A global broker is in talks to buy Bristol-headquartered Jelf Group, the £83m-turnover provider of insurance, financial and employee benefit services.

The listed company confirmed that it has opened discussions with Marsh about a possible deal.

In a statement, it said talks were at an "early stage" and that there was "no certainty that any offer will ultimately be made for Jelf or as to the terms of any such offer".

Marsh, a subsidiary of Marsh & McLennan Companies, employs more than 27,000 staff and operates in 130 countries worldwide.

It is required to submit a formal offer for Jelf no later than 16 September 2015.

Jelf, which is being advised by Fenchurch Advisory Partners, said it would issue a further statement when appropriate. Its market capitalisation is currently about £175m.

The group recently acquired Hertfordshire insurance broker Libra Insurance Services for an undisclosed sum.

Jelf reported turnover of £43.7m in its interim results for the six months to 31 March 2015, up on £39.3m in the same period of 2014.

Earnings before interest, taxation, depreciation, amortisation and exceptional costs (EBITDAE) also rose to £7.3m from £5.9m, while pre-tax profit increased from £2.3m to £2.8m.

Set within 8 acres of beautiful grounds, Field Place is one of Worthing’s most prestigious venue.

• Flexible, multi-purpose spaces
• Free WiFi throughout
• Top-of-the-range, audio visual equipment
• On-site catering options
• Ample on-site parking

Do make sure that you get your nominations in for The Adur & Worthing Business Awards 2015.

The Deadline is 23rd September 2015, so make sure to get voting!

Please visit : http://www.adur-worthing.gov.uk/adur-and-worthing-business-awards/ for all the details

Every local authority is required to have a Development Plan that sets out the policies and proposals for the development and use of land in their area. The current Development Plan for Worthing is the Worthing Core Strategy which was intended to cover the period to 2026. However, since the adoption of the Core Strategy in 2011 there have been significant changes made to the planning system at the national level. The requirements of the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF), in particular how local authorities need to plan for housing, has had implications for planning at the local level. As a consequence, and to ensure that the Council has a Development Plan in place that conforms to higher level plans and guidance, a full review of the Council’s adopted Core Strategy and the development of a new Local Plan is now required.In response to this, the Council updated its Planning Policy work programme within a revised Local Development Scheme (LDS) which was published in the spring. This established a timetable for the production of a new Local Plan and includes key milestones to inform people when there will be opportunities to be involved in the Plan making process. Given the statutory requirements to collect appropriate evidence and consult widely at each appropriate stage, it is estimated that it will take approximately three years to get a new Plan in place. Before policy and development options can be drafted for consultation it is vital that the Council has an up-to-date evidence base in place to ensure that decisions are informed by robust information. A key housing study has been completed (see right) and further work is now being advanced to assess the local economy. A landscape and biodiversity study is also being progressed which will assess sites that have been promoted for development around the Borough.

The findings of these studies will be reported later this year and it is expected that the Council will be in a position to consult with all interested parties in spring 2016. When adopted,the new Local Plan will become the primary basis upon which planning decisions are made. It will contain a development strategy, development management policies and site allocations (if required) to meet future needs over the next fifteen years.

A new commercial unit and three new housing properties have been created along a busy parade near to Worthing station, thanks to hard work and negotiation between its owners and Worthing Borough Council.

 

Having recently returned an empty property to use in partnership with YMCA DownsLink, Worthing Borough Council are delighted to have another success story under their belt, with bigger transformations and results than ever before.

 

In recent years, 20 South Farm Road attracted many complaints due to its appearance and increasing levels of neglect - the property had a large van parked in front the majority of time to hide its decline into ruin. With no internal floors, roof in disrepair and the shop front below in danger of collapse, the property seemed almost beyond salvage.

 

Following intervention from Worthing Borough Council’s Private Sector Housing team and the Empty Property Officer, Helen Stevens, negotiations were made with the mortgage company who agreed to take back control of the property after seeing its deterioration. After a short time being marketed by a local estate agent a sale was quickly completed in September 2014 to Chesters Gorman Properties who were quick to see the potential.

 

In pursuit of making this shell into habitable environment, teams of local experts fitted new electrical and plumbing systems, working hard to strip, build, sand and repair the former empty property into three new much needed homes including a studio flat, a one bedroom flat and a two bed maisonette as well as the commercial unit space on the ground floor.

 

In little under a year, Worthing Borough Council and the property’s new owners have been able to offer homes to three people or families as well as a business opportunity in a prime location to any budding  businessmen/women.

 

Councillor Dr Heather Mercer, Executive Member for Customer Services at Worthing Borough Council, said:

 

“I am delighted that we’re pressing ahead to proactively bring empty properties back into use - especially when they’re as run down and dangerous as this one was.

 

“Not only have the new owners created smart new homes for local people, but they have also given a local business fresh, modern, premises to work from.  Supporting local people, making local communities more pleasant and growing the local economy - this is a success story from every angle.”

