Leicestershire Chamber of Commerce

Issue: July 2009

What are the Regulations that most Bug You?
Winter Festivities - Leicester Marriott Hotel Offers 10% Discount
Chamber Helps Combat Stress
Managing The Downturn
Promote Your Company With Chamber Help & Discounts
Business Networking Moves Up A Gear
Longer GP Opening Hours Get Thumbs Up
Getting Intellectual Property Right
Private Dispute Resolution – Free Helpline
Cooper Parry Finance News
Get in the Picture
HMRC Advice Teams Take To The Road
Philharmonia Update
Business Link Update
Forthcoming Chamber Events

If your company would like to help the Leicestershire Chamber of Commerce continue to provide this informative e-newsletter Good Morning Leicestershire and raise the profile of your own business at the same time then please talk to Sharon Jeffrey on on 0116 204 6618 to discuss sponsorship opportunities, preferential rates are available for Chamber Members.

CHAMBER NEWS

The Chamber, with other business organisations in Leicestershire has challenged the Better Regulation Executive (BRE) to deal with the red tape and regulatory issues that really get in the way of running your business. We know that a number of you frequently complain about:

Keeping up with and complying with employment law
Long and complicated procedures to tender for and carry out public sector contracts
Trying to understand the complex rules for getting different sorts of help for business.

To help us set the task for BRE in terms that would REALLY make a difference to your business, we are asking you to list the top 5 regulations that most bug you.

As a minimum, when you send us your list, please give us either: a contact name and phone/email OR a simple profile listing what you do, how many people you employ and your post code.

Businesses of all sizes are eligible to respond, from the self employed to multinational plcs. If you can be specific, that is great, but general points are also acceptable if you can say more about why these bug you.

To respond email Max Boden : boden.m@chamberofcommerce.co.uk or write to the Chamber at Charnwood Court, 5b New Walk, Leicester, LE1 6TE

Watch on our website where there will soon be a scoreboard when the number of replies builds up.

This Christmas the Leicester Marriott Hotel is offering a fantastic range of festive events. Gather your friends, family or colleagues together for one of their party nights, dine in the Mixx Restaurant on Christmas Day or welcome in the New Year in style at the gala dinner dance. Whatever the occasion, they guarantee fabulous food and the warmest of Christmas welcomes.

*Special Chamber of Commerce offer – for every 9 guests booked the 10 this free! Quote CHAMBER when booking.

Cut costs this Christmas with a 20% discount on a selection of premium brand drinks at all Christmas events to help your party go with a swing!

Party Nights:

Restaurant carvery party – 3 course buffet with disco - £27.50 per person
‘Join In Tribute’ party night – 4 course dinner, band and disco (Abba, Take That, Wham, Queen & Robbie Williams) - £39.00 per person

Festive Occasions:

Christmas Day Lunch – sumptuous 5 course lunch in Mixx Restaurant plus a visit from Father Christmas himself! £59.00 per person
New Year’s Black Tie Gala Dinner - 5 course meal with champagne reception and entertainment - £68.00 per person. Or treat yourself to a night away for £115 - dinner, bed & breakfast.

A preferential accommodation rate of £82 is available for party night guests (subject to availability).

To make your booking please contact Soraya Coles on 0116 282 0110 or by e-mail atsoraya.coles@marriotthotels.com

According to a YouGov poll conducted for Investors in People, 38% of employees are experiencing more stress at work than they did a year ago. The survey involved 2,261 adults and also revealed that only 29% believe that their workplace is doing anything to manage stress.

Leicestershire Chamber of Commerce has teamed up with AXA PPP healthcare to offer all Chamber members access to affordable private medical insurance with unique benefits in the form of the Chamber Business Choice Healthcare package.

The Chamber Business Choice Healthcare package could help to reduce sickness absence by providing early access to investigation and, where necessary, treatment to help your employees make an early recovery and return to health – and back to work

Amongst the benefits included are access to a free telephone employee assistance programme for all of your insured employees (exclusive to Chamber members) and don't forget that all new direct customers signing up will get 50% of their Chamber membership subscription paid for the next three years.

For more information on this great Chamber benefit call 0800 38 77 54 quoting LEI

(Lines are open Mon-Fri 9am-5pm, calls may be recorded).

