Post Business Magazine - May 2012

M O N T H LY R E G I O N A L B U S I N E S S M A G A Z I N E

POST

BUSINESS

Focus on St Helens Hunting for investment

w w w . l d p b u s i n e s s . c o . u k May 2012

Taking care of business Liverpool Mayoral candidates say what they would do to revive the economy

● Regeneration push: Joint venture targets five city sites ● Best China: Ty-phoo goes East ● Dry clean: Firm signs deal1

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INSIDE 4

POST

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NEWS

Port of Liverpool barge service carries first non-container cargo

BUSINESS

BIG FEATURE

LIVERPOOL POST EDITOR Mark Thomas 0151 227 2000

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BUSINESS WRITERS Bill Gleeson 0151 472 2319

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mark.thomas@liverpool.com

What will Liverpool’s new elected mayor mean for local business?

bill.gleeson@liverpool.com

PROFESSIONAL SECTORS

Tony McDonough 0151 330 4918

North West companies reluctant to take the plunge and go public

tony.mcdonough @liverpool.com

17 BIG INTERVIEW

ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT How St Helens is using its location to beat the economic downturn

alistair.houghton @liverpool.com

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Christine Gaskell, chair of Cheshire & Warrington LEP

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Alistair Houghton 0151 472 2449

Neil Hodgson 0151 472 2451 neil.hodgson @liverpool.com

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HEAD OF IMAGES Barrie Mills

barrie.mills@liverpool.com

26-27 HOW GREEN IS YOUR BUSINESS?

MARKETING EXECUTIVE Rachel Street 0151 227 2000

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ADVERTISEMENT DIRECTOR Debbie McGraw

Liverpool Chamber launches lastest edition Little Green Book

rachel.street@trinitymirror.com

COMMERCIAL PROPERTY

ADVERTISEMENT SALES Neil Johnson 0151 472 2705

Joint venture aims to breathe new life into five city sites

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neil.johnson@trinitymirror.com

INTERNATIONAL TRADE

Ty-phoo lays out its expansion plans for China

Diana Griffiths

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0151 472 2311

KNOWLEDGE ECONOMY

Former Army medic pushes his waterless washing product

diana.griffiths@ trinitymirror.com

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35 BUSINESS LUNCH

Malmaison Hotel, in Liverpool

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PHOTOGRAPHY Trinity Mirror PUBLISHED BY Trinity Mirror NW2, PO Box 48, Old Hall Street, Liverpool, L69 3EB.

THE LIST

TELEPHONE 0151 227 2000

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FAX 0151 330 4942

THE NETWORKER

COPYRIGHT

All the key events for your diary

Post Business is printed monthly and distributed with the Liverpool Post. No part of this publication may be reproduced without permission of the publisher.

Alistair Houghton tucks into a feast

38 SOCIAL DIARY

Carolyn Hughes out on the town

I SUSPECT the truth is that Liverpool has in practice had a mayor for many years already – its’ just he was called something different.

The fact is, the city has been governed by a tightly-controlled inner circle of cabinet members led by a strong figurehead who has not had to worry too hard about whether he could count on the support of his party.

Just as Tony Blair was meant to have run a Presidential-style government, so Liverpool council leaders have been running a mayoral-style city hall for some years.

I like what I have seen of mayoral politics in London. Boris Johnson and Ken Livingstone are

BILL GLEESON big personalities that have reinvigorated interest in local government. Prior to the reintroduction of a London-wide authority, very few people took much interest at all in the governance of the capital’s boroughs.

So I am hopeful that the fact Liverpool’s political leadership is to be determined directly by the voters will have a similar effect – but maybe that’s wishful

thinking. In this edition of Post Business, we consider whether or not the new mayor is likely to have a worthwhile impact on local firms and the economy.

There will be some new money from central government available for the winner to use for investment and economic development purposes.

If the new arrangements do give the city a louder voice, then that should be a good thing for inward investment, but, having read the campaign materials posted through my letterbox, I’m afraid I think most of the candidates have not really got to grips

with what, if anything, they could do for business in our city.

The subject is hardly mentioned.

The main economic sector that councils have influence over is the local property market. In the past, Liverpool was muddled when it came to some planning issues, such as its tall buildings policy.

There are, however, many other areas over which the council has considerable sway. Much of the council’s social care budget, for example, is spent commissioning services from private, for profit, providers.

The way the council engages with these firms makes a difference to the overall impression of the business friendliness of the city.

If I were writing a political manifesto that sought to win over the city’s business vote, it would major on investment in technology, in particular the creation of high-speed broadband links that would leave our competitor cities from around the world standing.

This year’s mayoral contest appears to be a foregone conclusion. Whether that remains the case in the future is, of course, another matter.

BILL GLEESON 3

NEWS

QUALITY

Home Instead in Charlie’s Angels-style back-up LEGAL THE team at the Liverpool South office of at-home care company, Home Instead Senior Care, in Speke, has extended its service, in Charlie’s Angels-style, to include home repairs and an emergency breakdown service for mobility scooters.

The new home assistance services will give elderly clients the peace of mind of having someone to call for general repairs and maintenance around their home, or a scooter repair service anywhere in the community.

Stella Kuit, Head of Private Immigration, QualitySolicitors Jackson and Canter Family migration changes afoot

From left: Home Instead Liverpool South's recruitment and retention officer Sue Bromelow, owner John Ward, and scheduler Becca Archbold

New departure for Peel’s barge service Peel’s first project non-containerised cargo barge

HE first noncontainerised cargo has been transported on Peel Ports’ barge service on the Manchester Ship

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Canal.

Until now, the Liverpool to Manchester service has carried only an increasing level of containers, but the transporting of a giant chemicals tank to the Ineos facility, at Runcorn, saw the start of project traffic.

The 30-metre high 20-tonne tank arrived at the Port of Liverpool from Holland on the ACL vessel, Atlantic Concert, and made the onward journey on the Ship Canal to Runcorn by barge.

The journey took just over three hours.

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Stephen Carr, Peel Ports Mersey’s head of business development for the Port of Liverpool and Manchester Ship Canal, said: “This is the latest development in our objective to increase usage of the Ship Canal as a logistics hub that drives down cost and CO² emissions.

“The Port of Liverpool has seen a significant increase in container volumes over the past few months, much of which has continued the journey via our barge service to end-users – driven by supply chains looking for a lower cost solution to serve Northern and Central Britain.”

He added: “Delivery of this project cargo from the Port of Liverpool to Runcorn is a

departure, in that it is the first non-container cargo to use our barge service and we are keen to expand and further develop that side of the business.

“This further increase in the use of the Ship Canal demonstrates the desire of many companies to use water to get their product as close to their customer as possible.”

Andrew Wormald, senior sales and operations manager at Abnormal Load Services, Peel Ports’ customer on this project, said: “The sheer size of this cargo made the use of road transport problematic, and the use of Peel’s barge service was the perfect solution. It also saved us on costs and carbon emissions for this leg of the journey from Holland.”

DRAMATIC changes to the immigration landscape lie ahead for those wishing to come to the UK. This is particularly the case for those intending to accompany or join family members.

Previously, highly-valued or skilled migrants, as well as students, have been able to work and study in the UK with their family here with them. This has been on the basis that there is enough money available to support the family during their time here. The Government proposes limiting this by significantly increasing the required level of maintenance, as well as only allowing those on certain work and study visas to be joined by family members.

Undoubtedly, this will attract high net worth and skilled individuals to invest in the UK economy.

However, it will also most certainly act as a deterrent for those who wish to invest their time and money on a more longterm basis and in need of establishing themselves here first in order to do so. The prospect of doing this without being able to have your partner or children here with you in the initial stages is clearly a difficult one.

A reform for settled UK residents wishing to sponsor their partners is also on the cards. Following recommendations by the Migration Advisory Committee (MAC), the Government proposes introducing a new minimum salary threshold of between £18,600 and £25,700 for those intending to provide sponsorship so their partner can join them.

The current threshold, the equivalent of approximately £13,700, is calculated at a level which prevents a family being able to claim from the public purse. The MAC estimates that the new proposals could reduce

settlement in the UK of family members by between 45% and 63%. This certainly has the potential of creating a dramatic change for the family migration route.

While one of the main purposes of the proposals is to promote integration and create economic benefit, careful consideration must be given to the fact those who are resident here are going to be placed in a very difficult position if they cannot meet the proposed minimum salary level.

If this were to happen and an individual was unable to live with their partner in the UK, then they themselves would have to consider leaving the UK altogether in order to maintain their family unit.

The proposals therefore have the potential of creating a devastating impact and doing quite the opposite of what they intend. The UK economy most certainly cannot withstand UK residents being forced to take the decision to leave and migrate elsewhere to be with their families. It also cannot take the risk of putting off the brightest and most talented overseas migrants from investing their time and money here.

It is essential that those who wish to have their family members join them look to do so under the current legislation and with proper legal representation before these dramatic changes are introduced. If you are looking for assistance in making an urgent application for your family to join you in the UK, please contact our immigration team for further information. We will be happy to help you during this uncertain time.

‘Proposed regulations will act as a deterrent for talented migrants’

■ FOR more information, email: stellakuit@ qualitysolicitors.com ■ IN ASSOCIATION with QualitySolicitors Jackson and Canter

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OPINION

MANAGEMENT

MATTERS

With Derek Gawne, branch manager of Charles Stanley, in Liverpool Difficult trading conditions drives up stress levels SMALL business owners are seeing their stress levels and, as a consequence, illness rising, while their business prospects are falling, as they struggle in these weak market conditions.

Owners are now more prone to admit that their personal health is suffering as a result of working longer, with typical ailments including a lack of energy, anxious thoughts, headaches and back pain.

The fear of losing their business, losing clients, the pressures of bringing in new business and being constantly on call are all key drivers in causing the stressrelated reactions.

It is a growing problem and, given the economic environment, sees no sign of change any time soon.

Anecdotal reports suggest that an increasing amount of their time is being diverted to their business as a result of the weak state of the economy.

As a consequence, owner-managers and the selfemployed need to learn to identify the signs of their own stress and take steps to tackle it.

Signs that you might be experiencing stress could include: ■ Poor judgment and indecisiveness; ■ Difficulty in concentrating; ■ A lack of assertiveness; ■ Irritability, aggressiveness, depression or loss of sense of humour; ■ Physical symptoms such as breathlessness, headaches, chest pains, nausea, sleeplessness, high blood pressure and constant tiredness.

Some people may consider bringing in a mentor to help cope with the pressures of running a business. However, another way of dealing with this is to network with people running businesses of a similar size to talk through each other’s problems.

Business networking opportunities are offering professionals the chance to

meet informally, often socially based, with other entrepreneurs and fellow manager-owners to allow discussion and joint encouragement.

One such network is the surprisingly named Rugby Club of Liverpool, which was set up a number of years ago.

Chris Shirling-Rooke, one of the founding members and now chairman, commented that: “Some years ago, there was an opportunity under the cloud of the financial downturn to offer a very costeffective networking event.

“We started off with fewer than 20 people three years ago, and now our numbers are regularly over 130 – all with the same profile of like-minded professionals from a range of industries getting together, listening to guest sports stars and, of course, trading business ideas, support and commerce itself.

