How SMEs can manage bigger wage bills

A key component of growth for any SME is the right employees. And talented employees expect to be rewarded – a new Federation of Small Businesses (FSB) study shows small business pay rises at a three-year high. How can these firms afford it? Alternative finance is part of the solution.

According to the FSB, the percentage of small companies that have given staff pay rises is at its highest level for three and a half years. Two thirds of the small businesses that took part in the research increased employee salaries in Q1 2018. Furthermore, almost 80% of small firms reported that they have either maintained the size of their workforce or added to it.

The figures are encouraging and show that small businesses are willing to nurture and reward talent. However, recruiting and retaining this talent require investment, the price of which places yet more pressure on under-pressure margins.

In addition, small businesses must also manage new national living wage legislation. While the law in its pursuit of fairer pay is a positive development – a new report by the Resolution Foundation shows that the proportion of workers classified as being “low paid” is smaller than at any time since the early 1980s thanks to the initiative – it is still an extra cost for small businesses owners to bear. Indeed, recently, there have been high-level calls to extend the national living wage to under-25s.

So, how can SMEs afford to attract and keep talented employees who are integral to growth? Alternative finance has a part to play. The non-bank finance sector has become an established presence in the SME finance arena, with firms taking advantage of the affordability, accessibility and flexibility of services.

Businesses are using the likes of invoice finance, peer-to-peer lending and crowdfunding to raise capital to invest in new resources, such as staff, and safeguard cashflow. This is how a business in Sussex used peer-to-peer lending, through a commercial finance broker that specialises in alternative finance, to raise funds for new resources.

It seems clear that for small businesses to successfully bear the many policy and non-policy costs, including those relating to employee recruitment and retention, they must make use of all the finance options available to them, including alternative finance.

To find out more about A&T Business Associates services, contact Tony on 01903 602211 or tony@atbusinessassociates.co.uk.

Pioneering companies NoFit State Circus and Motionhouse join forces to perform thrilling show BLOCK

On 27-28 June as part of Worthing Theatres’ Summer of Circus, leading UK companies NoFit State and Motionhouse will be joining forces at the Pavilion Theatre to perform their electrifying show BLOCK, revealing what happens when circus and dance collide.
 
BLOCK is about life in the city; its contradictions and challenges. Twenty oversized blocks are deconstructed and reformed to create different cityscapes for the performers to play on, move with and explore. The show encompasses daring physicality, split-second timing and thrilling feats with original music.
 
The constant shifts of forms echo the transitory nature of city centres, the changing landscapes of our environments and within this context, creates a platform on which the bodies talk about change, barriers, obstacles, repetition, failures and successes.
 
Created in 2016, BLOCK is a collaboration between NoFit State Circus and Motionhouse. Created and directed by Kevin Finnan, with the original concept, design and production by Ali Williams, and circus direction by Paul Evans, BLOCK has astounded audiences across the world. This year the show will be taken as far as Australia, Germany, Budapest and Belgium.
 
Kevin Finnan and Ali Williams said “The modern city is a nest teeming with activity. Human life streams through it. BLOCK  is about living in the city, its contradictions and its challenges. Living large, living fast and sometimes living in the cracks, this extraordinary cast stay on their toes to thrive and survive in the world of blocks. The tower block, the urban block, danger, love and excitement streaming through the day. The fusion of house styles creates a new theatrical language mixing circus and dance in an extraordinary and seamless way. Fusing the fluidity of dance with spectacular circus to continually reshape the modular staging negates the need to perform “acts”, allowing the skills to be fully integrated in the movement vocabulary, creating a new and exciting form.”

NoFit State was founded in 1986 by five friends. During a politically charged time, in a recession, and as a creative reaction to the world around them, the circus was born. Today, NoFit State is the UK’s leading large-scale contemporary circus company, producing professional touring productions and a wide variety of community, training, and education projects for people of all ages. Over the last six years NoFit State's touring productions have visited 15 different countries, played to audiences of over 250,000, have been critically acclaimed and won numerous prestigious international arts awards. They last performed in Worthing with their critically acclaimed sold out show Noodles in 2014.
 
Motionhouse create and tour a wide range of inspiring and powerful dance-circus productions to theatres and festivals in the UK and across the globe. Their distinctive, highly physical style integrates elements of circus and acrobatics with breath-taking dance to surprise and delight audiences, using powerful narrative and incredible digital imagery; they are pioneers in the world of dance. Their previous hugely popular productions in Worthing include Charge, Scattered and Broken.

