New Year, Enhanced Brand for Carpenter Box

Sussex-based chartered accountants, tax and business advisers, Carpenter Box has started 2017 with a subtle tweak to its identity – incorporating its membership of the MHA Association into its trading name.

The firm, now known as MHA Carpenter Box, was a founding member of the Association In 2010, when it was established by the best independent regional UK accountancy firms to share knowledge and resources.

Practice Director Chris Coopey commented: “Although it’s a small change, introducing MHA into our name demonstrates that whilst we remain a sizeable independent firm, we also have a considerable national resource at our finger tips to help clients get the best from their businesses, whatever opportunity or challenge comes their way.”

The new brand also reflects the firm’s expertise as tax and business advisers rather than just a traditional accountancy practice. The firm’s full-service offering together with its focus on sector specialisms helps to explain why MHA Carpenter Box has grown to a headcount of over 140, as does the outstanding success of its Gatwick office, which has tripled in size since first opening in June 2015.

MHA’s eight member firms have offices in 50 locations across England, Scotland and Wales. Its combined turnover puts the Association in the country’s top 15 UK accountancy groupings enabling MHA Carpenter Box to provide support to clients of every size and in every sector.

Multi Million Pound Boost to Support Access into Higher Level Education Across Sussex 

Efforts to increase the participation in higher education of disadvantaged groups across East and West Sussex and Brighton & Hove has received a major boost with confirmation that the Sussex Learning Network has been successful in its bid for a share of a new £60 million per year programme. 

The National Collaborative Outreach Programme (NCOP) will launch on 24 January 2017 with the aim of driving a step change in the progression into higher education of young people from disadvantaged backgrounds, including members of ethnic minority groups and young men. The programme, which is funded by the Higher Education Funding Council for England (HEFCE), will particularly focus on delivering activities which builds upon and boosts outreach in schools and local communities, as well as developing innovative ways to meet specific challenges in areas where participation in higher education tends to be low.

The Sussex Learning Network has been operating for over 10 years and brings together the combined expertise of the Universities of Brighton, Sussex and Chichester together with many of the local Further Education colleges, local councils, careers services and training providers across the region in a strategic partnership.

The Network’s successful bid, which is worth almost £8 million over the next four years, will focus on developing clear and appropriately supported pathways through various educational routes to relevant forms of higher level study aligned to local need and future demand.

Welcoming the announcement, Sarah Williams, Director of the Sussex Learning Network said: “This is fantastic news. Despite being fairly prosperous overall the coastal and rural nature of the region means there are several pockets of deprivation and sectors with low skills levels. When combined with other factors this means that we see lower than expected progression into higher education in some areas and amongst certain groups.

“This funding means that we can build on the considerable expertise and experience of our local universities, FE colleges and other partners to develop supported programmes that will have a real impact on raising aspirations and open up higher education opportunities to many who are currently missing out.”

A large-scale evaluation programme will measure the impact of the programme from the start, and will build a powerful evidence base to ensure the investment is concentrated on effective activity.

Universities and Science Minister Jo Johnson said: “We are seeing record numbers of disadvantaged young people going to university and benefiting from the real opportunities that our world class universities can offer.

“This funding and the schemes that have been developed by universities will make a real difference to young people in key areas. In addition to this, we are legislating for a new transparency duty which will place a clear requirement on all universities to release more information about their admissions process and real incentives on all institutions to go further and faster to promote social mobility.”

HEFCE Director of Policy Chris Millward said: “NCOP represents a significant investment by HEFCE in improving the life chances of young people in some of our most disadvantaged communities. Our evidence has shown that there are young people in these areas who are achieving the qualifications they need to benefit from higher education, but are not currently doing so. The programme will ensure that they are better equipped to make the right choice for them by exposing the range of higher education options available and the careers they make possible.”

For further information please contact Sarah Williams, Director of the Sussex Learning Network at s.williams@sussexlearningnetwork.org.uk

Small Business Confidence Rebounds In the South East

About 94 per cent of small businesses in the South East expect to remain the same size or expand operations over the next year, according to the latest findings by the Federation of Small Businesses (FSB). 

The report also revealed amid a fall in the value of the pound, four in ten exporters surveyed expect to increase overseas sales in the next quarter. It added that UK small business confidence in the last quarter bounced back to the level reported before the EU referendum campaign began and FSB’s Small Business Index (SBI) has now moved into positive territory.