“The act of business doesn’t have to be stressful; in the right environment, it can be very enjoyable.”

Stress is a difficult subject to comprehend (especially to admit to) but if you feel you are suffering from stress, doctors recommend you need to try to: ■ Identify and tackle the underlying causes; ■ Practise relaxation techniques; ■ Improve your diet and cut back on smoking, alcohol and caffeine consumption; ■ Do regular exercise; ■ Avoid regularly working long hours if at all possible; ■ Make sure to take holidays; ■ Take the opportunity to talk with like-minded professionals to share experiences.

In times of difficulty, the entrepreneur and business manager should not expect to have to stand alone. The business community of Liverpool does follow the mantra that “Liverpool is the friendliest city”, not just for visitors but for those who make the wealth and job opportunities, too!

‘We need to identify the signs of stress and take steps to tackle it’

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■ IN ASSOCIATION with Charles Stanley

Some agencies are giving the lettings market a bad name, says Richard Globe, inset

Time to tackle the ‘rogue’ agencies

Main picture: JOHN GILES

by Richard Globe, founder of the Merseyside-based Residential Property Landlord Support Group

FOLLOWING both Channel 5 and BBC1 Watchdog investigations on North West-based rogue letting agents, it is my personal opinion as a former property managing agent that the coalition Government should now get off its backside and step in as a matter of urgency to rid the residential lettings industry of other incompetent and rogue letting agents.

Unregulated letting agents commit deliberate acts of fraud and misrepresentation, and provide a very poor customer service to both landlord and tenant clients.

The only effective solution to an

increasingly worrying problem is mandatory licensing, a local authority letting agent register, and tougher trading laws.

Letting agents provide a public service, and, like other public service industries, have to be properly regulated.

Every single letting agency should, as a matter of course, become a member of ARLA (Association of Residential Letting Agents) and also join the SAFE agent scheme which protects both landlord and tenant monies against theft or if the business owner decides to do a sudden

disappearing act. Those letting agents who are not members of either ARLA or the SAFE agent scheme must be avoided at all costs.

All letting staff should become fully accredited and owners need to introduce weekly staff training, especially when the Government introduces new legislation which will affect the private rented housing sector.

Residential letting managers must, themselves, undergo a series of training courses, so that they can ensure that staff are acting professionally and know what they are doing at all times.

THE BIG FEATURE

A vote for growth?

BY BILL GLEESON

▲ ▲

An elected mayor has certainly invigorated politics in London – but what can the winner of the forthcoming election in Liverpool do for the city’sfirms,jobcreationandthelocaleconomy?

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THE BIG FEATURE CONTINUED FROM PAGE 7 HAT do Liverpool’s businesses want from an elected mayor – and what are the candidates promising to do for the city’s firms and the local economy?

With the election now just a week away, Post Business has asked 10 of the mayoral candidates to say how they would use their new-found powers to benefit businesses and jobs.

The winner will be able to draw on fresh cash resources which are being granted to the city through the Government’s City Deal for Liverpool.

This will see £130m granted to the city to spend on schools, housing and mayoral business zones, among other things. Other sources of cash, such as the Regional Growth Fund, could also be drawn on to boost the new mayor’s coffers.

Indeed, one of the key reasons Liverpool was quickly granted its City Deal by central government was the way the city council voted to stage a mayoral election this month, rather than follow the example of a dozen other British cities that have chosen to hold a referendum on the issue first.

While the City Deal money was not absolutely conditional on having an elected mayor, the Government was keen to see evidence of strong local governance before assenting to give the money.

Mayors are seen by government as creating a better connection between councils and voters, and thereby making them appear more accountable than the existing council leadership arrangements.

The big criticism, though, has been that mayors would be better serving a travel-to-work economic zone such as Merseyside, rather than just the local authority area of Liverpool.

This is the conclusion of the Warwick Commission, based at Warwick University. Its report, published last week, concluded: “Mayors are more likely to be effective, both in supporting the economy and making effective decisions for local citizens, if they are responsible for functioning economic areas. There is no point in electing a mayor whose remit does not cover the necessarily boundary-spanning regions that could foster economic growth – the so-called Metro-Mayor.”

Under the City Deal, a range of powers will be devolved to give the city what it needs to attract private investment, close skills gaps and create new jobs. The City Deal will lead to a new enterprise zone being created near the city centre. It will also provide powers to help get young unemployed people into work, give greater control over land for redevelopment and help build 12 new secondary schools.

The deal will create a single investment pot of public and private funds to help achieve this.

It will be initially worth £130m, but there is the potential for more money to follow.

The deal will see the establishment of the first Mayoral Development Corporation outside of London, supported by a Local Finance for Growth package.

This package includes a new enterprise zone for north Liverpool and the central

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Liverpool Town Hall is watched over by Minerva, goddess of Wisdom. Will Liverpool’s voters make a wise choice on May 3?

Picture: HOWARD DAVIES

business district, which will offer incentives for companies to set up in Liverpool and encourage existing city-based businesses to grow.

The City Deal would result in any increase in business rate revenues being made available for investment in the five proposed mayoral development zones – north Liverpool, the Knowledge Quarter in the city centre, Stonebridge Cross, the Eastern Approaches and Speke-Garston.

The deal will see the new mayor acting as the chair of an investment board which will oversee the local finance for growth package and the mayor will take control of all of the publicly-owned land, commercial

and residential buildings within the zones, including the assets that were previously owned by the Northwest Development Agency.

Frank McKenna, chairman of Downtown Liverpool in Business, said: “What is important about the City Deal cash is that it replenishes cash lost locally by the austerity cuts. That was a deal worth doing.

“The more interesting opportunity offered by having a city mayor is the profile the individual secures for Liverpool and the potential for a more dynamic approach to attracting inward investors and supporting indigenous businesses to grow.

“One of our persistent criticisms is that there are too many

business quangos. This offers the chance for a one-stop shop that is so often talked about, but is seldom delivered.

“The opportunities to establish special funds and zones similar to business improvement districts are things business would support. They could generate some economic growth.”

However, he added: “The thing that will become apparent over the next few years is that the job can only be delivered by somebody with a city region remit.

“You can’t tackle economic development without having responsibility for transport strategy.

“The sooner we can have a

debate about a city region mayor, the better, because that will give some real opportunities to drive the Merseyside economy forward.”

The retiring chief executive of Liverpool Chamber of Commerce, Jack Stopforth, believes the combination of the city’s existing leadership remaining in charge after the election and the new City Deal money is good for business.

He said: “It has to be conceded that Joe Anderson has done an awful lot already to hold out the hand of co-operation to business.

“For example, the chamber played a very active part in finalising the budget for the council. We sent our professional

THE BIG FEATURE

Cllr Joe Anderson launches his mayoral campaign, with help from Andy Burnham MP

team over there to go over the options with them.

“Joe invited me and [city chief executive] Ged Fitzgerald to meet [Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government] Eric Pickles and his junior ministers about how the cuts might damage local businesses.

“If the city gets the money to rebuild schools or for major housing programmes, that’s a huge boost to the private sector, as architects and builders will benefit.

“The link between public spending and private business is not often appreciated. If we get an elected mayor who understands that inter-dependence, then it will

benefit the business community.

Anything that gives us greater devolution is to be welcomed.”

However, not everybody is convinced the advent of elected mayors is going to make a huge difference to the city's firms and the local economy.

Jonathan Tonge, professor of politics at the University of Liverpool, said: “We have not had an elected mayor before, so at the moment we don’t really know how it will turn out.

“That said, I would question whether it is going to make a massive difference either way.

“The City Deal money is useful, but it won’t be offered to this city only. Any city demonstrating strong governance arrangements

Liverpool Science Park, in the heart of the city’s knowledge quarter, will be part of a new Mayoral Development Zone can qualify for it, so we need to get away from the spin that it was conditional on getting an elected mayor.

“In terms of the wider benefits, why should a change of title benefit the city?”

Prof Tonge believes you only need look at the example of

Manchester to see what works when it comes to attracting inward investment to a city.

“Investors look at whether the person at the helm is any good or not,” he said.

“Richard Leese and his team are good and so people invest in the city. If they think Joe

Anderson is any good, they will invest in Liverpool – if they don’t see him as any good, they won’t.

“But even that is not decisive.

What they also look at is things like the availability of labour in the local workforce and their skills and any help the council and government can give.

“European Union funding recognises regions more than it recognises cities, so a city mayor won’t make a difference.

“It's about boosting the city’s profile. In New York, you know the mayor’s name. A more recognisable name might help.

“It's about whether you have a sensible council. It's not as if you are going to do away with party politics. Joe Anderson, for example, is explicitly on a Labour party ticket.”

One problem with the new governance arrangements is the potential for conflict between the policies of an elected mayor and those of the largest party in the council chamber.

This could, for example, arise if an independent candidate were to elected. The contest’s winner could then find him or herself in conflict with the leader of the largest party and a battle of egos could ensue with disastrous consequences for the city’s image among investors.

Prof Tonge added: “If an independent were to come forward and then have to deal with a political party that dominates the council, there is a potential for conflict. The strength of party structures puts off independents, but if Phil Redmond had stood he might have won. I think he was not prepared to take on the party machines. What would happen when devising the council’s Budget if it is not supported by councillors? Down the line, there is the potential for conflict.”

CONTINUED ON PAGE 10

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THE BIG FEATURE

Our vision: Mayoral poll Cllr Richard Kemp – we need a big idea

Cllr Joe Anderson – Mayoral Development Zones

Cllr Joe Anderson, Labour LIVERPOOL has a great industrial and commercial past – but I passionately believe we have a brighter future.

We have a real potential for future economic growth, creating the new jobs and prosperity that people need and deserve.

My number one business priority is to make Liverpool the UK’s most business-friendly city.

A new city mayor will provide the drive, leadership and ideas to build a vibrant and expanding city economy. I am determined to forge strong and dynamic partnerships with the private sector.

I will set up five new Mayoral Development Zones to offer incentives to firms to set up in the city and existing firms to expand.

The zones will be led by the private sector. We must build on our successes such as Liverpool One, the Shanghai Expo, and

Cllr Richard Kemp, Lib-Dem

successfully hosting the Global Entrepreneurial Congress 2012.

The Liverpool Waters development alone will create 17,000 new jobs.

We have to recognise that, to deliver this ambition, there are critical challenges we face.

We have a low business base, a significant skills deficit, high unemployment and some of the UK’s most deprived communities.

My priority is to stimulate economic growth by supporting entrepreneurs and encourage new and innovative businesses – create a larger and more skilled workforce; improve housing, transport links and digital connectivity.

We must continue to develop growth opportunities for the knowledge economy and bio-sciences sector, as well as the superport, and our commitment to a low-carbon future.

THE internal and external support mechanisms for assisting inward investment and the development of local firms are not working well.

Our Enterprise Partnership was one of the last to get started and lacks clear overall ambitions for the city.

The merger of The Mersey Partnership and Liverpool Vision has left big problems in its wake.

These structural problems need tackling urgently.

Just as in the last decade we had the big idea of European Capital of Culture to stimulate inward and local public and private investment, we need a similar big idea for the next decade.

I suggest that we should aim to become the green capital of Europe. Environmental jobs, creating power, insulating homes, growing food in new ways will create long-ter m sustainable well-

paid jobs, as well as having social, environmental and health benefits.

