A Bolton night club owner has been sentenced after he admitted failing to carry out a survey for asbestos prior to starting on the refurbishment of a local night club. Manchester Magistrates’ court heard how UK Night Life Limited and its only director, Charles John McGrath, undertook the management of
UK manufacturer of power and distribution transformers, Winder Power, has been shortlisted by the Living Wage Foundation for the Living Wage Champion Awards 2016 in the Yorkshire & Humber region. The awards recognise Living Wage Foundation employers who have made significant contributions to communities and industries by implementing and celebrating
The first scaffolding training centre to deliver apprenticeships and commercial courses in the North East of Scotland has officially opened its doors. The state of the art facility, which has received over £1 million in investment, is a partnership between the Construction Industry Training Board (CITB) and ASET International Oil
A new £2 million training and research centre at the Port of Blyth will be opened next week by the Duchess of Northumberland. The launch will mark the next phase of the Blyth Education and Community Hub (BEACH), a development to regenerate the Blyth coastline. The first stage delivered a
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The 128 suite Newcastle property on Buxton Street will continue to be branded as a Staybridge Suites hotel and will be the fifth Staybridge Suites property under Cycas management. The acquisition is a further extension of Cycas’ portfolio after recently announcing its contract with Starwood Capital Group to manage its
A Liverpool based architect firm has won an international design competition to create a more sustainable future for the most remote inhabited island in the world. The Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA) announced that a team led by Brock Carmichael Architects has won the design ideas competition for the
A report published by Carbon Clear has found that for the third consecutive year, BT Group are setting sustainability standards for FTSE 100 companies. The telecommunications giant has shown a comprehensive approach to carbon and sustainability reporting, firmly cementing their position as one of the best practice leaders of the
Built asset consultancy firm Arcadis has been appointed by Wakefield Council to deliver its property and facilities services. The deal is expected to be worth £3 million per year over seven years, with the option of a three year extension. Arcadis is a part of Wakefield Council’s strategic partnership team
SES Engineering Services, owned by Wates, has secured a £43 million contract on the £300 million Defence and National Rehabilitation Centre at the Stanford Hall estate, near to Loughborough. SES will work alongside main contractor Interserve to provide a full range of electrical and mechanical services to deliver a purpose
A Bolton night club owner has been sentenced after he admitted failing to carry out a survey for asbestos prior to starting on the refurbishment of a local night club. Manchester Magistrates’ court heard how UK Night Life Limited and its only director, Charles John McGrath, undertook the management of a refurbishment project between August 1 and 12, 2015 on The Level nightclub, Mawdsley Street, Bolton without an experienced contractor in place to manage the site. Around 20 workers were potentially exposed to deadly asbestos fibres so that the club could open in time for Fresher’s week and an influx of students to the club. The site first came to the attention of the Health and Safety Executive in August 2015 after a complaint from Bolton Council regarding unsafe construction works throughout the site. The HSE inspector served a total of three Prohibition Notices and two Improvement Notices, as well as a Notification of Contravention for a foreseeable risk of asbestos exposure, a lack of competent site manager, risks of falls from height, unsuitable welfare facilities and inadequate fire safety precautions. Sole director of UK Night Life Limited, Charles McGrath, of Mawdsley Street, Bolton, pleaded guilty to breaching Section 3(1) of the Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974, and Regulations 5(a) and 16 of the Control of Asbestos Regulations 2012, and was fined £5,720.00 with costs of £3,535.86. In his summing up, District Judge Sanders said that Mr McGrath had chosen to rush through the works with unqualified and inexperienced people running the site on a daily basis. He added that it was clear that these offences amounted to a ‘degree of cost cutting at the expense of safety’. HSE inspector Matt Greenly commented after the case: “Mr McGrath totally failed in his duty to protect his workers, subcontractors and anyone else accessing this site from a foreseeable risk of serious harm. Asbestos related diseases are currently untreatable and claim the lives of an estimated 5,000 people per year in the UK.”
