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KIRKLEES BUSINESS NEWS The business NEWSpaper for Kirklees
Budget ‘must give business a boost’
MINISTERS have been urged to “relaunch the economy with business-friendly measures” in the forthcoming Budget. The call comes from the Lockwood-based Mid Yorkshire Chamber of Commerce in a letter to Chancellor George Osborne and Business Secretary Vince Cable. It calls for measures to speed the UK’s economic recovery by boosting help for business when Mr Osborne delivers his Budget speech on March 21. And it warns: “Stagnation is a major threat and could undermine both deficit reduction and efforts to reduce net debt.” The chamber urges the Government to scrap a planned hike in business rates, introduce a time-limited £1bn Capital Allowance scheme to encourage medium-sized companies to invest and provide “meaningful” incentives for firms to recruit young people. The letter demands extra help for exporters and immediate implementation of promised infrastructure projects. It also calls on ministers to make good a stated commitment to cut red
■ CALL: Steven Leigh (right), of the Mid Yorkshire Chamber of Commerce, has delivered a business wish-list for Chancellor George Osborne (left) and Business Secretary Vince Cable (centre) in the run-up to next week’s Budget
tape and regulation. The chamber wants the Government to scrap the 5.6% rise in business rates scheduled for April and demands the return of Empty Property Business Rates Relief at the old threshold of £18,000. Steven Leigh, head of policy for the
chamber, said: “The cost to business of the proposed rise in business rates could – in the present economic climate – have serious consequences for some businesses and runs contrary to efforts to promote growth in the economy.” At a time of record youth unemploy-
ment, the chamber argued that taxing jobs through Employers National Insurance Contributions was “illogical and a disincentive to job creation.” Said Mr Leigh: “This forthcoming budget should address this problem by abating this tax for the present time for all businesses recruiting unemployed 18 to 24 year olds. It is perverse that at a time of rising unemployment the Government should persist in levying a ‘jobs tax’.” The letter added; “For the purposes of the Budget, we strenuously urge you to avoid the creation of numerous new initiatives – which are all too often poorly communicated, not taken up, and frequently inordinately costly to deliver. Instead, we believe that existing mechanisms can more readily be used to simplify the help given to businesses.” Nick Brook, of TaxAssist Accountants in Huddersfield, said: “Small businesses are the backbone of local economies. “We do want the Government to maintain the momentum of growth incentives they’ve already started and add more vital lifelines to sole traders and small firms.”
Law firms looking to the future with merger TWO law firms are joining forces. Wilkinson Woodward & Norcliffe & Co will merge at the end of March to become Wilkinson Woodward Norcliffe, practising from offices at Queen Street in Huddersfield. The merged practice, which also incorporates Boococks Estate Agency, from Halifax, will have 30 lawyers and will be the third-largest legal practice in Kirklees and Calderdale. The announcement was made in a j o i n t s t at e m e n t by M a u re e n Cawthorn, who will be managing partner of the merged practice, and John Norcliffe. They said: “In the rapidly changing sphere of legal services, we see our merger as a positive statement of our intention to extend and develop
the provision of top quality, cost-effective legal advice within Kirklees and beyond to both existing and new clients.” Norcliffe & Co has an established reputation in the local business community, particularly in commercial property transactions and the buying and selling of businesses. Wilkinson Woodward is well known for across-the-board legal advice to individuals, with particular expertise in family and childcare law. As a practice Wilkinson Woodward has been at the forefront of changes in this field, offering collaborative law and also establishing the first mediation practice in Calderdale in 1996, led by Penny Manock. Said Ms Cawthorn: “The merged
practice will be greatly strengthened by John Norcliffe in commercial law, Roy Dunn in civil litigation and Clive Robinson in conveyancing, who together bring with them 80 years of legal experience. “This completes the project we began in 2000, when our Huddersfield practice opened. “We now have a full service legal practice in Huddersfield, which was our original aim and we are confident this can be developed and expanded further over the coming years.” John Norcliffe founded Norcliffe & Co in 1994 and Wilkinson Woodward began practising as long ago as 1886 in Halifax – from where it continues to play a leading role in the ■ POSITIVE MOVE: Maureen Cawthore provision of legal services in Calder- and John Norcliffe, who will spearhead the newly-merged law firm dale.
INSIDE Credit column A COMPANY supplying pneumatic products has received repeat accreditation to a scheme to help industry improve its safety record. Thorite, which has a base at Barge Street, Longroyd Bridge, has renewed its membership of SAFEcontractor, a programme which recognises high standards of health and safety practise among UK contractors.
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13, March, 2012
Racing ahead BUSINESSMAN John Greenwood, who hails from Cleckheaton, has forged a new partnership with Huddersfield-based racer Daniel Lloyd. Mr Greenwood, chief executive at Creechurch Private Wealth, has become a key sponsor of the Porsche Carrera Cup GB Championship racer as he looks forward to a successful season in 2012.
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