I am proposing the development of an “Enterprise Factory”, linked to our three universities, where marketing, legal and financial mentors will be available to help expanding businesses.

This would be linked to a design centre where we could show off existing quality products and test market new ones.

Stores would be encouraged to stage an annual “Made on Merseyside” month when they would display and sell local products. Finally, we need to develop sustainable trade links.

We should harness the knowledge of our immigrant communities to develop trade links with their home countries and work on bilateral trade packages with major cities all over the world.

Cllr Steve Radford, Liberal

Cllr Steve Radford – good road and rail links

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wages, high employment THE mayoral deal is an economy by offering longexcellent deal for Liverpool and the business community term tax concessions to in the city region – it is why attract industry.

For 30 years as a personnel we in the Liberal Party r, I was horrified by manage the while robustly it backed Lib-Dems abstained and the the way government, centrally and locally, wanted Greens opposed it. to micro-manage businesses The five city business with excessive conditions to catalyst the be should zones grants. for a revival in the city’s We need a city mayor to technology, commercial and push forward good road and manufacturing base. rail links to the city.

We must learn from the We need to copy the West Dutch, who have a high

Midlands, where business parks have on-site technology schools and colleges.

Education must prepare pupils with skills for industry, commerce and enterprise.

This deal is an opportunity to lift this city away from over-dependence on the public sector, and we must grasp it.

Liverpool must be a global trading city, looking to the growth regions of the world.

THE BIG FEATURE

hopefuls have their say THE 10 main candidates in the poll for elected mayor of Liverpool were invited by the Liverpool Post Business magazine to give their views on their approach to business in the city. On these pages and overleaf, the candidates give their responses

Tony Caldeira – business experience Cllr John Coyne – stronger local economy

Cllr John Coyne, Green A GREEN mayor will be a friend to business and enterprise. I want to see a stronger local economy which provides jobs but is not dependent on perpetual economic growth.

That is impossible in a world where resources are finite.

A Green mayor will confer special credibility on Liverpool’s claim to be the preferred host for new green industries like renewable energy.

Business will be attracted by a high-quality environment, a city where key skilled employees will want to live.

Reduction in traffic volumes and traffic speeds will help create safe streets, fit for cycling and walking.

Slower speeds, properly enforced, will reduce road collisions and casualties. That reduced risk will lead to lower insurance costs for vehicles,

including for commercial vehicles.

Council buying will be adapted to favour local business, in particular opening up to smaller enterprises.

The council will migrate to use “open source” systems and that will encourage the growth of the local software industry.

Local competence in training and use of open systems will enable other business to reduce overheads by using open source.

Liverpool business is already receptive to ideas of local resilience, mutual trading and taking responsibility to help unemployed young people with work experience and personal growth – for example, Community Business Bridge.

To help the local economy become more resilient, I would appoint a commission to create a local currency, the Mersey Pound, that could only be spent here.

Tony Caldeira, Conservative LIVERPOOL is a great trading city and I will use my local and global business experience to become an entrepreneurial mayor and help all businesses in the city, making Liverpool Britain’s best business city and the UK’s capital of enterprise culture.

If elected, I will: ● Help local businesses, freezing business rates for four years, creating Mayoral Enterprise Zones and improving access for council contracts; ● Simplify business support, by merging business support agencies into one; ● Combine some City Deal funding with Regional Growth Fund, using it as leverage funding to attract more investment; ● Better negotiate City Deal 2; ● Improve Liverpool’s workforce, increasing training, skills and apprenticeships;

● Deliver maritime opportunities, Cruise Liner Terminal and post-Panamax port; ● Deliver Project Jennifer, improving Great Homer Street Market; ● Expand Liverpool’s Arena, Convention & Exhibition Centre; ● Build on our visitor economy strengths; ● Have a positive attitude to planning and regeneration; ● Build more affordable housing, maximising the right to buy; ● Back Liverpool Waters; ● Build Liverpool International – a new, global gateway within Liverpool; ● Lobby for Infrastructure Projects – HS2 to Liverpool and M62 to the city centre; ● Rebalance Liverpool’s economy; ● Increase enterprise education in schools, to make Liverpool the UK’s capital of enterprise culture.

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THE BIG FEATURE

Tony Mulhearn – structured housebuiding programme

Jeff Berman – people need mentoring

Jeff Berman, Liverpool Independent Party

Tony Mulhearn, Trade Union and Socialist Coalition

I BELIEVE the mayor’s role is not a political one, but more like that of a managing director.

And I think the key to stimulating the city’s fortunes is to support start-up businesses – they are the lifeblood of our economy.

I have met a number of young entrepreneurs who are defying the tough economic climate and starting their own enterprises.

One guy in his 20s is starting up his own hair salon. He has been wanting to do that since he was 13 – another is getting into e-commerce. One thing these people desperately need is mentoring.

And getting premises is another barrier I would address. I would provide low-cost space for start-ups, using vacant accommodation and refurbished by local firms using sustainable materials and employing local young people.

I also want to set up a community centre in every ward providing affordable business space.

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I SEE the role of the mayor as creating the conditions where innovation and small firms can flourish.

I would advocate a structured programme of housebuilding. That would not only create thousands of jobs, but should include the proper provision of apprenticeships and training for hundreds of local young people to give them a decent future. This new purchasing power would impact on small businesses.

I would campaign for small entrepreneurs to have access to cheap borrowing, to allow them to develop their projects. Even though some £750bn is lying in the banks, evidence shows they are not prepared to make this funding available at reasonable rates.

I would link the local campaign to a national one calling for the nationalisation of the banks, which should exist to serve innovation and enterprise and society, and not to provide big fat bonuses for the fat cats.

Liam Fogarty – enterprise is the key

Liam Fogarty, Independent ENTERPRISE was the making of Liverpool – and it’s the key to re-making our city.

We need to teach young people the value of enterprise and bridge the skills gaps that hold back the local economy.

I want to break down barriers between the council and our wealth-creators. My Mayor’s Office for Business & Opportunity (MOBO) will deal daily and directly with businesses and potential investors.

The mayor should lead the way, but also know when to get out of the way.

I want a Buy Liverpool campaign to boost local suppliers with the council setting an example.

My Liverpool Space programme will tackle eyesores and dead zones and identify sites for the new homes.

Crucially, our city region is weak and divided. I want to join our neighbours in a new, dynamic Bay Area authority to emulate successful world cities like Hamburg and Vancouver.

Paul Rimmer, English Democrats

Adam Heatherington, UKIP

THE Labour Party talks kindly about private enterprise these days but its policies remain anti-capital, pro-union – tax and waste nonsense.

If Liverpool falls completely into the hands of the Labour party machine business will suffer. I believe in cost-effective public services, not a bloated public sector.

My slogan is “Liverpool is An Enterprise City”. We need a hard-working, skilled, motivated population.

We are constantly reminded that we generate the wealth, not the Government. People will contribute if taxes are low. I look to Singapore and Switzerland for inspiration.

The EU is a tax-guzzling monster and immigration is producing a welfare dependent expanded, underclass. I believe the English are natural businessmen.

IF I AM elected mayor, I would make the business life of this city one of my main priorities.

Liverpool has always been a thriving business centre, but, like the rest of the country, it is suffering the pain of the harsh economic times.

I would encourage small startup companies, as these need as much support as possible.

Jobs in the construction industry are vital for this city, and we must fully use the existing well of talent and promote apprenticeship schemes in this field as well as in other trades.

We have three great universities and we must harness the talents emerging from them. There is a long history of post-graduates falling in love with Liverpool and staying here to work and live, and I would work to ensure this continues.

Paul Rimmer – get big government off our backs Just get big government off our backs, starting in Liverpool. Then the English Democrats will deliver a bright new future for our city.

Adam Heatherington – business life a priority The city is also a thriving centre for technology and the creative sector, and I would seek to ensure it continues to be at the cutting edge.

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13

PROFESSIONAL SECTORS

ASK THE

EXPERT

With Peter Mooney, head of employment law at ELAS

Q

THE late May Bank Holiday is always problematic for my business, as it’s our busiest time.

The four-day Bank Holiday weekend to celebrate the Queen’s Jubilee will make it even worse. Do I have to give my staff the extra day off ?

A

MANY businesses are finding it tough enough to weather the economic storm as it is without having to accommodate fourday Bank Holiday weekends in busy periods.

Although it has been announced that the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee will be a Bank Holiday, it depends on how your employment contracts are written as to whether your staff are entitled to the day off.

All employees are entitled to a minimum of 28 days’ holiday a year – which, for most people, is usually split into 20 days’ annual leave plus eight Bank Holidays.

Part-time workers are entitled to the same annual leave, but pro rata to the time that they work.

Some employment contracts state that workers get 28 days’ leave, including Bank Holidays, or express this as 5.6 weeks. Others say that staff should receive 20 days’ holiday, plus Bank Holidays.

If your employment contracts specify that staff should receive 20 days off, plus Bank Holidays, unless those Bank Holidays are defined, then you will have to give workers 29 days off, as June 5 is an official bank holiday.

If this is the case, but you feel that the timing of the Bank Holiday will be detrimental to your business, then you may wish to suggest to employees that they take the additional day off at

another, more convenient, time. If your employment contracts don’t mention Bank Holidays, and simply state that staff are entitled to 28 days’ annual holiday leave, you are under no obligation to give them the day off.

However, with events and street parties planned up and down the country, many businesses will feel compelled to give staff the extra day off out of goodwill.

As the media frenzy and celebrations get under way, if your staff will be required to work during the Jubilee Bank Holiday, it is important to break the news to them sooner rather than later.

In an effort to accommodate employees with children, or those who have already made plans, you may wish to allow a select number of people to take the day off as annual leave on a “first come, first served” basis.

If this is not viable, but you are keen to maintain staff morale during a key business period, you may wish to allow staff to watch highlights of TV coverage, if you have the facility and resources to do so, in the interest of employee relations.

Bear in mind that a considerable number of workplaces like hospitals do not close on public holidays.

If these workers have had to work on a public holiday they don’t lose out, they simply take their time off on another day.

‘For the Jubilee, do I have to give staff the extra day off?’

14

■ FOR further information, please call the ELAS Advice Team on 0161 785 2000.

Also visit the website: www.elas.uk.com.

For daily news, advice and employer information, please follow us on Twitter at: twitter.com/ELAS or visit the ELAS Facebook page.

■ IN ASSOCIATION with ELAS

IN ASSOCIATION WITH

Companies still Just one North West firm listed on the stock market IN JANUARY, an event was held in Liverpool to promote to small firms the benefits of listing on the Alternative Investment Market (AIM).

It was held just weeks before a report revealed that AIM listings in the UK during 2011 had reached a six-year low.

However, the report by Deloitte also said there were signs that the number of companies de-listing – that is, leaving the exchange – was falling and it was hoped the number of new listings would start to increase again in the first half of this year.

In our region, this is a particular issue, as Merseyside only has about one-sixth of the number of stock market-quoted companies that you would expect for a place of its size.

And a report published in the last few weeks also puts the issue into focus.

The study, by accountants Ernst & Young, reported that IPO (initial public offering) activity was continuing to falter in 2012.