Tickets for BLOCK at the Pavilion Theatre are available from the Worthing Theatres box office on 01903 206 206 and online at worthingtheatres.co.uk.

BLOCK is commissioned by Without Walls, Stockton International Riverside Festival, Norfolk & Norwich Festival and Out There International Festival of Circus & Street Arts. Co-production Archaos, Pôle National des Arts du Cirque Méditerranée and Le Citron Jaune, Centre National des Arts de la Rue.

Adur District Council gives £10,000 boost to Wordfest

Shoreham’s literary charity, Wordfest has been awarded a £10,000 grant by Adur District Council to help boost its activities, bringing in more young people and different communities to celebrate the power of books and literature.

Wordfest, which has been running since 2011, attracts thousands of residents and visitors to a series of events showcasing literature, poetry and the written word in all forms.

To help Wordfest, a charitable organisation run by volunteers, continue its success in reaching out to communities the District Council has awarded the £10,000 grant with an additional £5,000 towards a children’s festival for Adur, organised in partnership with various arts groups.

With support from the Council, there will be summer evening performances of Shakespeare’s classic farce, Comedy of Errors, on Shoreham’s Coronation Green on 15 and 16 June.

Families and children will also be catered for in the special week-long Adur Children’s Arts Festival in August and a further weekend in November.

This year’s events will culminate in a week-long celebration in October at which journalists Kate Adie and Jenny Murray as well as renowned poet Ian Macmillan will be just some of the speakers and performers on show and performances of Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet will be staged.

Using the grant Wordfest will also run pilot projects, such as all-ages creative workshops and will offer longer developmental opportunities to build links between children and people of all ages, and between different communities.

There will be creative writing workshops to increase educational achievements, skills and aspirations enabling people to shape their own future, maximising new economic and social opportunities.

Linking with schools, Skyway Gallery, Adur Arts Trail and others Wordfest will also build links across all the arts, with the support of community groups and businesses, to develop a programme of cultural events across the district.

The programme will contribute to community health and well-being, education, raising aspirations and will complement economic development in bringing others into the district, increasing its reputation as a centre for arts and innovation. Wordfest will work with the District Council’s Community and Wellbeing teams to develop the programme.

Leader of Adur District Council, Cllr Neil Parkin said, “We recognise that Shoreham has a thriving cultural scene and we recognise the fantastic efforts put in over the years by trustees and volunteers to build Wordfest into the success it is.

“Now our contribution will allow the festival to reach out beyond both Shoreham and traditional audiences to inspire whole new groups in the delight in the written word.”

On behalf of Wordfest trustees Rosalind Turner said, “We are thrilled to receive this support from Adur District Council, which will help to boost the range of cultural activities we are able to organise in the coming year.

“We have been growing as a voluntary organisation over the last seven years, and with the Council’s support we can now expand, with a particular emphasis on work with children and young people, schools and extending activities within the community. With the Council’s support, Wordfest will be organising creative workshops with children and older people in schools, and arts activities in Lancing and Fishersgate.  

“The charity trustees are grateful for the Council’s recognition of the considerable amount of voluntary effort generated into the arts in Shoreham and beyond over the past seven years.  There are over 30 people actively involved with Wordfest, and we also rely on support from many other partners in the area. The Council’s commitment will help us all to flourish and reach the parts we haven’t reached before.”

For the full programme of Wordfest events go to www.shorehamwordfest.com

New Senior Manager Appointed at MHA Carpenter Box

To support their growing client base, MHA Carpenter Box has appointed Sarah Baker as a Senior Manager within the Business Services Group.

Sarah qualified as a member of the Association of Accounting Technicians (AAT) in 2005, before moving on to become a member of the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA) in 2009; she became a fellow of the ACCA in 2014.

Sarah has gained a vast experience in audit and accounting work since joining the profession over 15 years ago, having worked for both Kreston Reeves and Haines Watts Chartered Accountants in Brighton.

In her new role with MHA Carpenter Box, Sarah will focus on working with sole traders and owner-managed businesses of all sizes, helping them to increase their profitability and improve their tax efficiency. On a day-to-day basis, this can mean dealing with anything from VAT returns to Corporation Tax, in addition to accounting and tax planning activities.

Sarah is thrilled with her new appointment, commenting: “I’m delighted to be appointed as a Senior Manager at MHA Carpenter Box, which has an excellent reputation in the industry. I enjoy keeping busy and the Business Services Group is certainly thriving acting for a lot of clients from a wide range of business sectors. There is also a good buzz in the office with great teamwork, making it a very enjoyable place to work.”