UK manufacturer of power and distribution transformers, Winder Power, has been shortlisted by the Living Wage Foundation for the Living Wage Champion Awards 2016 in the Yorkshire & Humber region. The awards recognise Living Wage Foundation employers who have made significant contributions to communities and industries by implementing and celebrating the Living Wage, an hourly rate set independently by the Foundation and updated each year, calculated according to the basic cost of living using the ‘Minimum Income Standard’ for the UK. Decisions about what to include in this standard are set by the public; a social consensus about the amount people require to make ends meet, and Winder Power has been a proud supporter of the initiative over the last three years. There are currently more than 2,700 accredited Living Wage Foundation employers throughout the UK, all who have signed up voluntarily, who recognise that adhering to the Government’s national living minimum wage is not good for business. As a living wage employer, this commitment means that every employee at Winder Power, regardless of whether they are permanent employees or third-party contractors; receive a minimum hourly wage of £8.25 – significantly higher than the Government’s national living wage of £7.20. Speaking following the shortlist announcement, Laurence MacKenzie, group chief executive of Winder Power, said, “We’re absolutely delighted to have been recognised by the Living Wage Foundation and to have been shortlisted for their Living Wage Champion Awards. Making a public commitment to be a responsible employer is important for Winder Power as many Winder Power staff are from the local community and we are a proud British manufacturer producing all of our products in Yorkshire. We are committed to ensuring that we provide this community, and the UK, with sustainable employment and maintain, and indeed create, jobs in this country; and we believe the Living Wage Foundation accreditation aids us in this objective.”
The first scaffolding training centre to deliver apprenticeships and commercial courses in the North East of Scotland has officially opened its doors. The state of the art facility, which has received over £1 million in investment, is a partnership between the Construction Industry Training Board (CITB) and ASET International Oil & Gas Training Academy (ASET). The centre is based at Clinterty in Aberdeen and provides high quality professional training and a comprehensive portfolio of CISRS (Construction Industry Scaffolders Record Scheme) and SQA (Scottish Qualifications Authority) accredited scaffolding courses. These will train and upskill the Scottish workforce and benefit both the construction and oil and gas industries. David Mosley, CISRS Scheme Manager, said: “The possibility of a second CISRS accredited centre in Scotland has been discussed at length. We are delighted that ASET and CITB have built an excellent facility and we wish them a very successful future.” Nine learners from throughout Scotland have started their apprenticeships this week. Dundee based employer Kevin Malone of Skyline Scaffolding Ltd, employs apprentice scaffolder Darren Holt, who has just started his training at the new site. Kevin commented: “I was extremely happy when I heard the new centre was opening. It is long overdue, and will certainly be a great boost for scaffolding training in the area.” Atholl Menzies, Chief Executive at ASET, added: “This is an exciting time for ASET and CITB as we now begin to realise our vision of creating a centre of excellence for scaffolding training in the North of Scotland. This purpose–built facility is perfectly positioned to meet the demand for accredited training at introductory and advanced levels – from Dundee to Shetland. “The apprenticeship provision will help to attract new entrants into the industry, making an important contribution to the local economy. The extensive range of commercial courses available will open up new opportunities for employers and individuals alike.
A new £2 million training and research centre at the Port of Blyth will be opened next week by the Duchess of Northumberland. The launch will mark the next phase of the Blyth Education and Community Hub (BEACH), a development to regenerate the Blyth coastline. The first stage delivered a maritime heritage centre, an Engineering and Marine Science base for Newcastle University along with a new facility for the training and community outreach charity, Blyth Tall Ship. Now, the base will allow Port of Blyth’s training subsidiary Port Training Services to develop its offering of NVQ’s and plant training, while enhancing its delivery of apprenticeships and community engagement through a schools partnership. Newcastle University’s Emerson Cavitation Tunnel Laboratory, situated at the centre, will offer an environment for the study of propulsion, water turbine, coating technology, ice research and a series other niche areas of research. Northumberland College’s wind turbine technician training facility is to be backed and certificated by international renewable energy training and certification body BZEE. This latest phase of the hub has attracted significant funding from the Coastal Communities Fund, North East LEP and Sport England, whilst all the partners have contributed significantly to the total budget for the scheme. Martin Lawlor, Chief Executive of Port of Blyth, commented: “We’re delighted to be opening phase two on the back of a record year at the Port. “The significant benefits of the project reflect the commitment that the Port and all partners in the development have to training, research and opportunities for the community”.