Both AIM and the bigger FTSE markets recorded only seven listings for the first three months of this year, raising the lowest funds (£206m) since 2009, according to Ernst & Young’s latest IPO Eye. Total funds raised during the quarter were £206m (seven listings), compared to £562m (seven listings) in the quarter four 2011, and £966m (four listings) during the same period last year.

Richard Harding, North region IPO leader at Ernst & Young, said: “2012 opened with gloomy market sentiment and uncertainty.

“Concern over the European debt crisis is still causing volatility in the market.

“In the North West, there has been just one float in the last 12 months – Inspired

Energy – on the AIM market in November, 2011. There is still appetite to list among North West businesses, but confidence in the markets is low.

“Many companies have delayed plans in order to focus on rebuilding their equity growth story, or have sought alternative signs of financing.

“Until we see more encouraging economic signs, IPO activity will remain flat.”

The seven listings consisted of two main market IPOs and five AIM listings.

Two of the seven companies that raised funds were UKdomiciled.

The five companies that were non-UK domiciled came from South Africa, Portugal, Papua New Guinea, Russia and China.

Mr Harding added: “Obstacles still remain in the way of the UK IPO market returning to normal levels of activity.

“Only time will tell whether any of the encouraging economic signs will last long enough to see a significant return to IPOs.” The January Deloitte report said that AIM listings had peaked in 2007 and had been in decline ever since.

Paul Lupton, North West head of corporate finance advisory at Deloitte, said when the report was published: “Since the number of companies on AIM peaked at 1,694 at the end of 2007, we have seen an almost non-stop decline in numbers to 1,150 companies listed as at November 30, 2011, a reduction of approximately one third.

“Over this time, listed companies have departed the market in droves, either voluntarily, if they don’t perceive ongoing value in their listed status, or involuntarily, generally due to their financial circumstances in these difficult economic times.”

Ernst & Young says firms remain cautious amid stock market volatility and problems in the eurozone Picture: ANTHONY DEVLIN

REPORT SHOWS DECLINE IN AIM LISTINGS DESPITE the gloomy picture being painted around stock market listings, the Deloitte report did offer some optimism for 2012.

It said there was a possibility the number of AIM listings would start to grow again in the first half of this year.

The firm’s Paul Lupton said: “To the end of

November, 2011, the total number of AIM de-listings was just 131.

“This is a fall of 55% compared with the peak recorded in 2009, when 293 companies de-listed from the market, and is the lowest level of de-listings since 2005.

“By its very nature, AIM is a dynamic market,”

added Mr Lupton. “The classic AIM strategy for a company is to join during an expansion phase, use AIM to build profile and access growth capital, and then depart either to a premium listing or potentially be taken over by a larger player in the same industry.”

In January, stockbrokers Shore Capital held an event

IN ASSOCIATION WITH

saying no to IPO

in the last 12 months, as AIM listings hit six-year low

PROFESSIONAL SECTORS

THE SHARPER

INVESTOR

Nigel Hibbert, Partner at Cheviot Asset Management, Liverpool NIGEL HIBBERT looks at the gains to be made from infrastructure investment NECESSITY is so often the mother of invention – and investments are no different.

In the current climate, with current interest rates and bond yields low, investors are looking to other asset classes for a source of income and uncorrelated asset growth.

One class which is attractive as part of a diversified investment strategy is infrastructure, which provides a strong dividend yield generated from predictable, contractual cash flows.

Such funds enable investors to secure asset growth from projects as diverse as prison and hospital construction in Australia, the building of schools and clinics here in the UK, and bridge-building in Canada.

These contracts are usually long term, many over 20 years, with a high proportion being inflation-linked. Because of that, investors can expect the dividend to be secure and also to grow year on year.

Capital growth is achieved through the maturation of investments as they move from being projects to operational assets and also through strategic acquisitions.

Many of these income sources are uncorrelated to the global economy, so, while the share price of BP, for example, may be volatile depending on world news, the oil price or investor sentiment, assets such as toll roads and prisons will continue to provide stable revenue streams.

It’s also an attractive class at the moment because while austerity is a common global theme, infrastructure investment is seen as a good form of fiscal stimulus by many governments. Many developing economies have to

build domestic infrastructure that is already wellestablished in developed markets. An example of this is provision of cold chain (refrigeration) facilities in India for transportation of fresh goods across the country.

The bonus for investors is that, in the current economic climate, private investment is, of course, key to success for governments switched on to the benefits of infrastructure investment. Many are working hard to ensure there is a sustained and obvious pipeline of work to encourage investment from those with long-term liabilities like pension funds, for example.

The UK Government’s National Infrastructure Plan should provide ample opportunity, with the Chancellor highlighting infrastructure investment in the recent Budget.

Given that the cost of financing is cheap at current levels and the cost of construction has reduced through the downturn, now is a perfect opportunity for the Government to invest in projects that will benefit the country as economic growth is restored.

We at Cheviot invest in a number of vehicles in this asset class, all with diversified portfolios across geographies and industries, and extremely varied assets.

Infrastructure funds are not a complete investment solution in themselves, of course, but represent an attractive and stable component in a properly diversified strategy.

Opportunities are extremely wide ranging and it’s worth bearing in mind that what may be a first-class investment opportunity for one portfolio could be a misfit for another. One size very rarely fits all, so consideration of the full picture is essential.

‘Investors are now looking to other asset classes for income’

MAY BE OVER at Liverpool Town Hall to promote the benefits of listing on AIM. Around 80 business people from across the city region attended.

Mr Lupton added: “The AIM market’s return to growth will stimulate a more positive outlook for investors in small cap high-growth companies.”

■ IN ASSOCIATION with Cheviot Asset Management

A public listing can offer a firm access to growth capital

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01744 832300

THE BIG INTERVIEW

Continuous improvement

BY NEIL HODGSON

▲ ▲

Pioneer Christine Gaskell is setting the pace within the automotive industry, and now with the Government’s new Local Enterprise Partnerships.

17

THE BIG INTERVIEW . . . CHRISTINE GASKELL CONTINUED FROM PAGE 17 ETTING standards and upping the game has been a constant thread running through the career of Christine

S

Gaskell.

Whether as the first female staffer on the shop floor of the male-dominated British Leyland trucks maker, or championing the cause of apprenticeships and skills, for which she received an MBE, or more recently setting the agenda for Cheshire and Warrington’s Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP), Wigan-born Ms Gaskell has always sought to raise the bar.

After graduating from York University with an English degree, she soon got her first taste of work in the then febrile world of the UK motor industry as a graduate trainee in the personnel department with Leyland-based cars and trucks maker British Leyland.

Back in the heady days of British motor manufacturing and prior to the ethos of “lean and mean”, the company employed an astonishing 24,000 staff.

British Leyland, to its regret, will always be synonymous with Derek Robinson, or Red Robbo, the firebrand trade union convener who grabbed the headlines in a series of costly industrial disputes.

He worked in British Leyland’s Midlands car plant and, as Ms Gaskell points out, was before her time with the company, which coincided with a more harmonious approach to industrial relations, as she inexorably progressed through the personnel department.

Ms Gaskell recalls: “I started as a trainee, then got my first proper role in the engine plant as personnel officer and had about 2,000 people to look after.”

Her new role involved taking responsibility for the vehicle assembly plant in 1989, and then truck and van product development in 1990.

She said: “It was unusual for females to go into a traditional manufacturing environment and I was the only female in that area.

But I had a great time.

“Industrial relations were changing in the UK and I thoroughly enjoyed it.”

She added: “We were involved in some pretty interesting times, in changing perceptions and working practices and improving working relations.”

Ms Gaskell spent 13 years with British Leyland before she came onto the radar of pharmaceuticals group Fisons, who headhunted her to take up the role of personnel manager at their then Cheshire manufacturing plant, in Holmes Chapel.

She spent three years with Fisons before the headhunters came calling again, this time on behalf of the Crewe-based luxury automotive marque Rolls-Royce and Bentley, who approached Ms Gaskell in 1995 with an offer to join their board as personnel director.

Her journey from graduate trainee at a grimy truck manufacturer’s to the board of one of the most prestigious motor companies in the world is testament not only to her undoubted abilities, but also to her desire to help push boundaries in the workplace, which she feels she has been

18

fortunate enough to do on behalf of female colleagues, particularly at a senior level.

She said: “We employ lots of women now at a senior level in the car industry, and I have been able to break down a lot of those barriers for the next generation of women coming through.

“We employ between 10-15% of women in the car industry, and they are well represented in our senior management.”

Another enduring theme

throughout her career in the world of personnel has been her commitment to developing apprenticeships and improving the skills base from the shop floor up.

She admitted: “I care passionately about apprenticeships and skills.

“Apprenticeships are a fantastic way for any young person to come into an industry.”

And she believes the popularity of apprenticeships will increase

and become a viable alternative for many aspiring youngsters as rising university fees begin to bite.

Although the increase in tuition fees will not come into effect until later this year, she said it had already resulted in more interest in apprenticeship opportunities.

“The number of young people applying for apprenticeships this year trebled.”

And she believes the flexibility

of the apprenticeship system is now able to attract some of the brightest young talents.

“Now we have level 4 and 5 apprenticeships, so they can do a degree at the same time.”

As Bentley’s board member for all personnel, Ms Gaskell is responsible for nearly 4,000 employees worldwide, including all recruitment, training, development, employee relations, internal communications, security, occupational health and

THE BIG INTERVIEW . . . CHRISTINE GASKELL

Christine Gaskell pictured with apprentices at Bentley, in Crewe Picture: ANTONY THOMPSON

health and safety. She also acts as an ambassador for the National Apprenticeship Service in the North West, and, in January this year, her efforts were recognised with the award of an MBE for her work to promote apprenticeships.

Another aspect of Ms Gaskell’s work with Bentley is her involvement in the company’s community-based programmes, which has led to her playing a key role in regional economic affairs, including a seat on the board of

Business Link North West, and culminating, most notably, in her appointment as chair of the Cheshire & Warrington Local Economic Partnership (LEP).

LEPs are the coalition Government’s replacement for the former regional development agencies and are a private sectorled partnership between local authorities and businesses with responsibility for speaking on behalf of business, and championing the issues affecting

their region with the Government and other key bodies.

Cheshire & Warrington LEP, which includes famed music producer Pete Waterman on its board, was among the first in the country to form last year.

In comparison, Liverpool City Region LEP was only officially launched this March, after protracted wrangling over its composition and the role the former inward investment agency The Mersey Partnership would

play within the new organisation.

The Liverpool LEP has significant ground to recover on its regional peers, none more so than Chester & Warrington, which held its inaugural annual meeting this April – and set forth an ambitious three-year growth strategy, as well as lobbying links at government level aimed at consolidating and improving one of the North West region’s burgeoning economies.

The event, in Warrington, also saw the launch of the LEP

apprenticeship promise. Reinforcing the unerring theme of continuous improvement throughout her career, Ms Gaskell was at the forefront, together with business leaders and economists, of formulating the strategy and vision to take the LEP forward.

She said: “We set out a year ago with what I think was an ambitious agenda, and now have a business plan that I think we can work with, among businesses and local authorities, to make Cheshire and Warrington a better place to do business.”

