Biz Network April 2025

SHAPING THE FUTURE

THE FIRST WORD

We’re living in messy political times. War, inflation, tariffs, rising taxes and local councils running out of cash – it all adds up to ensure that the environment for doing business couldn’t be tougher.

It would be easy to think things are going off the rails, as the Government increases the tax burden on employers and Trump’s – arguably irrational – import taxes start hitting UK manufacturers.

But there’s still lots to be positive about and lots to keep fighting for – which is something East Midlands Chamber has always done.

As our own chief executive, the mayor of the East Midlands and the acting leader of Leicestershire County Council each tell us in these pages, they will not stop fighting until our region gets the fair share of funding we deserve.

Less than one year into the job, East Midlands mayor Claire Ward, the subject of this month’s Big Interview, is already building a fighting fund in the hundreds of millions to improve infrastructure, housing, skills and employment in the northern two-thirds of our region.

At the same time the leaders of the two main Leicester and Leicestershire councils are working on their own plans for local devolution which could see a similar body to East Midlands Combined County Authority covering their patches.

As well as this month’s politics theme, the April Business Network is also packed with conference news.

We’ve just had successful manufacturing and trade, Enterprising Women and Generation Next conferences – and I’m sure everyone who attended will agree they were brilliantly run. You can read our reports on each.

We're also supporting a couple of digital conferences over the coming weeks, which should be of interest to plenty of readers.

And there’s lots more in the coming pages beyond all that.

I hope you enjoy the read.

Tom

Pegden,

Editor, Business Network

Editor Tom Pegden

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Contributor Tim Smith

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COVER PHOTO

Claire Ward, Liz Kendall and Deborah Taylor are at the forefront of East Midlands politics

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APRIL 2025

MEMBER NEWS

4 Universities collaborate on green power

APPOINTMENTS

24 New chair for Leicestershire Business Voice

THE BIG INTERVIEW

27 Claire Ward, mayor of the East Midlands Combined County Authority

STRATEGIC PARTNERS AND PATRONS

32 College principal receives Royal accolade

CHAMBER NEWS

34 Chamber calls for reinstated direct train links

CHAMBER NETWORKS

46 Event inspires leaders of tomorrow

TRAINING & EVENTS

52 Manufacturing conference goes for growth

SUSTAINABLE EAST MIDLANDS

56 Solar panels installed at motorway services

INTERNATIONAL TRADE

58 Trump trade tariffs hit global economy

POLITICS

60 Council agrees to sell Broad Marsh site

FEATURES

64 LEGAL SERVICES

A guide to leasing a commercial property

66 In-house legal services for SMEs

68FOCUS

Business Network provides a round-up of the latest developments on the local political scene

75 GREEN BUSINESS & SUSTAINABILITY

Plugging in to the electric vehicle age

79 Planning a sustainable workplace

DIGITAL & TECHNOLOGY

84 How evolving AI avatars can give your business a boost

BUSINESS SUPPORT

88 LEGAL

Solicitors advise on the sale of pub

90FINANCE

Graduate’s success on Dragons’ Den

92 SKILLS

Chesterfield businesses urged to provide work experience opportunities

94 PROPERTY

Year of success for Devello Group

96 MOTORING

Toyota launches an aerodynamic SUV

THE LAST WORD

98 Chamber President Dawn Whitemore says a lack of clarity in Government policises is undermining business confidence

MEMBER NEWS

THE LATEST NEWS FROM OUR CHAMBER MEMBERS

Universities team-up to find green solutions

The region’s universities are collaborating to develop greener transport, improve green hydrogen production and find environmentally-friendly power solutions for industry.

The University of Nottingham has opened the Zero Carbon Innovation Centre on its Jubilee Campus, with the backing of more than £70m of public and industry investment.

It has worked on the plans with Loughborough University – which

has opened a separate site on its own campus – in partnership with East Midlands Freeport and Research England.

The centre will help the universities expand their research and development work and build stronger manufacturing partnerships with industry in sectors such as aerospace, automotive, marine, rail and energy.

Industry partners will be able to collaborate with researchers and have access to incubator labs and office space.

As well as supporting highquality jobs the centre will help businesses step up from developing new technologies to establishing operations within the freeport.

Under the plans the freeport is helping Loughborough University scale up its hydrogen technology work, including its work on manufacturing battery-electrolyser cells on an assembly line.

Nora Senior CBE DL, who chairs the freeport, called the Zero Carbon Innovation Centre was a “game-changer”.

She said: “Our £5m investment is about more than just funding innovation – it’s about creating a clear pathway for businesses to move from research and development to full-scale operations within the freeport.

“With the right infrastructure, incentives and support, companies can accelerate their growth and take their solutions to market faster.

This sends a strong message to global industries: the East Midlands is the place to innovate, scale, and lead in the industries of the future.”

New factory facility will help Toyota recycle and repurpose vehicle parts

Toyota is creating a reprocessing factory at its Derbyshire plant in Burnaston, which will become a centre of excellence for “recycling, repurposing and remanufacturing” vehicle parts.

The Toyota Circular Factory will begin operations this summer, acting as a pilot plant for future recycling operations in Europe and worldwide.

The car giant said one of its roles will be to ensure reusable parts can

be put back into the market through retailers or distributors.

‘We

initially anticipate recycling around 10,000 vehicles a year in our UK facilities’

Items such as batteries and wheels will be also assessed for their

potential remanufacture, reuse or recycling. Meanwhile, raw materials such as copper, aluminium, steel and plastic will be recycled to replace virgin materials in the production of new parts.

Toyota wants to significantly reduce emissions from its vehicle and component manufacturing and make its European operations fully carbon neutral by 2040.

Toyota Motor Europe vicepresident Leon van der Merwe said:

“We initially anticipate recycling around 10,000 vehicles a year in our UK facility, which will give new life to 120,000 parts, recover 300 tonnes of high-purity plastic and 8,200 tonnes of steel, among other materials.

“As a next step, we plan to rollout similar operations across Europe.

“And we’re not stopping at our own facilities – we are eager to collaborate with other

The Jubilee campus at the University of Nottingham

Professor Dan Parsons, pro vice-chancellor for research and innovation at Loughborough, said: “The partnership with East Midlands Freeport and University of Nottingham is vital for ensuring that, as a region, the East Midlands can meet its potential of becoming a global leader in low and zero carbon research and innovation.

“We are collectively incredibly placed to play a significant role in delivering the green industrial revolution.”

Agency is looking good with latest account wins

A marketing agency has started 2025 with a trio of digital account wins, including one with worldrenowned optics brand ZEISS.

ZEISS, discount car specialist Motorfinity and wool bedding brand Woolroom have joined the Cartwright Communications portfolio, employing the agency’s mix of digital services to drive sales and brand awareness.

Cartwright is supporting ZEISS with a paid media and influencer marketing project designed to connect customers with partner opticians – combining the power of influencer recommendations with precise ad targeting.

Danielle Bates, head of digital marketing UK & Ireland for ZEISS Vision Care, said: “ZEISS is excited

to partner with Cartwright to enhance our connection with potential customers and drive traffic to our network of trusted opticians.

‘We’re able to show the full breadth of our expertise in creating and delivering smart, effective multichannel campaigns’

“Cartwright's strategic approach to paid media and influencer marketing aligns perfectly with our goals, and we're confident that their expertise will help us effectively reach and engage our target audience.”

Cartwright’s work with Woolroom has included a META Black Friday campaign that delivered more than £95,000 of revenue for the brand.

Alex Jones, the agency’s head of digital, said: “We’re increasingly working with clients that have a really diverse range of needs and goals, meaning that we’re able to show the full breadth of our expertise in creating and delivering smart, effective multi-channel campaigns that get real results."

The agency’s digital team has more than doubled in size over the last year, meaning all of its digital services can now be delivered inhouse. It also has more than 30 experts in traditional PR, marketing, video and branding. organisations

Midlands Engine comes to halt after decade of driving growth

The Midlands Engine is winding down its programmes after its government funding ended.

For the past 10 years, the Midlands Engine Partnership has brought together local government stakeholders, business leaders, universities and other partners to attract investment, drive regional growth and amplify the Midlands’ voice on the national stage.

A spokeswoman said: “We are immensely proud of what we have achieved together and remain committed to ensuring that our collective efforts continue to benefit the region in the years ahead.

“In the coming months, we will focus on supporting our talented staff, bringing key programmes to a close and working with partners to maintain the momentum we have built.

“We will continue collaborating across the region to ensure a smooth transition and to reinforce the Midlands’ critical role in the UK’s economic future.

“We are grateful to everyone who has contributed to and supported our shared objectives. The strength of our collaboration has always been our greatest asset and it will remain a foundation for future regional success.”

Alex Jones, head of digital at Cartwright Communications (back row centre right) with the agency’s digital team

Forum to learn about vision for region’s future

The East Midlands will use the UK’s biggest development and investment event to launch a new vision for the future of the regional economy.

Mayor of the East Midlands Claire Ward will lead partners from across the East Midlands at the UK Real Estate Investment and Infrastructure Forum (UKREiiF) in Leeds, this May.

‘The East Midlands is a hidden gem, but it won’t be hidden for much longer’

Representatives of the region will come together in a new East Midlands pavilion, where investors, developers and businesses can meet the mayor, talk to inward investment teams and hear about big commercial opportunities –including within the East Midlands Freeport and East Midlands Investment Zone.

There will also be a spotlight on the region’s status as a national tourist destination via the new Visit East Midlands initiative, which highlights the Peak District,

Sherwood Forest and other visitor attractions.

Derby and Nottingham will also hold investment showcases, highlighting their role as national destinations for advanced manufacturing, life sciences, creative industries, food production and advanced logistics and distribution centres.

Claire Ward – the subject of this month’s Big Interview on page 27 –said: “The East Midlands is a hidden gem, but it won’t be hidden for much longer.

“When you join us at UKREiiF, we will be telling this story with a brand-new East Midlands spatial vision – bringing to life the potential for investment, business, and development.

“This will be bolstered by a longterm plan for regional growth that’ll give businesses and investors the certainty they need. So come and meet me, my team, and our partners and colleagues from across our region at the East Midlands Pavilion at UKREiiF.”

The East Midlands team will include representatives of the freeport, Marketing Derby, Invest in Nottingham, Invest in Derbyshire and Destination Chesterfield.

Bamford Edge is one of the gems of the Peak District (Credit Visit Peak District and Derbyshire)

Herd about the latest ways to save

energy?

A solar panel specialist has launched a new consultancy to help businesses make the most of the latest energy-saving technology.

Ross Kent set up Herd Energy from his base in Leicestershire to help share his 15 years of experience in the field with clients, offering services ranging from initial consultations through to help with planning & design and installation.

He said: “I’ve spent years working in renewables with big global manufacturers in solar PV, but last year decided to do something on my own. Our plan is to offer consultation services and support to businesses through commercial solar PV.

“I’ve got a network that’s been built up over 15 years, which means I can help deliver high quality projects. Using my list of contacts, I can help clients right through the process, meaning they can avoid going into the open market to find the right products.

“I can do all the due diligence so they know what they’re buying.

“Energy prices have been running away for businesses in recent years, but there are solar PV designs out there that can pay back the initial investment in three or four years. That means within a few years they can get 20 years of free energy generation.

“Panel efficiency has improved by about 50% in the last 10 years. When I came into the industry the amount of sunlight you could convert was about 14%. Now we are heading towards 30-35%. That’s all been possibly because of the huge amounts of money going into the area.”

Ross said he was also working on a portable energy storage system which can be hooked up to solar panels or wind turbines and be used by companies off the grid.

Ross Kent presenting at the Intersolar, Europe's biggest solar industry event, in Munich Germany

The Becketwell scheme in Derby is set to be a major attraction

Purpose tells United’s success story

Purpose Media has produced a mini documentary series to tell the stories of some of the businesses helping make Britain’s largest vehicle hire network a success.

It promotes the story of the 578 independent companies that make up United Rental System, which operate from more than 800 locations and offer more than 135,000 vehicles.

‘Video

is such a powerful storytelling tool’

The marketing agency, which is based in South Normanton, Derbyshire, was commissioned to identify a powerful, compelling way to help United tell its story.

The team came up with a series of documentary-style videos featuring individual businesses within the group, looking at their histories in the communities where they work, and highlighting some of the people who make those companies special.

Four case studies were produced for the series – entitled United Stories – featuring businesses in

Enfield, Reading, Conway and Edinburgh.

The process took four months with two members of Purpose Media’s video team visiting each location, using the latest 4K cameras and lighting equipment to achieve TV quality results.

Head of video Alistair Bullock said: “Video is such a powerful storytelling tool because it allows us to reveal the human face of a

business and the emotion which is invested into making those businesses successful.

“We spent time before each shoot getting to really know each of the featured companies, understanding what makes them tick, their history and back story and why they do what they do.

“This allowed us to produce videos which celebrate each of those businesses for their

individuality, while also subtly explaining how United is able to support in the background, providing owners with access to collective expertise and relationships and, ultimately, helping them provide an even greater service to customers.”

The videos were premiered at United Rental Systems’ Connect 25 conference of licensees and network partners.

Filming by the Purpose Media team taking place at one of the United Rental Systems businesses

Huge freight facility turned down

The developer behind an £800m rail freight and logistics scheme in the west Leicestershire countryside is taking legal advice after the plans were turned down.

The Secretary of State for Transport has refused plans for the £800m Hinckley National Rail Freight Interchange on a 622-acre greenfield site just off the M69 near Hinckley.

Tritax Big Box Developments has spent years building the case for a 40-acre rail freight interchange capable of handling 16 trains a day – each stretching almost half a mile long – alongside 9m sq ft of warehousing.

It said the site, on an existing rail line, would strengthen rail freight connections between the Midlands and major ports in Felixstowe, Liverpool, London Gateway, Southampton, Teesport and Mossend in Scotland.

Following an examination by the Planning Inspectorate last year the transport minister had been recommended to reject the plans.

In its formal summary to Tritax, the Department for Transport said the Secretary of State was satisfied of what it called a “compelling” need for the proposed development, both nationally and in that part of Leicestershire, because of the jobs it would create and the fact that it would help move freight from road to rail.

However, it said she had to weigh that up against road safety risks in the nearby village of Sapcote, as well as “noncompliance” with other road safety

We are seeking legal advice on the next steps available to us and will review our position when that advice is received

requirements and what it said was a lack of adequate modelling of the impact on Junction 21 of the M1, where it connects with the M69 about seven miles away.

It said: “The Secretary of State takes the matter of highway safety extremely seriously and considers each of these negative highway safety impacts would by itself be serious enough to conclude that the negative impacts of the scheme outweigh the benefits.”

It said any claim for judicial review must be made to the High Court within six weeks.

Tritax Big Box Developments said it was disappointed by the decision to refuse a Development Consent Order.

It said: “We are seeking legal advice on the next steps available to us and will review our position when that advice is received.

“We remain committed to delivering critical supply chain infrastructure that is key to the UK economy, with rail freight connectivity a key driver of the modal shift in the sector.”

Hinckley and Bosworth MP Dr Luke Evans said: “To apply for a Judicial Review would be throwing good money after bad. But, ultimately, the decision rests with Tritax.”

with Hinckley and Bosworth Borough Council and Blaby District Council.

Blaby District Council leader Councillor Terry Richardson said: “I am delighted and relieved the Minister has listened to the overwhelming opposition from the council and the public and rejected these proposals. Common sense has prevailed.

“At last, we have clarity and residents can move forward without the threat of this monstrous development over their heads.”

Councillor Ozzy O’Shea is Leicestershire County Council cabinet member for highways and transport, which has fought against the plans.

He said: “This is a landmark day and we welcome this decision from the Secretary of State.

“It’s also pleasing that our detailed and lengthy list of significant concerns were listened to.

“While we are not against the principle of a rail freight interchange, any proposal must be supported by appropriate infrastructure to mitigate its impacts on our communities and highway and transport network.

“Unfortunately, this was not the case with this proposal.”

The site stands on the border

Hinckley and Bosworth Borough Council said councillors and campaigners had been concerned about what it called the “permanent blight” the development would have had on neighbouring Burbage Common and the impact on residents and businesses.

It said campaigners had feared the extra car and lorry movements the development would generate would have severely impacted roads, particularly the key junctions around the M1, M69 and A5.

Borough council leader Councillor Stuart Bray said they were delighted the Secretary of State has rejected the scheme.

He said: “There are plenty of logistics operations already thriving in more appropriate locations in this area. These existing businesses offer massive opportunities for growth without the huge environmental cost to wildlife and the impact of noise, light and traffic this development would have had on local residents.”

The planned Hinckley National Rail Freight Interchange

Dr Luke Evans MP

IN BRIEF Recruitment specialists enjoy successful first year

The

NEW NURSERY OPENS AT MANSFIELD CENTRE

A new nursery at Mansfield Innovation Centre is set to create jobs and much-needed childcare places for local parents.

Steve and Sue Whitney, who own and manage Aunty Sue’s Day Care in St John Street and Crocodile Rock Day care in Newgate Lane, opened their third nursery, Teddy Day Care, this spring.

The 2,500ft sq premises in Hamilton Way features baby and toddler rooms, preschool facilities and a secure outdoor play area.

The space has been transformed following a £12,000 investment, with custom flooring, furniture, decor and new toys and play equipment to support its curriculum delivery.

Teddy Day Care can accommodate 82 children and is generating 18 new jobs in the town. It received Ofsted approval in February.

Mansfield Innovation Centre manager Hannah Frear said: “The new nursery enhances our overall offering, and the ethos and values of Sue and her team align closely with ours.”

CHARITY PUTS OUT APPEAL FOR CLOTHES

Loughborough charity The Carpenter’s Arms has launched a new clothes shop at its Wharncliffe Road property to help men challenged by addiction.

Chief executive Richard Spence said: “When they first arrive at the doors of our charity, many of the men have few possessions or clothes to their name. The clothes shop provides them with clean, appropriate clothing upon arrival and throughout their time in the programme.”

The charity has a wish list of items that it needs from clothes rails and hangers to irons and ironing boards, t-shirts, jeans, trousers, jumpers, coats and trainers.

To see the list visit: is.gd/J2CHlx

The team at a new recruitment consultancy are celebrating a successful first year in business. Eaton Syalon was founded in early 2024 by Jo Eaton and Dom Syalon on the principles that recruitment should be “authentic, relationship-driven, and built on trust”.

‘It’s been fantastic to be part of such an energetic community’

After decades working in corporate recruitment, the pair wanted to do things differently, putting people first and ensuring clients and candidates received the personalised, high-quality service they deserved.

The business has quickly grown into a team of five, welcoming Dave Worger, Kerry Newham and

Lyndsey Henry into its ranks, helping it extend its reach across the East Midlands and beyond.

Jo and Dom said: “We were also proud to secure our own office space in 2024, in a buzzing

Cleaning firm opens Chesterfield facility

environment filled with like-minded, young, and growing businesses.

“It’s been fantastic to be part of such an energetic community, sharing ideas, challenges, and successes as we all grow together.”

NEW MEMBERS

In February 39 members joined the Chamber:

• Holland Alexander

• Anna Boyd

• Leicester Proclean

• Sura Power

• Beneficial Financial Management

• Infosmith

• Tzuka

• FreshPrints Leicester

• Magneto IT Solutions

• Signs Express (Leicester & Loughborough)

• Cloud9 Website Design

• MJN Technical Services

• WageWolf Payroll Solutions

• Sabisu

• Muse Escapes (Buxton)

A supplier of advanced cleaning products has opened a new facility in Chesterfield.

The additional site signifies a major investment in the growth of Paragon, enhancing its ability to deliver its products and drive sustainable solutions across the industry.

The new purpose-built warehouse means a 300% increase in pallet storage capacity to support the company’s growing operations and sits alongside a modern, high-tech office space for the team as well as a dedicated zone for Paragon Labs, the company’s innovation hub.

Managing director Paul Urquhart said: “This is a pivotal moment for Paragon.

“The Chesterfield location not only underscores our commitment to growth and innovation but also strengthens our position as a trusted partner to customers across the UK.

“The facility has been designed with sustainability at its core, enabling us to operate more efficiently while expanding our capacity to better support our customers’ needs.”

Growth has also led to the appointment of Jorden Clay as group general manager.

• Afiovana Digital

• Polymathea Education

• Sharla Digital

• OhKay Words!

• Kevin Harris Consulting

• Holden Johnson

• KOMA UK

• Idrak AI

• AWE Newtech

• CTRL TASQ

• The Hire Supply Company (UK)

• Paragon Products (UK)

• Davenham Switchgear

• Irwin Mitchell

• Intuitive Thinking Skills

• Dodfrey Engineering

• BHPSS

• Fidelity Energy

• Access Training (East Midlands)

• Electronic Assembly Services

• TecQuipment

• Gateway College

• Flogas Britain

• ITP Aero UK

Teddy Day Care Team

Group general manager Jorden Clay (left) and managing director Paul Urquhart outside the new facility

The Eaton Syalon team

Hi-tech addition to cavern tours

After almost 18 months of planning and testing, a new sound and light experience (pictured) has been added to the attractions at the Heights of Abraham.

Seism!c, is a new sound and light show that visitors encounter when taking a guided tour through the Masson Cavern at the Matlock Bath tourist attraction.

Traditionally, the geological formation of the caverns was explained by a tour guide, but thanks to new technology and projectors, the dramatic story of key moments in earth’s history and the formation of the Masson Cavern are told in a whole new light.

Tours through the Masson Cavern are included in the cable car ticket price for a visit to the Heights of Abraham, which is now open daily for the summer season.

Get on board with carnival

Sponsorship opportunities are available for the 2025 Barlow Carnival which is due to take place from 13-17 August.

The non-profit event is run by volunteers, who are dedicated to supporting the local community and surrounding area.

This year it will include a traditional parade and activities such as an open-air cinema, vintage cars, rock music and stalls.

Carnival chairman Terry Allison said: “The carnival’s primary mission is to give back to the community. The funds raised support the cost and any surplus is directed towards local charities and organisations, helping to improve lives and support essential services.

Funding helps secure future of medieval barn

Dronfield Heritage Trust – which runs Dronfield Hall Barn in the town’s High Street – has been awarded £237,281 from The National Lottery Heritage Fund.

It comes as the trust celebrates the 10th anniversary of the restoration of the Grade II* listed medieval building which dates back to 1430. It was originally restored and extended with the support of the Heritage Fund and other donations, and the new grant will make sure the historic building can continue to act as a community, cultural and event centre.

The trust runs a varied events programme including heritage, artisan markets, exhibitions, festivals, weddings and corporate gatherings and also has a coffee shop.

Chairman Louise Third said: “We are extremely grateful to have received further support from the National Lottery Heritage Fund.

“Since the barn was restored 10 years ago, we have become a vital part of Dronfield’s community and cultural life and with this new grant award we can look forward with confidence to many more years of activity.”

‘The carnival’s primary mission is to give back to the community’

“This commitment to philanthropy makes Barlow Carnival not just a celebration but a cornerstone of community spirit.

“Local businesses play a crucial role in sustaining and enhancing the carnival’s impact. Through sponsorship, businesses can support the event financially, helping to cover costs and ensuring its success.

“In return, sponsors receive valuable exposure to a diverse audience, fostering goodwill and

strengthening their reputation within the community. Sponsorship opportunities range from funding specific activities to sponsoring the entire event.

“By partnering with Barlow Carnival, local businesses not only contribute to a cherished tradition but also align themselves with a cause that prioritises community welfare and joy.

“Together, we can ensure the Carnival continues to thrive and make a difference.”

Any enquiries about sponsorship packages, contact James on 07895 760607, Terry on 07860 758037 or email: info@barlowcarnival.co.uk

Another exciting chapter for Derby Book Festival

Derby Book Festival celebrates its 10th anniversary this year, with plans to welcome around 90 authors to venues across the city.

The main festival will be held over nine days from 23 May to 1 June, with an ‘autumn edition’ following from 14-16 November.

Past speakers have included journalists Polly Toynbee, James O’Brien and Clive Myrie, and MPs Matthew Parris and Alan Johnson.

Tickets for the summer festival go on sale on 7 April and highlights include poet Laureate Simon Armitage, poet Hollie McNish, broadcaster and journalist James Naughtie, Guardian journalist Lucy Mangan, novelists Sarah Moss and Clare Chambers, naturalist Simon Barnes, author Terry Deary – of the Horrible Histories series – and political commentators Gabriel Gatehouse and Sam Freedman.

There will also be an event with Professor Tim Minshall from the Institute for Manufacturing, who wrote Your Life is Manufactured: How We Make Things, Why It Matters and How We Can Do It Better, which should be of interest to the region’s manufacturers.

The Chamber has supported the festival as a sponsor for several years.

Children enjoy Lauren Child books at Derby Book Festival

Dronfield Heritage Trust event

Helping to build a better future for vulnerable young people

Kerrie Henton (pictured) is executive principal of Stone Soup Academy, an alternative-provision free school in Nottingham for students outside mainstream education. Here she reveals a “scandalous” lack of funding for post-16 education that should be helping prevent young people falling through the cracks in society.

Stone Soup Academy is an outstanding alternative provision meeting the needs of the most vulnerable young people in Nottingham – who are either excluded or at risk of exclusion from mainstream education.

Students come to us from more than 26 Nottingham schools and are both city and county based. Starting a post-16 provision as an addition to our already amazing pre-16 provision sounded a marvellous idea when we first raised it with our trustees.

Why wouldn’t it be, as we had already shown ourselves to be outstanding in our provision with fantastic outcomes within an alternative provision setting?

‘Let’s

change the narrative, let’s make a difference, invest in their futures now’

We educate more than 100 of the most vulnerable young people in Nottingham. We know that they struggle post-16 after they leave us and we have done everything in our power to make their transition smooth. Only 9% of students were not in education, employment or training (NEET) immediately after leaving the school last year.

The desperately sad thing is that, six months after leaving us, this is now over 40%, by 18 months it is 60% NEET. When they don’t have our support, they struggle.