The headline confidence measure now stands at +8.5, up from -2.9 in the previous quarter and reaching approximately the same level as it stood at the start of 2016 at +8.6.

Mike Cherry, national chairman at the Federation of Small Businesses, said: "We are delighted to see confidence bounce back at the end of 2016, effectively wiping out the fall we saw over the course of the year in the run-up to the EU referendum and its immediate fallout. The current economic outlook seems brighter, and UK small businesses are ambitious and want to make the most of it.

"Small exporters continue their strong rise, as UK goods and services become more competitive overseas and small businesses go out to find new markets and new customers."

He added: "Despite the overall positive picture, our members still face many challenges as rising costs squeeze margins even further. The falling pound is driving up the price of imports and rising oil prices are being reflected in higher fuel costs. These inflationary pressures and price competition are hitting the bottom line hard with the majority of small firms seeing their profits continue to fall."

Read more here from Insider Media

Thriving as a Business in the Circular Economy
Roundtable Workshop
Venue: Brighthelm Centre, North Rd, Brighton BN1 1YD
Thursday January 19^th 2017, 4pm to 7pm

The University of Sussex are delighted to invite you to a roundtable workshop on ‘Thriving as a Business in the Circular Economy’ organised by the School of Business, Management and Economics at the University of Sussex in collaboration with Growth International Limited. 

The Circular Economy (CE) is an alternative to the traditional linear economy of “take, make, dispose”. CE aims to keep resources in use for as long as possible and extract the maximum value from them whilst in use, then recovers and regenerates products and materials at the end of their useful life.

CE promises many highly desirable outcomes including the sustainable use of the world’s resources, robust avenues for economic growth with lowered environmental impact, and new, high quality employment opportunities.

It is widely recognised that small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) will have a key role to play in CE. However, the opportunities and challenges they face in the transition to CE are underexplored.  

This workshop brings together academics, businesses and policy makers with four specific aims:

This workshop is designed to deliver something of value to all participants. As academic researchers, we wish to hear first-hand about the challenges SMEs face in engaging with CE practices and ideas about the form of support that would help remove these barriers.

For businesses, the workshop will offer a space to engage with other firms and relevant stakeholders as well as hearing from Professor Martin Charter who is a member of the BS 8001 framework Advisory Board. This is also an opportunity to share know-how about existing successful CE business models, identify shared problems and explore solutions in a local context. You will find an outline agenda below.

If you would like to read some background information on the Circular Economy, we suggest you take a look at the Ellen MacArthur Foundation website: www.ellenmacarthurfoundation.org.

We very much look forward to welcoming you to the workshop on Thursday 19^th January 2017 from 4pm to 7pm. To confirm your attendance or for further information please contact Peter Desmond of Growth International on 07956 586390 or at circulareconomy@growthinternational.com

Agenda

3.45pm - Registration and refreshments

4.00pm - Welcome & Introduction

4.10pm - “What is the Circular Economy?” – a video from the Ellen MacArthur Foundation

4.15pm - The new BS 8001 framework and circular business models – Professor Martin Charter, Director, The Centre for Sustainable Design, University of Creative Arts & BS8001 Advisory Board

4.40pm - Round Table Discussions

5.30pm - Feedback from Table Discussions

6.00pm - The potential of a region-wide network for facilitating the transition to CE

6.15pm - Green Growth Platform Circular Economy project – Rachel Espinosa

6.25pm - Wrap up and Conclusion

6.30pm - 7.00pm - Refreshments

VAT Specialist Appointed at Carpenter Box

Dan’s accountancy career spans 14 years. Having trained in accountancy he went on to specialise in tax, so is both a Chartered Accountant and a Chartered Tax Adviser.

As a new member of the firm’s Tax Advisory team, Dan will provide advice to clients in a wide range of businesses and with a particular focus on specialist VAT advice, one of the most complex areas of taxation.

Dan looks to identify tax planning opportunities for his clients, helping them to become tax-efficient. His wide experience around accountancy and tax means that he is able to combine both sides, to give business advice that is really joined up.

Dan explains: “I have always worked in the Worthing area and was very familiar with the fact that MHA Carpenter Box is a progressive firm with a very good reputation. Its large client base spans many sectors. I’m confident that I can add further strength to the firm with my wide accountancy knowledge and, in particular, the specialist VAT advice that I am able to provide – a specialism that is quite rare in the accountancy profession.”

