DO YOU KNOW IF YOUR BUSINESS PREMISES WERE BUILT USING ASBESTOS?
New regulations mean that you must have your business premises checked, whether owned or leased, for the presence of asbestos and, if found, you must be able to prove that it has been either removed or is being effectively managed.
Asbestos was used as a building material up until 1999 and can be found lurking behind radiators, above false ceilings, lining lifts or as a sprayed coating on ceilings. It is difficult to identify and you will be unable to do so without the assistance of an expert.
The Control of Asbestos at Work Regulations (2002) require that all non-domestic premises are assessed by a competent person and that if asbestos is identified it is removed or managed as deemed appropriate. In short you have a statutory duty to manage asbestos in your premises and failure to do so could result in a prohibition notice preventing access to your premises, criminal prosecutions, a substantial fine and the inability to obtain Employers Liability Insurance, which is of course, compulsory.
This is a time sensitive issue and you must be able to demonstrate that you are effectively managing asbestos by 21st May 2004. TF Bell, a preferred product supplier for Leicestershire Chamber, can arrange for a qualified consultant to visit your premises and provide you with a free quotation for an asbestos survey. For more details contact your regular TF Bell account executive or email: asbestos@tfbell.co.uk with your contact details.
1 MAY 2004 - EU MODERNISATION REGULATION AND THE CHANGES COMPETITION ACT 1998 TO TAKE EFFECT - CONSULTATION ANNOUNCED BY OFT
The Office of Fair Trading have notified that legislative changes are due to come into effect and the consultation on the regulations will take place over a shortened 8 week period in order to publish final versions of the regulations by August 2004.
This will affect the handling of mergers, anti-competitive practices, regulators (e.g. OFCOM) and other competition issues. The main effect is to align national competition authorities’ enforcement activity. Penalties will be modified, but set in accordance with national laws.
An important change will be the abolition of the notification process to be replaced by a legal exception regime.
A full set of consultation and background documents can be downloaded from the OFT website: www.oft.gov.uk/Business/Legal+Powers/modconsult.htm
WOMEN IN BUSINESS FORUM
Date: 11th May
Time: 3pm - 9.15pm
Venue: Leicester City Football Club, Leicester
Cost: Training day, presentation and dinner: £75.00. Members/£90.00 Standard
Presentation and dinner only: £32.50 Members/£42.50 Standard
Do you wish that you could be more effective? Often feel that you have not made the best use of your day or got the results you wanted in a business meeting? Then this year’s forum entitled “Think Win-Win” is not to be missed. Integra and Business Women’s Link are offering the chance to learn the principles behind the world renowned Seven Habits of Highly Effective People programme. The three-hour training session will cover such topics as personal vision, leadership, management and communication. The training will be followed by dinner and an evening presentation from keynote speakers Dr Ann Demarais and Dr Valerie White, authors of the fascinating book First Impressions. The doctors, who are experienced psychologists and specialise in interpersonal communication, leadership and executive coaching, will be helping attendees to unlock the secrets of positive first impressions.
REGENERATION UPDATE SEMINAR
Date: 18th May
Time: 7.30am - 9.30am
Venue: Leicester Tigers Ground, Aylestone Road, Leicester
Cost: £25.00 Members/£30.00 Standard
The Leicester Regeneration Company, a public and private sector partnership currently tackling the physical regeneration of around 1000 acres of central Leicester, launched its regeneration masterplan back in November 2002. Since then a number of initiatives have been set in motion and this update seminar will give local businesses the chance to check on progress so far, gaining details of land purchased for regeneration work and possible development partnerships being sought.
CHAMBER GOLF DAY SPONSORED BY NTL
Date: 19th May
Time: 7.45am – 4pm
Venue: Stapleford Park Country House Hotel, Golf & Sporting Estate, near Melton Mowbray
Cost: £60.00 Members/£70.00 Standard
This event includes a superb days golf in a spectacular setting along with breakfast and a delicious three-course lunch. This is your opportunity to play a demanding course normally reserved for the exclusive use of Stapleford sporting estate members and guests of this stunning country house hotel. Stapleford Park are offering a 10% reduction on overnight accommodation to those attending this event and there will also be the chance to win a new Volvo S40 car courtesy of Sturgess Volvo.
BUSINESS NETWORKING EVENING
Date: 8th June
Time: 6pm-8.30pm
Venue: Leicestershire County Cricket Club, Grace Road, Leicester
Cost: Attendance only: £25 Members/£35 Standard,
Exhibition Stand Space & attendance: £55 Members/£65 Standard
Always keen to encourage members to network, Leicestershire Chamber has organised this event at which attendees will be able to view business exhibition stands whilst networking. There will also be the opportunity to exchange company literature over a glass of wine and a delicious buffet.
For more details or to book onto Chamber Events please contact Kam Atker on Tel: 0116 204 6614/email:atker.k@chamberofcommerce.co.uk. You can also visit www.chamberofcommerce.co.uk and click on What’s On/Events.
COMPANIES WARNED TO BIN MAILSHOT FROM FAKE 'HEALTH AND SAFETY' AGENCIES
The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) has urged companies and other organisations to ignore information they receive from three firms purporting to regulate health and safety legislation.