We needed to do something, so we designed the Stone Soup Bridge to Employment. It’s an innovative post-16 programme designed to educate, support and integrate our young people into employment so we remove the cliff-edge that so many of them fall off after they leave full-time education.

But once we started to unpick potential post-16 funding for children educated in an alternative provision, we found that our young people are no longer considered by the ESFA (Education, Skills, Funding Agency) to have the same needs as they do in year 11. Instead, they are only funded the same as if they were in mainstream education – unless, of course, they have an EHCP – education, health and care plan for children who need more support – and we all know that that can be a postcode lottery and not necessarily indicative of need.

Sadly, many young people who are educated within the alternative provision sector, although they sit on the SEN register, do not have an EHCP. They might have a diagnosis, they might have significant needs, they might need support for their vulnerabilities, they might need advice and guidance – the same as they did in year 11 – but all of a sudden there is not the same funding for them.

So, they fall down the gap of being vulnerable but not vulnerable enough in the eyes of the ESFA to draw down the funding to maintain

the high levels of staffing that we have in place to support them. It is scandalous.

We have generations of young people becoming NEET going into the youth justice system, into prisons, being exposed to sexual and criminal exploitation and who cost the economy far more than if we had intervened and continued the funding into post-16.

Many alternative provisions – just like ours – are not financially able to subsidise post-16 without this additional funding, which is why they do not have sixth forms for students who don’t have an EHCP. I am sure in many cases it is not because provisions don’t want to or because they can’t see a need – it is purely economics.

For us at Stone Soup Academy we have produced a business plan that shows that we can deliver this programme for £188,000 over a year. The Nottingham City local authority has declined to support us as they have no money, but it is a false economy.

Approximately £330,000 is the cost of one excluded child in the lifetime to the economy – the

money that goes into the YJS, prisons overflowing with young people that we could have saved from a lifetime of deprivation and bad choices if we invested now.

Let’s change the narrative, let’s make a difference, invest in their futures now and create unimagined futures for the young people of the East Midlands and the country.

A spokeswoman for Nottingham City Council confirmed that they were unable to offer extra support for the 2025/26 academic year. primarily because the academy was not prioritising post-16 students who had an Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP), which is its statutory obligation.

She said: “While we acknowledge the need and potential value of the Stone Soup Bridge to Employment programme, our limited funding requires us to prioritise our statutory duties.

“We have offered Stone Soup Academy the opportunity to engage in discussions for future years’ funding, dependent upon how their programme will meet our identified areas of need and priority.”

Stone Soup Academy in Nottingham

College team-up will create array of opportunities

East Midlands Chamber has entered a strategic partnership with West Nottinghamshire College.

The collaboration enables the college to share insight with the region’s business community and participate in Chamber discussions with political leaders.

The college has also become a partner of Generation Next – the Chamber’s network for young professionals in the region.

Spanning nine campuses across Mansfield and Ashfield, the college is a major post-16 education and training provider, with 11,000 students and apprentices annually across most industry sectors.

‘We need to work hand in glove with businesses’

The college was graded ‘good’ at its latest Ofsted inspection in 2023, with areas of outstanding provision and ‘strong’ contribution to meeting local skills needs highlighted.

Chamber chief executive Scott Knowles said: “We know that access to the right skills for business growth is key to the majority of businesses.

“I’m delighted to welcome the college as a strategic partner of the Chamber, to showcase the world class skills development taking place at the college to our members and the wider business community, to stimulate interest in student placements and internships and for this partnership to be a conduit to bring the worlds of employment and education together in North Nottinghamshire.”

West Nottinghamshire College principal and chief executive Andrew Cropley MBE said: “I’m delighted to formalise our already strong relationship with East Midlands Chamber into this strategic partnership.

“Not only do we want to continue to improve our offer to businesses to meet their skills needs, but we are determined to support and challenge them to offer even better opportunities to local people to progress their careers within our communities.

“We need to work hand in glove with businesses to ensure that our area supports the government in its growth ambitions and the East Midlands mayor in delivering her priorities, particularly in relation to inclusive growth.

“Our superb estate and facilities, our responsive and inclusive curriculum, and our productive partnerships put us in a great place to achieve this. Indeed, this strategic relationship with the Chamber will provide yet more opportunities to engage with, and be challenged by, local businesses to fulfil our potential.”

West Nottinghamshire College successes include the creation of unique partnerships with Nottingham Trent University (NTU) and Sherwood Forest Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, boosting access to higher education and opening NHS careers, launching the Mansfield Town Football Academy, delivering a national trailblazer course with the Chartered Institute for the Management of Sport and Physical Activity and providing a nationally unique bus pass for its students, increasing education accessibility.

GIVING STUDENTS A CHANCE TO SUCCEED

Tim Smith asks Andrew Cropley MBE about the latest West Nottinghamshire College developments.

With millions invested in buildings and development, a string of awards and a ‘good’ Ofsted rating, what’s behind the college’s success?

We have a positive culture where everyone shares what we’re trying to achieve and works towards it. We’ve created clarity of purpose in being the college our communities need us to be. This has chimed with our staff, most of whom live or have families in those communities.

We’ve got award-winning partnerships built on working together to deliver positive impact. That’s helped build our reputation, seizing opportunities and bringing money into the region.

Our partnership with NTU and Sherwood Forest Hospitals recently saw 76 nurses graduate, most of whom now work locally. This model has led to the imminent launch of a similar programme for future social workers.

Seven-out-of-10 businesses in our Quarterly Economic Survey said they struggled to find the right people to fill vacancies. How can further education help?

When I joined the sector in 2009, FE was fixated on delivering qualifications and getting pass grades while work placements were almost a bolt-on.

There was little conversation about what employers needed.

We’re closing that gap as a sector but FE needs to simplify its offer to employers and make it easier to understand. There’s still jargon around skills, and we must understand the challenges of employers.

With devolution, I hope we can enable colleges to say yes to employers around skills programmes and build them together, in a tighter time frame with a mode of delivery that works for them, without endless funding rules. FE creates job opportunities for young people who almost certainly would have otherwise ended up economically inactive. We work with Capita in Mansfield, where 15% of their workforce are disabled. They’ve sought to engage that cohort. We’ve run nine careers partnership events with the NHS and they’ve recruited people again and again.

What sort of programmes do you have?

We train in almost every sector. A good example is our partnership with Thoresby Hall Hotel through the annual ‘takeover’. Our hospitality and catering students work in every department of the hotel for a week, and some go on to secure permanent employment.

We’ve written a new panelwiring course with AF Switchgear in Sutton-in-Ashfield, giving employees important accreditation. Later this year we’re launching the UK’s first Gene Haas Centre for

Staff and students in the Gene Haas Centre at West Nottinghamshire College

Performing Arts students at work

Andrew Cropley MBE

Advanced Manufacturing. Most people will have heard of Haas from Formula One. They’ve given us investment to grow our engineering capacity.

The amount spent on redevelopment of your buildings and facilities runs into tens of millions. How important is a modern, well-equipped learning environment?

Many students arrive at college having been turned off education but this is a place where skills can be crafted, whether hairdressing, construction or sport, and students see those skills are valued with high-quality environments.

We try to replicate the working world. Students cut hair, put tyres on cars and we even have a commercial restaurant. Students experience feedback from a good job – and if it goes wrong, they get the real-world implications.

We don’t buy gimmicks – we partner with business and ensure what we buy is relevant. We spend on expanding space – the sheer demand we have for electricians, plumbers, joiners and low-carbon technologies has meant we need to accommodate more learners.

Our computer science teaching team have their own network and server room, where staff can introduce viruses as a training exercise so students can fend off cyber attacks. As key partners in the Automated Distribution and Manufacturing Centre coming to Ashfield, we will skill people to operate and maintain robots or automated production lines.

What sort of importance do you place on businesses and educators collaborating? It’s fundamental. Almost all our successes are built on great partnerships. The ADMC would

not be happening if it wasn't for our partnership with NTU. Similarly, the hospital benefits from us, so patients benefit too. Our bus service is the first in the country, outside of metropolitan areas, where two bus companies offer a single ticket. Regulation around buses makes collaboration between services difficult, but our students can travel 24/7 across the area at low cost.

You’ve got 1,400 students actively on apprenticeships. What is it that make them so effective?

The experience is real – apprentices go to work, get paid, deal with colleagues and understand the customer relationship. The support is real-world, from experienced people – and for those that do well, progression into employment is likely.

What are your plans moving forward?

This summer we’ll open the Future Tech Skills and Knowledge Exchange in Mansfield. It aims to support local businesses in embracing new technologies, increasing productivity and profitability. We expect to run day-long events that employers can drop into, to see what things like AI can do for them. We'll have activities that businesses can join free of charge.

Those programmes are being delivered with NTU who’ll bring in specialists to support. Our new building services training centre, opening in September in the former Wilko store in Sutton-inAshfield, will help grow our construction offer. More broadly, we’ll continue driving partnerships and with the positive mindset at the college, we’re saying to businesses “We want to help you. Our door is open.”

Students during a West Nottinghamshire College hotel takeover

Changing attitudes to hidden disabilities

Hidden disabilities affect millions yet remain largely misunderstood. In a society that often prioritises visible conditions, those living with unseen disabilities frequently encounter stigma, judgment and misconceptions.

Jamie McAnsh is a diversity keynote speaker and head of people at HR consultancy Champions (UK) plc.

In January 2014, his life took an unexpected turn when he woke up paralysed from the waist down due to Complex Regional Pain Syndrome (CRPS) – a severe neurological condition.

He has since been on a mission to educate others about hidden disabilities.

He said: “Hidden disabilities come in many forms, from chronic

‘Before I even retrieve my wheelchair from the car, I sometimes find myself the target of unwelcome stares, whispered comments, or even confrontations’

illnesses and mental health conditions to physical impairments that aren’t immediately visible.

“My journey has been shaped by a hidden disability, and while it has taught me resilience, it has also exposed the harsh reality of stigma.

“One recurring moment that stands out is the judgment I face when using disabled parking spaces. Before I even retrieve my wheelchair from the car, I sometimes find myself the target of unwelcome stares, whispered comments, or even confrontations.

“It’s as though the lack of a visible disability strips me of the

right to accessibility. This judgment doesn’t just stem from strangers, it’s a reflection of a society that still struggles to understand the diversity of disabilities.

“The first few times this happened, I was taken aback. I remember one particular instance when I had parked my car, still using crutches at the time. As I carefully made my way to the boot to retrieve my wheelchair, a passerby loudly proclaimed, ‘You don’t look disabled to me!’ That comment hit like a punch to the stomach.”

Despite that, Jamie has not let adversity define him, and has

IT services: What you need and what you should pay

Dillan Shikotra (pictured), co-owner of IT company Microtech helps answer the question: “What IT services do I need and how much should it cost?”

IT systems are the backbone of any modern business, yet many SMEs struggle to understand what’s essential and how much they should be paying for their IT setup.

The team at Microtech, a Microsoft Partner, based in Leicester, has had countless conversations with businesses across the East Midlands, and identified a common challenge –many business owners feel overwhelmed by the complexity of IT and unsure where to start.

To help demystify this, we have developed a simple guide to building a strong IT foundation for your business. Implementing these five essentials will ensure your systems are secure, reliable, and cost-effective.

1. Get the right Microsoft license

Did you know that overpaying for unnecessary software licenses is one of the most common mistakes businesses make. For example, if your company uses generic email addresses such as

undertaken challenges including becoming the first person with CRPS to ascend to Everest Base Camp using crutches.

He said: “Disability doesn’t have one face or one form. Some disabilities are visible, like the wheelchair I use, while others are hidden, like the pain I manage daily or the physical limitations that aren’t immediately obvious. This lack of visibility doesn’t make a disability any less real or valid."

Jamie said encouraging understanding was vital in shifting societal attitudes toward hidden disabilities. Through his motivational speaking engagements, he addresses topics such as diversity, inclusion, anxiety, depression, goalsetting, and overcoming adversity, aiming to inspire and educate diverse audiences.

sales@ or info@, you may not need an expensive business package. A basic Microsoft Exchange Plan 1 could suffice and save you money.

Price point: £3-£20 (depending on the license) per user per month.

2. Prioritise regular backups

Accidental data loss or cyberattacks can cripple a business. Regularly backing up your Office 365 environment ensures you can recover quickly if something goes wrong. Backups aren’t just a “nice-to-have” anymore, they’re a necessity.

Price point: £3-£5 per user per month.

3. Don’t overlook antivirus protection

With cyber threats evolving daily, antivirus software is your first line of defence. A trusted antivirus program provides real-time protection, safeguarding your sensitive data and keeping your operations running smoothly.

Price point: £5-£9 per user per month.

4. Protect your inbox with email filtering

Phishing emails and scams are becoming more sophisticated, targeting businesses of all sizes. A robust email filtering solution helps block these threats before they even reach your inbox, reducing the risk of human error and data breaches.

Price point: £3-£5 per user per month.

5. Have access to IT support

Even with the best systems in place, issues can still arise. Access to experienced IT support ensures any technical challenges are swiftly resolved, so your team can stay focused without delays.

Price point: £15-£20 per user per month.

Jamie McAnsh is a global diversity speaker and head of people at Champions (UK) plc

Helping you secure a prize

East Midlands Chamber hosts a series of awards, including ones for its Generation Next and Enterprising Women networks, as well as its Derbyshire, Leicestershire and Nottinghamshire Business Awards. Marketing and PR expert Rebecca Erskine (pictured), who owns Yellow Bird Marketing & Communications, sets out how to prepare a successful application.

Winning an award can be a real boost for all involved in your business, whether that’s staff, suppliers or customers. It can bring fabulous publicity and set you apart from the competition. The process can be time-consuming however, so it’s important you focus on applying for the right award for your business and doing all necessary groundwork before the submission window opens for applications.

Six important points in preparing your application:

1. Find out what’s out there. Free-toaccess award lists can be identified using a simple Google search. While they present a useful starting point on the breadth of national and regional awards available, they’re not always up-to-date. Joining the mailing lists of the awards you’re most interested in ensures accuracy.

2. Choose wisely. There are hundreds of business awards out there, some more prestigious than others. Which ones mean the most to your customers and wider audience? Which ones will have the best reach? Well-known awards like the King’s Award and awards from the Chamber, Theo Paphitis’ #SBS (Small Business Sunday) and FSB are likely to have the most reach.

3. Deciding which award categories to apply for can be driven by a number of factors: areas where your business excels (e.g. customer service, partnership working or CSR); your most impressive achievements over the last year (e.g. revenue growth or job creation); or how your product or service is impacting the lives of your customers, their customers, your suppliers, staff and the wider local community.

Enterprising Women Awards: Special Recognition Award Winner Lai-Yee Cheung of Sanjay Foods

4. Save time by setting up a folder where all standard information can be stored, including an up-to-date boilerplate (a concise overview of who you are, where you’re based and what you do), along with financial information such as threeyear revenue and profit figures.

5. Start to capture supporting client evidence such as evaluations of survey responses, case studies and testimonials. Favourable recognition from governing, regulatory or accrediting bodies such ISO or Ofsted can also be important, as will previous achievements and accolades such as award and grant wins and research that reinforces that your services are needed.

6. Your application should not be the first time the judging panel hears about you. Promoting your work far and wide through a robust PR and comms plan gives you the best chance of creating a favourable impression ahead of time.

Entries for the 2025 Enterprising Women Awards are now open – to enter or find out more visit: is.gd/JYax3C

Event

will give entrepreneurs Momentum

The Momentum Valley entrepreneurs event takes place at East Midlands Conference Centre, Nottingham, on 9 April, offering entrepreneurs access to investors, equity funders and finance programme

The investors show, being organised by Holland Alexander, will provide businesses with access to support and networks that could help them increase productivity, scale-up, invest in

product development and create jobs.

The one-day national event, which puts a spotlight on the East Midlands, is aimed at founders, chief executives, managing directors, CFOs, CMOs and senior leaders in businesses from young brands and those seeking their first funding round to those looking for fresh equity to accelerate growth.

East Midlands Combined County Authority has

backed the initiative which is also supported by the British Business Bank.

The economic development bank’s UK network director Vicky Mears said: “We’re delighted to join the Momentum Valley team at its inaugural event in Nottingham and support efforts to ensure ambitious businesses across the East Midlands know both how to access finance and are investment ready.”

From Nottingham to Northampton, Parkway Volkswagen is on hand to offer you friendly and informative advice on all aspects of purchasing and financing your next company car or personal contract hire lease. We can offer support throughout the process, from sourcing one car to helping to manage multiple purchases and supplying larger fleets.

There has never been a better time to consider Volkswagen for your fleet with our fantastic range of models offering something for everyone from our iconic Golf to hybrid and fully electric ID Range - all available in the new enhanced Match specification!

I would love the chance to talk to you in more detail. Please contact me on the details below or pop in for a chat and please check out my linkedin page at: www.linkedin.com/in/jodie-shipley-b1b4b4108/

Jodie Shipley

Fleet business development manager jodie.shipley@parkwayvolkswagen.co.uk Telephone: 07703 830192

Simplify to Succeed: Six Proven Strategies to Streamline Your Business Operations

In today's fast-paced business environment, operational complexity is one of the most significant threats to organisational success. Unnecessary processes, fragmented data systems, and inefficiencies silently erode productivity and profitability. In fact, according to a recent report by the Chartered Institute of Management Accountants (CIMA), UK businesses lose an average of 10% of their revenue annually due to inefficient processes (CIMA).

This stark figure highlights a broader reality: unchecked complexity inflates costs, wastes time, and frustrates employees. The good news is that simplifying your operations doesn’t require an expensive overhaul. By focusing on practical, incremental improvements, you can reduce inefficiencies, unlock significant value, and position your organisation for growth. Are you ready to simplify your operations before inefficiency costs your business even more?

Foster cross-departmental collaboration

Siloed departments are teams or divisions within an organisation that operate independently or in isolation from one another, with limited communication, collaboration, or information sharing - they are productivity killers. In the UK, 98% of businesses now use at least one collaboration tool, with over 90% adopting platforms like Google Workspace or Microsoft Teams, demonstrating a clear move toward fostering teamwork (CX Today).

A powerful visual metaphor for this is a beehive - where different roles, from gatherers to builders, work seamlessly together to support a common goal. Each part of the hive has a distinct function, yet the collective effort creates something far greater. Similarly, crossdepartmental collaboration enables organisations to operate more efficiently, with each team contributing unique value toward shared success.

How long can your organisation afford to operate in silos while others collaborate seamlessly? Encourage collaboration through shared digital workspaces or cross-functional task forces. Weekly interdepartmental meetings with clear agendas can also help align goals and reduce miscommunication. Organisations in financial services have adopted weekly cross-departmental syncs, reducing project delays by 15% and ensuring consistent alignment across teams.

Best practice tip: Introduce weekly interdepartmental syncs with clear agendas and outcomes. This ensures alignment without consuming excessive time.

Map your workflows to find the hidden bottlenecks

Understanding your processes is the first step to simplification. Mapping workflows allows you to visualise inefficiencies, redundancies, and delays. A report by Slack's Workforce Index reveals that UK office workers spend approximately 41% of their time on tasks that are "low value, repetitive, or lack meaningful contribution to their core job functions." uktech.news

Practical mapping tools like Lucidchart or Microsoft Visio can help you identify inefficiencies. Engage employees at all levels to uncover the hidden bottlenecks they experience daily. This collaborative approach ensures a more accurate representation of your workflows. Can you afford to let inefficiencies slow your organisation while competitors are speeding ahead? Leading organisations in sectors like retail and logistics are using workflow mapping to reduce process times by up to 20%, gaining a competitive edge in speed and customer satisfaction.

Best practice tip: Gather a cross-departmental team and dedicate time to creating a shared map of your most critical workflows. You’ll uncover surprising insights that lead to immediate improvements.

Automate the repetitive to focus on what matters

Are you letting manual tasks drain your resources while others optimise for success? Repetitive manual tasks not only waste time but also drain employee morale. Automation can significantly reduce these inefficiencies while improving accuracy and speed. Research by the Chartered Management Institute (CMI) shows that UK companies that eliminated redundant tasks saw a 25% boost in employee productivity (CMI).

Repetitive tasks often act like a dam - holding back the flow of productivity and progress. But once those bottlenecks are released through automation, energy flows freely to where it matters most.

Start small: Identify one repetitive task, such as sending reminders or data entry, and automate it using tools like Zapier or Microsoft Power Automate. Once successful, scale this approach across other processes. Retailers and manufacturers have streamlined tasks like inventory updates and customer notifications, saving hours each week and reallocating resources to highervalue work.

Best practice tip: Test automation on a single, repetitive process first. Once you see results, scale it to other areas to build momentum and confidence across teams.

Centralise data for faster and better decisions

Disparate data sources where data is stored in separate systems, formats, or locations that are not connected or integrated leads to decision paralysis and errors. Centralising your data ensures every team operates with accurate, upto-date information. A data audit is an excellent starting point to identify critical silos. Can your organisation afford to keep making decisions with incomplete data?

Invest in a centralised data repository using solutions like Microsoft SharePoint or Google Workspace. Not only does this reduce the time spent hunting for information, but it also provides decision-makers with a single source of truth. Leading consulting firms centralise their client and project data, reducing errors by 30% and accelerating reporting timelines

Best practice tip: Start with one high-priority dataset, such as sales or customer data, and centralise it. This small change can provide immediate clarity and measurable benefits.

Improve communication with the right tools

How much longer can you tolerate communication breakdowns while competitors streamline theirs? Efficient communication is the backbone of streamlined operations. Yet, communication overload or ineffective channels often lead to missed messages and wasted time. Tools that integrate chat, email, and video conferencing can dramatically improve efficiency. For example, Roland Berger’s adoption of Microsoft Teams enabled seamless collaboration across global teams, reducing response times and improving productivity (SoftwareOne).

Set clear expectations for communication channels. For instance, use email for formal updates, Slack for quick queries, and Teams for project discussions. Companies that introduced integrated communication platforms reduced internal email volumes by 28% and improved project timelines.

Best practice tip: Implement a "two-click rule": any critical information should be accessible within two clicks or steps for all team members.

Focus on small wins to build big momentum

Large-scale transformations can feel daunting. Instead, focus on small, highimpact changes that build momentum. These small wins - such as automating a single task or streamlining a single workflow - boost team confidence and set the stage for larger improvements

For example, a logistics company reduced shipping delays by 25% by implementing a centralised data platform. This incremental change had a ripple effect, improving customer satisfaction and reducing costs. Organisations that celebrate incremental improvements see a 35% increase in employee engagement and innovation initiatives.

Best practice tip: Prioritise changes that are quick to implement but have visible impact. Choose improvements that boost team morale or customer satisfaction - these early wins create motivation and buy-in for broader transformation.

Accelerate decision-making with clear ownership

Even the best workflows stall when it’s unclear who owns the decision. Ambiguity leads to delays, duplicated effort, and missed opportunities. Clear decision ownership - assigning accountability for specific tasks, projects, or outcomes - helps teams move faster and reduces friction across departments.

Organisations that implement structured responsibility frameworks, like RACI (Responsible, Accountable, Consulted, Informed), often see faster turnaround times and fewer project blockers. When everyone knows who owns what, decisions don’t sit in limbo.

In decision-making, someone must break from the pack and take the lead. When ownership is clear, progress speeds up - and others follow that momentum.

Best practice tip: Introduce a decision ownership matrix across teams. Clarify who is responsible and who is accountable at every key stage to avoid delays and boost execution speed.

Close the loop: feedback as a continuous improvement tool

Operational efficiency isn’t just about processes - it’s also about listening. Continuous feedback loops allow teams to learn in real-time, course-correct faster, and proactively solve issues before they escalate. Unfortunately, many organisations gather feedback too late - during reviews, not during operations.

Whether it’s internal process feedback or customer insight, organisations that embed quick, structured feedback opportunities improve quality, responsiveness, and team morale. Leading companies now use short pulse surveys, team retrospectives, and real-time customer satisfaction tools to stay agile and informed. Just like a Formula 1 pit crew responding instantly to a racing team's needs, acting on feedback in real time keeps your business agile, high-performing, and ahead of the competition.

Best practice tip: Make feedback visible and actionable. Use a shared board or digital tracker to log suggestions, assign owners, and track outcomes. When people see their input making an impact, engagement and improvement accelerate.

Conclusion:

the risk of doing nothing

Inaction in the face of complexity can lead to rising costs, inefficiencies, and a competitive disadvantage. By implementing these six strategies - mapping workflows, fostering collaboration, automating tasks, centralising data, improving communication, and focusing on small wins - you can simplify operations and unlock your organisation’s full potential.

Final call to action: How much longer can you afford to let complexity hold your business back? Contact EEvolution today to explore how we can help streamline your operations and empower your success.

Email: info@eevolution.co.uk

Tim Mahoney, Director

APPOINTMENTS

THE LATEST CAREER UPDATES AS COLLEAGUES MOVE UP OR MOVE ON

SUE TILLEY NAMED NEW CHAIR OF LBV

Trade and enterprise expert

Sue Tilley (pictured) has been appointed as the new chair of Leicestershire Business Voice (LBV).

Sue has a background in economic strategy, inward investment, business innovation, partnerships between business and education and business development, in both the public and private sectors. She is the founder of Sue Tilley Associates and a member of the board of trustees at the Leicestershire Education Business Company.

Previous posts have included heading up the Leicester and Leicestershire Enterprise Partnership and she was head of inward investment at Prospect Leicestershire. She also had her

own business, the Classy Rags clothing company.

She replaces outgoing LBV chair Robin Pointon, who steps down after four years.

Sue said: “LBV is an ideal platform with which local businesses can get involved and make a difference. I’m so proud to have been selected to lead such a trusted business group as LBV and look forward to working with the rest of the board.”

Robin said: “Her knowledge of the local business community and key stakeholders is exceptional.

“More than this, she commands great respect across all sectors, so is well suited for this role.”

