Launch of the Brexit readiness fund for business organisations

Launch of the Brexit readiness fund for business organisations

• Last week, Business Secretary Andrea Leadsom today unveiled a £10 million grant scheme for business organisations and trade associations to support businesses in preparing for Brexit ahead of 31 October 2019.

• The Business Readiness Fund is open to business organisations and trade associations throughout the UK.

• The funding will support events, training and the production of advice packs to assist businesses in making sure they are fully prepared for a Brexit on 31 October.

• Applications for grants will be accepted up to Monday 30 September 2019 and administered through the dedicated website: https://www.gov.uk/brexit-business-grants.

LOCAL FAMILY BUSINESS RECEIVES SILVER AWARD IN RECOGNITION OF THEIR SUPPORT OF THE ARMED FORCES

LOCAL FAMILY BUSINESS RECEIVES SILVER AWARD IN RECOGNITION OF THEIR SUPPORT OF THE ARMED FORCES

Family-owned funeral business CPJ Field has been awarded the 2019 Silver Employer Recognition Awards from the Ministry of Defence, celebrating the company’s continued support of members of the armed forces. The presentation, which took place on board the historic ship HMS VICTORY in Portsmouth, was attended by both Jeremy and Charlie Field, who received the prestigious award from The Lord-Lieutenant of Hampshire, Nigel Atkinson.

The Employer Recognition Scheme (ERS) was launched in 2014 to recognise employer support for the wider principles of the Armed Forces Covenant; a promise from the nation that those who serve or have served in the Armed Forces, and their families, are treated fairly. 22 businesses were awarded the Silver Award.

Charlie Field, Deputy Chairman of CPJ Field & Co commented:

“Receiving the Silver ERS Award is a wonderful recognition of our company’s support of the Armed Forces’ family. A number of our workforce have served in the Forces or are currently serving in the Reserve or Cadet forces; the skills, approach and positivity they inject into our working day contributes hugely to the overall atmosphere and culture of CPJ Field. It was an honour to receive the award as it highlights the value the Armed Forces’ community adds in supporting our customers on a daily basis.”

The fantastic Army Medical Service Ensemble welcomed guests to the Historic Dockyard and the evening culminated with the Beating Retreat, played by the superb Band of Her Majesty’s Royal Marines Portsmouth. The Salute was taken by Her Majesty’s Lord-Lieutenant of Hampshire and Rear Admiral Mike Bath, Flag Officer Reserves.

Moving (costs) on up! Barclays Mortgages reveals the real cost of moving

Moving (costs) on up!

Barclays Mortgages reveals the real cost of moving

…but there are plenty of additional surprises!

With summer periodically the most popular time of year to move house, new research reveals the true cost of moving across the country, showing stark differences between cities.

Analysis from Barclays Mortgages shows the average upfront cost1 of moving home in the UK, including estate agent, legal and surveyor fees, land registry, EPC and stamp duty, is £7,641, on top of the purchase price. Meanwhile, the average unexpected associated costs2 can add up to £1,690, meaning homeowners are stumping up £9,331 on average in total home moving costs.

Upfront moving costs

The analysis looked at the average upfront cost of moving by city across the country, and found that costs vary significantly. Liverpool residents expect to pay just £2,787, compared to a whopping £22,417 spent in upfront costs for those looking to purchase a typical property in London.

For homebuyers also selling their own property, estate agent fees can play a major part in costs. For example, those selling a property in Oxford on average pay £5,783 in estate agents fees compared to £1,780 in Glasgow.

Stamp duty can equally cause a financial headache for those looking to move. In London, where the average house price is currently £482,200, homebuyers have to find typically £14,110 in stamp duty. House hunters in Oxford and Cambridge have on average similarly large stamp duty bills to pay too, with £10,365 and £11,130 respectively. But it’s not all bad news. Those looking to buy in Liverpool, where the average house price is £123,000, would not have to pay stamp duty on a house of this value, under the current stamp duty threshold of £125,000.

On top of this, building insurance costs can amount to £107 and a survey – although not a legal requirement but recommended – will set you back a further £550. An energy performance certificate is a legal requirement, which adds an additional £90 on average.

Associated costs of moving

In addition to these largely anticipated costs, many home movers are being caught out with a number of unexpected costs, including childcare, self-storage, decorating and pet-sitting fees. Indeed, nearly one in two (47 per cent) say they have incurred such costs as a result of moving property3.

The most commonly unanticipated costs nationwide include buying new furniture that didn’t fit in the new home (43 per cent), decorators/DIY help (34 per cent) and the need to buy takeaways for the first few weeks after moving in the absence of a fully functioning kitchen (26 per cent). Bristol and Belfast pay the most in unforeseen costs on average, while London the least.

Hannah Bernard, Head of Mortgages at Barclays, said: “Buying a house is a huge financial moment and the lead up to your dream home should be as stress-free as possible. Our findings show that on top of the burden of expected costs, homebuyers are getting caught out by additional costs that aren’t included in the asking price.

“To balance the budget, try to plan ahead and really challenge what home move costs you could cut down, or better yet, if there are any you can cut out. Enlisting friends and family to help out could really save the pounds too. Our Barclays app helps customers plan ahead and see their payments in a calendar view, making it really simple to balance outgoings.”

The cost to wellbeing

Whilst the hidden financial implications are high, moving properties can also have a negative impact on mental health. Of those surveyed, 42 per cent admitted that moving home made them feel worried and anxious, while almost one in six (17 per cent) said that the stress of the move had a negative impact on their mental health.

Two-fifths (40 per cent) of home buyers believed it took them between three to six months to feel settled and in control again following a big move. Nearly half (46 per cent) named solicitor delays as the main factor impacting their mental wellbeing, with financial pressure (45 per cent) coming a close second.

