as well as skilled specialists who have accumulated a wealth of experience to benefit a more senior position.
At the firm’s Nottingham office, Megan Whiley and Adam Fox have joined the tax team in the positions of Tax Assistant and Assistant Indirect Tax Advisor, respectively.
Megan – a passionate Panthers fan – has stated that she’s “most looking forward to learning about different businesses and their unique tax queries” during her tenure at PKF Smith Cooper. Adam, meanwhile, a recent Accounting and Finance graduate from the University of Chester and a competitive swimmer, is excited “to meet new colleagues and embark on a professional career”.
The Birmingham office welcomed violin and Lego aficionado, Matthew Taylor – who is excited to “meet new colleagues and help to positively impact clients” – as a Tax Assistant, while Ashbourne has done the same for running-enthusiast, Rachel Leigh, who can’t wait to “learn and gain experience in a completely new field”.
PKF Smith Cooper’s tax team have frequently been the subject of praise in the past due to their personable, client-centred approach, volume of knowledge, and ability to tailor advice and solutions to benefit individual clients. These new recruits – possessing a range of skills, talents, and pursuits – demonstrate the potential needed to further expand the reach and capability of the tax team across all offices.
Badminton-lover, Simran Chohan, who has joined the firm’s Derby office as a Tax Assistant, states that she’s “looking forward to putting the tax theory learned at University into practice”.
Vanessa Johnson, the Derby tax team’s new Tax Senior, echoes the sentiments outlined above: “I’m looking forward to getting back into the world of tax, getting to know my new colleagues and clients across the firm, and working together to provide an efficient, professional corporate tax service.”
With such keen, skilled recruits across the company’s core offices, PKF Smith Cooper are poised on the cusp of further success and notability, whilst nurturing the careers of talented individuals within their teams.
Festive donation from Derby IT business to support local community
IT company Neuways is teaming up with the Derby Food 4 Thought Alliance to provide the charity with a range of supplies for the local community ahead of the festive season.
The food bank charity, based in the heart of Derby City Centre, at the Morledge, will ensure that the donation from Neuways is dispersed throughout the community to those that need it the most over the winter months.
The contributions given by Neuways staff and directors, range from essential hygiene products to children’s toys, as well as warm winter clothing and advent calendars. Derby Food 4 Thought Alliance’s Coordinator, Paul Brookhouse, said: “Derby Food 4 Thought Alliance was established during the COVID-19 pandemic, bringing together food banks and other key food-based projects to offer unified support to ensure no one went hungry.
“Most importantly, this put the focus on supporting people holistically while addressing the root cause of their needs that have led to deprivation and food insecurity – no matter where they live in the city of Derby and no matter what their circumstances.
“As well as food, we recognise the need for other household items including cleaning and hygiene products, warm clothing in winter and, as we approach Christmas, toys, advent calendars – and of course chocolate!
“Without the generous and vital contributions of the general public and businesses like Neuways, it would be impossible to meet the needs of those in the city and we massively appreciate the support offered.”
Derby Food 4 Thought Alliance supports people in Derby experiencing food poverty. They provide food provision and signposting, as well as education and advice to those in need, with the pandemic affecting many throughout the city of Derby.
Head of Business Support and Accounts at Neuways, Julia Carty, said: “Many of us are feeling the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, and at Neuways we wanted to make the hardest time of the year for some, a little easier, so we have chosen to support a local charity that do so much within Derby for those who really need it.
“The work that the Derby Food 4 Thought Alliance do in supporting domestic abuse victims and children at a time when they need it the most is something we want to wholeheartedly support as much as we possibly can.
“The hard work and efforts of the Derby Food 4 Thought Alliance in putting a smile back on the face of the those in need is incredible – as well as ensuring that people have access to basic hygiene essentials and food in their hour of need.
“We are very proud of all of the staff at Neuways for digging deep and helping to deliver our donation to the Derby Food 4 Thought Alliance, which will ultimately help a lot of people.
“It is hoped this donation can help improve the current situations of people experiencing hardships across Derby.”