Dan lives in Worthing and outside of work he is a keen Formula 1 fan and cinema buff enjoying films ranging from sci-fi to comedy.

Safe In Sussex receive Xmas donation from Chamber members 

Local charity Safe In Sussex were delighted to receive an early Christmas present in the form of a donation from Worthing and Adur Chamber of Commerce.

The charity, who provides refuge accommodation for women and children subjected to domestic abuse, received the cheque for £385 from Tracie Davey, Operations Manager of the Worthing and Adur Chamber of Commerce. The money was raised through a Christmas raffle at the Chamber’s Xmas social event.

Louise Gisbey, Fundraising & Marketing Manager for Safe in Sussex said, ‘our refuges are a place where women and their children can feel safe and be given the vital support they need, both practical and emotional and all donations large or small make a tremendous difference’.

‘We have been really touched this year by several businesses and individuals who have supported us and this particular donation will go towards funding a new oven which we desperately need.  We are really thrilled that the Chamber decided on our charity and look forward to continuing to work closely with them.’

For more information on Safe In Sussex please see www.safeinsussex.org

Political leaders’ concern over funding reductions 

Political leaders have criticised plans which will leave all but one district council in West Sussex financially worse-off in 2017. New Homes Bonus payments to councils nationwide by the Government will reduce by £240million in 2017/18, with the funds diverted to adult social care. 

The plan, along with other changes to the way the housebuilding incentive is calculated, will see West Sussex councils receive up to 27 per cent less. 

Adur District Council leader Neil Parkin, whose authority will be hardest hit, said: “I’m particularly disappointed they are choosing to fund the social care crisis by taking money off district councils and the New Homes Bonus. 

“I will be screaming about the reduction and before it was announced I fired the warning shots across the MP.”Horsham District Council is the only district council in the county expected to see an increase in New Homes Bonus, according to figures provided by Crawley Borough Council leader Peter Lamb.

 A HDC spokesman said the expected 9.49 per cent increase reflected the ‘sheer increase in volume of new homes being built in the district’. But the outlook was bleaker for Crawley, with the borough’s anticipated reduction of 24.29 per cent the second highest drop in the county. 

Mr Lamb said the Labour-controlled authority had been ‘repeatedly harder hit’ than its neighbours over the last six years. He said the council had been penalised because of the changes – despite taking proactive steps to develop available land. 

The reduction in New Homes Bonus represents around £500,000 – but Mr Lamb said the council would not make kneejerk reactions. Mr Lamb’s figures show Crawley would experience the largest reduction (6.44 per cent) in overall spending power, taking into account the wider provisional local government settlement. The funding changes have raised concerns on a national level. 

The District Councils’ Network (DCN), the collective voice for local authorities across England, will exploring the potential for transitional measures to help soften the blow. Arun District Council leader Gill Brown acts as planning spokesman for the DCN. 

In addition to the £240million reduction, she said New Homes Bonus will be paid over five years in 2017/18, instead of the current six. This will reduce to four years in the following year. Councils will also need to achieve housing growth of more than 0.4 per cent before they receive New Homes Bonus funding.

 She said: “The DCN is very concerned about the proposal to review the baseline in future to reflect significant and unexpected growth. “The consultation on the provisional settlement asks for views on whether there should be any transitional measures for local authorities to deal with these changes. 

“The DCN will be actively exploring this route to set out its concerns in relation to the new baseline rate in particular and will be offering proposals to mitigate the impact on district councils. We will also be involving MPs as part of co-ordinated district response.”

Photo: Crawley leader Peter Lamb

Read more at Crawley Observer here

Innovate UK Funding Competition: Open Programme Round 2 

Innovate UK is to invest up to £15 million in innovative research and development projects that will turn innovation excellence into economic impact for the UK.

The aim of this competition is to help businesses develop new products, processes and services with commercial potential. Proposals should demonstrate disruptive and/or cutting-edge innovations. Businesses should demonstrate evidence-based ambition and potential for return on investment, growth and scale-up, preferably with access to global markets.

To be in scope, total costs for the project must be between £25,000 to £1 million. Projects should last between 6 months to 36 months.

The competition is open to businesses of any size. You can work individually or collaboratively.

For more information please visit:

http://engage.innovateuk.org/technologystrategyboardlz//WebCapture.aspx?pID=6838&t=0