29 June 2016 | Herpreet Kaur Grewal A parliamentary inquiry into high heels and workplace dress codes began yesterday. The Petitions Committee, working jointly with the Women and Equalities Committee, has begun an investigation into the issue of high heels and workplace dress codes. The move comes after an e-petition
The latest analysis from Equifax Touchstone has revealed that during May, residential mortgage sales exceeded £13bn – soaring to an 8 year high. According to the data, the figures are up 4.4% (£0.5bn) on the previous month. Year-on-year sales also saw strong growth, rising by 18.4% (£2.0bn). Additionally, buy-to-let mortgage
International real estate advisor Savills, on behalf of a private client, has brought to market the award-winning Morland Hall near Penrith, Cumbria for a guide price of £3 million. The estate, which dates back to the 19th Century and centres around an old manor house, has been extensively restored to
Current government proposals will see an overhaul of the UK’s immigration system post-Brexit, abolishing free movement of EU labour and focusing on migrant workers’ skills over their nationality. Immigration solicitor Anne Morris warns that UK businesses employing EU workers should expect to be hit hardest by the new rules. Under
Donaldson Timber Engineering (DTE), the UK’s leading manufacturer of structural timber components, today (Thursday 1st November) announces the acquisition of Cambridge Roof Truss. The strategic acquisition has an excellent geographic fit with DTE’s present business and will further supplement its existing product offering across Southern and Midlands regions of the
Knauf Insulation has completed a £7m upgrade of its manufacturing plant in Cwmbran, South Wales, which will increase its capacity by 6%. The improvements include a complete rebuild of the furnace at the heart of the plant. The work has been completed as part of a £200m investment programme to
A steel manufacturer is aiming to grow its turnover by £1million and create new jobs after securing a substantial grant. Fabweld Steel Products (FSP) was awarded £30,000 from the European Regional Development (ERDF)’s Business Growth Programme as part of an overall £94,500 investment to improve production process and systems at
The Healthcare Property Company (HPC) announces that Ray Stanbridge has joined the board of the company’s parent, The Healthcare Property Group (HPG), to support its ambitious growth plans. Ray, who is founding partner of Stanbridge Associates, a specialist accountancy and tax advisory practice for medical consultants and private hospitals, has joined
TODD Architects has announced a number of internal team promotions that have created seven new Associates with specialisms across a range of sectors, including office, residential, healthcare, education, retail and aviation. “These well-deserved promotions are part of our continued succession and business development plan, rewarding talent and experience and creating
A PMW Communications survey has revealed that the construction industry is rapidly moving away from traditional marketing in favour of digital platforms. The survey, conducted at the recent Construction Expo and UK Construction Week exhibition, asked participants to provide a list of construction companies’ marketing priorities. Digital platforms claimed the
29 June 2016 | Herpreet Kaur Grewal A parliamentary inquiry into high heels and workplace dress codes began yesterday. The Petitions Committee, working jointly with the Women and Equalities Committee, has begun an investigation into the issue of high heels and workplace dress codes. The move comes after an e-petition to Parliament started by receptionist Nicola Thorp on this issue was signed by more than 142,000 people. Two panels were called to hear the experiences of those involved. The purpose of the first panel was to learn in more detail how people are being affected. MPs have already heard from more than 700 people who shared their experiences on a web forum that was opened on the Parliament website. The purpose of the second panel was to hear the views of employers on how they interpret the current law and how this issue affects them. Thorp and Simon Pratt, managing director of Portico, were among those speaking at the session in Westminster. More details to follow. Source link
The latest analysis from Equifax Touchstone has revealed that during May, residential mortgage sales exceeded £13bn – soaring to an 8 year high. According to the data, the figures are up 4.4% (£0.5bn) on the previous month. Year-on-year sales also saw strong growth, rising by 18.4% (£2.0bn). Additionally, buy-to-let mortgage sales in May rose for the first time since February’s rush, indicating the market is settling following recent changes to stamp duty. Sales were up 3.9% from April; a total of £2.7bn. However, year-on-year figures were down by 20% (£0.7bn). Combined, residential and buy-to-let sales for the intermediated market totalled £6.4bn, up 4.3% from April. Every region in the UK reported growth; Northern Ireland led the way with an uplift of 14.3%, followed by Scotland (9.9%), the South Coast (6.5%) and Home Counties (5.7%). Iain Hill, Relationship Manager at Equifax Touchstone, said: “We are pleased to see the market has passed through the buy-to-let turmoil witnessed in the first quarter of the year and returned to steady growth. However, strong growth across both buy-to-let and residential sales has thrown June’s performance into sharp focus. Indicators are there that the current political environment and uncertainly could have a negative impact on sales. As the scale and longevity of this impact is still unclear, we will be closely watching the markets response to the outcome of the EU referendum.” Source link