The LEP’s three-year blueprint highlights some of the major opportunities that exist for Cheshire and Warrington, such as the development of super-fast broadband, the HS2 rail project, and the continued expansion of its advanced manufacturing base.

It identifies six major strategic objectives, which are business growth, infrastructure and connectivity, the rural economy, a skilled and productive workforce, promoting the sub-region and deregulation.

These objectives are underpinned in the plan by a series of short, medium and long-term actions.

These include: ● Supporting developer Peel’s Atlantic Gateway masterplan which outlines business opportunities along the Manchester Ship Canal from Port Salford to the Mersey, culminating in the proposed £5.5bn Liverpool Waters scheme; ● Developing a robust Cheshire and Warrington supply chain capability for key sectors, such as advanced manufacturing and nuclear technology; ● Growing mid-sized businesses through targeted support; ● Increasing business support services for start-ups and small and medium-sized enterprises; ● Increasing the number of businesses employing apprentices; ● Developing a pipeline of employment sites, and creating the right environment for growth in the rural economy.

The report says: “The aim is to create an economic brand that transcends the local and is truly national and international, with strong recognition of our location and offer.”

Also launched at the LEP’s inaugural annual meeting was the LEP’s apprenticeship promise – which is supported by the National Apprenticeship Service and is being delivered by Marketing Cheshire – which aims to encourage the growth and recruitment of apprentices in Cheshire and Warrington.

The promise allows employers to select items they pledge to deliver, which will include encouragement to take on new apprentices, to deliver level 3 and 4 training, and support for those businesses that have not previously employed apprentices.

In a further move to fight the cause and raise the profile for the Cheshire and Warrington region, the LEP also revealed plans for a special Parliamentary summit this May, highlighting Cheshire and Warrington’s economic strengths, opportunities and unique proposition.

The LEP will use the event at the House of Commons to lobby

CONTINUED ON PAGE 20

19

THE BIG INTERVIEW . . . CHRISTINE GASKELL Christine Gaskell – says the LEP aims to capitalise on Cheshire and Warrington’s diverse range of industries

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 19 key decision-makers in the capital, from the Government and Whitehall, as well as the wider financial and investment community.

The whole thrust of the LEP’s three-year blueprint, its apprenticeship promise and lobbying drive is designed to plot a clear course for growth.

It will outline the LEP’s core priorities to maintain and develop Cheshire and Warrington’s position as among the most productive economies in the north of England, and show how it intends to continue to exceed national economic performance levels.

Ms Gaskell said: “With a £22bn economy and the potential to out-perform the rest of the North West and other regions of the UK,

20

our work is focused on ensuring the sub-region continues to attract investment and growth, driving its enterprise and development to the fore.

“Our economy has a diverse base: with genuine world-class excellence from motor vehicles to pharmaceuticals, advanced science to logistics, financial and professional services, to creative industries.

“It is essential that our businesses, large and small, continue to grow and thrive to secure long-term prosperity and employment opportunities for all of our communities, through a true partnership approach involving the public, private and education sectors.”

She added: “Our ambition is for Cheshire and Warrington to be the best performing sub-regional economy outside the Greater

South East, and the preferred location for business because of our investment locations, connectivity, highly-qualified workforce and excellent quality of life.”

The LEP’s annual meeting also gave its members and supporters the opportunity to look back over a year of strong progress, and what had been achieved since its inception in March last year.

While other LEPs were embroiled in politics and red tape, Cheshire & Warrington had established strong working relationships with the financial sector aimed at easing lending constraints on businesses, as well as successfully presenting a case for extended eligibility for the European Regional Development Fund.

It also received £13.1m from the Government’s Growing Places

Fund to get stalled projects moving forward and infrastructure in place to create new jobs and homes.

As part of this initiative, the LEP is currently working with its public and private sector partners to consider development opportunities and is calling on companies and organisations that have schemes that might be considered for funding to come forward.

Ms Gaskell said: “We have worked hard to establish real credibility with Government and this award proves that we have their trust and confidence.”

As if her “day job” and LEP responsibilities were not timeconsuming enough, Ms Gaskell is also chairman of the trustees of the £650m Rolls-Royce and Bentley Motors Pension Fund, a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of

Personnel and Development, a member of Rolls-Royce and Bentley’s parent company, VW European and Global Works Council, the non-executive chairman of Total People training company and an active member of BEN – The Motor & Allied Trades Benevolent Fund.

However, she says she still manages to strike the right work/life balance by finding sufficient “down time” to recharge her batteries.

She said: “I love travel and like reading and the theatre and working out.

“I love Majorca and the Caribbean – there’s not many places I don’t like and I have been lucky with my job that I have been to lots of places.

“But, most important of all, I love spending time with my friends.”

ECONOMIC

DEVELOPMENT

Stadium a bridge to the future The bridge linking St Helens town centre with Langtree Park stadium and its neighbouring Tesco store has become a St Helens landmark

Picture: ANDREW TEEBAY

Langtree Park the flagship redevelopment in buzzing St Helens. Alistair Houghton reports HATEVER it may have done to the form of St Helens Rugby League Club, everyone seems to agree that Langtree Park has breathed new life into the town in which it sits.

The 18,000-seater stadium, which staged its first game in January, is the centrepiece of the regeneration of a former glassworks site near the town centre.

The stadium, and the neighbouring Tesco superstore, are linked to the town centre by a footbridge that has become an icon in itself.

And while the rugby club has seen a recent dip in form – it sat at seventh in the Super League table as Post Business went to press – most in the town agree that the stadium could help to

W

push the borough of St Helens up the economic league tables.

And there are other signs of optimism throughout the borough of St Helens, which also includes Newton-le-Willows, Haydock and Rainford.

Glass giant Pilkington may have shed jobs earlier this year, but it is still pushing ahead with its £36m “Project Chocolate” to build a coating plant for glass at Cowley Hill.

That scheme has won backing from the Government’s Regional Growth Fund.

Manufacturer Dresser is moving from Skelmersdale to Rainford Industrial Estate, bringing 150 staff and creating 65 new jobs.

Langtree says its Mere Grange development, built shortly before the economic downturn hit, is

again attracting interest from potential occupiers.

St Helens Chamber said its recent quarterly economic survey was “very positive”, with firms pushing to secure new markets despite sluggish domestic growth.

And St Helens’s location, between the metropolises of Liverpool and Greater Manchester and with great road and rail links, means it will be well-placed to grow once the downturn ends.

The feelgood factor created by Langtree Park seems hard to deny.

Mark Dickens, head of regeneration at St Helens Council, said: “The Saints stadium is probably the biggest thing for everybody in the borough.

“It’s given a new perception to that part of the town.

“Knowsley Road was quite run

down. But this is a new image.

“One Leeds Rhinos player said this was the best Rugby League stadium now. It’s nice to hear your enemies saying that.

“Being on the edge of the town centre has worked really well. Our evening economy on those Friday nights is working really well.

“One pub told me that on the night of the first friendly they had against Wigan, for the first time ever they had to restrict the number of people coming in.

Another bar told me their takings were up 80%.

“It’s bringing in more money and more footfall. It’s working well for those businesses nearby.

“The club is employing more people and holding more events, but the associated bars and restaurants and eateries are more buoyant. That means they can

take on more staff.” John Downes, managing director of Langtree, added: “It’s taken time to put it together.

“I’ve been working on that project for years now.

“But it’s given the town a massive boost, not just because it’s a new stadium, but because we built a high-quality stadium right next to the town centre.

“People actually enjoy going to the town centre before the game and having a drink or something to eat.

“And there has been as much excitement about the bridge as there has about the stadium. That connectivity has worked so well.

“We were always determined from the outset that we weren’t going to compromise on the

CONTINUED ON PAGE 22

21

ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT ST HELENS

The Dream sculpture, in St Helens, has become a symbol for the town; inset, top, John Downes, of Langtree, says the commercial property market is picking up; Tracy Mawson, inset, above, says local firms are upbeat about their export prospects Main picture: COLIN LANE CONTINUED FROM PAGE 21 stadium or the environment around it.

“When we had the game a couple of weeks ago against Leeds, I overheard a couple of Leeds fans saying they were pleasantly surprised at the breathing space around the stadium. People were sitting on the grass having something to eat before the game.

“It’s more than just four stands.

It’s provided so much more for the town. It’s given it a real feelgood factor.”

STADIUM cannot create thousands of jobs in itself – that will be down to the private sector.

And the private sector is, according to Tracy Mawson at St Helens Chamber, remaining upbeat, despite the continuing economic turmoil.

Announcing the results of the Chamber’s quarterly survey last month, Ms Mawson, the

A 22

chamber’s director of business services, said: “Renewed confidence by St Helens businesses in the first quarter of 2012 has shown the underlying strengths of our firms, despite tough trading conditions.

“The Chamber remains confident that, when the upturn comes, our businesses have the potential and drive to recover and thrive, but the Government needs to build on this rise in business confidence to ensure the best possible environment for businesses to generate wealth and create jobs for local people.”

And speaking to Post Business last week, Ms Mawson added: “The top line is that domestic demand is still very slow, but companies that are interested in exporting are doing very well.

“Fifteen per cent of those polled said they wanted to grow at 20% or upwards. In total, 64% said they had some growth ambitions.

“The Chamber’s role is to help them achieve that.”

The organisation plans to put

on more events to help St Helens firms export. But Ms Mawson says there have already been some notable successes.

“Winch Solutions, a high-end engineering firm, has secured contracts in the US,” she said.

“On the back of that, they’re going to start up a subsidiary in the States.

“Other firms are successfully exporting to China.

“We’re running seminars about the US, for people who are interested in setting up subsidiaries or attracting agents.

“We’re putting on an event with the British ambassador to Dublin.

“Ireland is often seen as an easy first step for people looking to export. It’s very close, the language is the same, and there are social and cultural links. But it is a small market, so the rewards aren’t as great.

“Over the next 12 months, the Chamber will be doing a lot more international events.”

Other potential growth areas include the green economy.

Ms Mawson said: “We do have a very big low-carbon sector, particularly in insulation, with companies such as Knauf. And [engineering firm] Flamco is making heat condensers.

“What companies don’t realise sometimes is that a lot of their products and services don’t have to be altered very much to sell to the low-carbon sector.

“As the low-carbon economy gets bigger, it’s an opportunity for regular firms.

“There’s still an opportunity for manufacturing and engineering firms. You can sell your particular widget to people who install solar panels.

“We still have a lot of traditional manufacturing, which is great. It’s the engine room of the economy.”

Ms Mawson is also encouraged by levels of activity in the town’s small business base.

“We’ve seen an increase in the number of people starting their own businesses,” she said.

“There’s the St Helens start-up

programme the Chamber runs. In the first three months of this year, we’ve seen nine business starting, creating 15 jobs.”

The Chamber has also held Apprenticeship open days to encourage firms to take on young people who are currently not in education or training.

“The take-up so far has been really good,” said Ms Mawson.

“There’s a lot of goodwill in St Helens businesses to give St Helens people a hand. If they can give a chance to a young person, they will do, and I applaud them for that.”

St Helens’s position in the heart of the North West means it will always be attractive to inward investors – and the area is helped further by the fact that costs are comparatively low.

“Location is one key factor in St Helens,” said Ms Mawson.