For details of our Chamber Business Choice healthcare package, please visit our Chamber support site at www.axappphealthcare.co.uk/chambers where you can find articles on sickness absence management for small businesses and general advice on growing your business.

To help Chamber members manage the current downturn, the Leicestershire Chamber of Commerce, in association with wk5.com, is introducing a new membership benefit ‘Cash Flow Solutions’.

Cash flow management contains a broad yet distinct range of services, from early stage advice for businesses experiencing initial cash flow difficulties, through to formal and informal business restructuring.

Areas covered by this new service include:

Complimentary cash flow advice line for members
Business rescue service
Insolvency advice and services
Business status monitoring at discounted rates
Pay-as-you-go online credit reference reports at discounted rates
Commercial finance arrangements
Debt collection services and credit insurance arrangements
Debtor tracing services
Bespoke terms for stock protection

For more details contact Mandy Flavell, Membership Coordinator, on Tel: 0116 204 6619 or email: flavell.m@chamberofcommerce.co.uk

Are you looking for a list of businesses? The Leicestershire Chamber of Commerce has negotiated special access to a range of online databases which can be searched to enable a list of companies to be produced either locally or nationally. Supplied in Excel format, the information comes with contact name and address and can also include the companies’ telephone number, employee size, as well as a description of their business activity. You specify the location, size of company by employee size, or which business sectors you want to search and we will supply the quotation.

You can also access the Marketing List Service yourself by visiting the Chamber website www.chamberofcommerce.co.uk and looking under Business Support, use the link to access marketing lists on a whole range of sectors. Even better news for Chamber Members is that if you access this link after logging on to the Members’ Only section of the Chamber website then you are able to obtain a 15% discount on the normal price for these lists.

For more information on this service call Danny Whitehead, Information Services Manager, on 0116 204 6613 or email: leics@chamberofcommerce.co.uk.

The Business Network Online (BNO) - developed by the British Chambers of Commerce and Accredited Chamber Network - goes well beyond the existing social networking and tendering sites by providing people with realistic opportunities to pitch for and win new contacts, covering both the private and public sectors.

The BNO, which operates through the trusted Chamber community, provides people with a simple and effective way to meet new business partners and suppliers, reach new markets and customers, gain more competitive pricing and win new business through tender alerts.

initially the BNO will operate across theUK but plans are in place to extend the service internationally in early 2010. For many UK businesses this will be particularly significant, as the weak pound has opened up export opportunity.

Signing up to the BNO is free to Accredited Chamber members, while non-members will be offered a three-month free trial.

For more details contact Mandy Flavell, Membership Coordinator, on Tel: 0116 204 6619 or email: flavell.m@chamberofcommerce.co.uk

Leicestershire Chamber of Commerce is backing an NHS scheme which could help the productivity of businesses during the current economic climate. NHS Leicestershire County and Rutland has been working closely with local GPs to reach the NHS's extended hours targets.

Around 70 per cent of GP surgeries across the county now offer extra appointments early in the morning, in the evenings and on Saturdays, making it easier for local people to manage their working life, home commitments and their health.

Welcoming the extended hours scheme, Ruth Ingman, President of Leicestershire Chamber of Commerce, said: “In any business time is money, and during the current economic climate businesses are far more profitable when they have a full team at work.

“A knock on effect of the recession is that some employees are feeling the pressure of potential redundancies and job threats and are doing anything in their power to show how committed and reliable they are to their bosses. As a result this can mean not visiting their doctor when they need to, putting their health at risk.

“I think it's great that so many GPs in Leicestershire now offer appointments outside of normal hours as they need to be flexible and acknowledge the needs of their patients. By offering early morning, afternoon and evening appointments patients receive a comprehensive service throughout the day which appeals to people from all walks of life.”

OTHER NEWS

Correct management of Intellectual Property (IP), including trade marks, designs, patents and copyright, allows people and businesses to own and protect their ideas, and registering IP is a vital investment for businesses wanting to maintain market share and grow their offering. In particular, distinctive, well thought out and protected trade marks can help companies through the bad times by providing them with the means of reaching consumers. Exclusive brands can give companies the edge over their competitors and appear as trustworthy and official to consumers.

Registering brands such as trade marks is the cheapest and easiest route by which companies can protect the investment they have made in devising innovative company names or product brands. After all, after months or years of creative effort, it makes no sense to leave these assets unprotected and open for anyone to copy or exploit financially.