International real estate advisor Savills, on behalf of a private client, has brought to market the award-winning Morland Hall near Penrith, Cumbria for a guide price of £3 million. The estate, which dates back to the 19th Century and centres around an old manor house, has been extensively restored to create a unique blend of self-catering accommodation and a country house with boutique hotel-style facilities. There is also an outdoor swimming pool, Jacuzzi hot-tub and gym in the grounds, while further accommodation is provided in three four-bedroom houses which have been fitted to a high standard and all have private gardens. A popular wedding venue, Morland Hall is set within 15 acres (6 hectares) of ancient woodland and private gardens. It has hosted numerous celebrity weddings including that of former Blue Peter presenter Helen Skelton. Tom Cunningham, hotels director at Savills, comments: “This is an excellent opportunity to acquire a highly profitable and successful business which will offer its new owners several income streams. The location of the estate in the Eden Valley offers easy access to main rail and road links while being just a few miles from both the Lake District and Yorkshire Dales National Parks, as well as the North Pennines Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty.” Source link
Current government proposals will see an overhaul of the UK’s immigration system post-Brexit, abolishing free movement of EU labour and focusing on migrant workers’ skills over their nationality. Immigration solicitor Anne Morris warns that UK businesses employing EU workers should expect to be hit hardest by the new rules. Under current immigration rules, UK employers can hire EU citizens without seeking permission from the Home Office. But this is set to change, with government plans for a new system focused on skills over nationality. This will effectively mean anyone wanting to come to live or work in the UK after Brexit will – regardless of where they are from – will need to apply for the relevant permission to enter and work in Britain. The Immigration Bill will see the biggest overhaul in UK immigration since the introduction of the points-based visa system and construction businesses will need to brace themselves for impact on how they recruit, onboard and employ non-UK workers. Proposed new rules for hiring non-UK staff Government proposals centre on the following fundamental changes to the current system: –Removal of ‘preference’ for EU citizens The current stated position is that free movement is to end with Brexit and any favourable terms in respect of EU citizens’ rights to live, work and study in the UK will be abolished. Consequently, EU citizens will become subject to points-based criteria and UK visa application processes in the same way as nationals from non-EEA countries presently are. The implications for UK employers will be far-reaching. Employers hiring non-UK workers under the new system will have to pay the relevant costs of hiring under the points-based system, they will have to satisfy minimum salary thresholds and they will also have to meet the related compliance duties set by the Home Office. These demands are not insignificant and will for many smaller and independent businesses make hiring non-UK workers prohibitive. The change will also make it almost impossible to hire EU citizens for lower skilled roles, unless they fall under any sector-specific exception. The construction sector has, in initial announcements at least, been cited as falling within such exceptions. It is possible that some leniency towards EU citizens could emerge where reciprocal trade and mobility agreements are made with individual countries. These are likely to be in a similar form to other foreign nationals such as Australians, but the Government is clear that this would be under conditions and any existing ‘preferential treatment’ is to be removed. The aim is that EU citizens will need to demonstrate their value and contribution as economic migrants, and employers will have to pay for the privilege of employing them. -Provisions for lower skilled workers Limited exceptions to skill requirements will be built into the new system to provide some measure of protection for the economy in sectors deemed critically reliant on migrant, lower skilled workers. Effectively, such workers will be granted entry in pre-determined sectors where serious labour market shortages exist that are not able to be resolved by the domestic market. The detail of any specific provisions for those sectors recognised as relying on lower and medium skilled migrant employees are yet to be formalised but industries such as construction, agriculture and health and social care are in line to be catered for. The reality is there will always be the need for ‘doers’ across all sectors – people willing, able to