“For example, Haydock, as a collection of industrial estates, is the biggest in the North West.

“Haydock’s access to the M6 and A580 means it’s well-

ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT ST HELENS

TRAINING

TALK

With Nicola Parr, training manager at Holt Green Training Why management soft skills matter

Pilkington is investing millions in a new coating plant at Cowley Hill that will create 50 jobs Picture: ANDREW TEEBAY

TO GET, and keep, a job in most industries – particularly at management level – you typically need a repertoire of technical skills.

While technical skills may get a foot in the door, it’s people skills that open most doors. Work ethics, attitude, communication skills, emotional intelligence and a whole host of other personal attributes are soft skills crucial for career success.

Problem solving, delegating, motivating, and team building all come much more naturally and are far more effective when delivered by managers with the right soft skills.

Essentially, possession of these soft skills is the key ingredient to performing as a leader rather than a manager.

The problem is, the importance of these soft skills is often undervalued and there is far less training provided for them than hard “technical” skills. Assuming that soft skills are universal leads to much frustration, which is why it’s so important to focus as much on this area of training and development.

The workplace has evolved and interpersonal dynamics can't be ignored. The acts of listening, presenting ideas, resolving conflict, and fostering an open and honest work environment all come down to knowing how to build and maintain relationships with people. It's those relationships that allow people to participate fully in team projects, show appreciation for others, and enlist support for their projects.

It's important to recognise the vital role soft skills play within your management teams and not only work on developing them within this level, but encourage their development throughout the organisation. Areas to examine and evaluate include: ■ Coaching and mentoring; ■ Effective change management;

■ Interpersonal negotiation skills; ■ Conflict resolution; ■ Clarity of communications; ■ Creative thinking; ■ Inclusion.

The more of these skills your management staff demonstrate, the better people's soft skills are likely to be within your organisation. Each has a significant impact on the attitude a person brings to interactions with clients, customers, colleagues, supervisors, and other stakeholders and ultimately the more positive someone's attitude is, the better that person's relationships will be.

That's what fosters great team performance, and leads people to contribute strongly to the organisation's vision and strategy.

Soft skills are increasingly becoming the hard skills of today's work force. It's just not enough to be highly trained in technical skills, without developing the softer, interpersonal and relationship-building skills that help people to communicate and collaborate effectively.

In a commercial world with businesses fighting for market-share, these people skills are more critical than ever as organisations struggle to find meaningful ways to remain competitive and be productive.

Teamwork, leadership, and communication are underpinned by soft skills development.

Since each is an essential element for organisational and personal success, investing in your management teams and developing these skills is vital and can bring great rewards.

Talk to us about how we can develop and enhance your managers’ soft skills.

Tel: 01695 424 262 or visit www.holtgreentraining.co.uk You can also follow us on Twitter at: @Holt_Green or visit our Facebook page, Holt Green Training.

‘Possession of soft skills is the key ingredient to performing as a leader’

Langtree Park, says Mark Dickens, of St Helens Council, is proving to be a catalyst for growth in the town Picture: GARETH JONES positioned for many companies.

The cost base is reasonable in St Helens, both on the property side, but also on the skills side. You won’t be overpaying for people in St Helens.”

At Langtree, John Downes is celebrating not just the opening of Langtree Park but also an upswing in the St Helens property market.

He is particularly pleased that Langtree’s Mere Grange development, which includes 300,000 sq ft of offices in a 31-acre landscaped environment near Junction 7 of the M62, is showing signs of life after a fallow period.

He said: “Mere Grange was built speculatively.

“We built it as the market collapsed, really. The timing wasn’t the best.

“However, it is in such a good location, and now the market has come back.

“We started to see that in the early to middle part of last year, and we did several deals last year.

“As the euro crisis developed

again towards the end of last year, it slowed. But, since Christmas, inquiries have picked up again.

“We’re optimistic about the future. It’s a good project, and a good location, and I think that’s coming to the fore.”

Langtree’s whole St Helens portfolio has seen its performance improve since Christmas.

“We have a whole range of different commercial propositions in St Helens borough,” said Mr Downes, “from Mere Grange’s Grade A offices to the serviced office accommodation in Newtonle-Willows, to industrial properties we provide in Lea Green Business Park, to Park Court’s small industrial properties, to Delph Court’s bigger industrial properties, to little industrial space in Chalon Way. “We never saw the same tail-off in inquiries in industrial space as we did in office space. There was a marked decline in office inquiries for Mere Grange.

“The serviced space at Centrix

has remained pretty consistent and well-occupied. But across the board, in small industrial, large industrial, and office, we’ve seen an increase in inquiries since Christmas.”

For Mr Downes, the area’s real draw is its location.

“It’s very well placed and the infrastructure is here,” he said.

“We find that location is the real draw for most of the inquiries we get.

“It’s got good road connections.

You can get easily to Manchester and Liverpool, and across the North West. It’s got a significant geographical advantage.

“It’s also got a spread of sites and properties – not just ours.

“And, to be fair, it’s got a good local authority.”

Mark Dickens, from that local authority, is pleased that St Helens – helped by its location – is still seeing some economic activity, despite the economic gloom.

■ IN ASSOCIATION with Holt Green Training

CONTINUED ON PAGE 24

23

ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT ST HELENS CONTINUED FROM PAGE 23 He said: “Lots of my friends in planning in other authorities are saying ‘Nothing is happening where we are’.

“But we have genuine private sector interest – not as much as I’d like, I’d like a lot more, but development has not collapsed.

“There are developments.

People are spending money here.

It’s positive.”

One key recent success was the decision by Dresser, which makes valves and other components for the energy industry, to move from Skelmersdale to Rainford.

The council’s planning committee approved the idea earlier this month, but, because part of a new access road will run through the green belt, it had to be referred to the Government to see if a public inquiry was needed.

The council has been told the plans can now go ahead.

Dresser will employ 215 people at its new home. Around 150 staff will move from Skelmersdale, but 65 new jobs will be created and advertised to local residents of St Helens.

Three apprentices a year will be recruited from Rainford High Technology College.

Other projects include the £7.5m Gerard’s Park industrial zone, being developed by Northern Trust.

And Morley Estates has developed several sites at Haydock, including its work on the Old Boston Trading Estate.

“They’re very successful at bringing businesses in,” said Mr Dickens.

And there is, he says, more investment to come.

“We are having discussions with developers about developing some other sites,” he said, “but because they’re at pre-application stage, it’s confidential.

“But there are some reasonably sizeable companies looking at St Helens.”

NE key site whose future remains uncertain is Parkside, the former colliery site in Newton-le-Willows that has been earmarked for a rail-freight interchange.

Such an interchange could, the council estimates, create around 5,000 jobs – though the project sits on green belt land and has been opposed by many local residents.

It was to be developed by Prologis, but those plans were cancelled in July, 2010, in what councillors called “crushing news” for the region.

At the time, ProLogis vicepresident Simon Jenkins said: “Although the plans do not work at this time, as a business we recognise that the site remains an ideal location for a rail-freight interchange, given its proximity to two major railway lines, the M6 and M62.”

The council agrees with Prologis that the site still has great potential, and Mr Dickens and his team are working on ways to take it forward.

“Parkside is still the backbone of our economic strategy for the future,” he said.

“That’s 270-odd hectares of land which we have planned in our strategy as a rail-freight interchange.

“We’ve just been going through our core strategy as part of our local plan. Parkside is one of our core sites. We’re still trying to work to get that delivered.”

O

24

ST HELENS THE LOGICAL CHOICE FOR LAW FIRM LOOKING TO MERSEYSIDE AND BEYOND Julie Mogan, partner at DTM Legal Picture: IAN COOPER

WHEN law firm DTM Legal wanted to open a Merseyside office, it only looked to one place – St Helens.

DTM was founded in Chester in 2008, and doubled in size within 12 months.

The company soon started putting feelers out in Merseyside as it looked to expand further into the North West.

Partner Julie Mogan and her team regularly visited St Helens – and found that the town’s

location and friendly business community made it the perfect location for DTM. Its Century House office, in St Helens, allows the practice to tap into markets in Merseyside and Manchester – but many of its clients are from St Helens itself.

Ms Mogan said: “We developed a relationship with the town through the rugby club. We started going to events there and found that there was a

He added: “Location is one of our key assets. We’re in Liverpool city region, but we’re accessible by the M6, M62 and A580.

“Connectivity is key. Logistics is an area in which we’re trying to grow ourselves.

“A lot of what’s going on in Haydock has a logistics element, because it’s next to Junction 26.”

Mr Dickens is proud of the way the council works closely with potential investors to the area.

“The way we operate in St Helens is quite proactive,” he said. “We employ someone whose job is to co-ordinate preapplication discussion with developers.

“It means we approve a significant number of planning applications, as we get it right before they’re submitted.

“We have something like 95% of our applications approved, because we work with developers

lot of small business networking going on.

“By driving round the area and finding contacts there, we realised how many fantastic businesses there were.

“When we spoke to businesspeople, they were saying that they were sending their legal work to Manchester and Liverpool, but never really wanted to. They would be pleased if it was available in town.

“So, rather than

to get them right. We get a lot of feedback from developers, and a lot of them say ours is the best service around.

“We are a council the private sector can work with. We meet companies to make sure we deliver.

‘If we don’t think a development is agreeable, we’ll tell the company.

“We don’t want to waste our money or theirs.”

Mr Dickens is also pleased that many new houses are being built in St Helens.

He said: “Most of the national housebuilders are building in the borough – Taylor Wimpey, Persimmon, Miller Homes, etc.

“The important thing for us is trying to get some of our subcontractors onto these schemes.

“The council runs Meet The Buyer events with the Chamber.

We’re giving the opportunity for

paying lip service and just turning up there occasionally, we thought we’d put our money where our mouth is.

“It’s gone really well.

We’ve been gaining work from local professionals who’d previously been sending work away.

“We opened in June and we’ve picked up probably 20 clients. It’s growing, and we’re looking to grow it further.”

Ms Mogan said she

local companies to tender for this work.”

Pilkington, owned by Japanese company Nippon Sheet Glass (NSG), announced in February that up to 150 jobs could be lost with its decision to stop manufacturing at two sites in the town by the end of this month. It said the cuts were necessary due to lower-than-expected overseas demand for solar glass products.

But the company is continuing with the £36m “Project Chocolate” plan to build a new plant at Cowley Hill. The project has been backed by £5m from the Regional Growth Fund.

The plant will produce the next generation of energy-efficient Pilkington’s K Glass, used in domestic double glazing.

Gary Charlton, manufacturing director UK for NSG, said: “We’re seeding the product in the market now. We’re producing it in Sweden

and her DTM colleagues received a warm welcome from everyone they met in St Helens.

She said: “The other reason we went to St Helens was that the council and Chamber of Commerce were exceptionally helpful.

“They want to do business and get people to the area.

“It’s a very open place to do business, and there’s a great chunk of SME clients there as well.”

and Germany to import it to the UK. “We’re up to 100,000 sq m a month – that’s going remarkably well.

“The project itself is progressing well onsite.”

The building is already halfcomplete, while the coating line will be installed from June. It is set to open by the end of this year.

The site will have a production team of 30 staff, backed up by 20 more staff in sales, marketing and research and development.