Sue has also been appointed as an innovation advisor at MIRA Technology Park.

EMCCA APPOINTS THREE EXECUTIVE DIRECTORS

The East Midlands Combined County Authority (EMCCA) has appointed three executive directors following the recent appointment of its first permanent chief executive Amy Harhoff.

Damien Dacey has been made executive director of strategy and inclusive growth, Edward Highfield becomes executive director of place, while Richard Williams has been made executive director of resources.

Damien has served as the interim deputy chief executive at EMCCA, playing a big role in shaping the authority’s strategic direction since October 2023. He has a background in the civil service, in policy development and programme delivery roles.

His new role will see him lead on economic development, employment, and skills across the East Midlands.

Edward has joined EMCCA from Kirklees Council in West Yorkshire, where he was director of skills and regeneration for more than three years.

As executive director of place at EMCCA, he will oversee key areas including transport, net zero and housing – including helping the authority deliver 1,400 new homes by March 2026.

Richard, a qualified accountant who has worked in both the public and private sectors, has joined EMCCA from Southampton City Council, where he was interim director of finance. He has also previously worked at City of Edinburgh Council, Cornwall Council and Somerset County Council. Prior to that he worked for KPMG and PwC.

His new role will see him oversee finance, HR, procurement and contract management, business operations, digital & technology and EMCCA’s audit functions. He will also help shape its financial strategy and strengthen its commercial relationships.

EMCCA mayor Claire Ward said: “Damien, Edward and Richard all bring with them rich experience of public service leadership and all three will play a pivotal role in driving forward this organisation and ensuring that our investments in the region deliver real change for the people of the East Midlands.”

• Read our Big Interview with Claire Ward on page 27.

TRIO TO KEEP GOLF SPECIALIST ON COURSE

Nottinghamshire-based luxury golf travel specialist Halcyon Golf Travel has expanded its team with three new hires to support growing demand for its bespoke Scotland golf trips and UK and Ireland golf packages.

Thomas Cumberland, Ben Robinson and Alasdair Gemmel have recently joined the business which caters primarily to US golfers.

The team has already visited St Andrews and Liverpool on familiarisation trips with trips to Aberdeenshire, East Lothian and Western Ireland also planned. Chief executive Jack Sallis said: “Halcyon prioritises hiring passionate golfers, and the current team has a combined handicap of plus-4, while team

member Ben, a professional golfer, secured victory on the Tartan Tour in 2024.

“The new hires will assist with bookings and marketing as Halcyon grows in early 2025.”

Halcyon Golf Travel is a past East Midlands Chamber Award for Excellence in International Trade finalist.

Its plans for 2025 include establishing itself as a leader in luxury golf travel while fostering team development and providing a fun, rewarding place to work. The business encourages its staff to pursue their passion for golf, offering opportunities to improve their own game, play world-class courses and develop professionally within the industry.

L-R: Richard Williams, Damien Dacey and Edward Highfield

FEMALE LEADERS JOIN BID’S BOARD

North Notts BID has made three appointments to its board, expanding its representation of female leaders from across the district.

The new directors are Katy Bradford, deputy chief executive officer at Outwood Grange Academies Trust, Abi Priestley, who is the owner of Oakrange Engineering and Torworth Lakes, and Katy Jarvis-Morgan, STEP site

stakeholder manager for UK Industrial Fusion Solutions.

STEP is a UK programme bringing government and industry together to develop fusion energy on the site of the former West Burton power station site in North Nottinghamshire. They will sit alongside five other female board members, including chief executive Sally Gillborn MBE.

Katy Bradford said: “I am excited

COLLEGE RECRUITS TWO ASSISTANT PRINCIPALS

Nottingham College has expanded its team with the appointment of Jon Laud as assistant principal for curriculum innovation and James Thorne as assistant principal for curriculum skills.

Jon has returned to the college after two years at SMB College Group and has more than 20 years of experience in further education.

He said: “I have such fond memories of my time at Nottingham College, and I’m thrilled to be back. “I’m looking forward to sharing my expertise to help move the college to outstanding.”

James Thorne, who has also joined from SMB College Group, will focus on aligning the college’s curriculum to help students and apprentices get the knowledge and skills required for the future jobs market.

at the opportunities for Outwood Grange Academies Trust and how it can contribute to North Notts BID to grow the connection between business and education, particularly regarding skills development and employment opportunities.”

Katy Jarvis-Morgan said: “STEP Fusion will have an enormously transformative impact on the local community, supporting long-term job creation and growth in North Notts.”

Nick MacKenzie and Kate Gallagher of Browne Jacobson

BROWNE JACOBSON ADDS HEAD OF HIGHER EDUCATION

Law firm Browne Jacobson has recruited Kate Gallagher from a Russell Group university as its new head of higher education.

She has joined from the University of Nottingham, where she was general counsel and director of legal services, a department she established.

She has more than 25 years’ experience both in private practice – previously at Shoosmiths, Hammonds and Eversheds Sutherland – and as one of the higher education sector’s most experienced in-house lawyers.

Her recruitment is part of the succession plan for Browne Jacobson’s higher education practice, which is currently led by Bettina Rigg, who continues to play an active role, working with Kate and head of education Nick MacKenzie in supporting the transition.

Kate said: “Browne Jacobson is highly-regarded in the education sector for its market-leading legal advice, practical support and expert consultancy.

“Watching from afar, I have been impressed by how the firm has developed its reputation, which is why this feels like a fantastic time to join the firm.”

IN BRIEF

Pentaxia managing director

MIKE STEPS UP TO MD ROLE AT PENTAXIA

Pentaxia site operations director Michael Willmott has been promoted to managing director.

The family-owned Derby business was founded in 2008, specialising in carbon fibre tooling and components for industries such as aerospace, defence, automotive, motorsport and space.

Chairman Stephen Ollier said: “Mike has shown great leadership skills over the past six months and as part of the continuing development of the company, it is the right move to make.”

Mike said: “I am honoured to take on the role of managing director at Pentaxia. The company has a strong reputation for innovation and excellence, and I look forward to working with the talented team here to drive our business strategy forward and achieve new milestones."

LUCY PROMOTED TO EXECUTIVE TEAM

Lucy Gebbie has been promoted from head of corporate services at Rykneld Homes to join the newlyformed executive team as director of corporate resources.

Rykneld Homes manages around 7,600 properties across North East Derbyshire on behalf of the district council.

Lucy’s portfolio will include governance and regulation, finance, ICT and digital, people and organisational development, compliance and disrepair, customer services, communications and business development.

Michael Willmott

Lucy Gebbie

Nottingham College assistant principals James Thorne and Jon Laud

L-R: Katy Jarvis-Morgan, of UK Industrial Fusion Solutions, Sally Gillborn MBE, CEO of North Notts BID, Katy Bradford, deputy CEO at Outwood Grange Academies Trust, and Abi Priestley, of Oakrange Engineering and Torworth Lakes

A rapid, life-changing treatment for rectal cancer

ADerbyshire company has developed a rapid X-Ray treatment system that prevents the need for life-changing surgery for colorectal cancer patients.

Ariane Medical Systems ltd, based in Alfreton, has developed a medical device used in groundbreaking research, transforming the landscape of colorectal cancer treatment.

Ariane Medical Systems ltd developed a low energy (50KvP), high dose-rate X-ray delivery platform called Papillon Contact X-ray Brachytherapy (CXB). It was used in a multicentre, international trial, which looked to offer patients a non-surgical option in the battle against colorectal cancer.

Ariane’s Papillon+™ X-ray Brachytherapy System has emerged as the pioneering technology in its field, delivering targeted curative treatment that significantly reduces the need for radical surgical interventions.

BREAKTHROUGH IN RECTAL CANCER TREATMENT

A recent clinical trial on the effectiveness of Papillon CXB, called OPERA, has demonstrated that operable patients diagnosed with rectal cancer up to and including T3a-b can benefit from a less invasive approach using the Ariane Medical Systems Papillon+™ X-ray Brachytherapy system. Traditionally, rectal cancer treatment involves major surgery, often leading to lifealtering consequences such as permanent stomas, which require significant lifestyle adjustments for the patient. However, this cutting-edge treatment and technology provides a Total Neo-adjuvant Treatment (TNT) alternative that preserves quality of life.

The study, widely reported in major media outlets such as BBC News and The Independent, highlights the success of Papillon Contact X-ray Brachytherapy (CXB) in preventing the need for

extensive surgical procedures. The findings indicate that this innovative approach delivers precise, high-dose radiation directly to the tumour site, effectively eradicating cancer cells while sparing healthy tissue.

FUTURE DIRECTIONS

Given the observed benefits of Papillon CXB in the OPERA trial, further research is underway to explore its role in combination with systemic

therapies for more advanced rectal cancers. With the five-year results published at the start of 2025, the future for the Papillon CXB treatment, patient choice and the Ariane Medical Systems Papillon+™ X-ray Brachytherapy system looks very positive.

ABOUT ARIANE MEDICAL SYSTEMS LTD

Ariane Medical Systems Ltd is a provider of advanced radiotherapy solutions, dedicated to improving cancer treatment outcomes through provision of innovative and clinically proven technologies. The Papillon+™ X-ray Brachytherapy System is designed to deliver targeted, high-dose 50 kVp radiation directly to the tumour while preserving healthy tissue, offering patients effective treatment options with reduced morbidity.

As the national and international interest in the Papillon CXB treatment and Papillon+™ increases, Ariane Medical Systems Ltd are keen to work with local precision industries to upscale production and distribution. It is also very keen to work with local talent, be that via apprenticeships in engineering straight from college or university, or skilled workers in electronic engineering, medical physics/radiographers and technical medical device sales/servicing professionals.

CONTACT: Mark Davies-Cousins Vice President of International Sales sales@arianemedicalsystems.com

BIG INTERVIEW

MEETING THE PEOPLE BEHIND THE REGION’S TOP BUSINESSES

As part of this month’s politics theme, Tom Pegden caught up with Claire Ward, the mayor of the East Midlands Combined County Authority, asking her what she has achieved after almost a year in post – and her hopes for the future of the region.

It’s still early days but we’re making progress

Creating a new regional council from scratch, with a budget in the hundreds of millions of pounds, was a big askand to add to the workload the new East Midlands Combined County Authority (EMCCA) was set up at a time of huge economic, cultural and political upheaval.

Existing local councils face big shortfalls as a consequence of more than a decade of austerity. War in Ukraine has hit energy prices and fuelled inflation. A new Government is in power, with tough choices to make to balance the books

and, more recently, deal with economic threats from the West and military threats from the East. Throughout it all, East Midlands mayor Claire Ward has pressed on with the job of building a new local government body covering an area which is home to around 2.2 million people.

Last spring she was elected as the first mayor of EMMCA – the new authority created to devolve responsibility for many big decisions from Westminster down to local level.

The body covers Derby, Derbyshire, Nottingham and Nottinghamshire –

‘We will get more money and more powers in due course. The Government has shown its commitment to devolution’

Leicester and Leicestershire didn’t join, while Greater Lincolnshire votes for its own combined county authority mayor on 1 May.

EMCCA – which recently agreed a £385m budget for the year ahead – was seen as a way of fixing the fact that the East Midlands has historically received the lowest levels of public funding in England.

Its remit covers areas of transport, education and skills, housing, the environment and economic development.

Its creation played a part in the establishment of a £160m East Midlands Investment Zone to support advanced manufacturing and green industries at three sites – Infinity Park, in Derby, Hartington-Staveley, in Chesterfield, and The Explore Park at Worksop.

From day one EMMCA has wanted to build on the region’s industrial base; the world-leading research in life sciences and aerospace coming out of its universities and out of its international businesses; to support plans to be a heartland for hydrogen, fusion and other green technologies; and support the role in all that played by East Midlands Airport – the UK’s most important when it comes to express freight.

The new mayor lives in Nottinghamshire – she is married with two children – and stood for election on a ticket of helping fix years of underinvestment, a struggling NHS and education system, and what she has called the “broken” local government system.

She was brought up in a Labour family, and has dedicated her life to the party – as a local councillor, constituency party chair and as an MP from 1997 to 2010. From EMMCA’s offices in Chesterfield, she explained it had been a busy –and productive – first year.

“I think we’re making really good progress," she said. “It has been a significant period of growth for a start-up. When I walked through the office door on 7 May, when I signed my declaration, there were about 20 interim staff who had been brought in to set up the combined county authority. They had new offices and they were just unpacking the boxes for the computers.

‘Instead of having 17 local authorities all competing with one another, my job is to bring everyone together and get us focusing on the big things’

“Now we probably have about 150 people, we’ve got a new chief executive [Amy Harhoff], we’ve just announced new executive directors, and we have set a £385m budget for the next financial year. Some £120m of that is new money, brought into the region simply because we’ve got a mayor-led combined county authority.

“We’re now working on building that capacity so we can deliver the things we're here to do. And that's just the start. We will get more money and more powers in due course. The Government has shown its commitment to devolution.”

Claire Ward (right) with Derbyshire police and crime commissioner Nicolle Ndiweni-Roberts (centre)

Within days of the 2024 General Election, Kier Starmer invited elected regional mayors to Downing Street to discuss devolution while a subsequent White Paper has proposed even greater commitment to devolved powers –including more funding.

Despite all that, she admits lots of people still don’t fully understand what the combined county authority is or what powers its mayor has.

She said: “My position comes with real power and money and I'm here to set the strategic direction for the region.

“Basically, instead of having 17 local authorities all competing with one another, my job is to bring everyone together and get us focusing on the big things that will help us grow this region.

“It's about the vision - the role of mayor is a bit like an executive chairman within a company.”

The bulk of that £385m spend for the next year will be on public transport and highways maintenance – including £66m for major transport projects, £12.8m for smaller transport schemes and more than £40m for bus services.

There is also £75m-plus going to local councils to fix their roads, which EMMCA says is £21.7m than they had before.

There is money for jobs and skills too, to support things such as training for low earners and projects to help people with disabilities or health conditions get into work.

Support will also go to improving the economy and making the region greener, and towards boosting advanced manufacturing –including through the East Midlands Investment Zone, and money for leisure and tourism.

Claire said: “We’re still at the very early stages. My job is to put us on the map and I think the East Midlands is getting more recognition – but there’s a long way to go.

“We’re certainly getting more direct funding but I also want to see more external investment and more Government money to recognise the fact that we haven't had the investment we deserve.

“And I certainly want to make the case about the industries that we’ve got here that can be significant for the UK Government as it tries to grow the economy. They’re going

KEY PROJECTS TO AID ECONOMIC GROWTH

EMCCA is pushing forward six key projects for funding from the 2024/25 Investment Fund – which it says can support long-term economic growth, create jobs and drive sustainability across the region. Its Devolution Deal includes an allocation of £38m per year for the East Midlands Investment Fund, with £9.5m earmarked for capital projects this financial year. The projects under consideration are:

• South Derbyshire Growth Zone (SDGZ) (South Derbyshire) – Funding for a new junction on the A50 Trunk Road, enabling plans to build 4,500 homes (with garden village status), 3.45 million sq ft of commercial floorspace, and a secondary school.

• Trent Clean Energy Supercluster (Bassetlaw) – Support for the Trent Clean Energy Supercluster, which centres on three former coal-fired power stations located alongside the River Trent: West Burton, High Marnham and Cottam. The West Burton site will be home to the ground-breaking STEP prototype fusion energy plant.

• Derby City Urban Quarter (Derby) –Funding for a “vibrant, sustainable and accessible urban quarter”, revitalising historic buildings, improving transport infrastructure, creating new homes and improving public space.

• Broad Marsh (Nottingham) – Funding to demolish part of the frame on the land near to the newly opened Green Heart. This will be an important step in helping to bring forward work on Broad Marsh.

• Infinity Park (Derby) – Funding for a research and development facility within EMCCA’s Investment Zone to support advanced manufacturing and nuclear sectors. Investment Fund money will be used to repurpose existing space on the site.

• Avenue Site Southern Access (North-East Derbyshire) – Funding for The Avenue (Wingerworth), which continues the delivery of one of the most ambitious and effective remediation projects ever undertaken in the UK. This funding will go towards creating a southern access to the sites to deliver improved access and enable future development.

Claire with chief executive Amy Harhoff

Claire at the NTU Hub in Mansfield

Claire and Pal Methven CEO UK Industrial Fusion Solutions and Senior Responsible Owner of STEP

to need to look at what we have here and the assets we have.

“Obviously we’ve got big companies like Rolls Royce and Toyota and Boots – but we've also got massive supply chains with big manufacturing opportunities.

“When we look at the five coal-fired power stations in our region that have been decommissioned or are in the process of being decommissioned, they really are physical and energy assets, which I think are unrivalled across the country.

“This is a region that's made sacrifices in that respect – we've retired 27% of the UK’s coal-fired energy generation, but we represent only 3% of the population, so jobs have gone.

“It's been an impact on communities and on our local economy. That means we have to be at the front of the queue in the opportunities to redevelop new green energy – the transformation and technology that can come as a result of having these assets now.”

‘West Burton in north Nottinghamshire is the UK Atomic Energy Authority’s only chosen site for the development of fusion energy and that's going to be a massive opportunity for our region’

EMCCA is putting up to £3m into plans for the Trent Clean Energy Supercluster – centring on the three former coal-fired power stations along the Trent at West Burton, High Marnham and Cottam.

The West Burton site will be home to the ground-breaking STEP prototype fusion energy plant which will benefit from a share of £410m of Government investment in fusion energy –hopefully unlocking “limitless” clean power and creating thousands of new jobs.

GETTING TRANSPORT SCHEMES MOVING

The new authority has approved almost £175m in funding for transport in the 2025/26 year –with a further £19m also being considered.

It said £88m of the funding was new to the region thanks to having a mayor and a combined county authority.

The money will be used for urgent road repairs, better transport connections and projects that help people travel by foot or bike and will be divided between EMCCA and four local councils, Derby City Council, Derbyshire County Council, Nottingham City Council and Nottinghamshire County Council.

EMCCA will manage funding for large regional projects, such as junction improvement works which are a key planning condition for enabling the new A50 junction in the South Derby Growth Zone.

EMCCA funding will also support work on the A614/A6097 scheme (Nottinghamshire) and look at the potential for expanding the Nottingham Express Transit system to support housing and job growth.

NOTABLE PROJECTS:

Derby City Council will receive funding for several key projects, including the A52/A52T Spondon Interchange to allow better traffic flow and support active travel initiatives, making it easier and safer for pedestrians and cyclists.

Nottingham City Council will focus on improving major roads for walking and cycling, as well as upgrading real-time parking information systems.

Derbyshire County Council will invest in repairing roads and works to help prevent landslips, particularly on key routes.

Nottinghamshire County Council will focus on maintaining and upgrading its roads, along with planning for future transport projects.

Mayor Claire Ward said: “By working closely with our local councils and partners, we will ensure every pound is spent wisely to improve transport links, reduce congestion, and support greener, more sustainable ways to travel.”

our investment in defence as a country and across Europe.

“This is a region that stands ready to be able to deliver on that spending.

She said: “West Burton in north Nottinghamshire is the UK Atomic Energy Authority’s only chosen site for the development of fusion energy and that's going to be a massive opportunity for our region.

“We’re at the early stages of it, but it’s very much part of our big vision when we look at the Trent supercluster of West Burton and the other coal-fired power stations running down the east side of our region.

“In the meantime, we’re working on what it means for our local community – and the opportunities that today’s young people and children will have in 15 and 20-years’ time.

“We’re also looking at what that means for new homes, and what it means for new jobs in terms of construction and the development of the site in the next few years. It’s certainly going to be hundreds of millions of pounds of investment. The construction and development phase is more than £400m, but we'll see much more than that when we start to look at the other infrastructure that needs to go around the site.”

Another area in which the region could benefit is from the Government’s commitment to grow defence spending to help meet the Russia threat in Europe.

She said: “Nobody wants to be in this international situation – with what’s been happening over not just the last few weeks, but since the invasion of Ukraine by Russia three years ago – but it’s clear that we have to step up

“We have a significant number of companies that are in the defence sector, in the supply chain – big companies and small companies based in the region, and we want to encourage the Government to look at how those businesses can contribute from more spending as a result of that defence budget.”

When it comes to addressing the housing crisis, EMMCA is using £16.8m from the Brownfield Housing Fund to support 13 potential schemes that could deliver 1,300 homes across Derbyshire and Nottinghamshire.

It is now working with local councils to approve plans for the preferred schemes so that the cash can be used before the March 2026 deadline.

The mayor said she is also pushing the Government to put electrification of the Midland Mainline back on the agenda – although that might be a big ask with central Government funding so tight.

She has also set up a Business Advisory Board chaired by Geldard’s chairman and EMMCA associate member David Williams – to provide strategy, advice and guidance to the board and strengthen its connection with local businesses.

It’s a lot to be getting on with but, she said, a lot has already been achieved.

Looking back at the last few months she said:

“I’m proud of building an organisation that will be able to deliver the things that we need to do.

“I’m proud of establishing an inclusive growth commission that sets out my ambitions and brings other partners in to help us to determine how we get growth that lifts our region and lifts people in all parts of it, particularly the most deprived. It’s really, really busy because obviously there are a lot of demands, a lot of people knocking on the door wanting us to move quickly.

“But we’ve had to build that capacity and, as I say, we only got a new chief executive in January, and just got our executive directors appointed.

“This has been a year of getting the foundations down and it’s been quite a task.”

Claire with deputy mayor Nadine Peafield

STRATEGIC PARTNERS AND PATRONS

NEWS AND UPDATES FROM EAST MIDLANDS CHAMBER’S LEADING SUPPORTERS

IN BRIEF

EVENT PUTS FOCUS ON SUPPLY CHAIN ISSUES

Professionals from across the logistics and supply chain sector spoke about challenges and opportunities within the industry during a roundtable event held in Derby.

Experts from global brands and logistics giants including Amazon, Toyota and Rolls-Royce shared their thoughts and experiences as part of activities held during the University of Derby’s Logistics and Supply Chain Week 2025.

The influence of customers and how universities can help with a skills shortage in the industry were the hot topics of conversation during the annual week of workshops, conferences and discussions designed to bring together students, academics and logistics and supply chain professionals.

Dr Pouria Liravi, senior lecturer in operations and supply chain management at the university, who organised the event, said: “Industry leaders, academics and professionals emphasised the growing importance of digitalisation with a strong focus on artificial intelligence, automation and data-driven decision-making to enhance efficiency and resilience.”

AIR IT WINS KEY INDUSTRY AWARD

Air IT has been recognised on Cloudtango’s MSP (managed service provider) Select 2025 for its IT service delivery, customer satisfaction and growth.

Every year, Cloudtango recognises the most successful MSPs in the UK through the MSP Select awards. For 2025, the technical analysis focused on cybersecurity, support, infrastructure and the strategic use of AI to enhance efficiency, while also highlighting positive trends in business growth, customer satisfaction, technical certifications and ongoing service improvements.

Air IT offers IT support, with a 24/7 service desk offering roundthe-clock availability, cloud infrastructure, modern workplace support and specialist cyber security and business intelligence.

College principal receives MBE from King Charles

West Nottinghamshire College principal and chief executive Andrew Cropley has described the “incredible privilege” of being made an MBE by King Charles.

The 58-year-old, who was recognised in the New Year Honours for services to the community of Ashfield and Mansfield, was awarded the honour at an investiture at Buckingham Palace this spring. He was joined at the ceremony by his wife Andrea and daughters Elinor and Madeleine.

Andrew said: “The investiture at Buckingham Palace was a most memorable experience and it was wonderful to share it with my wife and daughters.

“While waiting for my turn, and speaking to members of the Royal Household, I was able to reflect on what we have achieved at the college in the last five years and how much more we want to do for, and with, our communities.

“I hope that my colleagues and partners of the college will feel pride and recognition for the part they have played. I am truly grateful to all of them.”

Mr Cropley joined West Nottinghamshire College in May 2019, and for the last five years has chaired the Mansfield Place Board –a partnership between public and private sector organisations –which has secured £72.3m in government funding for large-scale

infrastructure projects, regeneration initiatives, improved technology, and investments in new jobs and skills to the district.

Under his leadership, the college was graded ‘good’ by Ofsted in 2023, with inspectors highlighting areas of outstanding provision and its ‘strong’ contribution to meeting local skills needs.

Other successes have included partnerships with Nottingham Trent University and Sherwood Forest Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, while capital investments have led to the creation of a dedicated sixth form campus, adult learning centre, hub for students with additional needs and the UK’s first Gene Haas Centre for Advanced Manufacturing.

Insurance firm reports more growth

Insurance intermediary Howden has announced its fourth consecutive year of double-digit organic growth, with revenues breaking through the £3bn a year mark.

The global business said that in the year to 30 September 2024, revenues were up almost a quarter at £3.01bn – from £2.55bn a year before – thanks to a combination of organic growth and acquisitions.

Organic growth was up 15% on the back of 13% the year before.

On the acquisition front, Howden took over 65 businesses in the year, with 28 in Europe, including large Netherlands broker VLC, North Risk in Denmark, and AGEO in France.

Its global footprint grew to 55 countries and it welcomed 650 new employee shareholders, taking the total number to 5,300. In all it now employs 20,000 people.

Founder and chief executive David Howden said: “Our 30th year proved to be one to remember.

“We broke the £3bn revenue barrier, we delivered double-digit organic growth for the fourth consecutive year and a revenue CAGR (compound annual growth rate) of 40% over the same period.

“What’s our secret sauce? The quality of our remarkable people. Our track record of growth is founded on our ability to attract and retain the very best.”

Howden founder and chief executive David Howden

Andrew Cropley at his investiture with King Charles

Rolls-Royce engineers huge jump in profits

Rolls-Royce Holdings reported underlying pre-tax profits of almost £2.3bn last year – up from below £1.3bn the year before – on revenues that were up more than £2.4bn at £17.8bn.

The engineering giant said 2024 was another year of “strong strategic and financial delivery”, building on its 2023 performance, and the big rise in profits was driven by strategic initiatives including being more commercial and making efficiency savings –and despite supply chain challenges.

