Grinches look away now - only 7 days left until Christmas…

...Market days that is!  The popular Shoreham Farmers’ and Artisans’ Markets, together with the rapidly growing Lancing Village Market, only have three more events each before Christmas Day arrives!

Councillor Brian  Boggis, Executive Member for Regeneration at Adur District Council, said:

“Our growing markets showcase the incredible range of high quality food, drink and produce that we have on our doorsteps, as well as the beautiful work from local artisans which make perfect Christmas presents.

“I’m really proud of living in a District where markets can thrive, where small businesses can sell direct to their customers and where residents can easily purchase local produce.

“With such a range on offer, why not make this Christmas a truly ‘Local Christmas’ and purchase all of your food and drink from the markets?”

Councillor Emma Evans, Adur District Council’s Executive Member for the Environment, is equally enthusiastic.

“Our markets prove that food doesn’t have to travel huge distances from point of production to point of sale.  The price and quality of what’s on offer locally easily matches that of products flown in for supermarkets from around the world.

“It’s really important that we’re able to continue to support our markets - they’re good for our health, for our local businesses and for the environment.”

Lancing Village Market will be returning this Saturday, with live entertainment on offer too. The market stalls will open from 9am until 1pm in Littlecroft car park, Queensway.

Dates for the regular Adur markets are as follows:

·         Shoreham Farmers’ Market - Saturday 12th November and 10th December

·         Shoreham Artisans’ Market - Saturday 22nd October and 26th November

·         Lancing Village Market - Saturday 15th October, 19th November and 17th December

In addition to the planned market days, there are some special festive events planned from the end of November until the Christmas weekend:

·         Shoreham Artisans Christmas Market - 25th to 27th November

·         Southwick Christmas Festival - 3rd December

·         Lancing Christmas Festival - 17th December

Keep an eye on the Councils’ website (www.adur-worthing.gov.uk/markets) for more details as the exciting plans come together over the next few weeks.

West Sussex Superfast Broadband Connection Vouchers

You are invited to find out more about the West Sussex Superfast Broadband Connection Voucher scheme and application process at:

The Studio at The Capitol, Horsham RH12 1RG from 9.30am on Wednesday 19^th October 2016

ABOUT THE SUPERFAST BROADBAND VOUCHER SCHEME

West Sussex businesses that do not have access to superfast broadband and are not included in any commercial or publicly-funded rollout may be eligible to apply for a Superfast Broadband Connection Voucher up to the value of £3000 towards the capital costs to achieve speeds of greater than 30Mbps.  Groups of eligible businesses in a building or common location will each need to submit an individual application but can pool their vouchers to fund a joint solution. The scheme is not open to residential applicants but home-based businesses meeting the criteria can apply. 

The scheme is funded by the Coast to Capital LEP from their ‘Growth is Digital’ priority, West Sussex County Council is the delivery body.

Information and an application form can be found by clicking here

To reserve a place, please email grants@c2cbroadbandgrants.org.uk to confirm you are attending the workshop and the site visit. 

Click here to download the agenda.

Click here to download directions to The Capitol, Horsham

Thursday, 10 November 2016 from 17:00 to 20:30 (GMT)

Worthing Assembly Hall
Stoke Abbott Road BN11 1HQ Worthing
United Kingdom
View Map

The main theme of this year’s conference is local sustainable transport and will explore what we can do together in the community to improve things on a very local level to achieve better social, economic and environmental sustainability in our transport networks. In particular we plan to look at cycling, walking and public transport as an alternative to the car and find out what the barriers are to choosing alternative means of transport. We’ll also look at the future of local transport and find where the opportunities lie. Travel doesn’t need to be so expensive, frustrating,  time consuming or confusing so come along and work with other partners to try and make some waves, and improve local transport and travel for everyone in and around Adur and Worthing.

Click here to book the conference. 

Upcoming Gender Pay Gap regulation 

Have your input...

Acas helps HR professionals and managers keep up-to-date with employment law and how to get the best from staff through good workplace practices.

Acas are requesting your help in developing advice and guidance on Gender Pay Reporting

The Equality Act 2010 (Gender Pay Gap Information) Section 78 Regulations are expected to come into force in April 2017. These regulations will require employers in Great Britain with 250 or more employees, to calculate their gender pay gap.