When complete, NSG expects to be selling more than 250,000 sq m of the new glass a month.

With Pilkington continuing to invest in the town, and the success of Langtree Park, glass and rugby are still key to the future of St Helens. But the town with the dream location, overlooked by The Dream sculpture, has much more to offer.

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IN ASSOCIATION WITH

HOW GREEN IS YOUR BUSINESS?

Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg, centre, on a recent visit to the Mersey Multimodal Gateway, in Widnes

Clegg’s green drive gets CBI backing

Top business group says economic growth is compatible with protecting the environment THE CBI has backed Deputy Prime Minster Nick Clegg’s assertion that a move towards green energy will not hamper the UK’s future economic growth.

In a speech, Mr Clegg attacked the “naysayers” who claim economic growth is incompatible with protecting the environment.

He said the Government wanted to increase investment from low-carbon firms and

promote green measures that would boost Britain’s economy, which some analysts tip to sink back into recession.

“There is a myth doing the rounds in political debate today that, here in the UK, environmentalism has hit a wall, that green is for the good times, that we cannot up our efforts to protect our environment while simultaneously growing our

economy, that we have to make a choice,” said Mr Clegg.

“The assumption is that cashstrapped citizens cannot be expected to live more sustainably; they have other, more urgent worries to contend with, that struggling businesses must be liberated from burdensome environmental regulations – and the upshot, we are told, is that our environmental ambitions must,

temporarily, take a back seat. But this new wisdom, however widely held, is utterly wrong.”

Katja Hall, chief policy director at the CBI, said: “It’s increasingly important to argue the case for our green economy in helping to deliver much-needed growth.

“Energy efficiency and a shift towards a low-carbon economy will not only bring benefits in cost savings, but also provide

opportunities for growth and investment.

“With the right policies in place, the Government can give investors the confidence they need to inject billions of pounds into our energy infrastructure and create thousands of jobs.

“The key is investor certainty and a new long-term industrial policy will be crucial to achieving this.”

Biffo, Max, Arthur and Reggie help to cut emissions SEALIONS at Knowsley Safari Park have boosted the wildlife attraction’s eco credentials by going solar.

The sealion house has been fitted with solar panels to help reduce electricity bills and the park’s carbon footprint.

Spare energy from the panels will also be used to power children’s fairground rides next to the Sealion House.

26

Edward Perry, director of operations for Knowsley Estates, which runs the Park, said that the energy generated from the solar panels would help reduce rising electricity bills for heating and lighting the Sealion House, especially when the feed-in tariff income from the installation was taken into account.

Mr Perry added: “We are trying to make the most of

every opportunity we have to be greener.

“Families love visiting the Sealion House and we’re delighted that our four resident Californian sealions, Biffo, Max, Arthur and Reggie, can help boost our green credentials, slash energy bills and reduce our carbon footprint.”

There are plans to install a large digital display inside the Sealion House so

visitors can see exactly how much electricity the solar panels are generating each day.

The panels were installed

by Merseyside-based Eco Environments.

It is estimated that the solar installation will save the park £804.29 on electricity bills every year and reduce its carbon emissions by more than 4,423kg.

Solar panels on the sealion house

IN ASSOCIATION WITH

HOW GREEN IS YOUR BUSINESS?

Energy in spotlight as Little Green Book is relaunched Climate Week reissue date as Chamber publishes second edition of ‘essential’ guide

A great time to relaunch the Little Green Book: Maresa Molloy, above, and Cllr Tim Moore

Liverpool Chamber policy officers Brittany Dickson and Kush Thakar with copies of the book AN UPDATED edition of what has become an essential guide for businesses looking to become more environmentally aware has been launched in Liverpool.

Liverpool Chamber of Commerce chose Climate Week to launch the second edition of its Little Green Book.

The publication is a directory packed full of everything you need to know how to run an energyefficient business.

It showcases the growing green economy in the city and lists the chamber’s Green Network – a network of growing businesses in the low-carbon economy.

The directory provides

information to businesses about the bottom-line benefits of going green, and demonstrates that all types of companies are embracing the commercial opportunities arising from the low-carbon economy.

The Chamber thought Climate Week, a UK-wide initiative, was a fitting time to unveil the latest edition of the book.

Climate Week, held in March, aimed to inspire businesses, community organisations, government, individuals and students to take action for addressing the adverse impacts of climate change.

Maresa Molloy, head of policy at

Liverpool Chamber, said: “Climate Change Week, which this year coincided with the Global Entrepreneurship Congress in Liverpool, was a great week to launch this free resource for businesses.

“The directory demonstrates that in Liverpool we have had the entrepreneurial flair to grasp lowcarbon opportunities to develop new businesses, clearly putting Liverpool on the map as a city actively growing its low-carbon economy.

“All types of businesses need to think and act in more innovative, entrepreneurial ways if they want to reduce their carbon emissions,

or, indeed, their fuel and electricity bills.

“The Little Green Book informs businesses about the help, advice and opportunities available to them to achieve these efficiencies.”

Cllr Tim Moore, cabinet member for climate change and the environment at Liverpool City Council, added: “We are very pleased to be launching the Little Green Book in partnership with Liverpool Chamber of Commerce and the Primary Care Trust.

“The book shows how the city’s

partners can make our Low Carbon City proposals easily understood and business-friendly.

“We look forward to continue working jointly with our partners and with local businesses to deliver the necessary changes needed to build a low-carbon economy.”

27

COMMERCIAL PROPERTY

City joint venture identifies

Work begins as Regeneration Liverpool targets five major projects comprising commercial, FIVE sites across Liverpool will be developed by Regeneration Liverpool – a joint venture between Liverpool City Council and Manchester-based Sigma Inpartnership.

Its top priority will be to deliver the long-awaited £200m Stonebridge Cross scheme in Croxteth, on the outskirts of the city.

Demolition work has already started on the project that will include 600 new homes, new shops

28

and offices and a new park. Plans for the site also include the relocation of St John Bosco School and a new community health centre.

This is in addition to its £100m scheme in Norris Green, where the partnership has already delivered 115 new houses.

It said that, subject to the necessary consents, initial works will focus on the sites in Stonebridge Cross and another project at the former Gateacre

Comprehensive site, with a view to starting work no later than 2013.

The Gateacre site will be developed to accommodate around 200 new family homes.

Regeneration Liverpool said it would also prepare feasibility studies for the Lime Street/Renshaw Street/Knowledge Quarter, Edge Hill District Centre and Lodge Lane baths site, which will include a variety of uses including commercial and

residential development, as well as educational, community and health facilities.

All of the work will be delivered under Regeneration Liverpool, which Sigma Inpartnership formed with Liverpool City Council in 2007 to support the local authority with its long-term regeneration strategy for the city.

The partnership will utilise the skills of local specialist partners including housebuilder Countryside Properties,

commercial developer Neptune Developments, Plus Dane and other local housing associations.

Duncan Sutherland, chairman of Sigma Inpartnership, said: “The widening of the partnership provides a real delivery vehicle for the city council in terms of regeneration, jobs and investment.

“The partners are already working with local communities to deliver projects and the council’s objectives in Norris

COMMERCIAL PROPERTY Liverpool council leader Joe Anderson, cabinet member for neighbourhoods Anne O’Byrne, and cabinet member for regeneration, Malcolm Kennedy, at the start of demolition work at Stonebridge Cross

The former Gateacre Comprehensive site, top; and the former baths in Lodge Lane, above

key sites for development

residential and community property schemes Green, Stonebridge Cross and other areas of the city.”

Liverpool city council leader, Cllr Joe Anderson, added: “We’re absolutely determined to continue driving forward regeneration in Liverpool.

“But, in such difficult economic times, we have to find imaginative ways of working with partners.

“Regeneration Liverpool is a really effective way of doing this, bringing together the best of the public and private sectors and

creating really exciting opportunities for our city.

“The development of these five key sites is fantastic news for Liverpool, and proof that by strengthening this innovative partnership, we are leaving ourselves better equipped to deliver vital regeneration schemes, attract investment and create thousands of jobs.”

And Liverpool city council’s cabinet member for housing and community safety, Cllr Ann

O’Byrne, said: “Regeneration Liverpool is a fantastic example of how we can work effectively with our partners to drive forward regeneration, deliver new homes and build better futures for our communities.”

From left, Cllr Joe Anderson, Graeme Hogg (Sigma Inpartnership), Cllr Ann O’Byrne and Cllr Alan Walker

29

INTERNATIONAL TRADE

Ty-phoo chief executive Keith Packer samples some of the company’s teas in its Moreton blending room

Expansion brewing in China

Patience of iconic tea manufacturer pays off after two years of perseverance pave the way RATHER like selling sand to the Arabs or ice to the Eskimos, Moreton tea maker Ty-phoo has embarked on a long-term growth strategy of selling its teas to China, including plans to open a manufacturing plant there.

The iconic brand has overseas production plants in India and Kenya, in addition to its Pasture Road site, which employs around 300 staff.

But the immense potential of a new Chinese consumer market is simply irresistible, says international director Rahul Kale.

30

Ty-phoo – which translates to learned person, or doctor in old Chinese dialects – dipped its toe into the Chinese market two years ago, during which it has taken stock of the idiosyncrasies of a consumer sector in flux.

Mr Kale said the emerging Chinese customer base was keen to sample new products, but is also developing a discerning taste.

He explained that, when Ty-phoo entered the market, international rivals like Unilever’s own Lipton brand had already established a presence, so

Ty-phoo had to develop an alternative to attract customers.

He said: “There is a lot of interest in British products.

“A lot of Chinese middle class are travelling outside China, so we went niche, with fruit and herbal infusions, along with Ty-phoo with the Union Jack flag on the packaging.”

The decision to distinguish itself alongside competitors has proved successful in the past.

“We have set up a factory in India making Indian tea with a British twist to it, and that is

what we will do in China.”

Ty-phoo’s research into the Chinese market revealed staggering potential.

Mr Kale said that China was already the biggest food and drink market by value after Japan, and by 2015 it will be worth one trillion euros to the grocery market, not surprisingly the biggest in the world.

He added: “By 2018, China will be the largest country for imported food in the world, so a very important market for Liverpool and the North West.

“China’s imported food and drink market is going up by 15% a year and 33% of Chinese incomes are spent on food and drink.

“The average profit margin in China is 40% for food and drink.”

Drilling deeper down into the opportunities, he said Ty-phoo will target emerging secondary cities which can support populations easily in excess of 10m people.

“We have to look beyond firsttier cities. China is a very large country.”

The company is also focusing

INTERNATIONAL TRADE

Production in full swing at Ty-phoo’s Wirral manufacturing plant

as tea firm looks to the East

for expansion plans in the world’s biggest food and drink market, reports Neil Hodgson on specific consumer sectors. Mr Kale said: “Our targets are British ex-pats, returning Chinese who are migrating back to China and know British products from experience, and the young generation.”

He said the aspiring Chinese young generation offered great promise: “Here we have DINKs, or double income, no kids. In China, they are DI1Ks, double income, one kid, because in China you can’t have two children.”

Ty-phoo is prepared for the long haul in its Chinese expedition, he

said, explaining that business relationships take time and perseverance to establish.