take on work that isn’t being taken up by the resident market. -Improving the highly skilled visa route The existing cap on the number of Tier 2 (General) visas that can be issued to highly skilled workers is to be abolished. This will allow employers to hire qualifying workers as they require and without being subject to arbitrary limits or having to compete for visas with other employers across other professions. But central to any changes will be the need to determine what is meant by a ‘skilled’ worker. Indeed, the proposals also look at extending the Tier 2 route to include medium skilled workers. Again, clarification will need to follow as to which roles and capabilities would fall under this new categorisation. The Government’s current list of Shortage Occupations for skilled workers centres on those with specific qualifications, training and experience. But the economy is experiencing shortage in roles that are significantly broader than the current provisions allow. The first review of the list in over five years is currently underway but whether this will take account of the huge leaps in skills demand remains to be seen. –New agreements with non-EU nations With a focus on skilled workers and the removal of free movement, we expect new agreements to be entered into with countries such as the US and former Commonwealth nations, to facilitate talent exchanges and closer trade relationships. This will in effect mirror the UK system ‘pre-Europe’. Where are we now? The Government is currently in the process of piloting the Settlement Scheme, which, under current proposals will require all EU citizens in the UK to register for settled status by the end of the Brexit transition period to secure their lawful status to live and work here. Those with settled status will be able to continue to live and work in the UK and will not be affected by any post-Brexit rule changes impacting EU migration. But until any new legislation is passed – the rules remain unchanged. EU citizens enjoy free movement and the right to enter and work in the UK without immigration restrictions, whereas non-EEA nationals in most cases need to apply for a visa. What is on the table however should be cause of concern for UK employers of EU workers. While your current EU employees are unlikely to be affected by the new rules, any post-Brexit recruitment, onboarding and employment of EU citizens is expected to cost your business more and to be more of a drain on your management and HR resources. This is of course the government’s
Donaldson Timber Engineering (DTE), the UK’s leading manufacturer of structural timber components, today (Thursday 1st November) announces the acquisition of Cambridge Roof Truss. The strategic acquisition has an excellent geographic fit with DTE’s present business and will further supplement its existing product offering across Southern and Midlands regions of the UK. Fife-headquartered DTE is the UK’s largest and longest established manufacturer of roof trusses, engineered joists, beams and spandrel panels, with over 30 years’ experience. Adding to the company’s eight manufacturing sites across the UK, this acquisition provides DTE with a unique national distribution network. Established in 2014, Cambridge Roof Truss limited (CRTL) designs, manufactures and supplies roof trusses, joists and spandrel panels to leading housebuilders and construction companies in the UK. The company has built a reputation for being a marketing-led, sales driven business with a renowned customer service ethos, and it is this professionalism and dedication to the client that makes the CRTL team a compelling fit with the DTE family. The Board of Directors at CRTL felt that strategically, the time was right to secure the future of the company, knowing that DTE has the infrastructure needed to continue to satisfy its growing customer base. Jonathan Fellingham, Managing Director at DTE, comments: “The acquisition of Cambridge Roof Truss further extends our reach in the UK, meaning wherever our customers are, we are on their doorstep; providing the best in quality and local service with a national distribution network. It’s a fantastic business, and we’re extremely pleased to be bringing the full team into the DTE family.” Cambridge Roof Truss Managing Director, Jack McMinn, said: “I am very proud of the reputation we have built, and for putting our customers and the service we provide to them at our core. By joining forces with DTE, we can offer a broader set of manufacturing capabilities with the resource and operational experience necessary to fully support our customers.” Sue Mills, Sales & Marketing Director for CRTL, will take on the role of branch manager, leading a team of 29 staff. With an investment plan already in place, the branch can potentially double its production output in the new year. Sue Mills adds: “DTE provides the perfect fit for our business. Our whole ethos of excellent customer service and quality matches well with that of DTE and we will be working hard to ensure that we continue to provide the level of service our customers have become accustomed to. With DTEs sustainability credentials, we couldn’t wish for a better partner.” In practical terms, there will be no changes for clients or suppliers of CRTL. Payment and banking details remain as is.