Sarah lives in Worthing so she no longer has a lengthy commute to work each day, which is important to her as she keeps busy with her four-year-old son. In her spare time, she is a fitness fanatic, attending classes and enjoying running on a regular basis. 

New Mayor of Worthing is set to be elected

The next Mayor of Worthing is pledging to support the building of communities during his year in office.

Councillor Paul Baker will don the Borough’s century-old robes and chain for the first time on Friday (May 18, 2018) when he set to be elected to post at Worthing Borough Council’s annual meeting.

In the next 12 months, the avid singer and rugby fan will be the town’s first citizen, combining attending hundreds of events with his full-time job as an engineer.

He will also raise money for three local charities: Guild Care Haviland House dementia care home, Ferring Country Centre and Love Your Hospital, which is the the dedicated charity for Western Sussex Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust.

After putting on the century-old robes for the first time on Friday, Cllr Baker will waste no time getting on to business - with the mayor’s inaugural dinner that evening followed by a picnic for the Royal Wedding on Saturday in Broadwater. A civic service at St George’s church will take place on Sunday.

Cllr Baker, who was elected to represent Broadwater ward on Worthing Borough Council in 2016, said: “I’m looking forward to meeting as many people as possible and doing my best to make the year beneficial to our town.”

Cllr Baker was born and bred in the town and follows his father and grandfather in serving the local community as both were employed by the council.

He will be accompanied throughout the year by his wife Sandra, who works as a local estate agent. They recently celebrated their Pearl wedding anniversary.

Speaking on the eve of the annual meeting, Cllr Baker said he was looking forward to a busy and productive year ahead.

Cllr Baker said: “I became a Councillor, as most people do, to try and help people and make positive changes for the good of Worthing.

“My priorities are assisting in building communities, working with community associations and neighbourhood groups, and promoting volunteering for the good of everyone in the town.”

Cllr Baker’s Deputy Mayor will be Councillor Hazel Thorpe, who represents Tarring ward.

He succeeds Councillor Alex Harman, who was the youngest ever borough mayor in the country. In the last year, Cllr Harman raised £17,556.69 for his chosen local charities - the Ashdown Centre, Worthing ‪Mencap and Worthing Alzheimer’s Society.

Read the Q&A below to find out more about the new mayor Paul Baker.

What is your background?

Born and bred in Worthing, I was brought up in Durrington and attended Durrington Primary School, West Tarring County Secondary School, Northbrook College and Brighton Technical College where I obtained an HNC in Electrical Engineering.

I follow in a long family tradition with the the Borough Council as my father worked for the authority for more than 40 years in street lighting and highways; as did his grandfather before him, who was a street light lense cleaner on a bike with ladder and bucket - there was no health and safety those days!

I served an Electrical Engineering apprenticeship at Beecham Pharmaceuticals and went on to be a hospital field service engineer and area sales manager. In 2000 myself and my wife Sandra purchased a small hotel in Worthing which we ran for ten years. I have since moved back into electrical sales and now work as a technical support engineer for ABB UK Ltd in both solar energy and electric vehicle charging.

I’m looking forward to meeting as many people as possible and doing my best to make the year beneficial to our town.

What are your interests away from being a councillor?

Singing - I have sung with many local choirs and performing varied pieces from Handel’s Messiah to Guns n Roses.I have a passion for rugby too - I played 1st XV rugby for Worthing RFC during the 1980’s and was President for three years.

Why did you become a councillor?

I became a Councillor, as most people do, to try and help people and make positive changes for the good of Worthing.

What are your priorities for the coming year as Mayor?

My priorities are assisting in building communities, working with community associations and neighbourhood groups, and promoting volunteering for the good of everyone in the town.

Which charities will you be supporting as Mayor?

My charities are Guild Care Haviland House dementia care home, Ferring Country Centre and Love Your Hospital, which is the the dedicated charity for Western Sussex Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust.

What are your three favourite things about Worthing?

My three favourite things about Worthing are: the people who live here, their friendliness and positive attitude; Worthing’s location with the sea to the south and the Downs to the north; and the variety of things to do, the theatres, museum, restaurants and amenities.

Tell us something about the mayoralty we didn’t know?

The Mayoral Chain weighs in at 32oz and was paid for by public subscription in 1891.

Worthing Beach receives top national award

Worthing Beach has been recognised as one of the best in the country after winning the coveted Seaside Award for the second year running.

Overseen by Keep Britain Tidy, the honour recognises and rewards beaches that achieve the highest standards of beach management and, in the case of bathing beaches, meet the required standards for water quality.