Acas are currently producing new guidance on gender pay gap reporting and we are interested in getting your views. We are also interested in finding out what you already know about the upcoming regulations. Your feedback will help us create better guidance and resources which will help employers prepare for the introduction of this new legislation.

Acas have produced a short survey that we would appreciate you spending a few minutes filling in.

View the survey here

Rampion Offshore Wind Farm Newsletter - October 2016

Construction work on the Rampion project is now well underway and inside this newsletter you will find updates, including news about the progress of the onshore and offshore works, new apprentices and community support activities.

Click here to download Rampion Offshore Wind October Newsletter

Latest News from Gatwick

Gatwick have submitted new evidence to all members of Cabinet sub-Committee on airports.  Momentum appears to be building for a possible Government announcement on

 the runway this month.  As the sub-Committee starts to consider where to expand aviation capacity in the South East, Gatwick’s new report contains substantial additional analysis – including information obtained under FOI request – that supersedes the now discredited Airports Commission Final Report.  Once corrected, analysis shows that the benefits of Gatwick expansion exceed those of either Heathrow options.  The second runway is low risk and delivery can be guaranteed quickly – by 2025.  Read More 

New route to Moscow to start from Gatwick Airport - Aeroflot, the national flag carrier of Russia launches a daily service to Sheremetyevo from London Gatwick on 15 November 2016.  Another great route launched as one of the 20 new long-haul routes from Gatwick Airport this year. Read More

Gatwick recognised for positive biodiversity impact - Gatwick Airport has scooped two prestigious awards for its commitment to protecting and enhancing the natural biodiversity of the local greenspace surrounding the airport.  The airport has retained its Wildlife Trusts’ Biodiversity Benchmark Award (an independent verification of Gatwick’s biodiversity programme) for the third year running and, for the first time, been awarded a CIRIA Big Biodiversity Award.  Gatwick’s biodiversity greenspace includes 75 hectares of thriving woodlands, grasslands and wetlands, inhabited by hundreds of species of mammals, insects and bees, many of which are rare or protected, now flourishing as a result of Gatwick’s biodiversity programme. Gatwick’s biodiversity team works collaboratively with a wide range of organisations and external experts to ensure it follows best practice while working closely with conservation organisations and local experts, ably assisted by an active programme of volunteers and community groups. Read More

Spofforths Kreston Reeves Extends October Finance Focus Seminars 

Further seminars provided on recent business, tax and wealth developments for company directors and financial controllers

Accountants and financial advisers Kreston Reeves has extended its programme of popular Finance Focus updates, with six seminars taking place across the South East during the month of October.

This enlarged event programme comes in light of the recent merger between Kreston Reeves and Spofforths, creating one of the largest accounting and financial advisory firms in London and the South East.

Over its 20-year history, Finance Focus has become well-established within the business community as a valuable source of information to help businesses grow and plan for the future.

Aimed at company directors, business owners and financial controllers, the 2016 season of Finance Focus seminars will take place between 4^th and 20^th October with each half-day session covering a range of topics. 2016 topics include tax efficient profit extraction, updates on VAT and financial reporting changes, raising business finance and pension developments all of which will be referenced to the likely impact of Brexit on SME businesses.

Richard Spofforth, Partner, comments, "Kreston Reeves has been running Finance Focus successfully across Kent, London and Sussex for two decades and feedback gathered during this time shows how much those attending value the expertise and experience shared by our speakers. We very much look forward to another series of well-attended events as the uncertain economic climate continues to grow."

If you are interested in attending a Finance Focus seminar, please visit http://www.krestonreeves.com/news-and-events/type/events or contact Rachel Pritchard at events@krestonreeves.com or call +44 (0)330 124 1399.

THL Offering FREE 1 hour Tax Surgeries

Did you know that over 80 new businesses are starting up every hour in 2016? It's a mind-boggling fact which means a much greater percentage of the population is going to be dealing with their own taxation. 