The research also revealed that almost half (47 per cent) of homebuyers admitted to not being prepared for moving financially, underestimating the overall costs involved. This has resulted in 54 per cent admitting to needing to lean on family members for financial support to deal with the unexpected costs of moving – putting additional strain on their mental wellbeing.

Hannah Bernard continues: “Whether it’s storage for belongings, parking and removal vans or even childcare, buying a new house can really take its toll on finances at a time when home movers will be feeling the pinch. We know that financial pressures are a principal contributor to stress and anxiety around a house move. Being prepared for any last minute costs is a first step to make that milestone as smooth as possible.

For further information on Barclays range of mortgages, go to: http://www.barclays.co.uk/mortgages

For more details on the Cost of Moving, go to: https://www.barclays.co.uk/mortgages/guides/real-cost-of-moving/

Paxton Opens World-Class HQ After Extensive Refurbishment

Paxton Opens World-Class HQ After Extensive Refurbishment

Global technology company Paxton has opened a new world-class Technical Support Centre at its head office in Brighton, UK.

Proving its commitment to investing in its Brighton home, the company has transformed Paxton House into a state-of-the-art facility for the 200-plus employees who are based there.

Paxton, which designs and manufactures smart security systems and has appeared in the Sunday Times Best Companies to Work For list for two years running, moved to the site in Home Farm Road in 2004.

Since then, the company has seen rapid growth - profit has increased 25% year on year since 2012 – and has invested heavily, first building Paxton Technology Centre on the site 2017, before starting work on the refurbishment of Paxton House, next door.

As well as housing its world-class Technical Support Team – winner of the Best Customer Service category in the Brighton & Hove Business Awards 2019 - the new site provides a demonstration facility for customers.

Paxton CEO Adam Stroud said: “We’re so happy to declare our new Paxton House open. We know our Technical Support Team is the number one reason customers choose Paxton again and again. Our new working space encourages teamwork, creativity and support, which will allow the team to provide an even better service.

“Employee wellbeing was at the heart of the design – but we’re also looking forward to welcoming more customers to see what we do here, in terms of products, new technology and innovation.

“We’re doing some really exciting things and leading the industry in many areas - having a positive company culture, and an environment we can all take pride in, is integral to that.”

World-class support stats

• Paxton House is home to Paxton’s Technical Support Team

• The team receives 800 calls a day

• The team handle enquiries from customers in the UK, France, Germany, South Africa, USA and the UAE.

• It offers multi-language support - members of the UK team can speak French and German

• On average they receive 99% good customer feedback. The UK and US teams have broken their previous record by achieving 100% positive feedback in a single month.

For more details about Paxton, go to: http://www.Paxton.Info/4241

Plus X aims to create healthiest work space in UK

Plus X aims to create healthiest work space in UK

On average, people in the UK spend over 3,500 days of their life at work, that’s 35 per cent of their total waking hours and yet offices are often uninspiring places that hinder rather than help productivity.

Olga Hopton, Managing Director of Plus X Brighton, aims to change that. Supported by CEOs, Mat Hunter with a background in California-based IDEO and the Design Council and Paul Rostas, ex-investment banker turned entrepreneur, her goal is to create and manage the healthiest work space in the city and indeed the UK.

Plus X Brighton is the shiny new seven-floor innovation hub opening in January in a spectacular new building currently being fitted out as part of the wider U+I Plc regeneration of Preston Barracks on the Lewes Road.

There is more to the building than its world class design by Studio Egret West featuring the happiness colour yellow as the design principle.

Everything about the building’s design and the special features being created for its future members, has health and wellbeing in mind, from its nutritionally balanced and locally sourced café on the ground floor, to its stylish, ergonomic furniture and décor, to its spectacular roof terrace with abundant edible planting.

Olga Hopton moved to Brighton from Birmingham, where she had extensive experience in events and hospitality management prior to working on transforming the Bird’s Custard original factory into a media and creative cluster.

Formerly General Manager of the shared workspace PLATF9RM in Brighton, she moved on to advise developer U+I on work space design, including the £7m Victorian Power Station renovation in West London and the £15m Plus X Brighton.

As MD at Plus X Brighton, she is seeking to achieve the platinum WELL Building Standards Certification, which has the tagline “Buildings and communities that help people thrive”, ensuring that work spaces at Plus X are optimised for wellness, health and resilience.

To that end, everything must be taken into consideration including air quality, materials, light, biophilia – the new buzz word for greening and access to nature, water quality, community engagement and mental health support.

“We quite literally want to make Plus X Brighton the healthiest workspace in the country – a place where the environment aids positivity and productivity and the Plus X team will be fostering a nurturing environment as well as providing resources for members with tips on how to be healthy,” said Olga.

“I believe people react to their environment and it is possible to feel healthy and inspired in the work place. Plus X is there to make it easy so you can focus on what you do best - running your business.”

The Plus X team will regularly monitor air quality in the space, ensuring that it meets WELL standards. Details such as rosemary infused water served in the meeting rooms, proven to help focus and boost immunity, and essential oil blends available to aid positivity and focus, as well as weekly yoga and meditation, will all contribute to getting members’ creative juices flowing.

Biophilia refers to the inherent connection humans have to plants and nature.Studies have proven that when surrounded by plants, people’s happiness, focus and productivity improves, so Plus X has a ‘Biophilia strategy’ incorporating plenty of greenery allowing people to commune with nature both inside and out. Brighton’s first rooftop terrace featuring edible plants and herbs will be opening in spring for private events and members access to break out or enjoy as thinking space. Work spaces will also be flooded with natural light from large windows, as this is believed to support the circadian rhythm, improving people’s sleep-wake cycles.

