Future of Ropetackle Arts Centre set to be secured

The future of Shoreham’s multi-award winning Ropetackle Arts Centre is set to be secured after Adur District Council agreed to step in to provide thousands of pounds of funding.

Despite ongoing support from the community and local authority, the future of the community-run arts venue has been in doubt - with directors launching a Ropetackle 2020 fundraising appeal earlier this year to raise £30,000 to support its ongoing operations.

So far, £40,000 has been donated. On the back of this and after extensive negotiations around how the venue will be managed in the future, the Council is set to provide £20,000 of funding for each of the next three years.

This is on the provision of a new business plan being developed, changes to the governance arrangements and a number of new trustees being appointed. 

Cllr Neil Parkin, Leader of Adur District Council, said: “We have always been supportive of the Ropetackle and want to see it succeed in the long run.

“Now we have assurances over how the venue will be managed moving forward we will look to move swiftly to release these funds with an urgent item coming forward to next week’s Joint Strategic Committee.

“I sincerely hope the funding will support the ongoing prosperity of this well-supported and much-loved venue which - as the incredible response to the crowdfunding appeal shows - contributes an enormous amount to our area.”

The funding will be released, pending approval at a meeting due to be held on Tuesday (October 8, 2019) and the decision being referred to Full Council later this month. 

Cllr Parkin also praised Cllr Kevin Boram, who has been in ongoing discussions with Ropetackle directors around the future of the centre for many months. He also thanked the Ropetackle Trustees for their dedication and efforts in making Ropetackle such an essential asset of Adur.

Ropetackle chairman Martin Allen thanked the Council and Cllr Boram for the backing, adding: “On the basis of this remarkable support, and with certain other measures we are taking to generate revenue and improve profitability, we are not only in a strong enough position to continue to operate but we also now have a sound platform for boosting our funding going forward.

“The level of Ropetackle 2020 donations has demonstrated the value of Ropetackle to the community and to our audiences. 

“What is important is that we are able to rely upon continuing community funding as a key element of our revenue. It is hugely gratifying that so many donors have agreed to such continuity by way of direct debit. We very much hope that as many people as possible will commit to such ongoing support.”

Ropetackle trustees said it would be looking to hold an open meeting later this year to thank all of those who donated and share ideas for the future. An appeal for experienced individuals to join the board of trustees will also be launched.

MHA Carpenter Box Wins Prestigious British Accountancy Award

Sussex-based chartered accountancy firm MHA Carpenter Box has won a major industry accolade at the British Accountancy Awards at a glittering ceremony at the Grosvenor House Hotel, London.

The practice, which has offices in Worthing, Gatwick and Brighton, received the Mid-Tier Innovation of the Year award (£3m and £25m turnover) for the success of its cloud accounting operations and the value delivered to clients.

MHA Carpenter Box has invested significantly in its cloud accounting team and is an acknowledged leader in this growing area of business, conducting systems reviews and enabling clients to take advantage of a wide range of value adding software services. The firm has also developed its own dedicated client portal to support clients as they transition to this new way of working.

MHA Carpenter Box Managing Partner, Alan Edwards, commented: “We are thrilled to win such a prestigious award and it is very satisfying to be recognised by our peers for the value we have created for our clients.

“I would particularly like to thank Nathan Keeley, Partner and Head of Cloud Accounting at the firm, for his leadership and innovation in developing such a comprehensive and successful cloud-based service for our client base.”

www.carpenterbox.com

Business & Intellectual Property Centre             

Brighton & Hove      

The British Library operates a large Business and Intellectual Property Centre and has grown 13 Network Centres across the UK. 

What is a Business and IP Centre and what does it do?

The British Library Business & IP Centre National Network provides entrepreneurs and SMEs across the UK with free access to databases, market research, journals, directories and reports worth thousands of pounds. Each library within the network has an allocated space within the library set up to provide services and resources for business.

There is a programme of free and low-cost events and workshops on a range of topics including business planning, marketing and intellectual property. The service includes support from library staff and business experts able to signpost and offer advice services to business.

For further information visit: https://www.bl.uk/business-and-ip-centre

About the Business & IP Centre at Jubilee Library

Brighton & Hove City Council has been successful in being chosen to set up a Business & Intellectual Property Centre at Jubilee Library. The BIPC will be a place where the Council’s Economic Development Team will invite partners to deliver workshops and 1:1 help to support entrepreneurs, inventors and small and medium enterprises.