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The 128 suite Newcastle property on Buxton Street will continue to be branded as a Staybridge Suites hotel and will be the fifth Staybridge Suites property under Cycas management. The acquisition is a further extension of Cycas’ portfolio after recently announcing its contract with Starwood Capital Group to manage its four extended-stay hotels in Earls Court/Kensington, London Bridge, Bermondsey and Tower Bridge making them second largest operator of serviced apartment/apart-hotels in London. Eduard Elias, Managing Partner of Cycas Hospitality says: “Newcastle is one of the most culturally and commercially dynamic cities in the UK. It has invested over £250m in transforming its cultural infrastructure. The city is well positioned on the high-speed East Coast mainline so most of the UK’s city hubs are just a short train ride away. New intercity trains are also due to run between Liverpool and Newcastle by December 2017. Newcastle’s accessibility, its skilled workforce and the presence of strong international companies makes it a natural fit for the extended-stay hotel market.” Staybridge Suites Newcastle will join the UK’s first Staybridge Suites in Liverpool (acquired by Cycas Hospitality in February this year), Staybridge Suites London -Vauxhall, Staybridge Suites London – Stratford City and the Staybridge Suites Manchester, which is due to open in 2017. Jeremy Jones, Head of Brokerage – Hotels at specialist business property adviser Christie & Co added: “Strong interest was received for the Staybridge Suites Newcastle from a wide range of domestic and international parties. The sale to Cycas Hospitality of this excellent example of the Staybridge extended stay product is further evidence of the strength of regional UK trading levels and demand for such branded hotels.” Originally opened in spring 2009, Staybridge Suites Newcastle is ranked second out of 81 hotels in Newcastle-upon-Tyne and was voted 20th Top Hotel of 2015 by TripAdvisor. The property consists of 128 guest suites including 95 studios and 33 one-bedroom apartments.
A Liverpool based architect firm has won an international design competition to create a more sustainable future for the most remote inhabited island in the world. The Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA) announced that a team led by Brock Carmichael Architects has won the design ideas competition for the main island of Tristan da Cunha in the South Atlantic. The team also includes Oval Partnership, Arup International Development, Multi QS and Dr Gerda Speller from the University of Surrey. Tristan is located 1,750 miles south-west of Cape Town. Life there is largely dictated by the weather, with the island only being accessible by sea for around 60 days per year because of the severity of the ocean swells and limitations of the harbour facility. Tristan da Cunha is actually made up of four islands – Tristan (the main island), Nightingale and Inaccessible, which together form a group, and Gough Island that lies 220 miles to the south-east. Tristan is the only island with a permanent community, known as Edinburgh of the Seven Seas, which has a population of approximately 270 people. The competition, run by RIBA Competitions on behalf of the Government of Tristan da Cunha, sought design ideas for the island community of Edinburgh of the Seven Seas. The competition encouraged innovation and cost-effective proposals for the redesign and consolidation of Tristan’s government buildings and community infrastructure. The brief encouraged initiatives to improve the performance and standard of residential properties, along with improvements to grazing and the year-round growth of fresh produce. Also included in the shortlist were design teams led by: Lateral Office (Toronto, Canada); John Puttick Associates (New York, USA); Scott Brownrigg (Cardiff, UK) and Javier Terrados and Fernando Suárez (Seville, Spain). Tristan da Cunha administrator and head of government, Alex Mitham, commented: “On behalf of the community of Tristan da Cunha I would again like to thank everyone who participated in the competition, and particularly the five shortlisted teams who further refined their proposals during the second, design development phase.”