Continued Olga, “As part of the WELL building standards, we are compiling a WELL Guide which will be available to all members in the space, helping them use the space for optimum wellness and we will also be curating a library of books that encourages and enhances mindfulness and wellness.

“Our extensive events calendar will include a rich variety of wellness focussed events and workshops, with yoga classes at the beginning of each week, so that partners can start their week the right way – focussed and intentional. We will also have classes on a Friday - these will be the perfect way to wind down and enter the weekend feeling refreshed. It is so important to switch off and take time out to recharge and thrive. I have discovered yoga at It’s Yoga Brighton just over a year ago and I can honestly say it has changed my life - Leena, my teacher always reminds me that it is the journey that counts and makes us grow. I think this is important recognition for many of the serial entrepreneurs and inventors that we work with.”

As one of the WELLness initiatives members will also benefit from access to Moment Pebbles, modelled from Brighton beach, encouraging those who hold them to remember to take a moment away from their work and to take a break from screen time.

Plus X has also partnered with Bird and Blend Tea Co to create ProductiviTEA, an exclusive fusion of yerba mate for alertness and productivity, lemon balm for stress reduction and rosehip and ginger for immunity and digestion.

Plus X believes that what is good for people is also good for the planet and Olga is a passionate advocate of all that is green and sustainable. She has partnered with Paper Rounds to provide a zero to landfill waste policy, has sourced a green energy supplier and eco cleaning products, as well as sustainably delivered local milk and Red Roasters direct trade coffee. The team at Plus X will also encourage green and healthy ways of travelling to work, with a new Brighton Bikes station just outside the hub.

Continued Olga, “Many of these ideas are ones that business leaders want to implement, but don’t have the time or knowledge to do so for their growing businesses. The value of situating your business at Plus X is that it’s the easiest way for you to take care of your team. If you are a business leader who is trying to build the best team you can, we believe that moving into Plus X can create a competitive advantage for you.”

Plux X has 53,000 sq ft of work space with room for over 550 people, including 11 studios for 4-20 people and bespoke turn-key solutions for 20+ size businesses. Memberships cost from £100 per month.

Opening January 2020, Plus X is the winning formula for business and social success.

Catch the Wave date added: Support for start-ups

Catch the Wave date added: Support for start-ups

On Thursday 17 October, Brighton Chamber is hosting ‘Grow your business faster and smarter’ as part of the Catch the Wave business support programme.

The session is for start-ups and young businesses in their first couple of years who want to consider their goals and gain a deeper understanding of what they need to thrive.

The workshop will include:

• Carrying out a business health check

• The ingredients for good decision making

• Ways to engage with your customers and clients

• A session with an accountant in which you’ll learn vital information on business structure and tax

The workshop will be run by Richard Freeman of always possible, a consultancy and projects company that supports place-making, skills development, business innovation and future-focused culture. Richard works with grassroots entrepreneurs, networks, big business and policy makers on sustainable growth and smart thinking.

Attendees will also hear expert accounting advice from Kreston Reeves and a business case study from Sarah Bennett Photography.

ABOUT CATCH THE WAVE 2019

Catch the Wave is a new business support programme for anyone in the city who wants to launch and grow a business. It includes affordable workshops, useful resources and expert mentoring sessions.

Designed and delivered by Brighton Chamber, Catch the Wave includes practical, interactive sessions and runs from July 2019 to April 2020.

Click here to book.

SHOREHAM PORT DELIGHTED TO WELCOME NEW STEEL COMPANY

SHOREHAM PORT DELIGHTED TO WELCOME NEW STEEL COMPANY

Barrett Steel, the UK’s largest independent steel stockholder, has taken an assignment of the lease for the steel premises at Shoreham Port on Tuesday of this week. Ten years ago, Shoreham Port invested in a modern state-of-the-art steel terminal with quayside facilities, which until this week had been leased out to John Parker & Son, who went into administration on Tuesday. Shoreham Port are delighted to welcome Barrett Steel to the premises, with their first shipment of steel expected to arrive in the coming week.

Having been established in 1866, Barrett Steel have over 150 years of experience in the steel stockholding industry and are at the forefront of the sector. This acquisition has resulted in the growth of the 6th generation family steel businesses network to 27 locations across the UK, providing Barrett Steel with an ideal base to service and support customers in the South of England.

In addition to the lease, the acquisition also sees Barrett Steel acquire extensive processing equipment on the site including shot blast prime and paint facilities alongside 6 additional Endeavour Saw-Drill lines. The move has also secured the jobs of over 50 employees from the previous site

Expansion into the South of England is the latest of many investments for the group in recent years, as Barrett Steel has encouraged the development of its Scotland and Ireland businesses as well as investing heavily in state-of-the-art processing equipment and ensuring a modern and efficient transport fleet across its sites. The group also pride themselves on their high levels of customer service as a progressive, problem-solving steel stockholder.

James Barrett, Group Managing Director at Barrett Steel commented: “This acquisition allows the Group to develop its presence in the South of England which complements our existing processing hubs in the North. We are excited to welcome the Shoreham team to our business and are positive about the future of the steel industry.”

Rodney Lunn, Chief Executive at Shoreham Port commented “We have had the pleasure of meeting many of the Barrett Steel senior management team over the last couple of weeks and are really pleased to sign all of the leases over to them, as we feel their vision and values for the future very much align with those of Shoreham Port. It is great to have such a strong and well respected partner running the steel facility.”

SEEKING THE BEST SUSSEX STREET FOOD OF THE YEAR 2020

SEEKING THE BEST SUSSEX STREET FOOD OF THE YEAR 2020

Having celebrated an exciting record-breaking year in 2019 with over 18,000 public votes and hundreds of entries, the Sussex Food & Drink Awards is now focusing on the year ahead with entries open now for the Sussex Street Food of the Year 2020 category as they must be received by 27 September 2019.