Recent news has included RollsRoyce SMR being named preferred supplier for the construction of small modular reactors by the government of the Czech Republic and the Czech state utility

‘All core divisions delivered significantly improved performance’

company, while in civil aerospace, the business has successfully tested its UltraFan demonstrator aircraft engine.

It had also invested in growing capacity at its operations in Derby, Dahlewitz and Singapore, to allow it to deliver more new engines and handle more aftermarket work.

More recently it has struck a £9bn deal with the Government to support the Royal Navy’s fleet of nuclear submarines – in the hope of boosting national security and economic growth.

The eight-year contract –dubbed ‘Unity’ – will deliver the

design, manufacture and support services for the reactors powering the nation’s submarines, creating more than 1,000 UK jobs and safeguarding 4,000 more.

Chief executive Tufan Erginbilgic said: “Strong 2024 results build on our progress last year, as we transform Rolls-Royce into a highperforming, competitive, resilient, and growing business. All core divisions delivered significantly improved performance, despite a supply chain environment that remains challenging.

“We are moving with pace and intensity… Significantly improved performance and a stronger balance sheet gives us confidence to reinstate shareholder dividends and announce a £1bn share buyback in 2025.

“Our upgraded mid-term targets include underlying operating profit of £3.6bn-£3.9bn and free cash flow of £4.2bn-£4.5bn.

“These mid-term targets are a milestone, not a destination, and we see strong growth prospects beyond the mid-term.”

University hosts event at House of Commons

Nottingham University Business School took centre stage at the House of Commons, hosting a landmark event on inclusive entrepreneurship and innovation.

The event was sponsored by Labour Women in Tech founder Samantha Niblett MP and led by Dr Lorna Treanor, who works at the business school and is co-author of the Charter for Inclusive Entrepreneurship. It brought together policymakers, industry leaders, and entrepreneurs to explore how fostering inclusivity can drive economic growth.

Dr Treanor opened the discussion by emphasising the importance of inclusive entrepreneurship, not as a luxury but as an essential driver of productivity and growth.

She highlighted the East Midlands’ strong history of innovation – from Nottingham’s contributions to MRI technology and ibuprofen, to its status as home to the largest cluster of life sciences SMEs outside London. But she added, despite these strengths, the region continued to lag in productivity and employment – a challenge that inclusive innovation can help overcome.

Keir Starmer at Prime Minister’s Questions

(Credit: House of Commons)

CHAMBER NEWS

CONNECTING, CHAMPIONING AND SUPPORTING LOCAL BUSINESSES

Chamber urges parties to get on board with direct rail links

East Midlands Chamber has joined political leaders across the Midlands in backing calls to reinstate direct trains between Coventry and the cities of Nottingham and Leicester – which campaigners say could be worth millions to the region and support the creation of thousands of jobs.

The direct service between Coventry and the East Midlands’ cities was stopped in the early 2000s to allow for work on the West Coast Line through Nuneaton.

Midlands Connect says bringing it back would be worth £400m to the region and help generate 3,000 jobs.

It first submitted a business case to the Department for Transport in 2021 and recently hosted a conference at Coventry Transport Museum to present its proposal.

Political representatives from the Midlands were joined at the conference by East Midlands Chamber director of policy and

insight Richard Blackmore, as the business case to reintroduce the service was made.

It was followed by discussions examining how the project can best support businesses in the region.

‘Connectivity is a key lever in the decision making of businesses to invest in a region’

Richard Blackmore said:

“Reinstatement of this critical service is a key ask of the Chamber’s Manifesto for Growth and would be of huge benefit to the East Midlands economy.

“Three important cities sit right next to each other – but not just geographically – they’re already connected by tracks, stations and most importantly a business need.

“It’s hard to believe you can no longer jump on a train in Nottingham or Leicester and get to

Coventry on one train, when it was once possible, and Coventry and Birmingham have direct trains –some 30% of people choose the train for that route, but only 3% bother from Nottingham or Leicester. Removing that service was a backward move and it’s time that was righted.

“Connectivity is a key lever in the decision-making of businesses to invest in a region as this facilitates the ability to attract talent, connect supply chains and drive economic growth.”

Midlands Connect chief executive Maria Machancoses said: “It was so great to hear support for our project from leaders across the Midlands.

“This scheme is so important, as we move to decarbonise transport, we must make rail the most attractive option possible. Creating direct routes between major centres is the best way to do this.”

Also in attendance at the conference were Leicester City mayor Peter Soulsby, Coventry East MP Mary Creagh, North Warwickshire and Bedford MP Rachel Taylor, Nuneaton MP Jodie Gosling MP and Corin Crane of Coventry and Warwickshire Chambers.

Peter Soulsby said: “Coventry and Leicester

economies of Coventry, Leicester and Nottingham.

“With rail lines through Leicester at capacity, hindering the development of both passenger and freight trains, this scheme is urgently needed.

“By increasing rail freight capacity, the scheme will remove HGVs from the highway network, reducing carbon and improving air quality – which is great news for Leicester.”

are the two biggest cities without a direct rail link.

Sir Peter Soulsby

Nottingham Railway Station (Credit: EMR)

EMR staff at Derby Station

(Credit: EMR)

CALLS FOR ELECTRIFICATION OF MIDLANDS MAINLINE

Calls continue for the electrification of the Midlands Mainline, which currently ends at Wigston in Leicestershire.

Trains travelling through cities and towns including Leicester, Loughborough, Nottingham, Derby, Chesterfield and Sheffield, currently have to be bi-mode, using a combination of clean electric motors and polluting diesel engines.

‘We hope the government will see that the region is united behind the call to upgrade the line’

Midlands Connect said a funding decision on the next phase to Trent Junctions, just south of Nottingham and for detailed design for the remainder of the line through to Sheffield, was due to be made last summer, but was delayed by the General Election and then by the Comprehensive Spending Review.

It said Midland Mainline electrification will create up to 4,300 new jobs during construction, including skilled occupations, and more than 100 apprenticeships – generating £61m in economic value from jobs created in the East Midlands, and nearly £18m in social value.

Electrification will enable immediate journey time savings and improved punctuality – which together are estimated to deliver 120,000 additional passenger journeys each year, growing to 200,000 a year by 2043.

Midlands Connect programme director Mike Bull said: “The electrification of the Midland Mainline was first discussed back in the 1970s. However, the work only progressed from London as far as Bedford. Subsequent proposals for full electrification up to Sheffield were paused in 2015 and then cancelled in 2017. The project was resurrected in 2021 but now stands at the crossroads.

“We hope the Government will see that the region is united behind the call to upgrade the line and I’m hopeful that the spending review will bring some good news for the region.”

Nottingham Railway Station

QES shows desperate times call for desperate measures

East Midlands businesses have indicated that the economy remains challenging during the first months of 2025, with four-out-of-10 expecting profitability to worsen and half expecting to raise prices, as East Midlands Chamber’s Quarterly Economic Survey (QES) displayed a bleak forecast for the region, writes Tim Smith

Covering the first part of 2025, the findings are taken from responses given by businesses across multiple sectors in the East Midlands.

Using a combination of measurable data and sentiment, the survey is a reliable indicator of investment intention, concerns and performance.

HEADLINES FROM EAST MIDLANDS CHAMBER’S QUARTERLY ECONOMIC SURVEY Q1 2025 INCLUDE: Future pricing intentions

• Half of businesses (54%) expect to put their prices up. This figure has shown little sign of improvement from 56% at the end of 2024.

• Labour costs are the biggest driver of the pressure to put prices up.

Profitability

• Four-out-of-10 expect profitability to worsen over the next 12 months. This figure has doubled from two-out-of-10 in Q3 2024.

Recruitment

• 65% had difficulty finding suitable staff. The figure was 72% at the end of 2024.

The top three worries of East Midlands businesses:

2.Inflation

3. Business Rates

East Midlands Chamber director of policy and insight Richard Blackmore said: “For businesses to be reporting such low levels of confidence in future profitability over the next 12 months is a stark reminder of how hard things are right now.

“If we look at the Quarterly Economic Survey data over the last six months, we see profitability expectation nosedive.

“On turnover, fewer respondents reported that they’re expecting turnover to improve over the next

Challenging economic conditions mean half the region’s businesses are expecting their prices to rise

Richard Blackmore

three months, so when we look at profitability and turnover expectation through the same lens, you get a fairly grim outlook.

“Businesses have faced challenging trading conditions for some time, navigating everything from inflation to soaring energy bills, but higher costs hitting in April will have added another layer of concern.

‘When you consider rising inflation, it’s not surprising that half of businesses are considering putting prices up’

“Raised employer National Insurance contributions, for example, appear to have been a factor behind cautious spending plans, while the expectation of having to raise prices is still high.

“When you consider rising inflation, it’s not surprising that half of businesses are considering putting prices up.

“That number has eased very slightly from six-out-of-10 at the end of last year, but it’s still high.

“There was modest improvement this quarter in orders for overseas trade and a slight lift in investment intention for plant, machinery and equipment, but spending plans are still not very ambitious.

“Thirty per cent of firms have revised investment intention on those things downwards and that’s a huge change from just 8% last summer.

“With training it’s the same story – nearly a quarter of businesses have adjusted their spending plan

downwards when it was just 5% last summer.

“With corporate taxation still the number one concern of East Midlands businesses, closely followed by inflation, you get a picture of the protective approach being taken, treading carefully to alleviate the effect of rising costs.

“When it comes to recruiting staff, there was a slight improvement in the number of businesses reporting difficulty in finding suitable candidates.

“That’s eased from 72% to 65% – but while that’s a step in the right direction, we’re still talking about the majority of firms, and it highlights the continued need to address skills investment.

“Amid so much economic uncertainty, full growth potential in the East Midlands is being held back. The discouraging outlook in these findings underlines the need for Government to step up.

“The Government’s comprehensive spending review is an opportunity to put supportive policies for businesses front and centre and it’s essential that happens.”

To view East Midlands Chamber’s Quarterly Economic Survey findings for Q1 2025 visit: is.gd/1C8uAL

Businesses will feel impact of increases in NI

Increased employer National Insurance contributions could change hiring plans and lead to raised prices, after nationwide research revealed eight-in-10 businesses expect to be impacted.

The renewed warning from East Midlands Chamber follows findings published by the British Chambers of Commerce (BCC) and professional services firm AAB that revealed six-out-of-10 businesses expect recruitment to be affected following the 6 April introduction of National Insurance contributions. More than half expect prices to be impacted.

Some 79% said they did not feel the Government had properly assessed the impact changes would have before making the controversial decision to introduce them.

Chamber chief executive Scott Knowles said: “When firms have faced incredibly challenging conditions for such a prolonged period, higher National Insurance contributions combined with a lower threshold at which payments begin is not going to be easy and businesses are going to have to make difficult decisions.

“The picture we’re seeing in the

national data from the BCC largely parallels the findings of our Quarterly Economic Survey.

“With growth being the goal the Government talks of most frequently, raising the staffing cost of businesses is going to make any growth that much harder to achieve, while rising inflation on top of higher NI contributions will only push up price pressure.

‘Most are saying they will have to raise prices and reconsider recruitment plans’

“Ahead of this year’s comprehensive spending review, political leaders need to ensure they are listening to what firms are saying, that measures announced in the review are supportive of businesses and enable growth.”

More than 1,200 businesses took part in the online research.

The findings also highlight significant concern about elements of the proposed Employment Rights legislation.

More than half said the planned changes to statutory sick pay will force them to change their plans –

while 45% think that it is unlikely to cause their organisation to make any changes.

Alex Veitch, director of policy at the British Chambers of Commerce, said firms were saying they were sitting on a powder keg of costs as a result of the National Insurance rise.

He said: “Most are saying they will have to raise prices and reconsider recruitment plans. That’s unlikely to create an environment that fosters growth, the key priority for government. Ministers need to read the room and recognise the impact this tax hike will have.

“The Government has pledged to retain the National Insurance tax position through the life of this parliament, but our new evidence should give pause for thought.

“We need the Government to publish a wider tax roadmap for business, setting out the direction of travel for costs like national insurance and business rates.

“Business rate reform must be an urgent priority, creating a system that incentives investment. Getting on with planning and skills reforms will also remove blockers to growth.

“Our survey also shows growing concern about aspects of the Government’s employment rights legislation.

“Some of the proposals are completely disproportionate to the reality of how businesses are operating. Ministers should allow more time for consultation with business about the policy detail and implementation. Government must listen and think again.”

Chamber partner backs adoption of AI

IT company NetMonkeys is working with East Midlands Chamber to back AI-led economic growth, offering support and guidance for businesses to implement AI and build productivity and competitiveness.

The partnership includes conducting AI adoption workshops for businesses across the region and the UK.

Managing director Nick Gall said: “AI is no longer a distant concept – it’s here, and it’s reshaping industries at an unprecedented pace.

“With a 25-30% increase in our revenue, and a 35% expansion in headcount, we are driving industry-leading digital transformation, that is not only reshaping regional businesses but also contributing to the wider UK economy.

“As the official AI partner of East Midlands Chamber, NetMonkeys is playing a key role in equipping businesses with the tools and strategies needed to succeed in an AI-driven future. Our goal is to ensure that businesses in the East Midlands are not left behind in this revolution. By enabling AI adoption today, we are strengthening the economic outlook of the region for decades to come.”

The UK's AI sector is already substantial, comprising more than 3,000 companies that generate more than £10bn in revenue and employing more than 60,000 people in AIrelated roles.

A report from PwC estimates AI could add up to £232bn to the UK economy by 2030, with regional hubs such as the East Midlands playing a vital role in this growth.

As more companies leverage AI to optimise processes and drive innovation, the broader economic impact will be profound, accelerating regional growth and positioning the UK as a leader in the global digital economy.

NetMonkeys is actively exploring opportunities to extend its AI initiatives and technology-driven solutions to businesses across other key UK regions, reinforcing its commitment to nationwide digital transformation.

NetMonkeys is an established IT and Software business based in Nottingham and Manchester. It specialises in managed IT services, cutting-edge software, AI and AV services to businesses across various sectors.

Nick Gall of NetMonkeys

Increased staffing costs are likely to hit recruitment in a number of industries

Richard Blackmore

Industry needs help as interest rates remain high

East Midlands Chamber believes the Government needs to keep reassuring industry that help will come as the cost of spending remains high.

The Bank of England voted to maintain interest rates at 4.5% as it works to keep a lid on inflation.

Interest rates have come down in recent months – from 5.25% last summer – but not as far as many businesses would like to see.

Chamber director of policy and insight Richard Blackmore said: “Given rising inflation, which is still 1% higher than the government’s target, the Bank of England opting to keep the ship steady and not cut interest rates just yet isn’t too surprising.

“With so many cost challenges making progress harder than it should be for businesses, like having to find funds to cover higher National Insurance contributions from 1 April, price pressures remain an ongoing problem.

“Some six-out-of-10 businesses in our Quarterly Economic Survey for Q4 2024 told us they expect to have to raise prices. That sentiment isn’t showing any sign of relief – our latest survey reveals an almost identical picture when it comes to businesses planning to increase prices.

“An interest rate cut is widely anticipated later this year and that would be welcome to businesses looking to borrow. Right now firms will be looking towards the wider comprehensive spending review and eager to hear political leaders put policies forward that are fully supportive of business growth – more important than ever at this tough time for firms.”

Investment needed for UK infrastructure

The British Chambers of Commerce (BCC) is calling on the Government to tackle the problems of the UK’s worn-out infrastructure to fire up growth.

In a new report the BCC is calling for ministers to:

• Improve road and rail capacity and electrify key sections of the rail network

• Deliver regional transport projects and grid connectivity

• Listen to business on its national and regional infrastructure needs, and provide long-term policy stability and improved planning capacity

East Midlands Chamber is backing a bid to resume direct rail links between Coventry and the cities of Leicester and Nottingham while campaigners are lobbying Westminster to electrify the Midlands Mainline north of Wigston (see page 34 for both stories).

The report has been produced by the BCC’s Local Economy of the Future Challenge Group, drawing on expertise from chambers and businesses of all sizes and sectors.

It advises that the Infrastructure and Planning Bill, which is expected to be put before Parliament soon, must have the interests of business at its heart.

And it calls for Government to

introduce long-term policy stability to help restore business confidence that was hit by the cancellation of the latter stages of HS2. The East Midlands was one of the regions affected by the changes to those plans after they ran way overbudget.

‘The perception remains that projects either end up getting cancelled, massively overrun or cost ten times the original asking price’

The report also sets out a pathway to improve capacity in the planning system, through a joint initiative with business to get 100 more trained planners into local authorities. The BCC has set up the programme to address the bottlenecks in decision-making due to a lack of resources.

BCC research has found 62% of business leaders say they don't have the right skills in their workforce, rising to nearly three-quarters in manufacturing and construction.

Two-thirds say their views aren't taken into account when it comes

to local infrastructure decisions –on everything from digital to road improvements. This rises sharply to 81% when it comes to national infrastructure decisions.

Transport is a major challenge that needs fixing. For low-paid workers, buses are key. But 62% of company leaders say their local bus and tram networks are poor.

Shevaun Haviland, director general of the British Chambers of Commerce, said: “The story of large-scale infrastructure development in the UK has travelled a rocky road over the past few decades.

“The perception remains that projects either end up getting cancelled, massively overrun or cost ten times the original asking price. The shadow of HS2 hangs heavy over the debate as businesses no longer feel they can take government announcements at face value.

“Firms find it hard to plan for their own future investment if they fear the rug will be pulled from under them halfway through delivery.

“The problems lie in the lack of a national cohesive strategy, a moribund planning system, coupled with an over-zealous legal approach and a dearth of skilled labour.

“If the Government’s plans to power economic growth through a new era of construction are to be realised, then these are the issues that must be fixed.

“It has already taken some positive steps in this direction. The recommendations in this report set out what needs to happen next. We must rebalance our approach to infrastructure and give businesses the confidence they need to align their investment plans.

“These are the reforms that our planners, engineers and the business community have been waiting on for decades. In an increasingly competitive global economy, they cannot afford to wait any longer.”

There is no direct rail link between Coventry and Leicester

Learning and support to help reach your Peak

By Lee Garnett (pictured), a learning and development specialist who runs Peoplejelly, based in Disley, Cheshire.

Istarted Peoplejelly in early 2024. I provide learning services to businesses that don’t require a full-time learning and development team. I offer fractional support or project support.

Peoplejelly is built on two decades of corporate learning and development experience in operational and leadership roles.

If I add my associates to that experience count, we are looking at more than 100 years of experience in creating learning experiences.

Early on in my career I recognised the benefits of a structured learning approach in businesses and quickly became recognised for my ability to design effective learning programmes, mostly bringing induction programmes to different divisions of the group.

I am now taking that knowledge, philosophy and the design skills into smaller businesses, looking to support them to scale-up and retain their people. A great induction is just about the most effective retention tool you can have.

As a purest consultant I offer solutions that are bespoke to the client’s situation rather than fit my learning product into a solution.

‘Business Peak District are great at bringing the district together on common issues’

The unique position of the Peak District has given me the ideal place to springboard out to some of the towns and cities in Cheshire and Derbyshire, which has enabled me to work closely with three local businesses. However, I’m looking to work with more clients within the Peak District in 2025.

The biggest challenges and opportunities are local links – the Peak District is surrounded by highly populated cities and towns, on one hand great for business but also a constant challenge to find and retain talent away from the bright lights.

The biggest threat is the speed in which the world and economy changes, businesses that thrive will be lean, efficient, embrace new technology and have the ability to pivot towards new opportunities.

Business Peak District (BPD) is a free membership organisation for businesses in the area covered by the Peak District National Park, High Peak, Staffordshire Moorlands and Derbyshire Dales. Its principal supporter is East Midlands Chamber, and it works closely with councils, the national park authority, the University of Derby, as well as Visit Peak District and Derbyshire. BPD has more than 700 members. To find out more email members@businesspeakdistrict.com

I’m helping a number of small businesses with simple inductions and structures to help retain their people, Business Peak District are great at bringing the district together on common issues.

I want to continue to grow and help more clients in the Peak District. How can stakeholders support this? I think we need to get more modern, embrace agile

Chamber wants

working arrangements and use technology to connect us to each other, and bring the corporate ideas to smaller businesses.

Cost is not the barrier; experience will help you design effective low-cost solutions.

‘broken’ planning system fixed

East Midlands Chamber is calling for more private sector support and more joined-up thinking as the government’s Planning and Infrastructure Bill is published. Reforms proposed in the bill, aimed at cutting paperwork to make planning decisions happen more quickly, include:

• A national ‘delegation scheme’ to choose whether committees or officers should process an application

• Strategies to find sustainable building locations

• Prioritising clean energy projects that are ready to go

East Midlands Chamber director of policy and insight Richard Blackmore said: “We have a broken system where the wait for a planning decision is a barrier to construction and hinders growth.

“Delays push up the costs for developers,

curb competitiveness and reduce the creation of new employment.

“Fixing the planning system is a key ask in our Manifesto for Growth for the East Midlands, but government reforms must be able to noticeably speed things up for developers, who will want to see distinct improvement – that means the length of time from seeking planning permission to getting a decision reduced significantly.

“Lack of resource within planning departments severely hampers decision making, but bringing in the private sector to help could really accelerate things. Improving collaboration between planning departments, assigning an appropriate level decision maker to a project and not bouncing an application between departments or letting it sit with a local committee would reduce the wait to achieving an outcome.”

The UK planning system needs improving

AI, machine learning and robotics take centre stage at digital conference

The Chamber’s annual Digital Conference is back. The highly anticipated flagship event is designed for businesses and charities seeking to take advantage of the opportunities offered by AI in reaching new audiences, winning and retaining customers and improving sales & marketing productivity.

Chamber members are now being invited to attend the conference free of charge. The event takes place at East Midlands Conference Centre on Friday, 6 June 2025 and is expected to attract 400 business owners from across the region.

It offers delegates the opportunity to learn about the latest trends, real-life case studies and effective tactics to gain the best advantage for their businesses.

‘AI is revolutionising the way in which we all work, and nowhere more so than in digital marketing’

The cast of experts will be led by keynote speaker Joyann Boyce, founder and CEO of AI technology agency InClued.ai.

As a TEDx speaker and awardwinning entrepreneur, Joyann has a master's degree in data science, specialising in bias detection, which she combines with more than seven years of consulting experience for major brands such as Coca-Cola, Social Point, Adobe, and Nationwide.

Her mission is to establish inclusive communication as an industry standard, helping companies align their messaging

with their values and connect authentically with diverse audiences.

The line-up of speakers will give informative talks covering artificial intelligence, machine learning, search engines, content creation, robotics, automation and much more.

Diane Beresford, deputy chief executive of East Midlands Chamber, said: “I’m delighted that NetMonkeys – the Chamber’s strategic partner on advancing technologies – is the headline sponsor for the event.

“AI is revolutionising the way in which we all work, and nowhere more so than in digital marketing.

“AI can be put to excellent use in improving SEO, reaching new audiences, improving client experience, creating content and reducing the burden of administrative tasks.

“It is fast becoming a vital component in how businesses maintain their competitive edge.

“Our digital conferences are always well-received, in large part because of the way in which our highly knowledgeable speakers

bring even the most complex of subjects to life in a highly engaging and easy-to-understand way.

“The event also presents an opportunity for our region’s businesses to network with others, and to find out about the latest support on offer from the Chamber and leading suppliers in the area.”

THE 2025 CONFERENCE AGENDA INCLUDES:

AI Will Always Be a Puppy

– Joyann Boyce (InClued.ai)

AI undoubtedly has the potential to improve efficiency, data management and communication

in the workplace but it needs both training and guidance to be truly effective. This session will help demystify artificial intelligence and reduce common fears, address AI's biases and encourage participants to adapt AI tools to their specific day-to-day work and needs.

How AI Is Changing Search Engine Optimisation

– Ian Lockwood

Discover how artificial intelligence is revolutionising search engine optimisation (SEO). This presentation explores AI-powered tools, changes in search algorithms

Guests take part in a previous event

Liam Lally addresses a previous Chamber Digital Upscaler event

Keynote speaker Joyann Boyce

& results, and ways to utilise AI in SEO. Learn how AI improves keyword research, content creation, and how to stay competitive in an evolving search landscape.

AI in 2025: Assistants, Agents, and Advanced Reasoning – Martin Broadhurst

Agentic systems and automated workflows can solve multi-step problems including simplifying data analytics, streamlining strategies and boosting customer engagement. This session will explore the growing power of transformative tools like ChatGPT, Gemini and Claude Uncover as well as the future of advanced reasoning, and how these innovations can be harnessed to reimagine productivity, creativity and decision-making.

Generative Experiences: The Future of AI Enabled Websites

– Rob Gregory

It’s time to super-charge your website and AI can help. Generative AI is reshaping the future of websites, particularly through enhanced user experiences and dynamic, tailored interactions. This session will explore how AI-enabled websites, powered by generative technologies, are paving the way for hyper-personalised user experiences.

Trust through Transparency: Ethical AI Guidelines for Content Marketing – Paul Ince

Learn how to introduce AI technology into your content creation in a way that maintains your authentic human voice, makes real connections with your audience and avoids over-use of words like “Elevate” and a rocket emoji. This session looks at how to take charge of AI in content marketing, and when and how to declare its use.

The Impact of AI on Paid Digital Marketing - Help or Hindrance? – Liam Lally

Has the addition of AI related features to digital marketing platforms like Google and Meta truly improved advertising campaigns? This session will navigate the features now available, looking at how they work, their usefulness and whether they can be trusted to automate all the decisions within your advertising accounts.

Chamber members can attend the conference free of charge. Other businesses can attend subject to availability.

Full details are available at: bit.ly/3FaqbBh

Paul Ince

Martin Broadhurst

CHAMBER NETWORKS

BUILDING CONNECTIONS WITH YOUR PEERS AND BUSINESS LEADERS

Event inspires young people aspiring to lead

Building a growth mindset, challenging and embracing the potential of AI and building self-awareness were among themes explored by East Midlands 18-35s at the 2025 Generation Next Leadership and Growth Conference.