Where will the Business & IP Centre be based?

The Centre will be based at Jubilee Library in central Brighton.

It is envisaged the BIPC will house the following:

• Business and Intellectual Property Information including leaflets
• Business and market research databases accessible on library PCs

-        Mint UK (Company Information Database

-        COBRA (general business reference database)

-        A market research database (to be chosen)

• Business books
• Two glass pods for clinics.

What will it offer?

The new BIPC will host events where entrepreneurs can come together to network and attend workshops, 1:1 clinics and networking events run by local delivery partners and the British Library.

The library will commit to delivering some workshops such as Business Information and Introduction to Intellectual Property.  The space will be set up for business use.

Timescales
We are currently in a pilot phase and working towards an official launch in April 2020.

Golf day raises £7,600 for 100-year-old charity 

On Thursday 12 September, a special charity golf day was held at Ham Manor Golf Club by Worthing-based charity, Care for Veterans. 
 
The charity celebrates its centenary this year, and the Golf Day was one of a number of events being held throughout the year to mark the very special occasion. 
 
Seventeen teams enjoyed coffee and bacon rolls on arrival, and then teed off for 18 holes of golf on the spectacular Harry Colt designed course. A two course meal in the historic manor house followed, and players received prizes and took part in an auction, undertaken by the talented Rupert Toovey of Toovey’s, to help raise more vital funds for the charity. 
 
Care for Veterans’ Head of Fundraising and Marketing, Elizabeth Baxter, said, “We are extremely grateful to Ham Manor Golf Club for hosting this centenary Golf Day so superbly and to all the teams who took part. The magnificent amount of money raised is vital to us so we can continue to provide our first-class and award-winning care to our disabled veterans, many of whom are facing the toughest battle of their lives.” 
 
Pictured are the winning team who received their trophy from Cllr Hazel Thorpe, Mayor of Worthing, who attended the event and thanked all the golfers for their kind support for Care for Veterans.
 
Steve Dillamore, The Captain at the Club said, “Speaking on behalf of all the members of Ham Manor Golf Club, may I say that we were very proud to host this event and look forward to an even more successful day in 2020.”

Focus on the future at high-level digital conference

“The possibilities are endless” - that was the message from a high-level digital conference which looked at how the roll out of world-class internet infrastructure in West Sussex could help transform the lives of residents and businesses.

Digital experts, business representatives and local authority leaders from across the south east were among the 100 people to attend the West Sussex Digital Futures event at Worthing’s Assembly Hall.

Organised by Adur & Worthing Councils, the event featured discussions on how the area will become the first in the south east to have gigabit full-fibre internet infrastructure installed in its towns.

Those attending then heard how this and 5G improvements is already leading to transformative changes in the delivery of adult & social care, street lighting, agritech and many other areas of day-to-day life.

In welcoming delegates to the event, Cllr Edward Crouch, Worthing Borough Council’s Executive Member for Digital and Environmental Services, said: “Gigabit fibre is the foundation for our digital future and it is going to drive a host of benefits for residents, businesses and public services.

“I’m super excited about the opportunities that will come our way as the first places in the south east to go full fibre. It will drive productivity and innovation in our businesses. It will provide rip-roaring speeds in the home and provide important benefits for the future of digital social care.”

Speakers included Neil Watt (FarrPoint); Simon Hughes (Mid Sussex District Council); Sarah Bazen (West Sussex County Council); Paul Brewer (Adur & Worthing Councils); and Simon Woodhead (Stopham Vineyard).

The event forms part of EverythingConnects, a panel of local authority leaders from across West Sussex who are focused on working together to deliver change through digital infrastructure.

Economic Development Under the Spotlight for Property Experts

Worthing and Adur Councils’ pivotal role as enablers for economic success was the focus for the latest Sussex Property Alliance (SPA) event.

Martin Randall, Director for the Economy, described how collaboration between the councils was creating new opportunities for business growth and for both residential and commercial property development, generating productivity that outstrips cities such as Brighton, Cambridge and Bristol.

“Our vision is for responsible growth through partnership, working closely with central government and other agencies to be an enabler…to make things happen,” said Mr Randall.