The Intellectual Property Office aims to make the process of registering trade marks as simple and cost-effective as possible. With trade mark filing costing just £200, it’s a sound investment to ensure that your ideas are protected, and could save you vast amounts of money, time and worry in the future.

For more information or to speak to an expert face to face, look out for the IPO's Intellectual Property Roadshow events in your area, coming soon. The next event in the East Midlands will focus on Branding and how to look after your name, logo and other potential trade marks. Go to www.ipo.gov.uk/events to find out more and register. You may like to try the Intellectual Property Office's new and free 'Trade Mark Help' email service in the meantime, recently launched in the East Midlands.

There are two little-known ways of resolving business and commercial disputes privately and in confidence, without the expense and delay, or the risk of publicity, involved in taking each other to Court. They are not well-known for the simple reason that they work in private and in confidence!

The first of these, and increasing in popularity, is mediation. This involves the appointment of an experienced neutral intermediary to talk to both sides, or to be with them while they talk to each other, and encourage them to find an acceptable solution to the problem. Sometimes this happens after legal proceedings are in progress, but it is far more cost-effective to try it first, before costs start to build up and distort the picture. Mediation can also salvage a business relationship that has faltered due to disagreement.

The other, more formal, method of private dispute resolution is arbitration. This is a privately conducted, but legally binding, procedure governed by the Arbitration Act 1996. The parties can either choose an arbitrator with appropriate background knowledge and experience by mutual agreement, or have one appointed by an independent third party such as a Chamber of Commerce, a trade association, or by The Chartered Institute of Arbitrators. The arbitrator's decision is binding on the parties and can be enforced in the same way as a court judgement.

Chamber Member Jeffrey Rosenthal is a chartered certified accountant who ran an accountancy practice looking after the needs of owner managed businesses in the area for many years, and now works as an independent private dispute resolver. He is a chartered arbitrator and accredited mediator, with over 15 years experience in this field.

For a free initial consultation to discuss your business problem, please telephone or email in the first instance.

Jeffrey C Rosenthal, FCCA, FCIArb, MAE
Tel: 0116 241 4316
Email: jcr@JeffreyRosenthal.com
www.JeffreyRosenthal.com

All Over By Christmas?

Tyrone Courtman, Head of Business Recovery and Insolvency at Leicesterbusiness advisers Cooper Parry and TMA (UK) Chairman, has dismissed the Chancellor's prediction that the recession will be over by Christmas, as ‘wishful thinking.’

“Unfortunately, it won't be over by this Christmas or the next, and probably not until after the Olympics,” says Mr Courtman.

Mr Courtman says that recovery will be delayed by three interlinked sources of drag: rising unemployment, the continuing lack of liquidity, and higher taxes.

“We're going to see unemployment continue to rise to three or even 3.5 million, which will continue to pull down the real economy,” he says. “Then we have a major structural issue with the banks, which are going to struggle to regain the capacity to start lending again regardless of the amount of Government money that has been pumped into them. And general taxation will have to rise to pay for both the unemployment and the enormous amount of Government borrowing necessary to rescue the banking system. That means less money in the pockets of consumers.”

He adds that growth forecasts of 3.5% disregard the economic background of 12 years of high liquidity, and that a growth trend of 2% is more realistic.

“The Chancellor's prediction seems to ignore the drag these factors will impose on the real economy and is quite simply over-optimistic,” he says.

Company Cars

The treatment of cars purchased or leased by businesses was overhauled by the 2009 Budget.

Cars owned or on hire purchase -The concept of an expensive car has now disappeared and has been replaced by rules based on the CO2 emissions of the vehicle. For vehicles with emissions of 160g/km or less the car is placed in the general pool and will benefit from annual 20% writing down allowances. Cars with emissions in excess of 160g/km are placed in a separate pool and only receive a reduced rate of 10% allowances each year. For cars already owned at 31 March 2009 the current treatment remains unchanged until the last day of the first accounting period ending on or after 31 March 2014 (5 April 2014 for unincorporated entities); at which point any unrelieved expenditure is transferred to the general pool.

Cars on lease -the expensive car distinction which has previously applied to leased cars has also been changed to a system based on emissions. For cars with emissions of 160g/km or less the annual cost of the leases are allowed in full (although the 50% restriction on the input VAT claim still remains). For cars with emissions in excess of this figure there is a 15% flat rate disallowance of the leasing costs each year.