 

Sven Chesters, Partner at Chesters Gorman Properties adds:

 

“We have been delighted to work with the Borough Council on this project.  The South Farm Road property was in a terrible condition, but in a prime location with plenty of potential.  We believe in  creating top quality homes for people to build their lives from, and hope that the people who move into the South Farm Road property will fall in love with it.”

 

If you know of an empty property which could be returned into use for a local family, please contact Worthing Borough Council’s Empty Properties Officer on 01273 263034.

WE ALL love ‘Sunny Worthing’, but
‘God’s Waiting Room’ could have
been a term that stuck...
Worthing had to decide whether
it was just a town by the sea or an
actual seaside town.
Luckily, the consensus seems to
be that we’re a seaside resort!
With our beaches, the pier and
a range of art-deco buildings to
arouse envy in many other towns
– along with Worthing’s inherent
quirkiness – the backdrop was
set for a resurgence in its tourism
fortunes.
Over the past two years, there’s
been a quiet revolution on the
seafront, with a variety of lively
bars and quality restaurants
popping up, complementing the
developing programme of music,
theatre, water-sports and events.
Worthing is fast becoming one
of the key destinations for short
breaks by the seaside.
Some examples... The Beach
House, opened by Tim and Matthew
Taylor in 2014, is a bar giving an
almost Mediterranean feel to eating
out, with outdoor seating and good
food, cooked with simple, quality
ingredients.
What made them choose
Worthing? “We felt that the town
and the seafront location offered
a real opportunity to give people a
unique bar experience.”
Another slow-burn success
are the Sundowners and
SunUppers street food events,
taking place monthly throughout
the summer. Organiser Jonathan
Nulty, is quick to point out that this
is not big-budget tourism.
“It’s a low-key thing, but the
atmosphere is like nowhere else –
great food, music and fun, looking
out over the sea.”
The bigger draws are coming
soon too the annual Birdman
competition at the Pier, the
new Street Velodrome cycling
competition and a month-long
celebration of music with Worthing
Live. Tourism and leisure-related
businesses – both home-grown
and those coming in to the area –
should catch the wave and invest
in a seaside town that’s going
places.

“THIS period of nought per cent
interest will come to an end.”
That was the clear message from
Chris Piper, Bank of England
Agent for Central South East
England, who joined Worthing
and Adur Chamber of Commerce
members for another sold-out
Networking Breakfast.
Mr Piper opened by saying:
“I’m delighted to have been
invited along and to see such a
happy friendly networking event
my update is serious... I hope
I won’t take away from such a
positive – atmosphere!”
He added: “After a low of six or
seven years things are starting to
turn back to normal. Where we
need to be guarded is in a period
of normalisation that then sees
interest rates starting to rise.
“However we are still some
way from the times of five per
cent interest and two per cent
inflation.
“It’s anticipated inflation will
start to move later this year. The
price shocks that occurred last
year will begin to fall out of the
measure.
“One of the effects on inflation
is the supply market. Supply has
been in excess of demand. Many
businesses are now working near
to full capacity. This is easy to
observe in the labour market
figures.
“The level of employment
participation over the last few
years has been significantly
higher – particularly older
employees remaining in the
workforce. Participation is now
fairly stable, but may change as
the economy improves.
“Another puzzle of the past five
years is how weak wage growth
has been. When I look at the
exuberance in this room, it brings
to mind that when in a period of
low inflation, we are inclined to
put up with lower pay rise.
“The risk at the moment is that
lower pay rises will remain for a
prolonged period.
“Pay issues, however, are
now building and this will pick
up further as recruitment gets
harder. This will be crucial when
interest rates do rise.
“For the recovery, there is a
certain dependency on domestic
demand – consumer spending
which contributed to growth of
2.7 per cent in 2014. Most of the
recovery in the economy has
come from people dipping in to
their savings, which is leading
to the savings ratio dropping
(currently below five per cent).
Around six per cent would be a
stable ratio.
“Business investment is
coming through steadily. Credit
conditions and access to finance
take a long time to recover from
financial crises – it is getting
there and when there are better
conditions in economy, there
is better incentive to invest in
equipment, technology and
modernisation. In recent years,
the focus has been more on the
workforce itself.
“Small businesses are now
looking to access crowd funding
and alternative funding... some
even state that banks are out of
fashion. Internationally, recovery
will come through - but more
slowly. At the moment, a stronger
Sterling against a weaker Euro
means export products are less
competitive.”
The Bank of England is
attentive to developments in
Greece; however the bigger
issue is the slowdown in China’s
growth rate, and banks are far
more exposed in the Chinese
market than in the Greek market.
Mr Piper has journeyed around
the South East listening to firms
who share many positive stories
about export, particularly to
China. The Bank is also still
stress testing the UK banking
system to ensure it can weather
any potential crises in the futureincluding
a housing market crash
and a failing Chinese economy.
To close, Chris summarised
that outlook for growth will stay
positive at around 2.5 per cent a
year. “Prepare for rates rising,”
was his closing message.