This hugely popular category was introduced to the awards five years ago and the panel of judges will be looking for exciting businesses creating artisan dishes with care and passion, to be eaten in a mobile situation and dedicated to using quality local Sussex ingredients.

Said Hilary Knight, co-director of Natural Partnerships CIC, who run the awards as a not-for-profit scheme to boost the local food and drink industry: “We’re looking for amazing and creative food served from individually styled and attractive mobile units with a clear message about what's on offer. The winner should be someone who demonstrates responsibility for the environment and food hygiene and sources as many local ingredients as possible.”

Sussex Street Food of the Year 2020 finals will be held in Horsham Carfax on Sunday 27 October from 10am until 4pm. Sponsors of this category, Horsham District Foodies supported by Food Rocks, will be organising the competition and wonderful market day, where the public can vote for their favourite to win.

Entrance is free and visitors will be able to enjoy live music, boutique shopping, pop up bars and artisan products, whilst soaking up the fantastic foodie atmosphere as ten of the very best Sussex street food vendors battle it out to see who wins the coveted trophy.

Entries for all other categories in the Sussex Food & Drink Awards 2020 open on 24 September and winners will be revealed and receive their awards on 29 April 2020 at a glittering BAFTA-style awards ceremony hosted by Sally Gunnell OBE and Danny Pike from BBC Sussex, including a spectacular seven-course Sussex produce banquet produced by Sodexo Prestige at the Amex Stadium.

SUSSEX STREET FOOD OF THE YEAR - Offering great food to be eaten in a mobile situation from an individually styled and attractive unit with a clear message about what's on offer. Someone who demonstrates responsibility for the environment and food hygiene and sources as many local ingredients as possible. Must attend at least three events in Sussex from April to October 2019.

Go to www.sussexfoodawards.biz now to enter your Sussex Street Food business.

Barclays launches £100,000 unsecured lending for SMEs on its app and online banking platform

Barclays launches £100,000 unsecured lending for SMEs on its app and online banking platform

In a High Street banking first, Barclays has launched £100,000 unsecured lending for SMEs on its award winning app and online banking platform, with thousands of SMEs set to benefit from access to faster finance.

With two fifths of SMEs surveyed (44 per cent) saying they would have more confidence in applying for a loan if they could see a pre-assessed limit, Barclays is offering over 360,000 customers pre-assessed limits on their digital channels.

The limits for unsecured digital lending have increased to £100,000 from £25,000 for thousands of clients, with funds typically received in the account within 24 hours.

In 2018 Barclays funded a new start-up every four minutes, with a total of £2.8 billion of loans boosting small businesses. The bank recently unveiled a package of support for businesses as part of its Backing the UK initiative and to mitigate the impact of Brexit uncertainty, with a £14 billion dedicated lending fund, and a series of over 100 clinics providing business advice and guidance hosted by the bank’s network of 1,500 relationship managers.

Ian Rand, CEO of Barclays Business Banking, said: “Every day we talk to thousands of SMEs about how we can support them to grow their business, and our team of relationship managers are out and about visiting offices and homes up and down the country.

“Now, with the launch of £100k unsecured lending on our app and online banking, we’ll be able to go even further to support businesses with exciting scale-up plans to borrow what they want, when they want.

“With pre-assessed limits of up to £100k, clients can follow just six simple steps and receive the money in their account normally within 24 hours.”

Last year the bank also announced a partnership with MarketInvoice, Europe’s leading peer-to-peer lender, which enables businesses to get funding against their outstanding invoices, unlocking fast access to cash.

For more information on Barclays Business Banking, visit: https://www.barclays.co.uk/business-banking/

MPs BACK CALL TO END LITTER CHAOS

MPs BACK CALL TO END LITTER CHAOS

The A27 Clean Up Campaign has received the backing of three MPs and all Council Leaders from across Sussex in its quest for Highways England to take over responsibility for litter removal on this major highway which runs through East and West Sussex.

The group of Sussex residents has written to the Transport Secretary pointing out that the current system doesn’t work whereby local councils are responsible for removing the litter but Highways England is responsible for cutting back the vegetation and strimming the grass.

If the verges are strimmed before a litter pick, the shredded litter and plastic becomes too small to collect. It therefore becomes embedded in the soil which in turn affects not only the surrounding wildlife and flora but also over time the water table and later the sea. It also causes blockages to roadside drainage channels and leaves unsightly plastic blown along the roadsides.

Another problem is the amount of litter which is blown into nearby fields, leading to this being shredded during combine harvesting and ending up in the hay used for animal feed.

The A27 is a national trunk road owned by Highways England yet local authorities receive no funding for litter picking it and have to pay Highways England’s contractors for the necessary road closures. Co-ordination between Highways England’s contractors and local authorities is expected to happen to enable litter picks to take place during other maintenance works but invariably this proves impractical leading to some parts of the road being strewn with litter for most of the time. In some places litter has not been picked for nearly 3 years despite this being in contravention of statutory responsibilities.

Commenting on the call to action, Neil Kerridge, Co-Chair of the A27 Clean Up Campaign said: “The poor condition of the road has seen a marked deterioration over the last few years with a substantial increase in roadside litter, grit and other debris. It’s an eyesore for everyone who travels along it, hence the increasing number of complaints, not only from local residents but also from domestic and foreign visitors. Whilst more needs to be done to prevent the litter happening in the first place, through education and enforcement, we need to ensure that the system for removing the litter is as efficient and effective as possible.