HSE has received hundreds of complaints from companies across the country that have been sent requests for payment in return for compliance with health and safety law.
The three firms, all based in north-west England, have written to companies all over Great Britain asking for between £125 and £249 to ensure they comply with health and safety law. A Liverpool firm calling itself the Health and Safety Enforcement Agency (HSEA) demands £125 for a health and safety compliance pack. The Manchester-based Health and Safety Compliance Agency (HSCA) says a health and safety compliance register became law on 1 May and that all businesses should apply for registration, for a fee of £129..25. A third company, the Health and Safety Registration Enforcement Division (HSRED), which gives a Rochdale address, tells recipients to pay up to £249 for health and safety registration.
Anyone receiving literature from any of these companies can ignore it; there is no legal need for anyone to buy literature or services from these companies. .Justin McCracken, HSE’s Deputy Directory General, said: “None of these companies is connected to HSE. Organisations should be very wary of any approach from these firms, or any company ‘offering’ similar services. All three firms use wording suggesting they are official enforcement bodies, but they are not.”
“HSE’s legitimate Health and Safety Starter Pack is available to any business for £30. Not only does the pack cost a lot less than the information provided by these companies, but it is also the real thing. All organisations are required by law to register – free of charge – with their enforcing agency, either HSE or their local authority in the case of supermarkets, hotels and sports arenas, for example.”
HSE is liaising with trading standards offices and the police, who are investigating all three companies.
Copies of The Health and Safety Starter Pack: Health and Safety Advice and Guidance for New and Small Businesses are available from HSE Books, priced £30. ISBN 0 7176 2738. www.hsebooks.com
HSE Info Line Tel: 08701 545500
IMPLEMENTING BUSINESS CONTINUITY SEMINAR
Wednesday June 30th at the Midlands Conference Centre, Leicester City Football Club
Organised by Leicestershire County Council
This seminar presents local companies with the opportunity to learn more about the crucial subject of business continuity management.
The day will include presentations on:
• The importance of business continuity
• Key legislative issues affecting business continuity
• Business continuity & risk management
• Local authority business continuity planning
• Core issues of business continuity planning
• Question & Answer Session
For more details please contact:
The Emergency Management Section at Leicestershire County Council on:
Email: emergencymanagement@leics.gov.uk
Tel: 0116 265 6101
Or visit: www.leics.gov.uk and click on business.
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EXPORT / IMPORT COURSES
EXPORT FOUNDATION COURSE 27 MAY
Beginners course to give overview of export
documentation procedures and practices.
EXPORT DOCUMENTAION COURSE 9 JUNE Covers the preparation of export paperwork, from transport documents through to methods of payment and banking.
Course venue: Leicestershire Chamber, Charnwood Court, 5b New Walk, Leicester
For more information contact John Moore on Tel: 0116 2587 329 Email: john.moore@leicestershire.businesslink.co.uk Or fax the International Trade Department on Fax: to 0116 2855 951
THE EGYPTIAN-BRITISH CHAMBER OF COMMERCE
Third Annual Trade & Investment Conference
Churchill Hotel 30 Portman Square London: 1 July 2004
Tentative Programme & Agenda
09:30-10:00 Registration and Coffee
10:00-12:30 Morning streamed workshops
Workshop 1: Financial ServicesThe financial services market is the single most important sector in Egypt, representing 21% of GDP. Egypt’s financial sector has experiences vast changes over the last decade. There is still a wide range of opportunities in Banking, Insurance, Mortgage Market and Securitisation. The workshop introduces the nature of the four sectors and the structural and legal adjustments underway in each sector to fit within the increasingly free market system.
Chair and speakers to be announced
Workshop 2: Environment
Investments in the environment sector in Egypt during the last decade have been substantial, in particular through donor assistance. The Law for the Environment 4/1994 regulates the environmental policy. Egypt’s planning addresses the following key areas: enhance public awareness and environmental education, an efficient recycling system, the protection and improvement of the landscape, the improvement of global air quality, a significant reduction in energy consumption, global atmospheric pollution, water treatment, and solid waste management
Chair and speakers to be announced
Workshop 3: Building Materials
The building sector represents one of the main facets of Egypt’s development process. The major activities are cement, thermals, isolation works, marble and granite, pipes, sanitary tools and ceramics. UK and Egypt can mutually benefit from the trade of building materials.
Chair and speakers to be announced
12:30-13:30 Lunch
13:30-14:30 Plenary session
- Sir David Blatherwick, Chairman of the Egyptian-British
- Chamber of Commerce
- Ambassador of Egypt to the UK
- Workshops summary and recommendations
- UK Government Official
- Egyptian Keynote Speaker
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14:30-16:00 Business match-making and networking between the Egyptian delegates and
their British counter parties
Conference fees:
£75 plus VAT for each UK participant
For more information or to make a booking for this conference contact:
The Egyptian-British Chamber of Commerce
P.O. Box 4EG, 299 OXFORD STREET, LONDON W1A 4EG
Tel: +44 20 7499 3100 Fax: +44 20 7499 1070
Email: info@theebcc.com Website: www.theebcc.com