Case study -A common scenario will be a company car being provided to an employee with high business mileage who changes their car every three years. Assuming a £25k car (<160g/km) which, after three years, is worth £8k on sale, the company will be entitled to the following:

The remaining £4,800 left in the pool will be granted allowances at 20% per year on a reducing balance basis. The tax deductible cost for the two scenarios in this example will eventually be the same but the relief and tax saving is accelerated for leased vehicles.
If a business currently has a policy of buying cars instead of leasing them now may be the time to reconsider.

For more advice and help on this please contact Samantha Wagland, email: samw@cooperparry.com or your usual Cooper Parry contact.

Gorilla index is a new concept web directory offering businesses that have premises a comprehensive means to promote that, as well giving potential customers the opportunity to make a more informed choice, all through the use of virtual tours.

Gorilla index is structured as a business directory, hosting virtual tours from all over the UK, to give the user an experience similar to Google’s ‘Street View’ but with an emphasis on businesses rather than the streets.

Picture this; A bird’s eye view of the city, select an area of commerce, say restaurants, hotels or shops, a series of points light up on the map, you then can choose where to visit with a virtual tour, giving the opportunity to make a more informed and convenient choice of where to eat, sleep or shop. This is the essence of what Gorilla index does, and with embeddable capabilities a Gorilla index virtual tour can, with just a couple of clicks, be embedded in a business website offering an exciting opportunity to bring creative and memorable content to an otherwise, potentially, dreary business website. .

Through the use of virtual tours of Leicester, and its businesses, Gorilla index is bringing the city to life like never before.

To get involved, a Gorilla index virtual tour solution is available for under £200, businesses not wanting a tour can be listed free

www.gorillaindex.co.uk/

Are you self-employed or running your own business? Maybe you’re a potential entrepreneur or someone who runs a busy payroll department? Whichever way, if you find tax issues daunting or are just interested in keeping up with new developments now could be the time to contact one of the HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC) Advice Teams.

HMRC have set up their own network of trained Advice Teams who run free workshops and presentations in many different locations and on many topics. Their aim is to make anything that is tax-related as hassle-free as possible. HMRC understand how time consuming running your own business can be and that paperwork may not always be a top priority. That’s why the Advice Teams are there to give practical assistance in areas where it is most needed, so that you understand what needs to be done and will have the confidence and knowledge to get it right the first time.

More information can be found at www.hmrc.gov.uk/bst. or just pick up the phone and call 0845 603 2691.

The Philharmonia Orchestra’s 2009/10 season of concerts at the De Montfort Hall, Leicester will begin this Autumn on Friday 18 September 2009. Highlights of the season include: the return of Maestro Vladimir Ashkenazy for two concerts in September and January, the talented Nikolai Lugansky will perform as part of his Rachmaninov Cycle and many concerts featuring favourites by Holst, Elgar and Walton.

The 2009/10 season is a great time for local businesses to get involved and support the orchestra; from concert sponsorship and corporate membership to advertising and supporting the education programme.

To find out more visit:

http://www.philharmonia.co.uk/supportus/corporatepartnerships/

Click here for more information on the Philharmonia Orchestra's 2009-10 season of concerts

The Philharmonia Orchestra is proud to be a member of Leicestershire Chamber of Commerce.

BUSINESS LINK UPDATE

A new online guide to help SMEs gain access to funding for growth and innovation has been launched by the Government.

Investing in innovation is crucial to businesses looking to bring new and improved products and services to the market and boost their profitability. During the downturn this is especially important but will become even more vital for businesses that want to grow and become more competitive as the upturn comes.

The new guide, ‘The No-Nonsense Guide to Finance for High Growth and Innovative Businesses’, will act as a one stop resource for companies that want to know where and how they can access sources of funding available to support innovation. It is available free of charge on the Business Link website at:www.businesslink.gov.uk/eastmidlands/nng

For details about the complete range of support available for businesses in theEast Midlandsvisit: www.businesslink.gov.uk/eastmidlandsor telephone 0845 058 6644.