Knauf Insulation has completed a £7m upgrade of its manufacturing plant in Cwmbran, South Wales, which will increase its capacity by 6%. The improvements include a complete rebuild of the furnace at the heart of the plant. The work has been completed as part of a £200m investment programme to significantly increase the company’s manufacturing capacity and capability, which includes the construction of new plants in France and Malaysia. “We’ve seen increased demand over the last 18 months as architects, contractors, developers and regulators have recognised the benefits of high-performance, non-combustible mineral wool insulation” said John Sinfield, Managing Director, Knauf Insulation. “All indications suggest this trend will continue, which is one of the reasons we’ve invested in this comprehensive upgrade of our Cwmbran facility.” The programme of work at the plant was scheduled to take six weeks, but was completed three days early. It included a complete rebuild of the furnace, and plant-wide refurbishments and modifications taking advantage of the latest technology developments to maintain high product standards. The programme also includes energy efficiency improvements with new compressors, drives and motors installed which will reduce the plant’s CO2 emissions by just under 7,000 tonnes per year. During the works, the plant’s 207 employees volunteered their time with local charities under Knauf Insulation’s ‘Community Matters’ programme. In total, 576 hours were given over to supporting four local causes, including two hospices, a resource centre for people with learning disabilities, and an animal rescue facility. Knauf Insulation’s Cwmbran plant manufactures Glass Mineral Wool for use in a wide variety of applications. Products made at the site include the Supafil® range of blowing wools for cavity insulation, and the Earthwool® range of high-performance rolls and slabs for use in traditional and off-site construction. Knauf Insulation’s new Rock Mineral Wool plant in France is expected to come online in 2019, with the new Glass Mineral Wool plant in Malaysia following in 2020.
A steel manufacturer is aiming to grow its turnover by £1million and create new jobs after securing a substantial grant. Fabweld Steel Products (FSP) was awarded £30,000 from the European Regional Development (ERDF)’s Business Growth Programme as part of an overall £94,500 investment to improve production process and systems at its factory in Telford, Shropshire. FSP, which designs and manufactures fabricated steel access covers and associated drainage products, says the programme of work will result in greater efficiency and manufacturing capacity and should help it win new contracts within the construction industry. That will lead to the creation of five new roles including a sales administrator, laser operator and welder/fabricators. The Enterprise Telford team at the Marches Growth Hub Telford & Wrekin supported FSP in its grant application. The Business Growth Programme is available to businesses across Herefordshire, Shropshire and Telford & Wrekin and offers grants to small and medium-sized businesses through a range of funding schemes designed to help them grow and target new markets. Managing Director Richard Hilton said the investment was paying for new equipment and the reorganisation of the shop floor. “The previous layout created bottlenecks in production so the restructure will simplify and speed up processes. We will be introducing new handling equipment and increasing our internal storage capacity. “Carrying out this programme of enhancements will give us more capacity to win new contracts and allow us to respond more quickly to customer demands. We are hopeful it will add £1m to our existing turnover within 24 months. “Without the grant funding, we would have had to carry out the work in stages. This wouldn’t have been as effective and would have reduced the opportunities that a quicker production time will bring.” “An increased turnover and market share will ultimately lead to a more sustainable future for the business, our staff and our supply chain,” he added. Mark Shaw, Account Manager for Enterprise Telford, said: “FSP is one of our long standing businesses and we were delighted to be able to help them as they forge ahead with their plans for growth. We look forward to providing continued support for Richard and the team as they realise the benefits from this investment which, importantly, includes the creation of jobs.” FSP has also received a £7,000 grant from the Business Energy Efficiency Programme, which is part-funded by the ERDF. The programme aims to help businesses reduce CO2 emissions through lowering energy consumption, which in turn reduces running costs and improves profitability while increasing environmental awareness. FSP has put the grant towards a £17,000 package of measures which included installing air heat pump systems for office heating, adding demand controls to its welding extract system, upgrading to LED lighting and raising awareness among staff of energy management. Richard said: “We recognise the benefits that improvements in energy efficiency can bring in operational efficiency, working conditions, and profit.”
The Healthcare Property Company (HPC) announces that Ray Stanbridge has joined the board of the company’s parent, The Healthcare Property Group (HPG), to support its ambitious growth plans. Ray, who is founding partner of Stanbridge Associates, a specialist accountancy and tax advisory practice for medical consultants and private hospitals, has joined HPG as a non-executive director, joining on the board Paul Stacey, the founder and managing director, and Victoria Stacey, director. The appointment of Ray will support HPC’s new focus on the development of healthcare facilities for the private sector. Historically, HPC has worked predominantly with the NHS in developing a range of facilities in primary care. It has also developed polyclinics in Germany. Its move to working with the private sector was established four years ago when it partnered with IVF pioneer, Bourn Hall. HPC is now exploring a range of opportunities in the private sector, although because of its extensive experience of working with NHS providers it will continue to look for opportunities in the public sector. HPC is wholly owned by Paul Stacey, who has an impressive 40-year record in the healthcare sector, including almost 20 years with Nuffield Hospitals and since has been instrumental in the development of a number of innovative healthcare services. His daughter Victoria Stacey, having had over 10 years’ experience in the healthcare industry working on several projects, is a director at the company. Victoria project managed the development of the full-service fertility clinic for Bourn Hall in Wickford, Essex, which culminated in a successful investment sale process. The father and daughter team, along with support staff, pride themselves on excellent client care, and attention to detail on projects. HPC Managing Director, Paul Stacey, said: “Ray’s appointment to the HPG board begins an exciting new period for us, as we engage more extensively with private sector operators and stakeholders. He has an impressive wealth of knowledge and experience in the private healthcare sector which will support our new strategy”.