At the event, which was supported by MHA Carpenter Box and Bennett Griffin, he highlighted a number of initiatives and developments currently underway to drive economic development, including:

• A £2.5m investment by the councils to unlock superfast fibre broadband for local businesses
• An apprenticeship fund open to local companies to support training
• Numerous development projects to address specific business and employment needs, including IKEA at Lancing, new business space at both Shoreham Airport and Shoreham Port, plus major housing schemes across the area
• A design and build project that redeveloped the former Adur civic centre into a stunning headquarters building for Focus Group in Shoreham
• Redevelopment of some key sites in Worthing such as Teville Gate and Union Place, together with a new health hub close to the Town Hall
• Investment in public realm and tourism projects to attract visitors and help address the changing face of retail centres

Robert Dowling, Head of Construction at chartered accountants and business advisors MHA Carpenter Box, commented: “We know that local authorities face financial pressures, but with an innovation mindset and strong partnership ethos, Worthing and Adur are leveraging all the resources at their disposal to create an environment within which local businesses can thrive.”

The Sussex Property Alliance provides a forum where property professionals get together, exchange ideas, and build relationships.

www.sussexpropertyalliance.co.uk

Our photo (l-r) shows Robert Dowling (MHA Carpenter Box), Martin Randall (Worthing and Adur Councils) and Gemma Lawrence (Bennett Griffin).

Love Your Hospital First £50 Club

** Limited spaces available to be involved in this exciting opportunity for local businesses. Sign up today and join us at our exclusive campaign launch at Rolls-Royce HQ on the evening of Thursday 10th October 2019 **

Would you like to stake your business against others locally, can you prove you have what it takes to rise to a challenge? Would you like to support your own aspiring entrepreneurs? Join Love Your Hospital’s First Fifty Club and your company can achieve all of the above and more.

The only club that pays you £50 to become a member!

The First Fifty Club is a unique opportunity for companies in West Sussex which encourages:

·        Team Building

·        Staff Development

·        Corporate Social Responsibility

·        Support for a Local Charity

The proposal:

Love Your Hospital is the dedicated charity of St Richard’s, Worthing and Southlands Hospitals, raising vital funds to support outstanding healthcare, state-of-the art equipment and modern facilities for patients in your local area. You can help us raise these valuable funds by joining other business leaders and taking part in this inaugural challenge, whilst putting your business front and centre locally.

• We will give you £50, a limited amount of time, great support and social media coverage. In return, you come up with ingenious and fun ways to make that money grow whilst raising vital funds for a wonderful cause.

• Sign up by 25 October 2019, nurture your money until 25 February 2020 and return your total fund to the Charity to see how well you have performed against other local businesses.

The First Fifty Club challenge pits West Sussex entrepreneurs and businesses against each other in a bid to win one of our prestigious awards presented at our special gala ceremony held in March 2020. It’s a great way of building team spirit and enabling staff to reach their full potential.                                                                                                                                                             

It’s simple to sign up!

To sign up contact our Corporate Fundraiser John on 07554 116572 0r email: john.price@wsht.nhs.uk , members will then be invited to  attend our fantastic launch evening  on Thursday, 10 October 2019 6.30pm at Rolls-Royce headquarters, and find out how your company can make a difference to patient care.

Join Love Your Hospital’s First Fifty Club and help your local hospitals provide outstanding patient care… it’s all to play for!

MHA Carpenter Box welcomes highest number ever of new Trainees

Sussex-based chartered accountants, MHA Carpenter Box, has recruited its largest ever intake of new trainees. Over the last year, 13 new trainees have joined the firm which has offices in Brighton, Worthing and Gatwick. Nine of the 13 are enrolled on the firm’s Platinum Accredited training programme on the road to the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA) qualification. Three are studying towards the Institute of Chartered Accountants (ACA) qualification whilst one trainee is studying towards a tax qualification with the Association of Tax Technicians (ATT).

In the Worthing office, Tamzin Crockett from Sussex University and Charlie Holdaway from Brighton Hove & Sussex Sixth Form College have joined the Audit Team, while Charlotte Scott from City College Brighton & Hove has joined the Tax Services Team. The Business Services Team has welcomed Ben Collins and Deaglan Johnson both from Worthing College, Jamie Pritchard from the University of London, Katriana Coombe from Surrey University and Leah Hayward from the Shoreham Academy.