Tax is a huge subject and one that can be both complex and confusing. This is why we're offering free 1 hour individual tax surgery appointments this Autumn. Our tax expert, Hayley Sengebusch, will go through your issues and problems and see how we can help.

Appointments are available on 20 October and 4 November and each one will be completely confidential and last for an hour.  It's all part of our #talktoTHL service, just call 01903 300230 or email info@thlaccountancy.co.uk today.

Picture caption: Hayley Sengebusch from THL will be on hand to deal with all your tax issues at THL’s free tax surgery appointments.

Businesses in West Sussex are invited to apply to a new scheme that supports the installation of superfast broadband

The West Sussex Superfast Broadband Connection Voucher scheme will help improve connectivity for small and medium enterprises that do not have access to superfast broadband and are based in an area not covered by the planned BDUK superfast infrastructure rollout.

Eligible businesses can apply for a Connection Voucher to provide capital funding of £3,000 or up to 40% of the overall project cost, whichever is lower.  The scheme runs until 1 February 2017 or until all the funding is allocated.

Funding comes from the Coast to Capital Local Enterprise Partnership under their ‘Growth is Digital’ priority project.  The Connection Voucher scheme has been developed by the Rural West Sussex Partnership, South Downs National Park Authority, Gatwick Diamond Initiative and Coastal West Sussex Partnership with the delivery body, West Sussex County Council.

Coast to Capital Chief Executive, Jonathan Sharrock, says:

“It is essential that our rural businesses have access to superfast and ultrafast broadband using the latest digital technologies. Through our Growth Deal, the West Sussex Superfast Broadband Voucher scheme supports small and medium enterprises with the capital cost of access to superfast connectivity. I urge them to find out more about the scheme.”

Eligible businesses and broadband infrastructure providers are invited to find out more about West Sussex Superfast Broadband Connection Vouchers at a workshop on the afternoon of Friday 9 September 2016 at the South Downs Centre in Midhurst.

To find out more and to register interest in attending the workshop, please email grants@c2cbroadbandgrants.org.uk

More information, including guidance notes and an application form, can be found at http://www.coast2capital.org.uk/helping-business-growth/grant-funding

Click here to download the Digital Connectivity Grant Information Sheet

Triple success for Adur & Worthing at planning awards 

Last night there was huge success for Adur & Worthing Councils at the Royal Town Planning Institute (RTPI) South East Awards for Planning Excellence.

The local authorities on the West Sussex coastline took home 3 awards, including the Overall Regional Winner for Meadow Road in Worthing.

The project, in partnership with Worthing Homes, replaced 48 sub-standard 1950’s bedsit flats with new high quality social housing. The scheme received the award for Planning Excellence in Housing Delivery, before being named Overall Regional Winner.

Speaking after the event, Cllr Vicky Vaughan, Vice Chair of Worthing Borough Council’s Planning Committee, commented:

“It's fantastic to see Meadow Road gain recognition like this, as it's providing housing for some of the most vulnerable people in our community. The project demonstrated an excellent working relationship between the Council and local housing association.

“It's also a really good example of how consultations with residents can lead to the co-creation of a sustainable design, that the community can be proud of. We would like to encourage as many people as possible to get involved with consultations. As this scheme has proved, together we can reach some really innovative outcomes and achievements."

Cllr Kevin Jenkins, Chair of Worthing Borough Council’s Planning Committee, also added:

“We’re delighted that planning in Worthing is getting this recognition. To also be awarded as Overall Regional Winner too is not only a great achievement for this scheme, but also for our commitment to delivering a high standard of both social housing and private housing, which is strengthening our local communities.”

Among the other winning developments was The American Express Elite Football Performance Centre, Brighton & Hove Albion’s state of the art training ground in Lancing. 

With a project team led by DMH Stallard, the centre took home the honour for Excellence in Planning for Community and Wellbeing. 

Speaking at the awards ceremony, Cllr Brian Boggis, Executive Member for Regeneration at Adur District Council, said:

“This award demonstrates that by working together, the Council’s planning team and the developers have been able to deliver superb facilities that are enhancing our community. It’s provided a unique opportunity for Lancing not only to make a positive impact on the community’s health and wellbeing , but to also offer regenerative benefits to the local economy.”