“Each of the local authorities and MPs with whom we are working recognises that this is a serious issue which needs to be addressed at national level. We have therefore written to Grant Shapps MP, the new Secretary of State for Transport, requesting that he uses his powers under Section 86(11) of the Environmental Protection Act 1990 to transfer responsibility for cleaning the A27 to Highways England”

The Group believes that increased efficiencies will be achieved by combining all aspects of road maintenance under Highways England. Its specialist teams, protected by blocking vehicles or planned lane closures, could move seamlessly from one local authority area to the next without the need for liaison between differing bodies with differing priorities. This could be done on a continuous and repetitive basis to make maximum use of the capital assets employed thereby achieving regular and frequent cleaning.

Neil added “Clearly it will be important to ensure that Highways England’s contractors perform the litter removal task to required standards and that incentives and penalties are put in place to ensure that this happens. We are working with Peter Silverman of Clean Highways who is an expert in this field and together we hope to be the first area of many in the country where litter on the major trunk roads is not a national disgrace”.

The letter to the secretary of State for Transport is supported by MPs and Leaders of individual Councils:

1. Stephen Lloyd MP for Eastbourne

2. Maria Caulfield MP for Lewes

3. Lloyd Russell-Moyle MP for Brighton Kemptown

4. Councillor Neil Parkin Leader of Adur DC

5. Councillor Dr James Walsh Leader of Arun DC

6. Councillor Zoe Nicholson Leader of Lewes DC

7. Councillor Nancy Platts Leader of Brighton and Hove CC

8. Councillor E Lintill Leader of Chichester DC

9. Councillor Bob Standley Leader of Wealden DC

10. Polegate Town Council

If you’d like to find out more about The A27 Clean Up Campaign please contact the group via its Facebook page: www.facebook.com/A27-Clean-Up-Campaign or email: a27cleanup@gmail.com

Free online courses to support your business now available

We Find Any Learner now have a wider range of free courses available that might suit you and your employees. The courses available are all Level 2 NCFE CACHE accredited and delivered on a distance learning platform. All courses can be completed paper based or digitally and take around 20 – 30 hours to complete.

The most popular courses this month are:

• Children and Young Peoples Mental Health

• Nutrition and Health

• Falls Prevention

• Behaviour that Challenges

• Safe Handling of Medication

• Understanding Autism

• Mental Health Awareness

• End of Life Care

• Dementia Care

Click Here to view all available courses.

Funded places are limited and are delivered on a first come first server basis. Please don’t hesitate to contact our friendly team if you have any questions.

End unpaid trial shifts in Brighton & Hove

End unpaid trial shifts in Brighton & Hove

BHCC is supporting a local campaign to end the practice of unpaid trial shifts in the city.

‘Say No To Unpaid Trial Shifts’ is a grassroots collective started by students in Brighton & Hove. The campaign group say using unpaid trial shifts during the job application process is unacceptable—a view that councillors endorsed unanimously in a notice of motion last year.

An unpaid trial shift is where an employer fails to pay for work which either makes money from a prospective employee or saves money for the employer. The Government issued new guidance as to what constitutes an unpaid trial shift in December 2018.

We have pledged to look at how we can help end the practice of unpaid trial shifts. From 1 August we will be gathering information from businesses and prospective job applicants to understand the scale and nature of the issue:

Business survey

Workers, students and young people survey

Why the council is taking action

Cllr Amanda Evans, Brighton & Hove’s Lead Member for Community Wealth Building said: “No-one should be expected to work for free so we want to collaborate with businesses and partners to put an end to unpaid labour that is unacceptable, unethical and unfair.

“The initiative is consistent with our support of the Brighton & Hove Living Wage campaign and an extension of our commitment to raise standards, celebrate good employers, retain good candidates and ensure all those working in our city can share in the wealth they are helping to create.”

The No Unpaid campaign group says unpaid trial shifts target young people, take advantage of vulnerable job-seekers and allow businesses (including many high street brands) to avoid paying wages, staff training and tax—and are therefore damaging the UK economy.

Of the people who responded to their recent snapshot survey, many reported unpaid trial shifts in the hospitality sector, but also highlighted major high street retailers, as well as other industries including cleaning and care work.

Tourism supports nearly 22,000 jobs in Brighton & Hove, with more than 1,000 businesses involved bringing over £800 million into the local economy. It equates to 7.5% of the tourism economy of the south east region*. An end to unpaid trial shifts in this sector will enable more people to share in the city’s economic success. Community wealth building is an aim of the city’s economic strategy introduced earlier this year.

*Source: Visitor Economy Strategy and Destination Management Plan 2018-2023

Surveys

Councillor Evans added: “Our surveys will build on the work of the No Unpaid campaign group by giving us local information that we can use to find practical ways of tackling the issue.”

Targeted communication with students and young people will start in September to encourage them to fill in the applicants survey.

Business survey

Workers, students and young people survey

Closing date for our survey is 31 October 2019.

No unpaid campaign

Campaign co-founder Frank Chamberlain said: “The work of young people is demeaned by the concept that we should be asked to work for free. Too many young people, competing in a saturated job market, feel like they have no choice but to undertake unpaid trial shifts, with no guarantee of a job at the end of it. On some occasions, it has become apparent that employers had no intention of offering a job at all.

“Given so many people, young people and otherwise, rely on a secure income, this practice is both unethical and exploitative. We hear horror stories of nine hour shifts and ridiculous anecdotes of compensation being given in the form of bread, beer and even spices. Even short unpaid trial shifts are time-consuming, and force vulnerable jobseekers into working for free. This is not acceptable in today’s society.”

Frank added: “We want ethical employers to help us raise awareness of this unacceptable practice by pledging not to undertake unpaid trial shifts. To date, more than 100 businesses have done so.”