A report published by Carbon Clear has found that for the third consecutive year, BT Group are setting sustainability standards for FTSE 100 companies. The telecommunications giant has shown a comprehensive approach to carbon and sustainability reporting, firmly cementing their position as one of the best practice leaders of the FTSE 100. The sixth yearly report published by Carbon Clear ranks all of the FTSE 100 companies on their: carbon measurement and reporting; strategy and targets; emissions reduction; engagement with stakeholders; and, innovative approach to sustainability reporting. A copy of the full report which looks at trends for the FTSE 100 and names the top 20 companies can be downloaded here – info.carbon-clear.com/hubfs/Reports/Sustainability_Reporting_Performance_of_the_FTSE_100.pdf. Among the key findings of the report are five more firms setting carbon emission reduction targets based on climate science than in the previous year. The research shows that businesses that set ‘science based targets’ are more likely to achieve, or even exceed their initial aims. There has also been a 9% rise to 64 companies who use or purchase renewable energy in comparison to last year. The report suggests that the Paris climate change negotiations in December last year could have influenced the awareness of climate issues among FTSE 100 groups. The report finds that a variety of businesses within the FTSE 100 are showing that growth is enhanced by sustainable business practices, not limited by it. Marks and Spencer Group scored marginally behind BT to rank in second place. The business has been praised for its consistent and holistic approach to delivering meaningful carbon reductions, particularly in the way it works with both the supply chain and customers to cut down on emissions. Unilever ranked third and is the only business that scored full marks in the new ‘innovation’ section. The company has shown an admirable commitment to long term sustainability leadership.
Built asset consultancy firm Arcadis has been appointed by Wakefield Council to deliver its property and facilities services. The deal is expected to be worth £3 million per year over seven years, with the option of a three year extension. Arcadis is a part of Wakefield Council’s strategic partnership team to deliver its property and facilities management services. It will work along with Engie, the council’s recently appointed external partner to deliver its property and facilities services. It will also deliver project and professional services. Wakefield sought a partnership “which will help secure jobs for local people and enable staff, customers and services to benefit from private sector expertise and investment”. Arcadis will be supporting the council in its ambition to generate up to £27 million in savings this year. It is hoped that the appointment will help to support economic growth in the area, while also helping the Council to improve infrastructure and create new jobs for the people of Wakefield, according to Arcadis. Arcadis head of strategic partnerships, Bill Green, commented: “Councils are under more pressure than ever before to deliver better outcomes using fewer resources, and that looks set to continue. “With less money available, public sector organisations are turning to long term partners to optimise the benefits from combining public and private sector capabilities.” Earlier in the year, Arcadis hired transport and logistics veteran Jonathan Beard, who joins the firm from ICF International where he was a Vice President. In his new role, as Head of Transportation & Logistics for Arcadis’ Asia operation, Beard will have responsibility for the company’s regional transports and logistics strategy and landing new clients. He is based in Hong Kong. Before he joined Arcadis in Hong Kong, Beard was a Vice President and Global Practice Leader for Ports, Logistics & Transport Services at ICF International.
SES Engineering Services, owned by Wates, has secured a £43 million contract on the £300 million Defence and National Rehabilitation Centre at the Stanford Hall estate, near to Loughborough. SES will work alongside main contractor Interserve to provide a full range of electrical and mechanical services to deliver a purpose built clinical facility for the Armed Forces when it becomes operational in 2018. The BS Stanford project will see the construction of a new 380,000 sq ft specialist clinical facility along with the refurbishment and alteration of the Grade II listed Stanford Hall. SES Executive Business Director, David Mason, commented: “We have delivered numerous projects with Interserve over many years and have formed an inclusive and collaborative working relationship with them to ensure the delivery of a truly world-class facility. “The project involves highly complex site logistics, based around the refurbishment of the grade 2* listed Stanford Hall with over 20 separate new builds in close proximity and up to 1,000 workers on site at any given time.” SES is also working with the Career Transition Partnership, which helps to resettle ex-military personnel into new employment roles, to provide employment opportunities to former servicemen and women during the project. SSE has also secured an MEP contract worth £18.6 million on Barts Square Phase One, which is a £110 million residential development by Helical next to St Bart’s Hospital in Farringdon. The main contractor for both projects will be Carillion. Offsite construction is playing a major role on both projects as logistics is a primary consideration in city centres, particularly in London. Before being acquired by Wates last year, SES was formerly Shepherd Engineering Services and Wates said that the two contract awards represented a significant milestone for SES’ operations in London and the South East. The company put the King’s Cross contract win down to its digital engineering expertise, in response to the client’s requirement for building information modelling (BIM).