Worthing Beach, a seven mile stretch of shingle, soft sand and rock pools, was one of those to be awarded, meaning it joins the ranks of the best in England.

The announcement will be officially made today (Thursday, May 17) at a special ceremony at Cromer Pier in Norfolk.

Councillor Kevin Jenkins, Deputy Leader of Worthing Borough Council, said: “The seafront really is the lifeblood of the any coastal town and it is no different in Worthing.

“From a wide expansive prom to a host of independent traders to world-class water sports, our seafront is a tremendous asset to all ages which is why I’m delighted we have won this award again.

“With the weather warming up, it is a real stamp of approval that Worthing and it’s seafront is ready for summer.”

Keep Britain Tidy is presenting 190 awards to England’s very best beaches, including 65 international Blue Flags and 125 Seaside Awards - ranging from popular holiday spots to quiet, more hidden-away spots.

What unites them all is knowing that they are clean, safe and meet the highest environmental standards, as well as the tough international bathing water quality standards.

Allison Ogden-Newton, Keep Britain Tidy’s Chief Executive, said: “The success of the beaches in reaching the very high standards demanded is testament to all those who have worked so hard to protect and improve our beaches – from beach managers and volunteers to local people and businesses.

“When you enjoy a trip to a beach flying a Seaside Award, you know you are on one of the safest, cleanest and very best in the country.”

World War One links honoured as French town of Richebourg receives the Freedom of Worthing

“Civic pride at its best” was on display this weekend when the Freedom of Worthing was bestowed on the Mayor of Richebourg.

The two places formed links after a World War One battle known as “The Day Sussex Died” took place near the northern French settlement in 1916.

More than a century on, that relationship has been cemented as the Mayor of Worthing Councillor Alex Harman gave the freedom of the borough to the office of his counterpart Gerard Delahaye.

Among those present for the ceremony in Worthing Town Hall on Saturday (12 May, 2018) were schoolchildren and officials from Pas-de-Calais, as well as local dignitaries.

Cllr Harman said: “The whole event went really well. It really was civic pride at its best.

“The support from both sides of the Channel was fantastic and I was delighted to welcome Mayor Delahaye, who was the first Mayor of Richebourg to visit Worthing since 1921.

“I was so pleased to see school children from both town take part in the event too as it shows that the young people of our towns are committed to seeing the link grow and continue in future years.”

The Day Sussex Died, which is officially known as the Battle of Boar's Head, took place on June 30, 1916. In less than five hours more than 1,300 soldiers from the three South Downs Battalions of the Royal Sussex Regiment were either killed, wounded, captured or missing. Of the 366 who died, 22 were from Worthing.

Former Worthing Mayor Ellen Chapman first formed connections with Richebourg back in the 1920s.

Cllr Harman gained approval from Worthing’s Full Council in February to award the freedom honour, which comes in the same year as the centenary of the end of World War One.

As well as receiving the award, the French delegation attended a short commemoration service at the Battle of Boar’s Head memorial in Worthing's Beach House Park. That was followed by an unveiling of a piece of collaboratively-designed stained glass on Worthing Pier.

The glass was jointly designed by the students from Worthing's Chatsmore Catholic High School, Ecole Marcel Lejosne and Ecole du Sacré Cœur in Richebourg. A duplicate piece of glass was presented to the town of Richebourg.

The visit by the French delegation was arranged by Chatsmore Catholic High School, who forged links with Richebourg through their Legacy 110 programme which encourages schoolchildren to become involved in projects to pass on the legacy of remembering World War One.

How SMEs can afford GDPR compliance and protect their brands

A new study showing that consumers are losing faith in brands over data use is a wake-up call for small businesses dealing with GDPR compliance. Alternative finance can help owners manage cashflow to meet the costs of compliance.

The results of the survey by Databoxer showed that over 80% of those questioned do not trust social media companies with their data. A further two thirds said that they do not trust the brands that supply the products they buy. This is a damning insight into the relationship between consumers and brands, and has serious ramifications for SMEs.

While big brands have the resources and scope to bounce back from data privacy breaches, it is much harder for smaller businesses to win back trust and sales. The impact of a loss of consumers and contracts can have a much more serious impact. Hence, is it vital that small business owners prioritise GDPR compliance and give their customers the peace of mind that comes from knowing their data are being handled properly and are fully protected.