Mark Turner from the GMB trade union said: “This is a very important campaign and the GMB is pleased to be part of it. This arrangement of unpaid trial shifts needs to be totally eradicated because it particularly disadvantages young people within society. We welcome that the council has signed up to this along with the city’s three MPs and we as a union will continue to campaign at a local and national level.”

Unpaid trial shifts can be reported to HMRC who investigate claims on a case by case basis. No Unpaid has simplified this process by providing an easy-to-use complaint letter-generator on its website. ACAS also provide free, confidential help and advice for workers.

A WARM WELCOME TO ‘HOSPITALITY APPRENTICESHIP WEEK’

A WARM WELCOME TO ‘HOSPITALITY APPRENTICESHIP WEEK’

Showcasing Career Opportunities in the Hospitality Sector

The Hospitality Sector, with the support of the National Apprenticeship Service (NAS), is delighted to launch the first Hospitality Apprenticeship Week. Running from Monday 5th to Friday 9th August, this inaugural event aims to provide a fresh opportunity to celebrate apprenticeships in the sector and to bring the whole hospitality community together to showcase the positive differences that apprenticeships can make to individuals, to their employers and the wider economy and we would like as many businesses as possible to get involved.

The hospitality industry offers some of the most exciting, diverse and rewarding careers in the U.K. It is the 3rd largest sector, employing more than 3.2 million people across every community and it continues to grow. With forecasts identifying the need for an additional 1 million employees over the next two years, we need to consider how these new recruits will be sourced.

Coupled with this, the U.K. Government recently launched its first tourism-sector deal, designed to prepare the country for an expected increase of 9 million visitors per year. Part of the deal will support the creation of an additional 10,000 apprenticeships for people building careers in the tourism and hospitality sectors.

Hospitality Apprenticeship Week provides an ideal opportunity for employers to come together and engage with school and college leavers to showcase the variety of career opportunities available within the hospitality sector. One of the key focuses of this campaign is to shift the perception among young people and their parents that hospitality roles are limited to low paid, part-time jobs and to encourage them to recognise that apprenticeships provide multiple opportunities to forge a strong career path, involving a range of invaluable skills.

“There are increasing challenges in recruiting and an expected shortfall in labour, due to demographic changes, both in an ageing population resulting in fewer young people and migration. The industry recognises its responsibility to help improve the image of careers in hospitality and to invest in training and skills development. Apprenticeships are a key part of promoting hospitality as a career of choice and providing an alternative pathway into senior level roles, as well as entry level.”

https://www.worldskillsuk.org/come-on-in

Trash-to-treasure event helps transform Brighton and Hove from a ‘Food Waste’ into a ‘Food Use’ city

Trash-to-treasure event helps transform Brighton and Hove from a ‘Food Waste’ into a ‘Food Use’ city

Brighton and Hove food businesses received top tips in reducing, redistributing and recycling at a special event to help food leaders play their part in tackling the environmental threat presented by food waste.

The event, organised by Brighton & Hove Food Partnership with the Surplus Food Network, generated a host of ideas to help Brighton and Hove transform into a ‘food use’ city. It also marked another step forward in the city’s efforts to be named the UK’s first gold-awarded Sustainable Food City.

Food waste has been described as an environmental, moral and financial scandal. Wasting food has a huge impact on carbon emissions because of all the energy that is used in its production, transportation and processing. If global food waste were a country, it would be the third largest emitter of greenhouse gases after the USA and China.*

Recycling as a last resort

The event, ‘Turning trash into treasure: rethinking food waste’, was held at the Brighthelm Centre in central Brighton. It saw 100 city caterers, retailers, food producers, suppliers and manufacturers, and the managers of cafes, hotels and pubs hearing the case for prioritising reducing food waste, before redistributing and repurposing it – and only finally recycling it as a last resort, instead of disposal.

Participants shared ideas and experiences with inspiring businesses such as Toast Ale, which turns old bread into beer, Moshimo restaurant, which uses food-sharing app Too Good To Go, pop-up surplus food cafe The Real Junk Food Project Brighton and food-sharing app Olio which helps surplus food find a good home.

They also heard practical advice from food waste and sustainability experts, third-sector organisations and policy experts.

Vic Borrill, Director of Brighton & Hove Food Partnership, said:

“This was the latest in a series of events designed to motivate and inspire people to take positive action around food – and this one about taking action around food waste is critical, as the current news declarations of a climate emergency show.

“It was very exciting to see how our city’s food business community embraced the 3Rs of reducing, redistributing and repurposing, leaping at the opportunity to rethink food waste.

“It has given us a wealth of ideas to take forward to deliver a strategy to become a ‘food use’ city, which will be included in our bid to be the UK’s first gold-awarded Sustainable Food City.”

Surplus Food Network

In the last year, event co-organiser the Surplus Food Network has saved over 1,090 tonnes of surplus food from going into the bin by distributing it to people in need.

Beth Parry, Fareshare, said:

“Working as part of the Surplus Food Network has enabled us to prevent more surplus food from going to waste and to feed more people in need.”

Paul Loman, Non-Executive Director of The Real Junk Food Project Brighton, said:

“The Surplus Food Network is a great example of the benefits of collaborative working. The City of Brighton and Hove should be proud of this ground-breaking initiative.”

The ‘Turning Trash into Treasure’ event was supported by recycling company Paper Round and Brighton and Hove City Council.

* Information from WRAP, the Waste and Resources Action Programme.

Follow the conversation around the gold Sustainable Food City bid via #GoldFoodCityBid

Edward Street Quarter to create new social hub for Brighton

Edward Street Quarter to create new social hub for Brighton

Edward Street Quarter, the redevelopment of the ex-Amex House site owned by First Base, will create a vibrant new social hub for the city, placing public space and community at the heart of the scheme.