Taking place at Cleaver & Wake in Nottingham, the event was delivered by Generation Next, a network of young professionals powered by East Midlands Chamber, and presented in partnership with Mattioli Woods, RandalSun Capital and NetMonkeys.

‘There is absolutely no age bracket for leadership under any circumstances’

The aim was to bring together and inspire young people on their journey toward leadership.

Keynote speaker James Peach –a global marketing leader known for work with established brands including Uber, Innocent Drinks, Coca Cola and Vinted – shared insight into unlocking growth potential, effective planning and the importance of risk taking.

Leadership specialist Kul Mahay – director of Ignite Your Inner Potential – gave a talk covering themes like the value of building relationships and harnessing a

high-performance culture.

Albert Har, wealth management consultant at Mattioli Woods, joined a panel looking at opportunities for young people in business, while Chamber director of resources Lucy Robinson shared data on what young people want in terms of salary expectations, training and work-life balance.

Generation Next chair Scarlett Canavan said: “This conference was really useful and I would always recommend to young people to get involved in networks like Generation Next, not only for the networking side of things and the ability to build their connections, but for the opportunity to learn for personal and professional development.

“We all start somewhere, so I would just say get involved, where you can say yes to opportunities and being present is the first step.

James Peach said: “What a

pleasure it’s been to be at the Generation Next Leadership and Growth Conference among so many budding entrepreneurs and business leaders.

“There is absolutely no age bracket for leadership under any circumstances. In the modern world we see a lot more young people showing leadership skills and qualities than ever before, but also the way careers work now and the way the corporate ladder is organised, people can grow more quickly and escalate faster up the ranks.

“There’s never been a better time to be a young leader in the UK.

“My advice to young people is to make noise, and that means networking. Talk to people in rooms and get into conversations. Find new people to talk to who have more experience than you, more understanding of the industry you’re looking to go into. That’s absolutely critical to get any idea off the ground.”

Generation Next lead Lucy Robinson, who shared findings

from the network's latest survey, said: “Getting to connect with different people and hearing so many people speak really inspires, hearing stories of their resilience and perspective on business. It’s so important to take on board as leaders, future leaders and you can take things away utilise them as a business.

“Using the growth mindset, my advice to young people is to learn as much as possible from other people, see what’s going well, what isn’t working, whether that’s from leaders or colleagues, take it all in and try and utilise that.”

NetMonkeys Managing Director Nick Gall participated in a panel discussion on embracing emerging opportunities and shared insight on the potential of AI.

He said: “My advice to young professionals is embrace AI and the conference showed me that a lot already are. I would say don’t let it take over but use it to be more productive and encourage the wider business to use it.”

Delegates enjoy the panel event at the 2025 Generation Next Leadership and Growth Conference

Panellists Albert Har (left), Nick Gall and Lucy Robinson

Keynote speaker James Peach Network ambassador Preethi Kang

Kul Mahay addresses the conference

MAIN PICTURE: L-R: Vicki Thompson, Sarah Higgins, Jean Mountain and Sarah Knight

TOP RIGHT: Eileen Perry (left) and Jean Mountain

BOTTOM RIGHT: BBC presenter Anne Davies (left) with former Tigers head of women’s rugby Vicky MacQueen

BELOW: Enterprising Women Conference 2025 panel discussion

Backing women for senior roles

Getting more women into senior roles and financial empowerment were among topics discussed by 150 East Midlands businesswomen at Enterprising Women’s International Women’s Day Conference 2025.

The conference, held at Mattioli Woods Welford Road Stadium, followed news that women now occupy 43% of roles on company boards and 35% of leadership roles in 350 FTSE companies.

The same FTSE Women Leaders Review report said more than 60% of FTSE350 companies were within striking distance of the 40% target for women’s representation in boardrooms.

The conference – powered by East Midlands Chamber’s Enterprising Women network, in conjunction with headline sponsor Mattioli Woods – included talks and panel discussions and followed the global international women’s day theme of #AccelerateAction.

‘In 2025 there shouldn’t still be a gender pay gap’

It also marked the official launch of the 2025 Enterprising Women Awards.

Leicester-based fashion retail expert and healthy living advocate Fiona Lambert was keynote speaker, sharing insight from her years of experience in roles such as managing director of Jaeger at M&S, and senior positions at Next, Asda, Dunelm and River Island.

She said: “As a woman in leadership, I’ve always mentored and sponsored young women in businesses and made sure that they

have no fear of failure, are willing to step out of their comfort zone and recognise that there’s nothing holding them back and they can grow in any job they go to.”

BBC TV presenter Anne Davies, former England international Vicky Macqueen and Enterprising Women Businesswoman of the Year 2024 Andrea Gray were among the other inspirational speakers and panellists.

Anne Davies, who chaired a panel discussion on motivation, inclusivity and empowerment, said: “Believe in yourself, set realistic goals, making sure you action what your dreams are and connect with like-minded people. If you love what you do and believe in what you’re doing, you’re going to get there.”

Former England international and didi rugby UK chief executive Vicky Macqueen said: “In all walks of life, whether that be playing rugby for England like I did, it’s about determination. That took me there, with lots of failures on the way and lots of resilience exercises. No journey is smooth.”

Former PPL PRS managing director Andrea Gray and 2024

Enterprising Women Businesswoman of the Year talked through her career journey and experiences. She said: “Events like this are super important. For me, it makes me realise that it’s not just me that worries or thinks I’m not good enough. If it was a group of

men, the conversations would be different and the themes too. As women, many of us do suffer impostor syndrome – fear of failure or not being good enough.”

Mattioli Woods head of HR Hina Chauhan said: “What I want to do is let businesses know females are there in business. Let’s find what that talent looks like. Let’s support that talent. Let’s coach, mentor, sponsor, so that females can have a seat at the table. I want to make sure that females succeed.”

Enterprising Women co-founder Eileen Perry MBE DL, who opened the conference with co-founder Jean Mountain, said: “In 2025 there shouldn’t still be a gender pay gap. There shouldn’t still be women wondering if they can make it or be recognised for their abilities.

“That means we cannot stop talking, we can’t afford to take the foot off the gas.”

THE 2025 ENTERPRISING WOMEN AWARDS 2025 CATEGORIES:

Businesswoman of the Year – sponsored by Michael Smith Switchgear

Female Entrepreneur of the Year – sponsored by Freeths

Social Commitment Award – sponsored by Tomato Energy

Small Business Award – sponsored by Unique Window Systems

Female Employee of the Year Award – sponsored by Cambridge and Counties Bank

Team of the Year Award – sponsored by Breedon Consulting

The Innovator Award – sponsored by Pick Everard

Apprentice of the Year Award – sponsored by Futures Housing Group

Developing Leader Award – sponsored by Sarah Higgins

Corporate Coaching Lifetime Achievement Award – sponsored by Paradigm Wills

To find out more and enter the awards visit: is.gd/JYax3C

Peter Elgar of HPS

HPS INCLUDED ON PRESTIGIOUS LIST

Network member HPS Product Recovery Solutions has been included in the inaugural edition of The Sunday Times 100 Tech 2025 list of Britain’s fastest-growing private technology companies.

HPS Product Recovery Solutions is a world leading supplier of advanced liquid product recovery (pigging) technology for hygienic and process applications.

The Beeston company’s products have been helping customers that process liquids in a wide range of industries to maximise product recovery, minimise waste, and improve their overall operational efficiency for 30 years.

The business has demonstrated strong growth and innovation, solidifying its position as a leader in the industry.

Peter Elgar, executive chairman of HPS Product Recovery Solutions, said: “I’m incredibly pleased to be recognised as one of Britain’s fastest-growing private tech companies.

“This achievement is a testament to the hard work and dedication of our team, as well as our commitment to providing our customers with high-quality, innovative solutions that help them optimise their operations.”

In the past year, the company has expanded its global reach, partnering with leading companies across the world in industries such as food, drink, chemicals, homecare, personal care, paint, lubricants and pet food.

Peter said: “By developing cutting-edge pigging technology, we are able to help our clients recover more of their valuable product, reduce waste, increase sustainability, and ultimately, improve their bottom line.”

East Midlands Manufacturing Network’s dedicated website (pictured) allows current and potential members to better engage with the network as it expands and evolves.

The objective of the network, which was established by East Midlands Chamber in 2022, is to act as the one-stop-shop for manufacturing businesses across the region, helping them to connect to the support, resources and funding needed to accelerate their businesses. As well as being home for the latest manufacturing events, news and funding opportunities, the new website provides a members directory, allowing interested parties to quickly find out about and link with network members.

If you are already a member of the network, please contact network advisor Debbie Rogers to arrange for your company to be

included within the members directory. Her email is deborah.rogers@emc-dnl.co.uk.

Chamber deputy chief executive Diane Beresford said: “The membership now stands at over 400 members.

“The reason the membership continues to grow is because the network offers very real and valuable support, and a safe space to share the concerns of running a

Website offers a real opportunity to engage Members

manufacturing business in the current climate.

“We’ve already seen several interesting collaborations that have sprung from the network.

“Making it easier for members to connect through the website will only strengthen our region’s partnerships.”

The network website address is: emmn.co.uk

UPCOMING EMMN MEETINGS

• Derby, 15 April – Enterprise Centre, Derby

• Nottingham, 30 April – University of Nottingham, Jubilee Campus

• Derbyshire – 16 May, EMMN Away Day meeting, hosted by EMMN, members TDP Ltd and Aquabox, Derbyshire Dales District Council

• Nottinghamshire – 4 June (date tbc), NTU Mansfield

• Leicester and Leicestershire – 10 June, DMU, Leicester

For further information and to book a place visit emmn.co.uk or email emmn@emc-dnl.co.uk

join annual get together

Members and partners of the East Midlands Manufacturing Network continued their support for the Chamber’s annual Manufacturing and Trade Conference which took place in Loughborough in March (see pages 52-53).

A sector update from EMMN partner Make UK, provided by regional director Chris Corkan featured as part of the main agenda.

EMMN chair Mark Goldby chaired a panel discussion on attraction and retention of talent in the sector and improving productivity. EMMN members Penny Engineering and JB Engineering joined the panel, along with representatives from Derby College and Loughborough University.

As well as the EMMN members who attended the conference as delegates, members from across the region took the opportunity to join the exhibition area. These included Bennet Design Engineering, Devtank, JB Engineering, Guided Automation and TQC.

Cameron Browne and Tim Telford of Devtank at the 2025 Manufacturing and Trade Conference

TRAINING & EVENTS

BOOST YOUR WORKFORCE AND DEVELOP YOUR BUSINESS

Event puts the focus on growth

Pictures by Fearn Percy, Eleanor Millichip and Loughborough University.

Driving sustainable growth and international trade post-Brexit and the Government’s industrial strategy were on the agenda for businesses and educators at the 2025 East Midlands Manufacturing and Trade Conference.

Held in partnership with Loughborough University, East Midlands Freeport, East Midlands Airport and sponsored by Howden, a series of talks and panel discussions explored the challenges and opportunities faced by manufacturers.

The conference was held at Loughborough University and issues discussed ranged from talent attraction and retention to identifying new international markets for expansion and how to handle paperwork for exporting to the European Union.

Chamber president Dawn Whitemore, who opened the conference, said: “Getting likeminded people together to share insight, experience and knowledge provides a platform where we can all learn.

‘Bringing together representatives from the sector and from education is essential’

“For the Chamber it’s about further understanding how we can support businesses and help them grow. This event makes sure we’re all on the same page and that makes it critical. Industry and education all come together, along with supporting organisations.

“We’ve got perspectives and insight to bring and the same challenges to overcome.”

Chamber director of policy and insight Richard Blackmore shared findings from its latest Quarterly Economic Survey covering the first quarter of 2025.

He said: “The data we gain comes from a wide cross-section of businesses across the East Midlands and is a vital indicator of performance, in terms of things like sales, orders and staffing levels, but also intentions for the future on everything from investment in technology to recruitment, and concerns right now.

“With manufacturing a major contributor to the East Midlands economy – we’re a region renowned for making things – bringing together representatives from the sector and from education is essential, and sharing research around the changing patterns and trends going on right here in the East Midlands is really helpful for businesses.”

Loughborough Business School professor in work psychology Eva Selenko took part in a panel discussion on attracting and retaining staff. She said: “My work includes a lot of research

SPEAKERS AND PANELLISTS AT THE 2025 EAST MIDLANDS MANUFACTURING & TRADE CONFERENCE:

• Dawn Whitemore – president, East Midlands Chamber

• Richard Blackmore – director of policy and insight, East Midlands Chamber

• Prof Nick Jennings – vice-chancellor and president, Loughborough University

• Prof Graham Hitchen – director of policy unit, Loughborough University

• Chris Corkan – region director, Make UK

• Ian Harrison – head of export development, Dept for Business and Trade

• Chris Lane – commercial director, East Midlands Airport

• Mark Goldby – chair, East Midlands Manufacturing Network

• Gavin Newman – operations director, Pinnacle International Freight

• Prof Eva Selenko – professor in work psychology, Loughborough University

• Robin Penny – managing director, Penny Engineering Group

• Carol Dixon – director of commercial business, Derby College

• Lucy Granger – head of international trade, East Midlands Chamber

• Prof Anish Roy – associate dean of research and innovation at the Wolfson School of Mechanical, Loughborough University

• Emma Swann – managing director, BOAL UK

into staff turnover, turnover intentions and job quality aspects – how they inform turnover intentions. We look at the individual parts, but also the factors that predict turnover among staff.

“What motivates someone to change a job –is it really salary, or the other benefits the job brings, from a supportive environment to developmental opportunities? We need to look at those, especially in a competitive

environment. How social science develops informs how business could develop for the better. We need to bring those together.”

Make UK region director Chris Corkan shared an overview of the manufacturing sector and how it stands at the moment.

He said: “Manufacturing has a stellar track record for being both productive and resilient.

“Undoubtedly, driving productivity remains high on the industrial agenda in order to remain

competitive and to mitigate soaring costs against the backdrop of economic volatility.

“This exemplar manufacturing event has teased out some great insights to demonstrate the strong ecosystem support available in the region and for ensuring our manufacturing sector can continue to innovate and grow.”

East Midlands Manufacturing Network chair Mark Goldby gave a talk on improving productivity through people.

Afterwards he said: “It’s always great to get people together from all different disciplines, whether it’s the higher educational institutes and businesses generally or the business support networks. If you take out the current geopolitical discussions, fundamentally people are making great products here in the East Midlands.

“Yes, it’s getting a little bit more challenging. Yes, it’s a little broader and yes, a little more red tape, but the industry is committed to innovationled development, making products more sustainable. There’s an absolute passion and it’s great to hear inspiring speakers talk about those journeys and inspire the rest to follow suit.”

Department for Business and Trade Midlands Regions head of export development Ian Harrison, who gave a presentation on exporting opportunities, said: “My message to businesses trading overseas is you’re not alone.

“There’s an awful lot of support that the Department for Business and Trade provides alongside our partners, and you can find a lot of

cargo airport, it really provides value to businesses, in terms of both imports and exports into and out of the UK that’s unrivalled across the rest of the UK really. I would encourage businesses to make use of that really and there’s a real opportunity to take advantage, to grow business within this region.”

East Midlands Chamber head of international trade Lucy Granger, who took part in a panel on overseas export and opportunities for manufacturers, said: “The UK’s exit from the EU created a pile of paperwork for businesses that wasn’t there before.

it online. We provide direct support to individuals, in terms of intelligence of where to do business, how to do business, whether online or offline, how to finance your business, and how to really optimise your time.

“The world by definition is a very big place, and if you’re not careful you can spend an awful lot of time or money pursuing the wrong thing. So, I say come and talk to us and our partners and we’ll help you grow.”

East Midlands Airport commercial director Chris Lane gave a talk on the airport’s 60th anniversary. He said: “The service the airport provides for businesses within the region is invaluable. So as the UK’s largest dedicated

“There isn’t a ‘one size fits all’ on the documents needed as it can differ significantly from country to country, the item or items you plan to export or the duration, and there’s a solution to all of these things.

“Firms aren’t always aware of the challenges or how to overcome them.

“With differing restrictions from place to place, support is essential and the team I lead can overcome the hurdles for businesses and make it an easy process.”

Howden Insurance Brokers sponsored the conference. Client director Becky Hitchcock said: “The East Midlands Manufacturing and Trade Conference is really important because you’re giving manufacturers a voice.

“For us we’re hearing about the challenges they’re facing to see if there are problems we can help try and solve.”

1. Dawn Whitemore and Ian Harrison

2. East Midlands Manufacturing Network chair Mark Goldby

3. From left: Gavin Newman, Lucy Granger, Ian Harrison and Chris Lane

4. Carol Dixon, Director of commercial business, Derby College

5. Loughborough University vice-chancellor and president Prof Nick Jennings

6. Delegates at one of the presentations

7. ENVA was among the businesses taking a display stand at the event

Digital awareness in your lap

Businesses in Derbyshire are being offered access to expert guidance on growth through connectivity at the Derbyshire Digital Awareness Conference 2025.

The conference, which is free for Derbyshire businesses to attend, takes place at the Reach Conference Centre in Derby on Friday 9 May.

It will bring together industry professionals, policy makers and thought leaders with the aim of providing the county’s businesses with practical information and takeaways to support business growth and improved productivity through digital.

The event is being delivered by East Midlands Chamber on behalf of Derbyshire County Council which will present its Digital Connectivity Strategy 2024-2030.

Expert speakers include representatives of Microsoft, talking about how to harness AI technology for growth and from the East Midlands Cyber Resilience Centre, talking about the importance of cyber resilience in the increasingly digital marketplace.

‘Digital technology and connectivity is essential to support the growth and improved productivity of local businesses’

Derbyshire County Council cabinet member for infrastructure and environment Councillor Carolyn Renwick said: “In an ever-evolving digital world, we know that digital technology and connectivity is essential to support the growth and improved productivity of local businesses.

“That’s why our Digital Derbyshire programme has focussed on upgrading properties with the slowest broadband connections in recent years –including businesses.

“Now, we’re pleased to be supporting local businesses further with the Derbyshire Digital Awareness Conference, providing companies from across the county with practical information to help improve their productivity and business offer, with expert speakers focussing on practical solutions, education on connectivity, new tools, technology and training.

“It’s all part of our digital connectivity strategy which aims to ensure Derbyshire is a wellconnected county and the event is completely free to Derbyshire businesses. So make sure you don’t miss out – book your space today.”

East Midlands Chamber director of policy and insight Richard Blackmore said: “The morning of the conference is very much dedicated to our range of keynote speakers setting the scene.

“In the afternoon, delegates will have the opportunity to choose from a range of highly practical workshops. We’ve already confirmed some really thought-provoking topics – how to horizon scan for new technologies, how to become a data-driven organisation, accessible

marketing and putting AI to good use in HR. “From emerging digital solutions for SME manufacturers to the use of smart technologies in farming, our workshop agenda will undoubtedly help businesses across many sectors to learn about emerging trends and improve their knowledge base.”

Bookings can be made by visiting: bit.ly/DDConf25

Upcoming East Midlands Chamber courses

ITOPS – INTERNATIONAL TRADE OPERATIONS AND PROCEDURES

The ITOPS qualification is a practical and relevant course designed to prove that candidates have the necessary skills to accurately operate the administration procedures in an international trade administration environment.

Delegates will learn how to avoid costly mistakes and improve their international trade procedures. Some previous delegates have saved their employers thousands of pounds. Successful candidates will be awarded the ITOPS

Qualification. The course is suitable for anyone employed in an international trade environmentwhether that of a manufacturer/supplier or freight forwarder.

Date: 24 April 2025 is.gd/OQVAL5

DIRECTOR DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMME

Our five-day Director Development Programme is designed to support directors or senior managers within businesses to help and grow their business or the department they lead. The

objective is to equip you as a director or senior manager with the skills and confidence you need to drive your business forward and achieve your objectives.

If you’re a director or senior manager in a company, this programme is designed for you to make a real difference in the ability of your business to consistently achieve objectives. This programme will give you the tools you need to make your business thrive and survive.

Date: 21 May 2025. is.gd/bIRaqH

Microsoft wants business to harness AI

SUSTAINABLE EAST MIDLANDS

www.emc-dnl.co.uk/sustainability

HELPING BUSINESSES TRANSITION TO A SUSTAINABLE AND LOW-CARBON ECONOMY

Scientists get value from used batteries

University of Leicester scientists have developed a way of sustainably extracting valuable metals from a waste product of used batteries.

The technology allows lithium-ion battery “black mass” – a low-value mixture of materials – to be purified in a matter of minutes and at room temperature to recover valuable, battery-grade metal oxides. It is usually done in a process using heat from an inefficient furnace.

Billions of the batteries are used worldwide in electronics and electric vehicles, and the university hopes it could lead to a cheaper and more sustainable recycling method.

The research was led by Professor Andy Abbott and Dr Jake Yang. Dr Yang said: “This quick, simple and inexpensive method could revolutionise how batteries are recycled at scale. We now hope to work with a variety of stakeholders to scale-up this technology and create a circular economy for lithium-ion batteries.”

Globally, there are an estimated 40 million electric vehicles and approximately 10 billion active mobile phones, laptops and tablets, all powered by lithium-ion batteries – but a lack of regulation means the battery packs are not designed to be recycled.

Geo Green puts solar energy at your services

Geo Green Power has completed a £1.1m solar project for motorway services business Moto Hospitality.

The Nottinghamshire green energy technology business has installed solar panels at an initial 13 of its service stations – helping Moto with its green credentials, reducing energy costs and taking the business a step closer to carbon neutrality.

Panels have been installed at Winchester North, Wetherby, Grantham, Pease Pottage, Donington Park, Stirling, Trowell, Woolley Edge Southbound, Thurrock, Southwaite, Woolley Edge Northbound, Cherwell Valley and Rugby.

The installations will deliver a total reduction of 311 tonnes of CO2 annually.

The renewable energy specialists installed

systems ranging in size from 35kWp to 400kWp and will provide a five-year maintenance contract as part of the deal.

James Cunningham, managing director of Geo Green Power, said: “We’re delighted to be working with Moto Hospitality on their journey to net zero.

“Our mission extends beyond just helping Moto reduce their emissions – we aim to inspire other businesses to evaluate their environmental footprint and adopt sustainable practices to create a greener future for everyone.”

Moto Hospitality property director Jess Lockwood said: “We're excited to see the positive impact these systems will have and have already started expanding them to more of our locations starting with Exeter and Sawtry.”

Zero-emission buses are just the ticket

Kinchbus has ordered 21 zero-emission electric buses to transform its network in and around Loughborough.

The first 11 buses in the £8m order will be plugged in in October, providing 100% clean and green public transport on Kinchbus 2, 5, 9, 11 and 12 plus sprint.

The remaining 10 new buses will arrive in early 2026, with all existing diesel buses retired except those on the long distance skylink Derby service, which itself will see investment this year in 16 new ultra-low emission vehicles.

Kinchbus is investing in new infrastructure at its Swingbridge Road depot to support the new electric fleet.

Managing director Tom Morgan said: “The order is a huge moment for Kinchbus and for the

people of Loughborough. This really is a green new dawn for the town and its public transport.

“Loughborough – and the villages served by Kinchbus 2 and 9 – will enjoy one of the most electrified bus services of any town or city.

“The electric buses are quieter, smoother, more reliable and an all-round improvement for customers and their journeys. And our drivers are also looking forward to a great driving experience.

“We are resolutely committed to providing sustainable public transport of the highest quality and have always invested in the cleanest and greenest vehicles as they have emerged.”

Part of the funding for the new buses has come thanks to a successful joint bid with Leicestershire County Council for a government grant. Kinchbus itself is investing £5m.

Geo Green Power has delivered a £1.1m solar project for Moto

A lithium-ion high-voltage battery on an EV production line

A Yutong electric bus on test by Kinchbus

INTERNATIONAL TRADE

SUPPORT, STRATEGIES AND RESOURCES FOR EXPORTERS AND IMPORTERS

Global economy is reeling from the impact of US trade tariffs

The “will-he, won’t-he?” saga of Trump tariffs on trade continues with a new hit to UK industry after the president announced 25% tariffs on aluminium and steel imports globally “with no exception”.

Analysts have cut global growth forecasts as Donald’s Trump’s isolationist policies start to impact economies around the world – including the US itself.

The US Federal Reserve has warned that tariffs – basically taxes on imports – were likely to slow growth and hinder its efforts to keep prices on that side of the Atlantic stable, noting recent data showing a rise in US goods prices.

America is the largest single country trading partner which the UK has, worth £300bn in bilateral trade each year, and second only to the EU.

The current pattern of UK exports to the US is around £61bn a year in goods exports, and £112bn a year in services exports.

Prime Minister Keir Starmer said the UK will "keep all options on the table" following the latest move, as he hopes to strike a free trade deal with the Trump administration, which could mean all tariffs being removed.

‘It’s hugely disappointing that no exemption has so far been made for the UK and this news is not going to be welcome for those that export steel to the US’

Following the imposition of the new aluminium and steel tax, Chamber chief executive Scott Knowles said: “With the mountain of challenges businesses are facing right now, it’s hugely disappointing that no exemption has so far been

made for the UK and this news is not going to be welcome for those that export steel to the US. Stamping on this extra cost could threaten jobs, while production costs will likely be driven further upwards and that can have a knock-on effect beyond the steel industry.

“Businesses in the East Midlands are already grappling with increasing price pressure, with six-out-of-10 reporting they’d have to consider raising prices in our Quarterly Economic Survey.

“The UK has a long history providing steel products to the US and being able to export smoothly and affordably is essential for businesses. I urge the government to immediately step up efforts to negotiate a deal that’s supportive of business.”

William Bain, British Chambers of Commerce head of trade policy, said these were tough times for trans-Atlantic trade that had plunged businesses, in both the US and UK, into a new age of uncertainty.