TODD Architects has announced a number of internal team promotions that have created seven new Associates with specialisms across a range of sectors, including office, residential, healthcare, education, retail and aviation. “These well-deserved promotions are part of our continued succession and business development plan, rewarding talent and experience and creating career opportunities to keep those skills within the practice. These promotions will help us deliver our collective aim to empower future leadership by investing in our team,” said MD Paul Crowe. Michael Burns has over 20 years’ experience and has completed some of TODD’s most acclaimed buildings, including INI Belfast HQ and Queens University’s library tower. He is currently leading the delivery of major office developments in Belfast and Brighton. Martin Wylie has been working at TODD since 2015, with extensive experience in the design and construction of offices, apartments, educational, and healthcare buildings. He is currently engaged in a number of high profile schemes including the Gate, a 20 storey student residential development in Sheffield. John Palmer is based at TODD’s Dublin office, and is responsible for all aspects of project delivery spanning a range of sectors including residential, healthcare, education and commercial and custodial. John has a specialist interest in Passivhaus standards, energy conservation and green building technologies. Brona Marshall has over 20 years’ experience working on projects in sectors including commercial, aviation, media, sports and particularly education. Brona has recently been involved in a master planning development project for Bristol Airport that will facilitate the anticipated capacity increase in passenger numbers initially to 12 million passengers per annum. With over 13 years’ experience across multiple sectors including healthcare, education, commercial and residential, Jonathan Thompson has a wide experience working with clients, contractors, sub-contractors and regulating authorities across the UK, Ireland and the Middle East. Jonathon is leading the design of Queens University’s prestigious new School of Management building. Having joined TODD’s in 2012, Bobby Moore has become an integral part of the practice’s education team, regularly working on feasibility studies, competitions and tender submissions. Currently Bobby is working on Holy Family Special needs school in Cootehill, County Cavan where the Taoiseach, Leo Varadkar has just cut the first sod. Heading the residential housing team, Shaun Hegarty has more than 17 years of experience in the area and has completed a multiplicity of schemes for both private sector and Housing Association clients. Shaun also fronts TODD’s involvement in the RNLI framework, supporting RPS on the delivery of works to the RNLI’s coastal and inland lifeboat stations throughout Ireland and Scotland.
A PMW Communications survey has revealed that the construction industry is rapidly moving away from traditional marketing in favour of digital platforms. The survey, conducted at the recent Construction Expo and UK Construction Week exhibition, asked participants to provide a list of construction companies’ marketing priorities. Digital platforms claimed the top three spots in the list. “PMW is celebrating its 25th anniversary this year, so we’re in a great place to see how marketing options have evolved and expanded. The results of the survey reflect the fact that technology has become integral to our daily lives, as we no longer rely fully on adverts in newspapers or magazines, instead choosing to Google, or look on a company’s website or social media platforms for the information we need. It’s therefore now vital for businesses to optimise SEO so they appear on the first page of online searches, or to be engaging with customers over Facebook, Twitter or LinkedIn,” said Peter Sutton, Managing Director of PMW Communications. Delegates at the trade shows were given 10 tokens each, which represented 100% of their marketing budget in 10% denominations. Participants were then asked to place the tokens into six category boxes: social media, traditional advertising, brochures, PR and events, website, and digital advertising. Over 200 people participated in the survey, representing a number of different companies within in the construction industry. The top priority for delegates, with 24% of the vote, was to have a professional and informative website. Digital advertising came second with 20%, and social media completed a digital top three with 19%. Brochure design and PR and events were tied in fourth with a respectable 15%. Traditional advertising methods were the lowest priority picking up 7% of the vote. “Despite the expected growth in digital options, there is still a place for more traditional marketing activities in the construction industry. Creative PR is a really cost-effective way of reaching target audiences, and can offer excellent value in terms of ROI, and events give a company the chance to engage with potential customers in person, which is something the digital world can never replace. It’s difficult to predict what marketing options will be available to construction companies in the next 10 years, but in such a fast paced industry, we’re excited to find out,” Peter Sutton concluded.