As the biggest office development to come to Brighton in 25 years, Edward Street Quarter has been designed intentionally to enable collaboration and bring people together across the whole neighbourhood.

Three distinct new greenspaces will encourage play, improve pedestrian connectivity around the area, and provide pleasant places to sit and eat lunch or sip coffee.

A large roof terrace will provide open space for networking events and after-work relaxation – not to mention beautiful sea views.

“We’re excited to deliver a new destination for the city’s local businesses, residents and community members to meet, socialise and ultimately enjoy what we’ve created,” explained Steve Eccles, Project Director at First Base.

“We are in talks with independent retailers, cinema providers, bars, restaurant and cafes, that align with our plans to deliver a lively and attractive place to live, work, play and visit.”

The new neighbourhood will deliver 110,000 sq ft of commercial space, 39,000 sq ft of retail and leisure units and 168 new apartments.

For more information, please visit edwardstreetquarter.com.

A new website and branding for Brighton Chamber

A new website and branding for Brighton Chamber

Brighton Chamber has just launched a new website and new brand.

CEO Sarah Springford said ‘It’s been six months in the making and after everyone’s hard work, we are very happy with the results. Members are telling us that they love the new services and products that we have created for them. The new website and brand better reflects who we are now, what we do and how we do it’

Take a look here.

The identity of Brighton Chamber is special – because Brighton itself is special – and we wanted our brand to reflect that. Designers REBORN worked closely with us to explore what we needed from the rebrand, and we called on Sam Knowles from Insight Agents to workshop all the many aspects of the Chamber and tease out the key stories we needed to tell. We involved our members at every stage.

Andrew Thomas, director at REBORN, said: "The time was right for a rebrand for Brighton Chamber. The public facing image needed to be aligned with the energy and enthusiasm of the Chamber culture. Typographically, we went for something friendly and sophisticated. Brighton Chamber is a professional organisation but it’s also warm and vibrant, so the colour palette is fun but the monogram logo is more serious to reflect the nature of their work."

Madison Web Solutions have delivered a beautiful, functional and slick new website which not only looks great but provides effective new services for members and practical solutions for the team behind the scenes. Judy Yorke from The Sentence Works crafted our website copy and a team of members helped us with testing and feedback throughout the project.

Not only does the site have a completely fresh look, but it delivers new services and features too. Here’s a few things you’ll notice about the new site:

Member Hour - The Member Hour is an opportunity to get free, personal help or advice from another Brighton Chamber member. It helps members connect directly with people in the membership who want their services. Equally, if members have an expertise that they want to showcase and share then it’s an excellent way to promote their services and give something back.

A strong on-line presence for members - The profile pages have been transformed. Using the custom-built Profile Wizard, members can create a profile page to be proud of. New functionality enables customized pages with images, a cover photo and video media. So it’s great for SEO.

We hope you enjoy browsing and if you’d like to be part of the Brighton Chamber business community and would like to find out more get in touch with Amy Lishman at Amy@BrightonChamber.co.uk

Visit England launches business advice hub

Visit England launches business advice hub

Free resources, case studies and practical tips to help tourism businesses grow are provided in Visit England’s new business advice portal. Topics covered include preparing for Brexit, attracting international visitors and making your business accessible. It also provides signposting to funding, training and local support.

The South East has the second highest level of young people working alongside their studies as students look to earn income from their smartphones

The South East has the second highest level of young people working alongside their studies as students look to earn income from their smartphones

Young people in the South East are among most likely in the country to have a part-time job, with 55% earning money alongside school or college compared to a national average of 50%, according to research* from LifeSkills created with Barclays. The East of England has the highest level of young people working with 57% while the South West came lowest with 44%.

Nationally, the number of young people with a traditional Saturday job appears to be falling compared to previous generations, as tech savvy teenagers turn to online ventures to boost their income.

Paper rounds, babysitting and doing odd jobs are falling out of favour with younger people, as they increasingly focus on their studies and look for highly flexible forms of work that fit around their education.

An estimated 670,000 of UK students (aged 14-21) now regularly make money through online avenues, with buying and selling products online (such as clothes) becoming more popular than babysitting or dog walking as a way of making extra cash. These online ventures are collectively worth £11million a year to the UK economy.

Overall, the research** found that nationally, just half (50%) of young people in education currently have a part-time job, compared to previous generations (68%). On average in the UK, young people between 14-21 years who have a part-time job work 8 hours a week and earn £62.50 a week – adding up to over £162million a week.

Motivations and challenges to working

Across the UK, young people say the main reason they have a part-time job is because they want some financial independence, to gain experience to improve their CV and skills, along with the chance to meet new people.

However, the reasons cited for not working part-time are:

• 44% don’t have a job because they get an allowance or income elsewhere such as pocket money from parents.

• 44% say they need to focus on their school work rather than work.

• 22% of young people without a job want to earn money but don’t know where to start.

• 17% say there is a shortage of part-time employment opportunities in their area and 16% have applied for work but were unsuccessful.

The next generation could be missing out on vital skills as a result, with young people who do have part-time jobs ranking responsibility, communication and teamwork as the top three skills gained from this experience.

Online part-time jobs and the changing world of work

The national picture shows that a desire for greater flexibility coupled with advanced digital skills is driving many young people to find new ways of making money through part-time activities.

While half (50%) of the previous generations said they worked in a shop or business when they were teens, in comparison just 37% of young people with jobs do the same today. Shop work is still the most popular type of job for young people followed by manual work, and online ventures are growing in popularity.

Of those earning money through an online job or project, over four in ten (44%) say they do this over traditional work because it provides them with more flexibility and 30% say their skills are better suited to earning money this way.

Meanwhile, a fifth (21%) say they choose to work online because there is a shortage of traditional jobs in their area, and a further 19% say it allows them to be more entrepreneurial.