Donald Trump’s trade tariffs are impacting industry and economies all over the world

THESE ARE TAXING TIMES FOR INTERNATIONAL TRADE

Lucy Granger (pictured), head of international trade at East Midlands Chamber, helps explain what tariffs are and how they work.

Tariffs are essentially a tax imposed by a country or customs territory on the import – or export – of goods.

They act as a source of revenue for government, and form part of trade policies and regulations, such as free trade agreements, or protective measures in the form of quotas.

Tariffs are fundamentally designed to increase the costs of imported goods, to encourage demand for locally sourced goods – and boost the local economy.

Free Trade Agreements (FTAs) are agreements between countries to reduce or eliminate tariffs and other trade barriers on goods and services exchanged between them.

In an FTA, tariffs are typically lowered or removed entirely on most products traded between the signatory countries. This makes it easier and cheaper for businesses to trade across borders.

‘The UK is negotiating with Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries for a comprehensive trade deal’

However, tariffs may still apply to products not covered by the agreement or to countries outside the FTA.

FTAs reduce the impact of tariffs between member countries, making trade more efficient and cost-effective.

The UK officially joined the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP) on December 15, 2024. This agreement enhances trade relationships with countries such as Japan, Canada, Australia and several Southeast Asian nations

The UK is negotiating with Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries –Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and the UAE – for a comprehensive trade

He said: “Products made with UK steel and aluminium play an important part in many supply chains in the US. Both sides will now be facing up to negotiations on how the burden of these new tariffs will affect businesses in both countries.

“Despite this action, UK firms will want to keep trading with their customers and clients in the US and vice versa. Our commercial, investment and trading relationships remain strong. Tariffs mean prices and costs will inevitably go up and this is a lose-lose scenario for consumers, businesses, and economic growth. More tariffs are also on the agenda for the start of next month which will add fresh uncertainty into the mix.

“BCC research shows that 63% of our manufacturing exporters were concerned about

deal. Following the UK's departure from the European Union, the UK has sought to strengthen trade relations with non-EU countries, including the GCC nations.

Negotiations between India and the UK for a comprehensive FTA have progressed significantly. By spring 2024, most chapters covering goods, services, investment and intellectual property rights were completed. Discussions continue on specific issues, including rules of origin and tariff concessions. Formal negotiations were relaunched on January 14, 2025.

While Free Trade Agreements are designed to make trade easier, by removing barriers and in some cases tariffs, FTAs in themselves are complex, so understanding the rules set out within an agreement is important

It is the responsibility of the importer to ensure that they meet the requirements set out in the trade agreement as it will be the importer that receives any reductions in import duties.

It is also important to remember that each free trade agreement is unique. While there may be some similarities, there are some significant differences in the way in which origin is proved, or within the rules of origins.

impact of tariffs before their introduction.

“But this setback does not mean we have reached the end of the road in terms of negotiations. Tariffs can be lifted at any time.

“Businesses will be looking to the UK government to continue dialogue, with the US, to resolve this situation and restore certainty for firms, which has been badly lacking over recent weeks. Against this background, a series of titfor-tat tariffs could easily spiral into an all-out trade war and would do the UK little benefit.

“We must keep talks alive and retaliatory tariffs should only be used as a means of last resort.

“If talks succeed, it would be a win-win, bringing welcome stability and pro-growth economic conditions for both sides.”

Shevaun Havilland of the BCC

BCC calls for reset of EU relationship

The Director General of the British Chambers of Commerce (BCC), Shevaun Haviland, has urged the Government to accelerate efforts to reset UK/EU relations to quickly remove trade barriers for businesses.

She has warned that as the world order shifts, with unique geopolitical challenges, UK businesses need a pragmatic, growth-driven package of improvements to the UK/EU trading relationship.

She also highlighted the importance of strengthening UK/US trading relations, announcing that the BCC will lead a delegation of some of Britain’s largest businesses to Washington, alongside the Business Secretary Jonathan Reynolds, to meet with Ambassador Peter Mandelson.

‘A new relationship with the EU is more important now than ever given the challenging geopolitics of our time’

She said: “We hope the UK/EU summit between the Prime Minister and Presidents von der Leyen and Costa, in the UK on 19 May, is constructive and moves the dial.

“Business wants to see more than just a reset moment, they want to see a timeline, clear process and eventual agreements to ensure the best working partnership for all our nations.

“A new relationship with the EU is more important now than ever given the challenging geopolitics of our time.

“But we must also ensure we continue to build on our strong relationships across the world; that we are deploying our best negotiators to secure valuable FTAs; and we do not have a knee-jerk reaction to daily headlines.

“We must keep a cool head as we begin to grasp this new world order.

“We must be quick to seize new opportunities that both seek to protect our security and our economy.”

Recognising the threat of further tariffs for the UK, following the 25% tax for all imports of steel and aluminium from the UK to the US, she warned: “A wider conflict on trade would be a lose-lose scenario for the global economy, and we will not be immune from the consequences of that here in the UK.

“It is vital that the UK Government stays calm. The British Chambers of Commerce shared a memorandum with ministers on our priorities for their discussions with the US administration on trade, which we are hopeful can produce a winwin agreement – keeping tariffs low, and cooperation high on technology and AI.”

POLITICS

ROUNDING UP LOCAL AND NATIONAL AFFAIRS

New developer for Broad Marsh

New approach to knife crime in Nottingham

Political and community leaders and organisations are working on a joint approach to tackling knife crime following recent incidents in Nottingham.

Councillor Corall Jenkins (pictured), executive member for communities, waste and equalities on the city council; Nottinghamshire Police and Crime Commissioner Gary Godden; Nottinghamshire Police Chief Constable Kate Meynell and other local partners are working together to address the issue.

Nottingham City Council has agreed to sell the Broad Marsh site to speed up progress with its redevelopment.

The council took back control of the site in July 2020 following the sudden collapse of the Intu group of companies.

It says it has now found a buyer with a “considerable track record of major development” to take on the land.

Commercial sensitivities mean the buyer would be announced once the deal – which it said had been subject to due diligence – had been finalised.

‘This is really positive news for Nottingham and marks the start of a major redevelopment for this key part of the city’

started working with the NHS on a new health centre in Lister Gate.

The council has also helped secure a £3.4m grant from the East Midlands Combined County Authority (EMCCA) to allow further demolition of the old shopping centre frame.

A spokesperson said: “It is widely recognised that the Broad Marsh site is one of the largest and most important city-centre development opportunities in the UK at present, but the council was aware that it would not be able to deliver its redevelopment alone.

“The proposed buyer intends to work with partners, including the council, to drive forward this regeneration.

“The council will continue to be actively involved in the site as it develops over the coming years, with the proposed buyer due to consult over the delivery of the project through the planning process.”

In a joint statement, Cllr Jenkins, the Chief Constable and the Police and Crime Commissioner, said: “We understand how concerned people are about knife crime here in Nottingham and right across the UK. We will always put the victims of knife crime and our communities first in everything we do as partner agencies.

“Hopefully the public will be reassured by the significant number of arrests that have been made over the past few days in response to the recent incidents we have seen and also the high visibility patrols that have been put in place.

“Sadly, knife crime is a problem for society as a whole and the only way to combat the issue is to take a multi-agency approach. No single agency can tackle this issue alone but by working together on a long-term approach and sharing information we can tackle the root causes.”

The council said the sale would not only speed up the plans, but would provide significant income for it.

Once complete the Broad Marsh site will have more than 1,000 homes and up to 215,000 sq ft of retail, office and community spaces, leading to an estimated 2,000 full-time jobs

The land included in the sale is made up of the former Broadmarsh shopping centre, cleared land to the west of the Green Heart, the NCP multi-storey car park, Severns House and former college site in Maid Marian Way.

Since 2020, the council has carried out demolition of part of the former shopping centre; helped with a new Nottingham College hub and improved Sussex Street with seating, basketball and skating areas; made major road network changes, including pedestrianising Collin Street; opened the new Central Library, Broad Marsh bus station and car park, and a new play area in Collin Street and Green Heart; and

Council leader Councillor Neghat Khan said: “This is really positive news for Nottingham and marks the start of a major redevelopment for this key part of our city.

“We know that people have wanted to see progress here for a long time and we understand that it has been a frustration for some that this hasn’t happened.

“However, it’s important to be clear just how much work has been undertaken by the council since the site was suddenly handed back to us in 2020 – in the middle of a global pandemic –when Intu went into administration.

“We’re excited by the plans that the proposed buyers have and we look forward to working closely with them on bringing these to fruition.”

Mayor of the East Midlands Claire Ward said: “The opening of the Green Heart and the pedestrianised area along Collin Street have both been recent positive steps forward for Broad Marsh and this sale shows the further ambition and intent to really invest and transform that part of the city.”

Artist’s impression of the Nottingham Broad Marsh masterplan

Unlocking growth opportunity

Big changes in the way investment comes into the East Midlands, underpinned by stronger devolved powers, have been identified by a new commission set up to identify growth opportunities.

The Inclusive Growth Commission was launched by the East Midlands Combined County Authority (EMCCA) last November to identify how the northern half of the region could unlock billions of pounds of investment, boost prosperity and reduce inequalities.

Mayor Claire Ward and council leaders across Derby, Derbyshire, Nottingham and Nottinghamshire brought in the Royal Society of Arts – which has experience helping places join the dots between economic opportunities and people’s needs – to run the commission.

‘We know how important economic growth is, but it is also important that we hold that growth to high standards’

In its interim report, the commission suggested that EMCCA be placed on a “fast-track” for more powers, funding and flexibility, similar to those in places in Greater Manchester and the West Midlands. Its final report and subsequent strategy will be published in September.

Underpinning the interim recommendations was the concept of practical, step-by-step skills development, work experience and career guidance to help more people into well-paid, secure jobs.

For that to work the region must look beyond the high-tech, high-growth industries set out in the Government’s Industrial Strategy Green Paper, and nurture a broader range of industries with secure and rewarding jobs in manufacturing, logistics, construction, health and social care, and

modern services including the visitor economy.

Key barriers standing in the way of jobs and career development include a rise in long-term ill health, a fraying social fabric that leaves people and communities isolated, access to transport, and acute housing needs that prevent people from locating or commuting to the places where good jobs are on offer.

Mayor of the East Midlands Claire Ward said: “The East Midlands economy is shaped by people and places – but the economy also shapes people and places.

“It’s a feedback loop, and some of those loops are not working for our region as they should.

“This is not inevitable – and I became mayor precisely because I know that there is potential in every part of this region that can be unleashed.

“We know how important economic growth is, but it is also important that we hold that growth

to high standards: it should enable people to live healthy, fulfilling lives as part of connected communities and thriving places.

“This is easy enough to say, but we must work and invest differently to bring this about in practice – and that change will take sustained effort on our part.

“I convened the Inclusive Growth Commission for this purpose, to coalesce insight from the region and beyond to lay out how we should be working and investing to deliver inclusive growth – and I am pleased to have reached a point at which we can share some of its findings for the people of this region to consider.”

Andy Haldane, CEO of the RSA and chair of the commission, said unlocking economic potential required more power to be put into local hands, combined with the resources to forge a lasting strategy for growth.

Shortlist of options to fix waste facility

Three big waste management firms have been selected for the next stage in the process of appointing a contractor to fix and operate the long-delayed Sinfin waste treatment centre.

Biffa, Thalia and Viridor have been identified by Derby City Council and Derbyshire County Council as the most suitable companies for the plans.

Both councils have said they were committed to a decision made in February 2023, to work together to get the incinerator up and running after years of delays.

They said fixing and operating the multimillion-pound facility was the most viable and cost-effective, long-term solution to manage household waste – with “capability, capacity and appetite” in the market to deliver the project.

If all goes to plan the contract could be awarded this December, with site rectification getting underway in June 2027. The incinerator could eventually be commissioned in June 2028, with the first waste accepted the following November. It would then take up to three years to build up to full operations.

The councils and bidders will now spend six months working on the best approaches to strike the right balance between cost and quality.

A spokesperson for Derbyshire County Council said: “We were confident we had developed a procurement process and commercial proposition that would be attractive to the right companies.

“Shortlisting three major players in the UK waste market proves there’s a competitive market for this project, and operators with the skills and experience to successfully deliver it and its expected benefits.

“Fixing and operating the facility was found to be the most viable, cost-effective and sustainable long-term solution to manage household waste which residents in Derby and Derbyshire either cannot or choose not to recycle.”

A spokesperson for Derby City Council said: “Reaching this stage with three leading waste management companies demonstrates both the strength of our approach and the level of industry interest in this project.”

In today’s digital landscape, the internet is indispensable for fostering connections, unleashing creativity, and conducting commerce. It’s transforming the way we communicate and establish businesses.

My journey started in 2011 as a teenager using social media to express myself and combat feelings of isolation. This led to a shift from personal connections to finding a professional calling. By 2016, a dedicated approach to my YouTube channel resulted in gaining 30,000 subscribers in just four months, prompting me to reevaluate what truly brings fulfillment.

After some reflection, I’m relaunching my projects, now equipped with valuable insights from my experiences. Understanding the psychology behind digital engagement is essential for transitioning from content creation to strategic entrepreneurship. Genuine, relatable content resonates with audiences, and mastering the algorithms of platforms can significantly boost your online visibility.

Achieving digital success involves blending technical skills with a broader purpose.

The concept of ikigai, a Japanese philosophy of finding one's purpose, has profoundly influenced my approach, helping me integrate my passions for family, fitness, and creativity with my professional ambitions.

As the digital environment evolves, the core importance of human connection remains unchanged. By employing authentic storytelling and strategic thinking, we aim to create not just content, but lasting digital legacies that make a real impact.

Develop your digital identity by leveraging your unique experiences andgenuine voice. The platforms may change, but the power of true connection endures. T: 07897 678374 E: maelmedulan97@gmail.com. Search: @abirosae on Social Media

FEATURES

TURNING THE SPOTLIGHT ON ISSUES AND SECTORS THAT MATTER TO BUSINESS

A guide to leasing a commercial property

Leasing a commercial property is a significant decision that involves legal, financial and logistical considerations. It can leave you feeling out of your depth, especially if it is the first time you have engaged in such a process. Ben Couch (pictured), property solicitor at Banner Jones Solicitors, outlines the key steps, important terms and best practices to help you navigate the process effectively.

Before you begin your search, clarify your needs. What do you need a commercial property for? E.g. office, retail, warehouse. You should think about size, location, footfall, accessibility, whether you need a short- or long-term lease and decide on your budget (which needs to include rent, rates etc).

Step 2: Search for properties

There are different things you can do to search for a suitable property. For example, use property portals, speak to a commercial estate agent, look out for “To Let” signs locally and speak with your local business network and chambers of commerce.

Step 3: Understand key types of commercial lease

These include a Full Repairing and Insuring (FRI) Lease (where the tenant covers property repairs and insurance), an Internal Repairing Lease (tenant is responsible for internal repairs; landlord handles external upkeep), Flexible or Serviced Leases (short-term agreements for managed spaces, often including utilities and services) and Licences to Occupy (short-term agreements that are simpler than leases, typically for co-working spaces or pop-ups).

Step 4: Consider business rates

Business rates are a local tax on commercial properties. You should check the “Rateable Value” set by the Valuation Office Agency (VOA) based on the property’s market rental value and check whether you qualify for Small Business Rate Relief.

Step 5: Conduct viewings and evaluate properties

Visit potential properties and assess their condition, the utilities and facilities in place, access, parking and legal compliance (e.g. complies with fire safety, health, and disability access requirements).

Step 6: Negotiate terms

When you find a suitable property, negotiate the lease terms. You will first need to ascertain, for example, your maintenance responsibilities, whether the lease allows your intended business purpose, the lease term and how rent increases will be calculated before negotiations can begin.

Before signing the lease, consult a solicitor to review and negotiate the lease agreement (ensuring it is fair and legally compliant), a surveyor to assess the property’s condition and assist with negotiations and an accountant to confirm financial viability and advise on tax implications.

Step 8: Conduct due diligence

You will need to verify the property’s energy efficiency (a minimum rating of "E" is required), ensure the property is permitted for your intended use, confirm the landlord’s ownership and any restrictions on the property and carry out searches (e.g. local authority, environmental, mining and drainage and water).

Step 9: Finalise the lease

Once you and your solicitor have agreed Heads of Terms (HoTs) (a summary of key lease terms, agreed upon before drafting the full lease), you can then sign the lease and make initial payments (e.g. deposit, first rent instalment, and any agreed service charges).

Step 10: Moving in

Inspect the property when you move in. Take photos and create a detailed inventory to record the property’s initial condition. Arrange for utilities, internet and any additional services. Ensure your operations meet health and safety, fire, and planning regulations. Some additional tips for leasing commercial property include:

• Start early: Begin your search six–to-12 months before your ideal move-in date.

• Break clauses: Include options to terminate the lease early, subject to conditions.

• Budget for hidden costs: Factor in legal fees, stamp duty, moving costs and potential refurbishments.

• Registration of lease at land registry: Be aware of the delays and the fact it may take up to a year for this to be finalised.

By thoroughly understanding the leasing process and engaging the right professionals, you can secure a commercial property that meets your business needs and sets you up for success.

‘Before you begin your search, clarify your needs. What do you need a commercial property for?’

In-house legal services for SMEs

Getting legal advice when you start out on your journey as a business owner is essential for learning how to protect your business and how to avoid costly legal issues. But SMEs often only delay seeking legal advice, only employing a lawyer when they feel it is absolutely necessary. Business Network explores the benefits of having in-house legal services and why they might be worth the expense.

WHAT ARE THE RISKS – AND THE OPTIONS?

There are many reasons why an SME might not consider retaining the ongoing services of a lawyer, with cost being a key factor, and they may attempt ‘DIY’ methods of solving their legal issues before seeking out expert advice. However, this comes with considerable risk; you are not protecting your business against hidden threats and, if any should arise, to delay seeking help could be more costly in the long run than engaging assistance from the moment it is needed.

Employing an in-house lawyer brings many business and cost benefits, and many larger businesses will have already realised the advantages. But while SMEs may not be big enough, or have the finances to justify retaining full-time legal service, there are still options available to them. For example, it is possible to come to an arrangement with a law firm to employ their services on a part-time basis or short-term contact. But what benefits will it bring?

AVOID THREATS

Your retained lawyer will work with you to identify and manage – or avoid – any hidden threat to your business that might cause significant disruption or delay your plans for the future. There are many legal considerations that you might not have considered before or factored into your business plan: risks can include renegotiating the terms and conditions of your lease, employment law issues, health and safety, data protection breaches and the modern slavery act.

If you overlook or breach any of these issues, you can be faced with serious financial impacts that could have a knock-on effect on your operations – and your reputation.

STAY AHEAD OF THE GAME

Your consultant will be able to provide you with legal updates as you need them and conduct training, if necessary, for your staff. They will also be able to check out any issues you’re unsure of – small worries that you might not want to incur the expense of instructing external solicitors on.

KNOWING YOUR BUSINESS

Your in-house lawyer will know you and your business well, and so will be able to respond quickly and appropriately to your legal needs. As an expert in the field, they will take on a central role in the business, learning the ins and outs of your operation and anticipate your legal needs. You will build a solid relationship so you know you can rely on a personal service and remain certain of the quality of advice.

COST CONTROL

While retaining a consultant lawyer might not entirely eliminate the need for outside legal advice, having your legal work carried out in-house comes with obvious and significant cost savings. If you do ever need to retain the services of an outside law firm, your in-house consultant can still be of assistance. They can source and even manage the services of an appropriate expert lawyer, ensuring that you get the advice you actually need. An added benefit includes having your adviser negotiating the best fee and terms on your behalf.

Despite the cost issues, the results do speak for themselves. The more you work with an in-house lawyer, the better protected your business will be. In the long run legal pitfalls can be avoided, risks can be mitigated, money can be saved and future plans can be fulfilled.

‘Your in-house lawyer will know you and your business well, and so will be able to respond quickly and appropriately to your legal needs’

FOCUS

CHAMBER CHIEF EXECUTIVE SCOTT KNOWLES

OPENS THIS MONTH’S BUSINESS NETWORK FOCUS SECTION WHICH IS DEDICATED TO POLITICS.

REGION MUST MAKE SURE THAT NEW POLITICAL STRUCTURES WORK FOR US

The East Midlands is entering a period when there will be significant external and internal change – although when has that never been the case?

Newly established political structures, such as The East Midlands County Combined Authority (EMCCA), the deployment of a national Industrial Strategy supported by Local Growth Plans, the creation of new government business support mechanisms such as The Business Growth Service which will launch in 2025, the impact of the December 2024 Devolution White Paper and resulting local government reorganisation over the next few years and the Get Britain Working White Paper outcomes on optimising the workforce will all have an impact on the business community across the three cities and three counties.

This of course must also be viewed through the lens of national policy which recently announced a significant increase in spending on defence and the impact this will ultimately have on investment elsewhere.

Much of the above seeks to completely redefine how business has understood the world to work for the last 50-plus years. Local

government reorganisation seeks to create unitary local authorities across city and county areas, ultimately removing the two-tier local authority structure that we are all familiar with.

Whether this comes with business rate reform and amendments to planning, something businesses have informed are significant barriers to growth for decades remains to be seen.

‘The East Midlands needs greater public sector investment, acting as leverage for private sector investment’

All of the above ultimately must result in the three cities and counties receiving greater levels of investment from the centre than it has traditionally. The Chamber has lobbied for years for parity of investment compared to other regions at the very least – considering as a region we make “more stuff” here in the East

Midlands than any other region, which we ship across the UK and the world, this doesn’t seem unreasonable.

In the last few years, we have seen huge leaps forward in technology coupled with growing climate emergencies and an increase in geopolitical unrest all of which are already impacting all aspects of business and life generally.

The East Midlands needs greater public sector investment, acting as leverage for private sector investment, in areas including but not limited to greater access to finance for businesses to expand and grow, digital and transport infrastructure, green technology innovation to address climate change, and to support our exporters to reverse the decline, in some cases post-pandemic, of overall regional exporting, to become an area of national and global significance.

Hopefully, new national, regional and local political structures will bring about these essential changes to create an economic landscape that businesses can thrive and grow in. After all, the currency of business is confidence.

Chamber chief executive Scott Knowles

DEVOLUTION COULD CLEAR WAY FOR GREATER FUNDING

The leaders of Leicestershire County Council and Leicester City Council are working on devolution plans that could one day see an elected mayor covering the city, county and neighbouring Rutland.

Alongside national plans to cut bureaucracy among local councils – by bringing city, county, borough and district councils together into new unitary authorities – political leaders in Leicester and Leicestershire are also considering more long-term plans to devolve more powers from Westminster.

It could work along the same principles as the East Midlands Combined County Authority which covers Derby, Derbyshire, Nottingham and Nottinghamshire, with responsibility for areas such as infrastructure investment, skills and employment, housing and economic development.

Acting Leicestershire County Council leader Councillor Deborah Taylor said the immediate priority was working with the city and district and borough councils on plans to create new unitary councils. But it was clear, she said, that devolution would come later down the line.

Cllr Taylor said: “We need to set ourselves up under the new system, whatever that might be, and then move on to devolution with that new unitary council or councils, depending on what the Government ask us to do first.

Politics today is far from perfect. Many people feel disillusioned by the state of governance and the quality of political discourse. It is easy to become frustrated and disengage entirely, but doing so only makes the situation worse. If we want better politicians and policies that truly serve our communities, the only solution is greater engagement and scrutiny of who we are electing.

One of the most important things to remember during an election is that we are electing a person, not a party. While party policies play a significant role at the national level, they often have little impact on the day-today decisions made in local government.

Local governance is more about practical problem-solving, responsible decision-making, and community development than it is about ideological battles. This makes it crucial to elect

“A devolved mayor will bring powers and funding down from London – it would not do any of the local services that we deliver.

“The only thing the Government are talking about is it absorbing the Police and Crime Commission and the fire service – they have made muted noises that might sit under a devolved mayor, as it does in London. But whether that’s something they pursue, I don't know.”

‘I think we’ve missed out on so much. It’s well documented that Leicestershire is one of the lowest funded county councils’

Cllr Taylor said the timescale for devolution would depend on the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government which she suspected was going to be inundated with devolution proposals. She said a handful of areas around the UK wanted to have elections for mayors in May next year, and she suspected the earliest mayoral election for Leicester and Leicestershire could be 2028 or 2029. The benefits, she believed, would be numerous.

“I think we’ve missed out on so much. It’s well

Acting Leicestershire County Council leader Councillor Deborah Taylor

documented that Leicestershire is one of the lowest funded county councils. The funding is not kind to us at all, and not only us but health services and the police are all struggling, so we’re all leaning on each other because our budgets are all so low. We need to sort that. We’re also stuck when it comes to transport funding – we don’t have any in the county. And we have skill shortages and employment issues which can all be looked at under devolution.

“We’ve seen how a devolved mayor has worked really well in Manchester and the West Midlands. If businesses want to invest, they know who to come and talk to – they know who pulls the strings.”

LOCAL GOVERNMENT NOT A PLACE FOR PARTY POLITICS

Independent Councillor Matthew Relf is the executive lead member for growth, regeneration and local planning at Ashfield District Council. He was the Independent candidate in last year’s East Midlands Combined County Authority elections. He will be standing down at the end of his current district term in 2027. Here he considers the role of party politics in local government.

individuals with the skills, motivation, and integrity to serve effectively, regardless of their party affiliation.

Over the years, I have had the privilege of working alongside councillors from various backgrounds who are deeply committed to making a positive difference in our community. While we may have had our disagreements, the common goal of improving our area has always united us.

‘Stay engaged with your representatives, voice your concerns, and hold them to account for their decisions’

At the end of my current term, I will not be standing for re-election. Being a councillor has been an incredibly rewarding experience, but it is also demanding and draining. There is nothing inherently wrong with career politicians, but I firmly believe that politics is at its healthiest when fresh perspectives and new ideas are

regularly introduced. A dynamic and engaged electorate, bringing in new voices and challenging the status quo, ensures that governance remains relevant and effective.