GREAT news …… Adur and Worthing
Council has awarded Worthing and Adur
Chamber of Commerce £70,000 towards
the provision of an Innovation Hub at
Northbrook College.
The plans for the Innovation Hub were
formally presented at a breakfast launch
to VIP’s and local business owners
recently, and the project team that have
been involved outlined their vision for
the new facility.
This new facility will be focused
around a vibrant, modern, digitally
enabled, hi-tech working environment
comprising one, two and three-person
office space, co-working areas, hot
desk areas and meeting rooms. The
innovation hub has been designed to
provide practical high spec working
space for start-up and early growth
businesses. There was enthusiasm for
the project from the council from the
start. Businesses based in the hub will
benefit from business support, peer to
peer mentoring, business training and
networking, alongside support from the
Chamber and Northbrook College.
The project will be formally monitored
and is being viewed as a pilot with the
prospects of an extended offer in the
near future should it be prove to be
successful.
James Appleton, Head of Economic
Growth for the Council commented
“This is clearly an exciting project and
it will be important for the Council to
continue to support the project and hope
that this award of funding will be the
first step towards the delivery of a first
class Innovation Centre which helps to
support fledgling businesses”.
If you are interested in being

EAST WORTHING and Shoreham
MP Tim Loughton used a
breakfast briefing to the Worthing
and Adur Chamber of Commerce
at Shoreham Airport to call for the
roll-out of open access public wi-fi
across Worthing.
He was given unanimous
support for the campaign by all
the chamber members present.
The MP had been invited to
give a talk on the Government’s
economic growth programme, the
latest developments with the A27
upgrade and the EU Referendum
Bill.
He gave a rundown of how the
local economy was faring well
compared with the rest of the
country with unemployment in
the South East now standing at
4.1 per cent compared with 5.5 per
cent nationally.
Mr Loughton praised the
dramatic fall in those local
young people not in education,
employment or training which
in 2010 stood at 490 but is just 110
today.
He said: “While there is
still a long way to go with the
national economic recovery, local
businesses are doing particularly
well and unemployment rates are
very reassuring, especially among
young people.
“Our local business parks are in
a particularly healthy state with
Lancing Business Park, the second
largest in West Sussex, almost at
capacity.
“While we cannot be
complacent, it is clear that
businesses see Adur and Worthing
as a good place to invest and the
changes to the A27 can only help
that appeal.
“I have been impressed by the
determination of senior council
officers and councillors to drive
forward a technology revolution
which must include rolling out
public access wi-fi as rapidly as
possible.
“I will be speaking to both the
chief executive and the leader of
the council to see how quickly we
can make Worthing one of the
first public wi-fi accessible towns
in the UK.”

ONCE a photographer, always a
photographer – it’s certainly a
maxim you can use to describe
Martin Bloomfield. He has spent
his entire career doing what most
keen photographers do for fun.
Martin began his photographic
career in 1978 at Allphotos in
Worthing’s Tarring Road.
From there he moved to Robin
Cook Film Laboratories where he
worked with, and learned from,
renowned local photographers such
as Steve Davis, Jack Burke, and
Steve Forrest of Elmcroft Studios.
In 1987, Martin moved to the
public sector when he began
working with Sussex Police.
He started in the photography
department before moving to
the job that would make him
a contender for the Chamber
award (if one existed) for ‘Most
Interesting Job Before Striking
Out On Your Own’ – police forensic
photographer. By the time Martin
left in 2012, he was head of imaging
and crime lab services.
In 2013, after working with
the Home Office as a consultant,
Martin set up Bloomfield Digital
with son Ollie.
Bloomfield Digital specialises
in creating imagery and video,
and helping businesses with their
social media needs as well as
building websites.
In 2014 Martin became certified
by Google as one of its ‘Trusted
Photographers’. This means he can
help businesses build their online
presence using Google Business
View – a 360° virtual tour – that
Martin describes as, ‘taking Google
Street View into your business
premises’.
One of the first steps Martin took
in setting up Bloomfield Digital
was to join Worthing and Adur
Chamber of Commerce.
Since joining, Martin has become
an active consumer of Chamber
initiatives such as networking
events and training workshops.
“I have found being a member
of the Chamber so useful,” said
Martin. “Coming from the public
sector I had no idea of the issues
start-up businesses face.
“The Chamber’s networking and
training events helped me a lot;
through these I have made many
new contacts, learned many new
skills, and built my reputation.”
Martin is an active Chamber
member in other ways
having become a member of
the Chamber’s Marketing
Communications Group.
One result of this is his
photography regularly features on
the Chamber’s Facebook page.
Later this year Martin also plans
to run a Chamber workshop on
how to use Google My Business,
something Martin describes as ‘a
small but powerful tool that every
business should use’.