East Midlands businesses are set to benefit from the Government’s new package to help them through the current economic downturn. The national “Real Help for Business” initiative includes a finance programme that provides:

Up to £1.3bn of additional lending through an Enterprise Finance Guarantee
Up to £10bn Working Capital Guarantee, securing up to £20bn of lending
£75m capital fund to invest in businesses that need equity or quasi equity

The Business Link website offers information on a wide range of business issues aimed at helping organisations to remain competitive and robust in the current economic climate. Online tools are available to check the health and energy efficiency of a business along with information and fact sheets on managing cash flow, training, restructuring, recruitment and redundancy.

To improve your bottom line or find out more about the local events taking place to help you ‘survive and thrive’ during this economic downturn contact Business Link on 0845 058 6644 or email info@businesslinkem.co.uk

CHAMBER EVENTS

Date: 2 September
Venue: Hilton Hotel, Braunstone, Leicester
Time: 8am – 10am
Cost: Chamber Members £20 / Standard £25

Are you aware of the current health & safety legislation within your organisation? At first sight this can appear to be daunting, time consuming and a costly requirement. This Health and Safety Seminar will provide the chance to network and consider common experiences whilst receiving professional advice on the impact of changes in legislation, with the opportunity to review the current health and safety practices within your organisation

In conjunction with Freeth Cartwright Solicitors
Date: 10 September
Venue: Express by Holiday Inn, Leicester
Time: 7.30am – 9am
Cost: Chamber Members £25 / Standard £35. Includes breakfast.

Join us for this highly informative seminar, one in a series by Julian Middleton MA LLM, Managing Partner in Commercial Litigation at Freeth Cartwright Solicitors. This seminar covers the new unfair dismissal rules and disciplinary procedures -keep up to date with current legislation and keep your business in the know.

Date: 10 September
Time: 6pm – 8.30pm
Venue: Leicester Marriott Hotel, Grove Park
Cost: Chamber Members £32.50 / Standard £42.50
Includes a two course meal and welcome drink.

Catherine Mason, a solicitor and qualified nurse, took up her post as coroner for Leicester and South Leicestershire in March of this year. The coroner's office, based at the Town Hall, is responsible for investigating and establishing causes of deaths, especially where there are unusual circumstances.

At the age of 38 Catherine was the first woman in the country to become a dual-qualified deputy coroner. Mrs Mason, who studied law at the University of Leicester, says that she has the skills, passion and commitment to ensure that, in a time of bewilderment and grief, the bereaved are supported through the process of an inquest.

Date: 14 September
Venue: Market Harborough Golf Course, Market Harborough
Time: Tee off from 9am
Cost: Chamber Members £49.50 / Standard £59.50
Price includes breakfast, 18 holes & lunch

This popular corporate hospitality event includes a superb day of golf, beginning with refreshments and a light breakfast. Players will be arranged into teams of 4 with a chance to win both individual and team prizes.

Date: 17 September
Time: 7pm for 8pm, 10pm finish
Venue: Ramada Jarvis Hotel, Granby Street, Leicester.
Cost: Chamber Members £49.50 / Standard £59.50
Table of 10: Chamber Members £470 / Standard £570
Includes three course dinner with wine.

The Leicestershire Chamber of Commerce presents its next President’s Dinner in the elegant surroundings of the Ramada Jarvis Hotel in Leicester. The evening will include a three course meal with wine and the chance to hear the special guest speaker, Dr Vince Cable, MP.

In 1997 Dr Cable was first elected to Parliament, he joined the Liberal Democrat Shadow Cabinet in October 1999 as Spokesman on Trade and Industry, has been the Liberal Democrat Shadow Chancellor since November 2003 and is currently Deputy Leader of the Liberal Democrats.

Date: 21 September
Venue: Sketchley Grange Hotel & Spa, Burbage, Hinckley
Time: 12 noon – 2pm
Cost: Chamber Members only at £25 + VAT
Price includes sit down meal and drink on arrival.

Leicestershire Chamber of Commerce is pleased to bring you “Networking with the Neighbours” - your opportunity to speed network with members of Coventry and Warwickshire Chamber. Looking for new contacts? Wanting to raise your business profile? Then don’t miss this event.

For more information on these Chamber events please call Kam Atker on Tel: 0116 204 6614, email: atker.k@chamberofcommerce.co.uk or alternatively you can visit the Chamber website at: www.chamberofcommerce.co.uk and select What’s On/events