At the Gatwick office, four new trainees have joined the Audit Team; Arran Osborne from the University of Surrey, Natasha Gravett from Brunel University, Nick Downton from the University of Sussex and Stevin Chandrasekar from the University of Exeter. Laiba Baig, who started out in Creative Media at Crawley College before signing up to self-study for the Association of Accounting Technicians (AAT) qualification, is now working with the Business Services Team in Gatwick.

MHA Carpenter Box Managing Partner, Alan Edwards, who himself joined the firm as a trainee 26 years ago, was keen to welcome the new trainees on board, commenting: “As MHA Carpenter Box continues its year on year growth, I am thrilled to welcome such a talented group of new trainees to the firm.

“The investment we make in training the next generation of accountants, tax and business advisers focusses on helping them develop their understanding of business so that they will be able to help our clients prosper. I wish them all every success as they take their first steps in their chosen career now and over the coming years.”    

All of the trainees will benefit from being a part of the firm’s comprehensive in-house training programme, which has earned Platinum Status – ACCA’s highest accolade. They will be mentored and taught by a team of qualified and experienced accountants, business advisers and auditors, many of whom started their own careers as trainees themselves at MHA Carpenter Box. They will also benefit from knowledge sharing across the firm’s national association, MHA and Baker Tilly International, its global network.

www.carpenterbox.com

Office Space To Let in Worthing

Conveniently, located by Worthing Railway Station.  Opportunity to take over existing licence until May 2021 or having a new longer lease with the Landlord.

Located on the first floor, the unit comprises of a kitchen area, 2 offices and a large room which can be utilised as office space or a meeting/training room.

The rent is £5,940 per annum.

For more information contact Sharon or Louise via info@safeinsussex.org.uk or telephone 01903 896210

Electric bikes for enforcement officers as part of green drive

Civil enforcement officers in Adur and Worthing are leading the drive to become carbon neutral after making the pioneering switch to electric bikes.

NSL, who are contracted by Adur & Worthing Councils to enforce on and off street parking across the area, have invested in the technology as an alternative to petrol scooters.

As well as reducing emissions, the new bikes will allow staff to cover areas away from town centre such as Lancing, Findon and Southwick in a shorter space of time while saving money in running costs in the long-run.

It comes just weeks after the Councils declared a climate emergency, setting an ambitious target to become carbon neutral by 2030.

Other ideas being considered by NSL include adopting electric cars, using biodegradable parking ticket wallets and finding more sustainable alternatives to cable ties, which are used to display parking suspensions. 

Daniel Forbes, Client Account Manager for NSL, said: “NSL continues to look at ways of using electric power along with pedal power to reduce our reliance on the use of vehicles powered by fossil fuels.

“As a part of this strategy - and to help meet Adur & Worthing Councils’ goal, we have initially provided two EBikes for deploying staff on street. While this is only at its embryonic stage we hope they will eventually take the place of our moped fleet and reduce our reliance on cars for deploying enforcement staff. 

“The costs of fuel, maintenance and carbon footprint are a fraction of the mopeds we currently deploy. If the electric bikes trial works, we will look to further integrate these into our work here and other areas where we operate.

“We also continue to look at other initiatives to reduce our carbon footprint including using more biodegradable materials and will be taking delivery of our first fully electric vehicle later this year.” 

Adur & Worthing Councils have already made good progress on reducing carbon emissions by 30% between 2012 and 2019.

The adoption of the Climate Emergency last month has seen the Councils bring forward their carbon neutral target from 2050 to 2030. 

There is also a commitment to build on the SustainableAW programme, by transitioning to clean transport for all council services and operations, improving energy efficiency of council buildings, and installing renewable energy.

Councillor Emma Evans, Adur District Council’s Executive Member for Environment, said: “I’m pleased to see NSL adopt these steps which will not only improve parking enforcement across our area but also support our wider efforts to reduce carbon emissions across all the services that we provide directly and through external organisations.”

Councillor Edward Crouch, Worthing Borough Council’s Executive Member for Environment, said: “We are dedicated to showing leadership on this important issue of climate change, willing to take action and promise to play our part at a local level. While clearly we can't do this on our own, the more organisations who join in with this declaration, the more powerful the action will be.”