Kirstie Mackey, Head of LifeSkills created with Barclays said: “The nature of part-time jobs may have changed from thirty or forty years ago, but they remain a crucial way for young people to strike out on their own and gain the valuable skills and experience they will need for the rest of their working lives.

“It’s really encouraging to learn that so many young people are finding new routes, other than traditional part-time work, to boost their experience, skills development and earnings while being able to plan their hours around their studying. Parents, educators and businesses can also help them to kick-start their career skill set before they’ve even left school or college. Barclays LifeSkills can support with that, offering lesson plans and interactive tools on how to build key employability skills.”

Baroness Karren Brady CBE, Chair of the LifeSkills Advisory Council, said

“The humble Saturday job can be the start of great things. My part-time job at a hair salon taught me the skills that put me on the path to a successful career in business; problem solving, proactivity and hard work. Your first job is more than just a point for your CV, it’s a life lesson.

“Finding a job alongside school or college isn’t as simple as it was in the past, but the opportunities out there are evolving quickly. I recommend that every young person think about taking on work while still studying; whether it is cashing up in a shop or selling your creations online, the experience will have valuable things to teach you.”

Supporting young people to be successful in the future workplace, LifeSkills created with Barclays offers advice and guidance online to help young people prepare for their future careers, including a virtual work experience tool. Here are some top tips from Head of LifeSkills, Kirstie Mackey on how to prepare yourself for the world of work:

Top tips:

1. Know your skills

Identifying your skills is really important when you’re deciding which career is right for you. Try taking the Barclays LifeSkills Wheel of Strengths test to find out where your strengths lie.

2. Do your research

Doing your research is essential as you begin your job search – but you don’t have to do this on your own. Check out Barclays LifeSkills’ online Advice Map, and interactive tool to help you find the right advice from the right places.

3. Get interview-ready

Interviewing can be one of the most important (and nerve-wracking) parts of applying for a new job. Use LifeSkills’ Virtual Interview Practice tool to prepare and hone your skills.

A collection of interactive tools and tips on everything from CV writing and interviewing skills, to building enterprise and business skills is available online at www.barclayslifeskills.com/.

Jack Dares Young people of Sussex to Dream

Jack Dares Young people of Sussex to Dream

Jack the Lad, famous for his award-winning breakfast show and interviewing the likes of Ricky Gervais, Colin Firth and Danny de Vito who joined the award-winning team at the Love Local Jobs Foundation CIC has delivered his first Dare to Dream session.

Joining Orminston Six Villages Academy for an enrichment day titled The Girls and Boys Conference, Jack delivered two inspirational and motivational sessions. He spoke of his journey from council life estate to becoming the third longest serving radio host, dropping useful life anecdotes throughout.

Jack shared stories from his childhood poverty and experiences from schools, to show the students that they can “dare to dream” and anything is possible if they set their minds to it. Jack spoke of the importance of humility, empathy, communication skills and grasping every opportunity possible.

Mr Anthony J Ender, who organised the school’s enrichment day said, “It was amazing to hear Jacks stories from growing up to celebrity interviews. He was fun engaging, and all the students enjoyed his talk. I feel he left an impression on our community and we would love to work with The LoveLocalJobs Foundation CIC again”

Jack said “It was fantastic to get in-front of the students to share my story, offer some pointers and give them advice on how maybe changing their way of thinking to a more positive one as they move forward. It is an amazing thing to be asked to do. I thoroughly enjoyed my morning in Chichester and was made very welcome. I am truly loving the opportunity and can’t wait to meet more of Sussex’s young people”.

Dare to Dream has been made possible through the local generosity and philanthropy of local businesses. Rivervale, Golden Lion Group, Fireco and TSS are the first confirmed sponsors of Dare to Dream but there are still opportunities to support this initiative. If your business would like to get involved in this exciting project, please get in touch by emailing info@lovelocaljobs.com.

Gatwick Airport publishes its Final Master Plan

Gatwick Airport has published its Final Master Plan which confirms plans to take forward the sustainable development of the airport.

In October 2018, our Draft Master Plan consultation set out three scenarios for future growth:

1. Using new technology to build capacity and resilience on the main runway;

2. Bringing the existing standby runway into routine use for departures only alongside the main runway by the mid-2020s;

3. Recommending planning policy continues to safeguard land for an additional runway.

GA received more than 5,000 responses to the 12-week public consultation and are encouraged that two-thirds (66%) of respondents supported the principle of growing Gatwick by making best use of their existing runways, in line with Government policy.

As a result, the airport will progress with plans to introduce new technology to build capacity and resilience on their main runway. GA is also announcing today that they will prepare a planning application to bring their standby runway into routine use.

The innovative proposals for the standby runway will deliver additional capacity at the airport that enables GA to balance operational resilience and sustainable growth. As one of the biggest private investments in the region, the scheme will deliver greater connectivity, a better passenger experience through greater competition, and an economic boost that secures jobs and opportunities for generations to come. These benefits can all be delivered while keeping the airport’s noise footprint broadly similar to today’s levels, and with minimal disruption to neighbours and the environment.

The consultation report, also published today, provides extensive feedback on the consultation and those views will help shape plans as they prepare a Development Consent Order (DCO) – a rigorous planning process that will include further engagement and public consultation next year and culminates in a final decision by the Secretary of State. GA will now carry out a number of detailed studies to assess the impacts and benefits of our proposals before consulting the public again next year.

GA are also recommending that national and local planning policy continues to safeguard the land that would be required for a new runway, should it be required in the longer-term. However, GA reiterate today that they are no longer actively pursuing plans for an additional runway.

You can also sign up to the community newsletter at www.gatwickairport.com/communitynewsletter