This is why I encourage everyone to take an active role in the democratic process.

Here are some key ways you can make a difference:

Research your candidates: When elections come around, take the time to investigate all the candidates. Focus on their track record, values, and qualifications rather than what their party leaders are saying in the media.

Engage between elections: Politics is not just about casting a vote every few years. Stay engaged with your representatives, voice your concerns, and hold them to account.

Support good candidates: If you find a candidate who aligns with your values and whom you trust, consider helping them.

Consider standing yourself: If you don’t see a candidate who represents your vision for your community, why not step up? Running in an election is hard work, but it is also incredibly fulfilling.

Independent Councillor Matthew Relf

CHANGES TO BENEFITS WILL AFFECT MILLIONS

Work and Pensions Secretary Liz Kendall said sweeping changes to the benefits system will still protect those most in need despite taking away £5bn of support a year by 2030.

The Leicester West MP has been at the centre of the latest high-profile Government plan to fill the black-hole in public finances –announcing welfare changes that will make it harder for people with less severe conditions to claim disability benefits.

She said she still wants to protect those who are most in need, while encouraging more disabled people and the long-term sick to find jobs helped by a “record” £1bn of employment support measures.

The Government says the new measures are designed to ensure a welfare system that is “fit for purpose and available for future generations” – tackling a spiralling benefits bill while ensuring those who can’t work get the help they need.

One-in-eight young people are recorded as not in work, education or training, while 2.8 million are said to be economically inactive due to long-term sickness – one of the highest rates in the G7 group of countries.

The Government said the number of people receiving one of the main types of health and disability benefit – Personal Independence Payments (PIP) – had risen rapidly and was no longer sustainable.

‘Our social security system must be there for all of us when we need it, now and into the future’

It said since the pandemic, the number of working-age people receiving PIP has more than doubled.

The reforms will end reassessments for disabled people who will never be able to work and people with lifelong conditions to ensure they can live with “dignity and security”.

The Work and Pensions Secretary said: “Our social security system must be there for all of us when we need it, now and into the future. That means helping people who can work to do so, protecting those most in need, and delivering respect and dignity for all.

“Millions of people have been locked out of work, and we can do better for them. Disabled people and those with health conditions who can work deserve the same choices and chances as everyone else.

“That’s why we’re introducing the most far-reaching reforms in a generation, with £1bn a year being invested in tailored support that can be adapted to meet their changing circumstances – including their changing health – while also scrapping the failed Work Capability Assessment.

“This will mean fairness for disabled people and those with long term health conditions, but also for the taxpayers who fund it as these measures bring down the benefits bill.

“At the same time, we will ensure that our welfare system protects people. There will always be some people who cannot work because of their disability or health condition. Protecting people in need is a principle we will never compromise on.”

Anew Government Plan for Neighbourhoods scheme will see £1.5bn handed to towns across the UK to create growth and opportunities.

The funding will see 75 towns get up to £20m each over the next decade to “unleash their full potential”. Ten towns in the East Midlands, including Chesterfield, Newark and Kirkby-inAshfield, will receive help.

Chesterfield MP Toby Perkins said: “Together with the £20m we are receiving from the Levelling Up fund, this will provide real opportunities for improving the town centre, attracting new businesses, and growing the local economy.

“It will also provide opportunities for new youth clubs, cultural venues and other social improvements.

‘This

funding will help turn things around’

“We all know that our town centres and high streets have struggled with the rise of online shopping and the hangover from Tory austerity and the pandemic, but this funding will help turn things around.”

The 10-year funding programme will require ‘Neighbourhood Boards’ to work closely with councils and communities to develop regeneration plans for each area.

Plans for an initial four years of investment will need to be submitted to The Ministry of Housing, Communities & Local Government by the end of 2025, with funding starting next April.

Newark and Sherwood District Council leader Councillor Paul Peacock said money for Newark – including Balderton – would allow the community to play a bigger part in kickstarting growth.

He said: “We are currently awaiting further guidance from Government relating to the scheme and we will then support the preparation of proposals to meet the focus towards thriving places and stronger communities.

“Additional investment in our towns is absolutely vital to ensure long-term sustainability and we are committed to ensuring that we do all we can to achieve this.

“We will continue to identify any opportunity to apply for additional funding to support all areas of our district.”

The Government is focusing on three longterm aims – to build thriving places, strengthen communities and empower people to taking

Leicester West MP

Liz Kendall

Chesterfield MP Toby Perkins

Newark-on-Trent could benefit from the Neighbourhood Board plans

NEIGHBOURHOOD PLAN BRINGS HOPE TO STRUGGLING TOWNS

back control instead of ‘sticking plaster’ policies.

New Neighbourhood Boards will bring together residents, business owners and grassroots campaigners to set a vision for the future of their community.

Ashfield District Council is getting £20m to go towards the Kirkby Neighbourhood Plan.

The Kirkby Town Board agreed a draft plan for investment last summer. Submission of the plan was then put on hold while the Government reviewed the funding programme so the final

Chesterfield is another of the towns likely to benefit from the Government plans

plan will be submitted this year. The board will start implementing projects from April 2026 onwards.

Councillor Jason Zadrozny, leader at Ashfield District Council, said: “We are pleased this muchneeded funding for Kirkby has been reconfirmed. This funding was previously earmarked for projects we have been working on for well over a year now, so to have confirmation this funding is secure is good news for Ashfield.

“We will continue to work with the Kirkby

Town Board to review our plan and get it ready for re-submission later in the year, ready to start implementation of our plan as soon as the funding arrives from April 2026 onwards.”

Cllr Chris Huskinson, ward councillor for Greenwood and Summit on Ashfield District Council, said: “To see this amount of funding reconfirmed for Kirkby is fantastic.

“We have already seen the new Planetarium and Science Discovery Centre at Sherwood Observatory open thanks to ongoing investment in our regeneration programmes, as well as new leisure facilities at Kings Mill Reservoir for residents and visitors across the region. This funding will help us in continuing our work to improve Kirkby for our residents, visitors and businesses.”

Deputy Prime Minister and Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government Angela Rayner MP said: “For years, too many neighbourhoods have been starved of investment, despite their potential to thrive and grow.

Communities across the UK have so much to offer – rich cultural capital, unique heritage but most of all, an understanding of their own neighbourhood.

“We will do things differently, our fully-funded Plan for Neighbourhoods puts local people in the driving seat of their potential, having control of where the Whitehall cash goes – what issues they want to tackle, where they want to regenerate and what growth they want turbocharge.”

The East Midlands towns to benefit are: Boston, Carlton, Chesterfield, Clifton, Kirkby-inAshfield, Mansfield, Newark-on-Trent, Spalding, Worksop and Skegness.

LEADERS SHOWCASE REGION TO POTENTIAL INVESTORS AT MIPIM

The region’s political leaders championed billions of pounds of investment opportunities at the annual MIPIM property and construction conference in the South of France.

Huge schemes such as the Broad Marsh and Island Quarter in Nottingham and the ongoing £230m Becketwell regeneration in Derby were all added to the global pitches made at the Cannes event.

Becketwell’s centrepiece will be 100,000 sq ft of offices next to a planned 150-bed, four-star hotel overlooking Springwell Square.

Other opportunities on offer in Derby include offices and a hotel in the “Cultural Heart” and hundreds of homes in the Cathedral One, Eagle & Riverside and Castleward areas.

Other big schemes within the region include sites within the East Midlands Freeport zone, the decommissioned Ratcliffe-on-Soar power station site, Explore Park – which is within the East Midlands Investment Zone at Worksop – and Fairham Business Park, which is part of a flagship new neighbourhood a few minutes from the centre of Nottingham.

Sites in Leicestershire include the MIRA Technology Park and the proposed extension of Mercia Park, in the north west of the county, which already employs more than 2,500 people and is the home of JLR’s Global Logistics Centre, and a flagship facility for global transport and logistics company DSV.

MIPIM, which attracts around 25,000 people, sees cities and regions from around 90 countries converge to pitch for investment.

Railways was already acting as an incentive for landlords and developers to bring forward office spaces fit for 21st century businesses.

Addressing a breakfast event investor audience, Derby City Council leader Councillor Nadine Peatfield urged attendees to be part of the city’s ‘incredible’ regeneration story.

‘MIPIM is an incredibly competitive environment in which to pitch for investment – so being part of a UK-wide effort makes perfect sense’

The event was organised by Team Derby – made up of members of Marketing Derby’s inward investment team, the city council and business representatives, with the support of the East Midlands County Combined Authority (EMCCA). Marketing Derby has said the fact that the city will be the headquarters of Great British

Cllr Peatfield, who is also the deputy mayor for the East Midlands, said: “The truth is that we have an incredible story to tell in Derby – one of investment opportunities rooted in our incredibly strong economy. Those opportunities are both commercial but also – and this is really important to us – regenerative. My message to you is very simple – talk to us.”

Derby was backing the UK’s drive to attract more international investment by being part of a new exhibition space at this year’s MIPIM called the UK Hub – designed for regional authorities, developers, and private sector leaders to showcase their projects, expand their network and generate new business opportunities.

Other major UK areas in the hub included Manchester, the West Midlands, Newcastle, Cardiff and Liverpool.

John Forkin, managing director of Marketing Derby, said: “With cities and regions from across the world represented, MIPIM is an incredibly competitive environment in which to pitch for investment – so being part of a UK-wide effort makes perfect sense.”

Derby also featured in a UK Cities Playbook in Estates Gazette, further raising its profile with attendees. It also used its stand to launch its City Centre First for Offices Prospectus, showcasing office opportunities.

It wants investors to back schemes designed to encourage more employers to consider the city centre as their base.

Derby’s Becketwell regeneration

MIPIM is a major global property and construction conference held in Cannes

Ratcliffe-on-Soar power station (Credit: Uniper)

Nottingham, meanwhile, was represented by more than a dozen organisations from the public and private sector at MIPIM.

Team Nottingham – also working in partnership with EMCCA – flew the flag for the city, county and the wider EMCCA region.

Having been made up entirely of private sector businesses since 2022, this year’s event saw Megan Powell Vreeswijk, chief executive of Marketing Nottingham and Nottinghamshire –which includes Invest in Nottingham – attend.

She said, working with EMCCA, the Invest in Nottingham team could champion the region’s latest opportunities, “driving investment, and unlocking new avenues for growth”, and a chance to make “long-lasting connections with industry leaders”.

She said: “MIPIM is our chance to put Nottinghamshire's real estate potential in the global spotlight.”

Councillor Neghat Khan, leader of Nottingham City Council said it was fully behind the city’s presence at MIPIM, saying it was a “powerful statement of our city’s great ambition”.

She said: “As a core city, we are showcasing not just the scale of our regeneration, but also our unwavering commitment to a sustainable future. We’re inviting global investors to be part of a city that's building both prosperity and a greener tomorrow, and solidifying Nottingham's position as a leading destination for forwardthinking investment.”

To see the Derby City Centre First for Offices Prospectus visit: is.gd/OupEND

EMCCA HELPING TO DRIVE STAVELEY BYPASS SCHEME

EMCCA – the East Midlands Combined County Authority – has committed £2.5m to progress the next stage of the Chesterfield Staveley Regeneration Route.

The bypass scheme will eventually see a new road, almost four miles long between Chesterfield and Staveley, relieving congestion on the existing network in the area and the emissions caused by congestion.

It could also provide growth for the region by opening up opportunities for jobs and homes, bringing brownfield land back to life.

The proposed route involves several river and canal crossings, opencast and deep mining sites and areas of significant contamination.

The next stage being funded through EMCCA – using money from the 2025/26 City Region Sustainable Transport Settlement – is to conduct ground investigation works to understand the specific complexities of the land.

‘This

bypass would make a huge difference to Staveley, reducing congestion and uplifting our town’

Mayor Claire Ward said: “EMCCA board –which I chair as Mayor of the East Midlands –has prioritised these vital works because the Chesterfield Staveley Regeneration Route cannot proceed safely without them.

“Once the ground investigation is done, we will have a much clearer picture of how the route could be delivered and will be in a strong place to assemble a business case.

“I understand completely why people want this scheme to happen, and I want to assure them that this investment shows we are being guided by their experiences of living and working in this part of Derbyshire.”

Chesterfield MP Toby Perkins said: “The mayor recognises the strategic importance of the bypass to the regeneration of the town in general and Staveley in particular, alongside reducing congestion and easing traffic flow.

“I am delighted that she has unlocked £2.5m to fund the ground investigation programme, marking a significant step forward for the project.

“It’s exciting to see real momentum towards building the much-needed Staveley Bypass.

“People in our area will always raise their eyebrows and wonder if it will ever happen, but this project is now closer to fruition than at any point in history.

“I hope people can see that this is a clear example of the positive impact a Labour mayor, working alongside Labour MPs, can have on Chesterfield and Staveley.”

Louise Jones, the MP for North East Derbyshire, said: “It was a pleasure to meet with Labour Mayor Claire Ward to discuss the ongoing progress to develop the ChesterfieldStaveley Regeneration Route.

“This bypass would make a huge difference to Staveley, reducing congestion and uplifting our town.

“I’m thrilled that mayor Claire has secured £2.5m to fund the ground investigation programme, marking a key milestone for the project.

“As Labour representatives, we are working together across all levels of government to get things done and make a difference.”

North East Derbyshire MP Louise Jones

The centre of Chesterfield (Credit: Alexey Fedoren)

Fairham Business Park in Nottingham

Artist’s impression of Derby Market Place

The EV age has arrived

By Richard Pardoe (pictured), commercial business development manager, Cord Power Technologies

This year one-in-four new cars sold will be fully electric. Over the next five years, this figure is set to grow to nearly 70%. When coupled with an increasingly booming market in second hand EVs, electric vehicles aren’t a future technology; they’re now the present.

However, there are still barriers to the EV roll-out across the UK with many drivers struggling to charge at home, particularly in towns and cities where off-street parking is limited. This creates opportunities for forward thinking businesses to demonstrate their modern and green credentials; attract a new and talented workforce, motivated by green policies; bring in new customers who prioritise charging; and potentially generate extra revenue for their business.

ATTRACTING AND RETAINING TALENT

In some sectors and some parts of the world, workplace EV charging is already an expectation and will become even more so over the next few years. If this isn’t yet true in your sector, or for SMEs, EV chargers at work can be an attractive perk for businesses looking to boost staff retention and attract new talent.

Many businesses are encouraging their employees to switch to electric by offering exclusively electric or plugin hybrid vehicles as part of their company car or salary sacrifice schemes. Many employees also choose EVs to capitalise on the attractive benefit-in-kind rates.

ATTRACTING CUSTOMERS

For businesses with regular customer footfall, or for those who have regular visitors to their premises, charging on the premises can be an added benefit. Particularly in retail and hospitality where charging options put businesses ahead of the competition and can look to generate additional sales while customers stay and charge.

POTENTIAL FOR EXTRA REVENUE

With different charging set-up options, EV charging companies such as Birmingham-based Cord provide businesses with the tools to generate revenue from their chargers in the way that works for them. This could mean setting different prices for customers and staff, cost-neutral options to make back your investment, or profit-making solutions.

It’s also important to make sure you don’t miss out on the various grants available through the Office for Zero Emission Vehicles (OZEV), including the recently extended Government workplace charging scheme which is now available until the end of March 2026. This grant gives businesses £350 per socket towards the cost of installing EV charging points at their workplace.

‘Workplace EV charging is already an expectation and will become even more so over the next few years’

THINGS TO CONSIDER

What type of chargers do you need? Many people assume they need the highest-powered chargers, but if your vehicles are on charge all day, a more cost-effective option might be better. Understanding how your business operates and what your requirements really are is key to working out the best charging solution for your business and budget.

Today, you may only need a couple of chargers, but in the future you’ll probably want more. The government’s OZEV infrastructure grant rewards SMEs who are simply planning ahead. An EV infrastructure grant gives SMEs money off the cost of wider building and installation work that’s needed to install multiple charge point sockets.

The work can be for sockets you want to install now and in the future. For example, an EV infrastructure grant can cover things like wiring and posts.

The grant covers 75% of the cost of the work, up to a maximum of £15,000. You can get:

• Up to £350 per charge point socket installed

• Up to £500 per parking space enabled with supporting infrastructure

You can receive up to five grants across five different sites.

Sustainable workplaces – the next steps

suppliers and you’ve sent out a memo reminding staff to turn off all equipment overnight. In short, you’ve set out to make your workplace more sustainable, but you would be right in thinking that there’s a lot more you could be doing to boost your efforts. Business Network offers its top tips to help you embed sustainable practices in every corner of your business.

CHECK YOUR SUPPLIERS

You’ve heard of credit scores, but have you heard of ‘ethiscores’? You can visit www.ethicalconsumer.org to explore the ethical rating of thousands of brands, suppliers and products.

The rating includes an assessment of a particular brand’s policies and actions towards people, the environment and animals, scoring on issues such as workers’ rights, fossil fuel investment, and pollution.

By prioritising suppliers that have good ethiscores, you will send a clear message to your people and your customers that you are an advocate for change.

SUSTAINABLE PROCUREMENT

Implement a sustainable purchasing policy, by listing which typical business purchases staff can and cannot make. Your list (which may include things like electronics, textiles, food

or raw materials) will outline what staff should look or, or avoid, when making purchases. As a starting point, look to certifications, such as Fairtrade and Soil Association Organic labels, or Certified B Corporation, for example.

GET CERTIFIED YOURSELF

The ISO 14001 certification scheme provides a globally recognised framework for businesses to assess and improve their environmental performance continually.

The certification process helps companies to identify environmental risks, comply with environmental regulations, and prevent pollution. While securing certification requires significant commitment, achieving it will demonstrate your commitment to the continuous improvement of your environmental performance, and could help boost your profits – and serve as an excellent recruitment tool, too.

PRIORITISE PLANET-FRIENDLY TRAVEL

One thing that the Covid-19 pandemic taught us was that in-person meetings aren’t as vital as we all once thought, and a sustainable workplace should be doing what it can to promote lower carbon options for work travel.

Video conferences may not always be viable, but in such instances, employees should utilise public transport over car journeys and, whenever possible, opt for trains over planes. For staff that commute daily, consider implementing car share and cycle to work schemes.

GREEN PENSIONS

The company pension should not escape your sustainability audit. Many pensions and other investments support harmful industries, such as fossil fuels, mining, deforestation, weapons and tobacco. In contrast, sustainable pensions (also known as economic social governance pensions) invest in portfolios that have been strictly evaluated to make sure they meet rigid environmental, education and social criteria.

Some portfolios specifically exclude categories such as weapons, while others focus on investments that have a tangible reduced environmental impact. Switching to sustainable investing can have a positive impact on company reputation. Not only that, you may get an even better return.

LIFE-CYCLE THINKING

Buying in bulk is often the cheapest strategy, but it comes at a high price to the planet, especially because cheaper products just aren’t built to last and end up rotting in landfills.

Instead of bulk buying, focus on quality instead. Buy products that are built to last, that can be easily repaired if they do break and, when they finally reach the end of their life-cycle, can be recycled.

Cycle to work schemes help staff to commute in an eco-friendly way

HyDEX – helping to develop the Midlands’ hydrogen economy

HyDEX is a programme designed to address a market failure and challenge: How do you rapidly build a new business, industrial and manufacturing sector when very little exists already?

The HyDEX programme is funded by Research England and managed by the Energy Research Accelerator (ERA), a partnership of eight leading universities and the British Geological Survey. HyDEX has been supporting and fostering the creation of a new hydrogen industrial economy in the Midlands. The HyDEX programme has been working with businesses from SMEs to world-renowned international corporates such as Toyota and JCB, and regional public sector bodies like the Midlands Engine, to accelerate innovation, build markets and support the required skills transition.

In recent years hydrogen has become increasingly recognised as an energy vector that could be a low-carbon fuel that could play an important role in decarbonisation across multiple sectors, including transport and industry.

BUILDING HYDROGEN KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERTISE

Over the last couple of years, HyDEX has been helping to build the hydrogen sector in the East Midlands by:

• Working with commercial partners to accelerate innovation, build markets and support businesses.

• Improving hydrogen facilities at university partners and offering research expertise to businesses to encourage the development of new hydrogen products and services.

• Supporting the design and development of hydrogen skills to help businesses retrain for emerging technologies.

• Working with local government and policymakers to influence the development of national and regional policy around hydrogen.

• Capitalising on international connections to link businesses with growing international countries to build commercial for the Midlands and beyond.

RAISING AWARENESS

The HyDEX project has successfully raised awareness hydrogen as a net zero fuel which can be used by a variety of industry sectors across the Midlands. It has engaged and worked in

collaboration with leading businesses and organisations including Hydrogen UK and the newly established East Midlands Hydrogen partnership.

HyDEX has held events at Toyota and JCB to bring together businesses, academics and public sector specialists who have an interest in building the hydrogen economy.

Thanks to HyDEX funding, more resources are now available to businesses with the development of hydrogen skills & training programmes, and the installation of new hydrogen infrastructure in the region. Furthermore, co-investigators have worked with partners and businesses to help raise millions of pounds in funding for future research and development across multiple sectors including the hydrogen aero industry.

DEMONSTRATING HYDROGEN’S POTENTIAL

HyDEX has co-funded a number of projects as first steps towards realising its aim of creating a hydrogen economy, for example:

• The Midlands Hydrogen Rail Study set the vision for hydrogen passenger rail services in the region.

• SMEs have been supported with resources to enable product testing and validation which increased technology readiness levels (TRL) towards commercialisation.

• Tailored workshops with local authorities explained the potential of hydrogen to decarbonise council and local business resources, backed up by the developed an online toolkit.

• Industry roundtable discussions looked at the opportunities and challenges of hydrogen in various sectors including the infrastructure and price-point needed to make it a viable option.

• Focused events brought together EU and UK policymakers in a series of workshops aimed to exploit shared learning and opportunities for change.

INTERNATIONAL LINKS

HyDEX has established links with several countries, including Singapore on the use of hydrogen as a Sustainable Aviation Fuel, and also with South Korea’s Chungnam Techno Park where innovative hydrogen businesses are looking to link with businesses and researchers in the Midlands. HyDEX has also undertaken a study looking at the ways in which the UK and EU can accelerate the hydrogen economy by working together.

SUPPORTING HYDROGEN INNOVATION

HyDEX has been helping businesses and researchers to innovate. Over the last three years, the programme has:

• Supported the development of over 20 new products and services relevant to the hydrogen economy and generated over 10 commercial opportunities.

• Provided opportunities for over 50 businesses and 300 individuals to learn new skills as technology changes in line with a new hydrogen economy.

• Run workshops with industries to identify hydrogen opportunities in the future.

• Enabled partnerships and connected hydrogen businesses within the UK and internationally to allow the rapid establishment of UK hydrogen projects.

• Supported activities to share knowledge between UK academic partners and international counterparts.

DEVELOPING SKILLS FOR THE NEW HYDROGEN ECONOMY

HyDEX and the Energy Research Accelerator have been helping to develop the skills that will be

needed to support the growth of hydrogen. This has included promoting STEM and hydrogen careers to school pupils through our Hydrogen Grand Prix competition, where students built and raced a model hydrogen car. For business people and university researchers we have been raising awareness of the latest developments in hydrogen through our Winter and Summer Hydrogen Schools, where delegates learned about hydrogen production, storage, transportation, and utilisation in various sectors.

CREATING A MIDLANDS HYDROGEN VALLEY

The HyDEX programme has also coordinated the formation of a regional consortium to bid for EU Hydrogen Valley funding. If successful, the Hydrogen Valley will support the development of hydrogen projects across the Midlands and will produce at least 4000 tonnes of clean hydrogen.

PROVIDING GREEN POWER FOR THE TOUCH RUGBY WORLD CUP

The Touch World Cup took place in Nottingham last summer. HyDEX helped to power it with green hydrogen.

HyDEX supported local company, Geopura, to put its HPU green hydrogen generator which is providing clean, green power to the Highfield and

Riverside sites in Nottingham where the Touch games were played.

The Touch World Cup in Nottingham was the biggest one ever, with around 4000 participants (players, coaches, referees and volunteers) from 39 nations, comprising 139 teams playing mixed, men’s and women’s Touch over several different age categories. Around 10,000 spectators came over the course of the week.

An event of this scale – 23 fields spread across two venues for seven days – would normally have required the use of diesel generators to supplement mains electricity supply. Instead, two hydrogen powered generators, provided the supplementary power needed for the event, with zero harmful emissions.

Nick King, marketing manager for HyDEX, said: “We were delighted to support Geopura’s green hydrogen generator, which provided clean power for the Touch World Cup. Geopura is an innovative local company that we have worked closely with through our HyDEX hydrogen development programme.

“I hope that other sports and concert organisers look at the novel way that the Touch World Cup is powering itself through hydrogen, and realise that there is now a clean, green, costeffective alternative to petrol and diesel powered generators.”

HyDEX is at the forefront of hydrogen innovation in the Midlands, helping to build a new hydrogen economy. We are keen to hear from businesses with an interest in hydrogen who would like to become part of our growing business network – HORN, which is an opportunity to learn about the latest developments and opportunities in hydrogen. Please email Nick.King@era.ac.uk if you would like to join.

For more information about HyDEX, visit www.hydex.ac.uk or email hello@hydex.ac.uk

JOIN THE HYDROGEN REVOLUTION!

DIGITAL & TECHNOLOGY

THE CUTTING-EDGE SECTOR THAT IMPACTS THE FUTURE OF BUSINESS

How evolving AI avatars can help your business

Cass

Vranjkovic (pictured), lead technology specialist at IT support group NetMonkeys, considers how AI avatars could boost your business.

Have you ever wished you could be in multiple places at once? Today’s businesses are doing exactly that – not through magic, but through AI-powered digital versions of themselves.