However, a significant amount of small businesses are struggling to meet the May 25th deadline (when the GDPR data-protection laws come into force). Recent research from the Institute of Directors claims that many businesses are still not ready. According to the data, 40% of directors are not confident that they will be fully compliant in time. A similar amount reported that they are unsure how the new rules will affect their firms.

So, what’s stopping them? One of the biggest barriers to compliance is cost. The extra pressure on company finances comes at a time when most small businesses are already straining under the weight of a long list of other policy and non-policy related costs. These include costs relating to cybersecurity and late payment and compliance with pension auto-enrolment and living wage- and apprenticeship-related legislation.

Capital is being spread increasingly thinly and, with traditional lenders welded to their cautiousness, this puts pressure on cashflow. Hence the go-slow approach to GDPR compliance. However, alternative finance can help small business owners access cash and invest in the resources that they need to protect themselves and their customers.

With trust in big bank small business lending remaining low, alternative finance is going from strength to strength. More and more SMEs are using the likes of invoice finance, asset finance, peer-to-peer lending and crowdfunding to fund investment and safeguard cash flow.

This is how a Sussex business used peer-to-peer lending, through a commercial finance broker that specialises in alternative finance, to raise money to buy new equipment.

GDPR compliance is proving tougher than expected for many businesses and it seems clear that cost is a key contributory factor. While it is easy to understand why some firms are taking longer to prepare, there is no escaping the fact that they cannot afford not to. This is why alternative finance is so important.

To find out more about A&T Business Associates services, contact Tony on 01903 602211 or tony@atbusinessassociates.co.uk.

Notification of major gas works: High Street and Lyndhurst Road, Worthing

The project involves the essential replacement of old metal gas mains with new plastic pipe to ensure we continue to provide a safe and reliable gas supply to the local area. Our contractor KLT will undertake this work on our behalf.

So, that we can minimise the impact of our essential work, we have carefully consulted and planned our works in partnership with West Sussex County Council, our project will start on Monday 14 May 2018 and is expected to last approximately seven weeks.

Phase one – approximately seven weeks

We’ll start our project in High Street between its junction with A259 North Street and Little High Street. We’ll be replacing our gas main and service pipes along the western side on the road in sections. Majority of our work will be carried out in the footpath; however, we may need to access our network from the road at times. We will agree this with West Sussex County Council in advance and install advance notice signs to keep residents informed.

Phase two – approximately four weeks

On Monday 4 June, our second team of engineers will begin upgrading our network in Lyndhurst Road. To ensure everyone’s safety around our work area, we will need to close Lyndhurst Road from 10am on Monday 4 June between the A259 North Street roundabout and Providence Terrace.

Lyndhurst Road is expected to be closed for approximately four weeks, until Friday 29 June. Signed diversions via the A259 Brighton Road and Brougham Road will be in place throughout. Access to Providence Terrace will be maintained for residents travelling westbound on Lyndhurst Road.

Access to Worthing Hospital and A&E will be maintained from the eastern approach of Lyndhurst Road throughout our work.

Worthing honours MasterChef 2018 winner Kenny Tutt

MasterChef 2018 champion Kenny Tutt was the toast of the town after the Worthing resident was invited to a special civic reception by the Mayor. 

The dad-of-two shot to fame when more than five million viewers tuned in to watch him win BBC One's flagship cookery programme.

In taking the crown, bank manager Kenny beat out more than 25,000 competitors - and to thank him for putting the town on the map, Kenny and his family were invited into the mayor's parlour for a special civic ceremony.

Mayor of Worthing Alex Harman also took the opportunity to present the 36-year-old with a framed certificate and other civic gifts.

After being presentation, Kenny joked: "Do I get a free parking space too?"

Speaking afterwards, Cllr Harman said: "As a borough, we are extremely proud of what Kenny has achieved so it was a pleasure to invite him and his family into the parlour for a special reception.

"He has really helped put Worthing on the map and this reception is a small way of saying thank you to him."

The MasterChef winner also met members of the Council's food safety team and heard about the Eat Out Eat Well scheme, which rewards restaurants, takeaways and other food businesses that make it easier for their customers to make healthy choices.

In sharing a few stories about his time on the show, Kenny and his wife Lucy revealed they watched the final on an iPhone on the train after an appearance on BBC's The One Show.

Since lifting the crown, he has been appeared at a number of food festival and cookery events.

Kenny, who has lived in the town for nearly 20 years, said: "I absolutely love the town I think it's brilliant and lot of the inspiration for Masterchef came from living beside the sea.

"It has been incredible meeting the mayor and learn about the history of the town and town hall.

"Being able to represent the town on the show was just another feather in Worthing's cap."