These digital representatives, called avatars, can look, sound and interact just like real people while handling thousands of conversations simultaneously. This isn’t science fiction – it's happening right now in businesses across the globe.

You’re already using similar technology every day, perhaps without realising it. When you check Google Maps for your morning commute, you’re looking at a digital representation of the real world, complete with live traffic updates and road conditions.

Just as Google Maps creates a digital version of the physical world to help you navigate traffic, AI avatars create digital versions of people to help businesses navigate customer interactions, training and communication challenges.

But what makes today’s avatars different from the chatbots of yesterday? The answer lies in their humanity. Modern AI avatars don’t just process and respond to text –they deliver messages with natural facial expressions, appropriate tone of voice and cultural understanding. When someone interacts with a well-designed avatar system, they're not just getting information; they're having an experience that feels personal and engaging.

Innovation hub offers perfect tech showcase

A tech business has created an innovation hub showcasing technologies transforming the retail, stadium and hospitality sectors.

Barron McCann, which lists Pets at Home, Papa Johns and Iceland among its clients, has created the facility in its Derby headquarters where customers and partners can experience first-hand the technologies shaping the industry – from smart checkouts to hospitality point-of-sale solutions, colleague safety measures and sustainable initiatives such as EV chargers.

The hub also strengthens Barron McCann’s partnership with schools and universities by creating opportunities for students to learn and use the latest technologies. Companies being showcased in the Hub include wireless headset business VoCoVo and wi-fi specialists InCaptiv.

SML, which provides 3 billion radio frequency identification tags to retail each year, also has a stand in the centre alongside Bizerba, a hardware and software innovator for retail and logistics.

The hub also has a working bar showing off technology delivered by Kappture, a software provider specialising in cloud-based electronic point of sale (EPOS) and mobile payment systems.

Barron McCann managing director Scott Watson said: “The innovation hub enables our customers to experience the latest technologies and work

These advances are reshaping how businesses work. From training and education to customer service and marketing, avatars are opening new possibilities for how companies connect with their audiences.

‘Recent breakthroughs in high-fidelity human representation are pushing the boundaries of what’s possible’

These digital representatives can deliver consistent, multilingual messaging while maintaining brand voice 24/7, providing levels of service and personalisation that were previously unimaginable.

A UK beauty distributor exemplifies this transformation by augmenting their sales team with digital representatives. They've empowered the people in the business to focus on building client relationships while digital

presentations handle routine updates, freeing the team from geographical and scheduling constraints.

As we look to the future, the potential of avatar technology is just beginning to unfold. Recent breakthroughs in high-fidelity human representation are pushing the boundaries of what’s possible. Imagine product specialists who can be in multiple showrooms at once or training instructors providing personalised guidance to thousands of employees simultaneously. When combined with holographic technology, these avatars can create immersive experiences enabling real-time interaction with audiences worldwide. The question for businesses is no longer whether to adopt avatar technology, but how to implement it most effectively.

Barron McCann’s Gary Piper demonstrating the technology

BUSINESS SUPPORT

THE LATEST NEWS AND UPDATES FROM OUR KEY INDUSTRY SECTORS

Major acquisition deal for Browne Jacobson

Browne Jacobson has advised Eurocell PLC on its successful acquisition of Alunet for £29m, with potential performance-related payments bringing the total value of the deal to up to £35m.

Eurocell, headquartered in Alfreton, Derbyshire, is a manufacturer and distributor in the home improvement sector.

Through the acquisition, it has strengthened its position in residential aluminium systems and composite doors and added garage doors to its product portfolio.

As part of the transaction, Browne Jacobson advised Eurocell on acquiring four companies:

• Alunet Systems: A provider of residential aluminium systems, offering a range of window and door solutions, including bi-fold and sliding patio doors under the Aluna brand

• Comp Door: A manufacturer of premium solid core timber composite doors

• JDUK: A supplier of sectional aluminium garage doors and components

• UK Doors (Midlands): A producer of aluminium roller shutter garage doors.

Alunet’s growth and strong presence supports Eurocell’s broader strategy to build a £500m revenue business, generating a 10% operating margin over a five-year period.

Sam Sharp, partner at Browne Jacobson, was supported by associate Lydia Mills on the transaction and senior associate Rebecca Burge from a corporate tax perspective.

Sam said: “It was a privilege to support the Eurocell team on this significant acquisition, which reflects the increasing opportunities for mergers and acquisitions in the manufacturing and industrials sector at the moment.”

Contentious trusts and probate team expands

Howes Percival has recruited contentious trusts and probate partner Lewis Addison following a period of significant growth for the team.

Lewis specialises in resolving property, trusts and probate disputes “calmly and quickly”, through negotiation or court action.

Recent work includes challenges to wills, and other lifetime transactions; Inheritance Act claims

for financial provision from estates; disputes in the administration of estates and trusts and claims in relation to the beneficial ownership of property.

Lewis is a member of The Association of Contentious Trust and Probate Specialists, and regularly gives seminars to other local lawyers on contentious trusts and probate.

He is recommended by the Legal 500 who say he “has a pragmatic

approach to cases. He is keen to help... a strong individual in this sector” with “a strong track record in ADR and mediation”.

Howes Percival partner Jennifer Laskey said: “Lewis is a fantastic addition to the team and is well respected across Leicestershire and beyond. He brings a wealth of experience in contentious trusts and probate and adds yet another ACTAPS qualified lawyer to our already strong team.”

Solicitors advise on sale of pub

Banner Jones Solicitors has advised on the purchase of The Royal Oak (pictured), Chesterfield’s oldest pub, located in The Shambles in the town centre. The acquisition marks a significant milestone for the historic venue, which has been closed since August 2021.

Said to have served as a rest-house for the Knights Templar during the 12th century Crusades, The Royal Oak later housed two butchers and provided accommodation in later times.

The new owner, Hopman director Patrick Hopkins, said he was committed to reviving the pub’s traditional charm while celebrating its rich history. His vision is to create a classic pub, featuring cask and craft beers, traditional pub snacks and a warm, inviting atmosphere that stays true to the character of the iconic establishment.

Ben Couch, part of the commercial property team at Banner Jones, said: “We are delighted to have facilitated the purchase of The Royal Oak, a site of great historical importance in Chesterfield.

“It’s fantastic to support a project that will breathe new life into a well-loved town centre landmark,

contributing to the vibrancy of the local community and economy. I can’t wait to have a pint in there!”

The 11-strong commercial team specialises in commercial property sales and purchases, commercial leases, land acquisition and plot sales for developers as well as other business legal services including company formation, commercial agreements and mergers and acquisitions.

Howes Percival’s Contentious Trusts and Probate team

Where there’s a will there can often be a claim

Daniel Edwards (pictured) is a partner at Browne Jacobson who leads its inheritance and trusts disputes team. Here he writes about the importance of preparing for the worst.

Disputes over people’s wills and their estates seem to be on the rise – and the gut feel is certainly backed up by the numbers.

In 2012 there were 80 ‘Inheritance Act’ cases issued in the High Court in London. By 2018 that had climbed to 128 and hit 195 in 2022. The pattern is similar for ‘will challenge’ claims – 77 in 2016 climbing to 122 in 2023.

As is often the case in life, there are numerous factors at play –we have an ageing population, with diverse family members and estates that are worth increasing amounts.

estates. But an ageing population is not driving this increase alone.

Rates of divorce in the UK climbed dramatically through the 70s, 80s and 90s, with a more than three-fold increase between 1970 and the peak in 1993. A lot of these people will have re-married, and some will have children with their new spouses.

Couple that with people being more aware that they can bring some sort of claim, and there is a perfect recipe for an increase in claims.

The 2021 Census records the population of England and Wales as containing just over 11 million people aged 65 or older – around 16.4% of the population. In 2011 that figure was 9.2 million and 10 years before that it was 8.3 million. Unsurprisingly these figures have contributed to a higher rate of deaths.

All things being equal, this alone will have caused – and will continue to cause – an increase in the number of disputes over people’s wills and

Not all blended families fall out of course, but they frequently carry some extra ‘baggage’.

Even if extra tensions are not present, there are often more people looking for a share of the deceased’s estate.

Not only do people have access to ‘Google lawyer’ in their pockets these days, but there have been various high-profile probate disputes reported in the national press in recent years. We have also seen TV dramas like The Inheritance and Succession deal with these issues, or Apple TV’s ‘Battle of the Wills’ which features analysis of real-life cases.

That is added to by the fact that inheritance disputes are no longer exclusively for the rich, partly down to the seemingly never-ending surge in house prices over the past three decades. People who may not have considered themselves wealthy, or who have died leaving no assets at all other than their house, may well now have an estate that is valuable.

Funding secured for key residential scheme

Law firm Freeths has advised Glenbrook on the sale and development funding agreement for a £152m residential scheme in Leeds.

Glenbrook specialises in property development, investment and asset management and the development site has more than 600 residential units – some built to rent and some for sale.

Glenbrook has agreed the £152m forward funding with property investment firm Barings, to bring forward the development of the site, which is expected to completed by the end of 2027.

It has acquired it on behalf of a US insurance company and it is the second big residential development scheme being undertaken by Glenbrook in the city alongside one at Whitehall Riverside with Legal & General, which Freeths also advised on. Leading the Freeths team on this deal was partner Stephen Lewis supported by directors Kishen Ravalia and Marie Mulligan, managing associate Matthew Turner, associate Imogen Seabridge and trainee Molly Happs.

Graduate earns Dragons’ investment

Loughborough University industrial design and technology graduate Zak Marks has secured a £75,000 investment from Dragons’ Den entrepreneurs for a stake in his emergency anaphylaxis kit business.

The Loughborough alumnus successfully pitched to the Dragons this spring alongside his business partner James Cohen, securing the full investment they had requested for their company Kitt Medical.

The pair received three offers for their life-saving product and negotiated a joint deal with Deborah Meaden and Steven Bartlett.

Described as a defibrillator for allergies, Kitt Medical provides schools and businesses with a consistent supply of adrenaline pens, which are stored in a secure wall-mounted kit, along with

instructions for administering the medicine during a life-threatening allergic reaction.

Zak began developing the award-winning concept during the final year of his degree at Loughborough, as his major undergraduate project. It was a passion project for him as he knew what it was like to live with a severe allergy and the risk of a reaction.

Helped by a £2,500 grant from Loughborough University’s Start-up Fund, Kitt Medical launched in 2023 and to date more than 600 kits have been installed at sites across the UK, including schools, academy trusts, private businesses and hospitality venues such as Alton Towers and Edinburgh Zoo.

By the start of this year the equipment had been used to treat 10 life-threatening allergic reactions.

Fund drives growth of Midlands businesses

Zak and James during their presentation on Dragons’ Den

The British Business Bank’s Midlands Engine Investment Fund II has completed more than 100 deals across the whole of the Midlands.

The fund has driven more than £27m of investment into new and growing businesses since its launch last year – helping unlock an additional £10m of private sector investment.

The latest deal was a £250,000 debt investment in air compressor installation business CSEM Technologies, in Somercotes, via appointed fund manager Maven Capital Partners.

It installs, services and maintains air compressors for businesses including well-known brands such as

Howdens, Pukka Pies and Weleda UK, as well as councils and hospitals.

The company will use the funding to strengthen its workforce by hiring additional skilled engineers and upgrading its operational infrastructure, and to target new sectors for growth.

Other investments over the last year span sectors including digital, tech, healthcare, automotive, manufacturing and lifestyle.

The fund offers a range of commercial finance options with smaller loans from £25,000 to £100,000, debt finance from £100,000 to £2m and equity investment up to £5m, and works with five fund manager partners.

Firm helps SMEs get to grips with payroll

The owner of a payroll support specialist says she is helping redefine how SMEs handle their payroll processes.

Sharlene Trevor (pictured) is the founder of Wagewolf, which she launched to help people streamline their payroll processes and eliminate pain points.

She said at the heart of her offering was a “cutting-edge” payroll management service, designed to simplify complex payroll tasks by automating routine processes, ensuring accuracy and compliance while freeing up time for business owners and HR professionals.

She said key features include: a tailored solution that meets the unique needs of every business; seamless integration with existing management systems; secure data handling with advanced encryption; real-time reporting through Power BI dashboards; financial wellness tools; a workplace savings pot with a 4.7% interest rate; educational resources on budgeting and financial planning; and flexible benefits and salary sacrifice programs that employees can match to their needs.

Sharlene said: “Our payroll management service is built on the principle of simplification without compromise.

“We understand that there is a strong demand for efficient SME focused solutions that are both empowering for businesses as well as their employees, and that’s exactly what we deliver.

“We believe that happy, financially secure employees are the backbone of any successful business.”

WageWolf’s commitment to excellence, she said, saw it clinch two accolades at the 2024 SME News UK Finance Awards – for best outsourcing provider for the Midlands and the SME client excellence award.

Sharlene, who has more than 18 years of experience in the payroll industry, said: “These awards are a testament to our team’s dedication and the trust our clients place in us.

“They motivate us to continue innovating and delivering exceptional service to SMEs across the region.”

IN BRIEF

FREE SKILLS ADVICE IN CHESTERFIELD

Businesses in Chesterfield can access a skills service to help them to grow their business and boost productivity.

The Chesterfield Skills Brokerage Service provides free, impartial advice to help identify skills gaps in businesses, access training programmes, including the University of Derby’s executive and professional education courses, and navigate wider funding opportunities available for training.

It is delivered by the University of Derby on behalf of Chesterfield Borough Council, and funded through the UK Shared Prosperity Fund.

A series of workshops and events have been planned to provide further support for businesses and create networking opportunities where participants can collaborate to enhance skills provision in their organisations. Businesses can contact Destination Chesterfield who will refer them to the services they can access: is.gd/axkbPz

YEAR 10 STUDENTS VISIT HOUSE OF LORDS

Students from The Bemrose School were invited to the House of Lords to hear industry experts discuss the latest developments in engineering and sustainability.

Year 10 pupils heard a debate on how engineering is at the forefront of helping the UK reduce its carbon emissions.

The pupils, along with a handful of students from various schools across the country, were joined by lords, chief executives, engineers and professors of engineering and physics for a meal in Parliament’s Cholmondeley Room, where talks were delivered in between courses.

EMTEC CELEBRATES APPRENTICESHIP PRIZE

Emtec Automotive Apprenticeships, which is part Nottingham College, won the outstanding apprenticeship programme award at the 2025 Apprenticeships and Training Awards.

The college welcomes more than 400 automotive apprentices through its doors each year, working with more than 180 employers around the UK.

Last year the college achieved an ‘outstanding’ Ofsted inspection result for its residential apprenticeship provision at Ruddington.

Finding your future workers

Chesterfield businesses are being invited to support skills and training by offering young people workplace experiences.

Employers are being invited to engage with students from secondary schools, SEND Schools and sixth-forms and colleges, and to play a direct role in preparing young people for future careers while also building connections with potential future employees.

Schools in Chesterfield seeking support for work experience, careers fairs, employer talks, workshops and mock interviews include Brookfield Community School; Netherthorpe School; Outwood Academy Hasland Hall; Outwood Academy Newbold; Parkside School; Springwell

‘Bridging the gap between education and business is essential for Chesterfield’s future workforce’

Community School; St Mary’s Catholic High School; Tupton Hall School; Whittington Green School; Ashgate Croft School; and Chesterfield College.

Ian Cooper, principal at Outwood Academy Hasland Hall, said: “Bridging the gap between education and business is vital for equipping students with essential skills and ensuring Chesterfield’s

local industries and communities continue to thrive.”

Councillor Tricia Gilby leads Chesterfield Borough Council and is vice-chair of the town’s skills and employment partnership.

She said: “Bridging the gap between education and business is essential for Chesterfield’s future workforce. Employers have a crucial role to play in showcasing career opportunities, equipping young people with key skills, and ensuring our local industries thrive. This is more than just a way to give back –it’s a strategic opportunity for our companies to connect with the workforce of tomorrow.”

More information is on the Destination Chesterfield website at is.gd/u8vkBz

College hosts awards ceremony

The East Midlands apprenticeship sector has been celebrated in a new awards organised by Loughborough College.

The event was hosted by Laura Shepherd, Loughborough College’s director of strategic partnerships and external relationships.

She said: “Apprenticeships form a key part of what makes Loughborough College so special, and we are proud of our expanding provision across several key sectors in the Midlands, including engineering, warehousing and logistics, and education and care.

“Not only were we impressed by the amount of award nominations we received, but the calibre of talent as well. Getting to read about the fantastic work that goes on across the industry was truly inspiring. Well done to all of our nominees, finalists and winners.”

Winners, sponsors and host Laura Shepherd at the Loughborough College Apprenticeship Awards

The eight awards were split into three main categories – employer of the year, special awards and apprentice of the year.

Loughborough College works

with more than 1,800 employer partners to offer apprenticeships in industries including engineering, manufacturing, education, sport, hairdressing and business.

Modern education designed for your success

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DIVERSE COURSE OFFERINGS TO SUIT YOUR AMBITIONS

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“As a working mother, balancing studies, work, and family is challenging. UKMC’s flexible study plan allows me to manage everything without compromise. The support and understanding I receive make it possible to pursue my education while fulfilling my roles at home and work.”

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FHP lets space on business park

Tim Gilbertson, a director of FHP Property Consultants, said it has let more than 100,000 sq ft of space to Davenham Switchgear on Fairham Business Park in Nottingham.

FHP acted on behalf of global real estate investment manager Hines, and Tim said the speculatively constructed unit had been acquired by Davenham Switchgear on a long-term lease.

He said: “I am delighted that we managed to secure such a high calibre occupier and it was a pleasure to work with Tom Nicholson from Davenham Switchgear throughout.

“It has been my pleasure to act for our clients, Mickey Scott and Greg Cooper at Hines, as their sensible approach to the transaction and foresight to secure such an investment opportunity must be recognised and by securing this letting, they have procured a fabulous investment for themselves with a blue-chip covenant taking a long-term lease in this prime location.

“For all parties, this is a great deal and great result and with other space under offer at Fairham Business Park, I look forward to bringing news of further transactions soon.”

Aproperty and planning law firm and strategic planning advisor is celebrating a year in business with a strong pipeline for 2025.

Devello Group was set up by friends and former colleagues Shruti Trivedi and Iain Hibbert, doing away from the traditional legal hourly billing model.

Managing director Shruti and chief executive Iain said they believed their upfront approach had played a key part in the firm’s growth over the last 12 months.

The business has offices in Nottingham and Lincoln and has grown to a team of five with the hires of a paralegal and a solicitor apprentice in the second half of

Devello’s year of success Conference centre’s function space refurbed

‘Reaching this milestone is really fantastic and testament to the work of our team’

2024. It is planning at least three new hires this year.

Shruti said: “Reaching this milestone is really fantastic and testament to the work of our team. A huge thank-you to our clients who choose to work with us in what we call a holistic business partnership.

“The last 12 months have been incredible – with our focus on creating a business that puts client experience and team culture first.

“Having previously been in traditional law companies, Iain and I particularly wanted to support those who need flexibility in the workplace such as working parents and carers, as well as investing in young people, as we have with our apprentice.”

Iain said: “At Devello’s core is a new kind of legal practice, with our ethos to put the client first through accessibility, responsiveness and diligence, and our cost structure is flexible to suit the needs of the client and the project.

“This formula has served us well and with Shruti’s and my combined 40-plus years in property and planning law, our services are in demand.”

Top national award for social housing provider

Rykneld Homes has won a national award, recognising its collaborative approach to improving customer homes.

The Chesterfield social housing provider and its contractor Sustainable Building Services (UK) won the best social housing-led retrofit programme category at The Retrofit Academy Awards.

The winning nomination was based on a regeneration project to

retrofit homes with external wall insulation – making the homes warmer, more energy efficient and attractive.

Director of property services Dan Crossley said: “Improving the homes our customers live in is a priority for us. To win an award with our longstanding partners SBS in recognition of our work to do this shows the progress being made.”

The Derby Conference Centre has finished refurbishing its biggest function space, the Stephenson, Euston & Dunlop Suite (pictured).

The room has been given a “fresh new look” to build on its status as one of the city’s leading event spaces, accommodating up to 180 guests at weddings, conferences, awards corporate functions and other special events.

The refurbishment includes new carpeting, light fittings, soft furnishings and hand-carved radiator covers.

General manager Richard Jones said: “The transformation of the suite is a testament to our ongoing commitment to providing a first-class event space in Derby.

“Our on-site maintenance team have done a phenomenal job in refreshing the suite, ensuring it remains both elegant and practical for all types of events.”

The Derby Conference Centre is in a Grade II listed building in a prime, central location of Derby. It has conference rooms and meeting rooms, 50 en-suite hotel bedrooms as well as self-catering accommodation at the India House Hotel.

The Devello Group team - Shruti Trivedi (centre) and Iain Hibbert (right)

Toyota to launch ‘eye catching’ compact SUV

Toyota has launched its latest model – an aerodynamic, compact SUV with all-new battery technology, called the C-HR+.

The new model has been designed with “eye-catching” coupe lines and a “fun-to-drive character”, combined with the “spaciousness, practicality and convenience” associated with other cars in its class.

It has been developed out of the compact SUV concept car Toyota unveiled in 2022 and its existing CHR, which has been through two generations with more than a million European sales.

It is scheduled to launch in the UK and a handful of European markets later this year, prior to a full European roll-out in 2026 –joining the all-new Urban Cruiser

and the bZ4X SUV which is being updated to deliver faster charging, more power and an extended driving range.

The C-HR+ will have two battery size options and come in both front and all-wheel drive and is part of Toyota’s European strategy to be carbon neutral in the next 10-15 years – through battery, hybrid, plug-in hybrid and hydrogen fuel cell electric ranges.

Design-wise the front bumper, grille and headlights are all new, while the sleek, coupe-crossover shape is aero-efficient as well as distinctive. Toyota says the coupe roofline has been achieved without compromising headroom for back seat passengers and as well as more passenger room it comes with 416 litres of load space.

Front-wheel drive cars will have

‘Outside the GR performance car range, it will be most powerful model in Toyota’s European line-up’

a choice of 57.7kWh or 77kWh batteries while all-wheel drive models will have the higher capacity battery.

Outside the GR performance car range, it will be most powerful model in Toyota’s European line-up, with a maximum range reported to be up to 373 miles, helped by optimised aerodynamics with the vehicle’s silhouette, roof spoiler and ducktail rear end all calculated to achieve smooth airflow over and around the body.

The all-wheel drive option is said to be capable of 0-62mph in 5.2 seconds. Other advancements include a battery pre-conditioning feature that will improve charging performance in most conditions plus an energy-saving heat pump

for the air conditioning, heated seats, steering wheel and windscreen. The electric power steering has also been remapped for responsiveness and stability has been improved through increased body rigidity and a lower centre of gravity.

Toyota says: “Customers, particularly those purchasing a BEV (battery electric vehicle) for the first time, can be assured the Toyota C-HR+ has all the quality, durability and reliability that are a hallmark of the brand.

“This is reflected in the battery care programme which covers the battery for up to 10 years of vehicle age, or up to 650,000 miles driven, subject to an annual battery health check.”

THE LAST WORD

Chamber president Dawn Whitemore ponders the growing influence that politics has on our daily lives, and how lack of clarity is undermining business confidence.

Politics play a large role in every element of our daily lives, but all too often, due to the lack of understanding, clarity on what the policy is trying to achieve, lack of understanding of the actual impact of key policies on the “whole”, it often results in a level of complexity and complication that appears to serve no-one, other than politicians and their political spin.

If we start with that perspective, looking at the impact of politics on business today in the UK we can see that there is widespread frustration within businesses about policy change/direction over the last several years.

‘ Part of our role is to educate and lobby Government to support our businesses to thrive’

The connection of politics and business in the UK has without doubt become more pronounced as political decisions being made increasingly impact negatively on businesses’ ability to thrive and grow. That can include Brexit, or more recently the uncertainty instigated by Trump, the changing tax policies, energy, green policies, the increases in National Minimum Wage and National Insurance contributions along with the myriad of regulatory requirements and working rights changes. Navigating what has become a very volatile economic environment for every business is providing a level of uncertainty that we have not experienced since 2008. What is becoming increasingly evident is that business confidence is nosediving – recent figures just for the East Midlands show a downward trend on all factors from confidence levels, investment and growth predications. If we just take one sector that I am particularly passionate about – farming/agricultural. Let’s be honest, under EU policies our farming capability was eroded. Although subsidised, it did this at the expense of our farming practices and often

Farmers have taken their protests to the seat of Government

the over-farming of our land. The production of food now sits largely with a few very large producers which has resulted in our farmers receiving a pittance for their produce with large corporations dictating price.

As consumers we have to take some responsibility, we need local produce which is affordable and be willing to pay a fair price.

We need our politicians to think differently, smarter, to link all of the key elements of our needs in our country together. For example, if there was a political appetite to link our agricultural sector, food production with the health of our nation along with supporting new agri-tech farming practices along with energy production, then real long-term benefits would be secured.

We need to be able to produce our food locally in a sustainable manner (to become food secure), we need to educate the consumer to buy locally and eat healthily which would reduce the demands on our NHS.

We need to ensure we integrate our energy production such as wind, solar and ground source heat to support the wider businesses and communities we serve. It sounds like Utopia, I

know, but we should DREAM BIG and DRIVE the ART of the POSSIBLE, not take the easy route and continue to do more of the same to benefit the few.

From an East Midlands Chamber perspective, we need to increase our membership (to every business in our region), and we need to ensure every member is engaged and their voice is heard, so we have the best understanding of the businesses we are here to serve.

Part of our role is to educate and lobby Government to support our businesses to thrive ensuring a stronger economy that benefits all.

The relationships between politics and business in the UK is increasingly complex, with political decisions significantly influencing corporate strategy and business operations.

As businesses continue to navigate this everchanging landscape, they must remain agile, balancing the need to stay competitive while also complying with political and regulatory pressures. We have to start to act differently and get politics to work for us as they were designed, not to continue to disable the very people they are here to serve.