He said their initial contacts with prospective Chinese partners were slow to yield any hint of a return.

“The Chinese came to us three times in one year and we heard nothing, but it finally paid off.

“Don’t expect a quick return.

China is not a cash machine.”

He revealed the extent of Ty-phoo’s long-term commitment to the Chinese market, saying: “The ratio in turnover (from

China) is quite small at the moment.

“Exports account for 10% of Ty-phoo’s turnover, and our exports to China and Hong Kong would be about 5%.

“But, in five years’ time, that will increase to 15%.”

The company already exports a range of products to 50 countries, but its development of a Chinese manufacturing expansion is backed by Ty-phoo’s owners, the Indian-based Apeejay Surrendra Group, which bought the company from Premier Foods in 2005.

Figures filed at Companies House in January revealed deeper losses for the year to March, 2011, of £7.7m against £2.8m, on sales of £61.2m, which were 9.3% down on 2010.

But Ty-phoo chief executive Keith Packer said the 2011-2012 business plan will show a considerably improved financial and operational performance.

He said: “This includes the expansion and improvement of the manufacturing operation, along with strong sales and marketing to support the

activation of our brand plans, and to add consumer value to our product ranges at an affordable cost.”

He added: “The directors are confident that this year’s business plan and the confirmed support of their parent group will allow the company to grow faster.”

He said that support justified their decision to continue to invest in the future of the business at a time when many businesses and rivals had been looking to rationalise their operational base.

31

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KNOWLEDGE ECONOMY

Paul Ward, left, with Olympic hero Colin Jackson

Waterless wash product can propel Paragon PE to commercial success Former British Army medic’s new cleansing solution is a big hit with supermarket giants

FORMER British Army medic Paul Ward is aiming to clean up with his waterless body wash product.

The award-winning inventor believes his H2NO line will be ideally suited for a range of consumers and situations, from music festival revellers, athletes and gym enthusiasts.

Paragon PE, the 43-year-old entrepreneur’s innovative company, which recently scooped the “Halton Business of the Year” and “Innovation Award”, at the 2012 Halton Business & Tourism Awards, is behind H2NO which allows the user to freshen up, just

by rubbing on to the body and wiping off with a dry towel.

Mr Ward, who recently relocated Paragon’s administrative base to The Heath Business and Technical Park, in Runcorn, created the waterless shower after spotting a gap in the market.

He said: “It’s ideal for camping, after a run in your lunch break, at music festivals and for sportsmen and women.”

H2NO has been endorsed by Olympic athlete Colin Jackson and is being marketed through social networking sites, including Facebook and Twitter.

Mr Ward launched Paragon in 2004 after developing a formula that he says destroys 99.99% of superbugs, such as MRSA and C Difficile.

He came to prominence after rejecting two separate offers of £100,000 from BBC TV Dragons’ Den entrepreneur James Caan to buy into the business.

Paragon has gone from strength to strength after landing major contracts with supermarket giants Tesco and Sainsbury to stock its sports liquid laundry detergent Halo and Halo Sports Wash.

Mr Ward’s deal with Tesco is

worth more than £500,000 a year.

And Paragon is currently in talks with a third retail giant.

Mr Ward said he decided to move his offices from Skelmersdale, in West Lancashire, to Runcorn in January, to be closer to clients and to take advantage of The Heath’s extensive on-site facilities.

He said: “It is the perfect location for us.

“Some of our clients are based here and the infrastructure is in place for us to grow our business.

“Since we moved on-site, it has been fantastic.

“We have new projects in the

pipeline, we can use the conference centre and meeting rooms for discussions with clients, and if we have any lab work being carried out, it’s just a matter of knocking on the lab door to see what’s happening, instead of holding on the phone for ages for an update.”

Mr Ward was presented with his two Halton Business & Tourism Awards at The Heath’s newly-refurbished Orchard Suite last month.

The Heath is home to more than 150 individual organisations and supports in excess of 1,700 jobs.

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Find out who wins Come and celebrate the dynamic, passionate and inspirational businesses from across the region at a gala dinner and awards ceremony.

Hosted by Peter Sissons on Thursday June 21, 2012 at The Anglican Cathedral the awards are a must attend event.

REGIONAL BUSINESS AWARDS 2012 In association with

To book your table Call 0151 472 2826 or to request more information email events@liverpool.com For more information on the awards and the shortlist visit www.regionalbusinessawards.co.uk Thursday 21 June, 2012 is about business in our region

Small Business of The Year Medium Business of The Year Corporate Social Responsibility Award Investment of The Year Exporter of The Year Knowledge Business of The Year Green Award Business of The Year Business Person of The Year 34

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THE NETWORKER

BUSINESS LUNCH Tony McDonough meets Annette Barnes, of the Annette Barnes Consultancy, at the Malmaison TAND in the middle of Old Hall Street in Liverpool’s commercial district during the busy lunchtime, pick up a stone and throw it towards the crowds of people.

I guarantee that you will hit at least five people who would describe themselves as trainers, life coaches or business consultants.

Sometimes, it feels like there are more consultants out there at the moment than there are businesses to hire them.

Annette Barnes is one of them, although she can claim to have been around longer than most.

This month, she joined me for lunch at the brasserie in the Malmaison Hotel, in Liverpool’s Princes Dock.

Annette has run her own training business for more than a decade – first calling her business World Class Professional Development and, for the past few years, the Annette Barnes Consultancy.

The firm is based in Vauxhall, just outside the city centre, and employs five full-time staff and one part-time worker.

“There are four parts to the business,” said Annette.

“Firstly, we offer managing training to executives, secondly we do teacher training for teachers at FE colleges.

“We also run apprenticeship programmes on behalf of other firms and we are now getting into training programmes for what are called NEETS.” NEETS refers to those young people who are “not in education, employment or training” – those who have slipped through the net and may have drifted into crime and anti-social behaviour.

Annette has identified this as a real growth area for the firm.

She added: “A lot of money is now being put by the Government into dealing with youngsters who have no employment skills.

“What we do is all about making sure they have the skills to be ready for work.”

Annette acknowledges

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the training/ consultancy market is now becoming quite crowded, but believes her operation has the experience and track record of results to stand out from the crowd.

“People keep using us so there must be something that we are doing that we are doing well,” she said. “What we have here is a team of people who can say they have ‘been there and done that’.

“Of course we all have the qualifications necessary but I think, more importantly, we all have real-life business experience.

That is something you cannot teach.

“A few years ago, I had a young graduate who came to work for me while he decided whether or not he wanted to go on to study for a PhD. “He spent a lot of the time here telling me where he thought I was going wrong – imagine that. He eventually ended up giving up the job and going back to do the PhD. “In contrast, one of our people, Joanne, came to me as an apprentice five years ago and is now invaluable to us.

“She has a good head on her shoulders and I know I can always trust her – she has grown up with the company.”

In the “been there done that” stakes, Annette can certainly claim to have earned her stripes.

A few years ago, she was hired

by Liverpool shipping firm Bibby to offer training to groups of men working on oil rigs in the North Sea. She would spend up to a week at a time on the rigs, helping the workers gain NVQ qualifications.

Some women may have found spending days at a time stuck on an oil rig with hundreds of men a little daunting, but Annette said it remains one of her best jobs.

“The guys on the rig were always

The brasserie of the Malmaison Hotel, in Princes Dock, close to Liverpool’s waterfront absolutely lovely,” she said. “It is a very isolated place to be for that long a time, but I found it a very interesting experience.

“In some ways, it was nice to get away from the hustle and bustle of life for a few days and the camaraderie on board was great.”

HE Malmaison Hotel has had a spot of bother over the past couple of years.

It opened in a blaze of publicity at Princes Dock, in January, 2007.

However, it wasn’t long before the stonework on the building’s facade started to come loose. A survey showed the whole lot needed to be redone. For a large part of 2010 and 2011, the hotel, although remaining open for business, was covered in scaffolding.

The work was finally completed at the end of last summer.

But the disruption didn’t stop the hotel maintaining its high standards. Last November, brasserie manager Will Harper was given a Rising Star award by the Academy of Food and Wine.

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Annette Barnes

So, when Annette and I arrived for lunch, we had high expectations.

After sharing a rustic baguette, Annette ordered a salmon fishcake with a parsley sauce for her main. She found the serving “delicious and filling” and was particularly impressed with the potatoes, that accompanied the dish.

I went for the Pork Porterhouse and was well rewarded.

A monster slab of meat was delivered to the table. It was juicy and tender and was topped with Roquefort butter, which added real burst of flavour.

The chips that came with it were served in a fast food-style cardboard container. Unusual, but I quite liked it.

Annette and I were both impressed with the service which was friendly and efficient, without being overbearing.

ERSONAL development has become a major aspect of corporate training in recent years, with companies recognising that it is not just practical skills that their employees need.

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Annette says this forms a significant part of the training she undertakes for executives.

“When we go into a company, we start off looking at their models and processes, but it often ends up where we are talking about people and their own approach to their work,” she said.

“Managing people is all about attitude. You can have the best qualifications in the world, but, if you cannot deal with people, then things are not going to work.

“We deal with things like change management. We move their mindset from out of the boardroom and get them out of their comfort zones.

“Even the most diehard company recognises that, at some point, they will have to be ready to deal with change.”

DETAILS Malmaison Liverpool 7, William Jessop Way, Liverpool L3 1QZ Tel: 0151 229 5000 www.malmaison.com

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THE NETWORKER

THE BUSINESS LIST Friday, April 27

HEALTH and Safety for Small businesses is the subject of the latest 60 Really Useful Minutes programme hosted by Liverpool Chamber of Commerce, in conjunction with Innov8 safety solutions.

The event is designed to help business start-ups and small businesses that employ fewer than five people and the workshop will provide delegates with a clearer understanding of what is required in terms of achieving compliance, as well as highlighting key areas to focus on.

Innov8 will also provide a complementary delegate pack which will include a Safety Start-Up Toolkit.

To book, please go online to Liverpoolchamber.org.uk

WEDNESDAY, MAY 23/ THE DE-STRESS SHOW

Thursday, May 3 A NORTH WEST regional heat of this year’s SkillBuild, the UK’s biggest construction skills competition, is to be hosted by Hugh Baird College, in Bootle.

SkillBuild, a competition managed by CITB Construction Skills, the sector skills council and industry training board for the construction industry, is the largest multi-trade competition in the country for construction trainees and apprentices and showcases the best talent the industry has to offer.

The highest scoring students will win a place at the UK final in September, which will take place at Preston College.

For further information, go to www.cskills.org/skillbuild

Thursday, May 24

Stress is affecting more and more people and is increasingly impacting on both their work and home lives Picture posed by model CARL HONORÉ, an international authority on “de-stressing”, will explain to Merseyside employers how a “go-slow” could improve their productivity.

He is keynote speaker at the De-

Stress show taking place in Whiston’s De Vere Village Hotel as part of a presentation supported by Liverpool John Moores University and its Mindfulness and Labyrinth experts, the Stress Management

A TWO-DAY course over May 24/25 has been organised for professionals who have to deal with debtors, to help them detect whether their clients are suffering from mental illness or could be suicidal.

It is aimed at debt counsellors, accountants, solicitors, bankers, (CAMIAD) and the Cheshire and welfare workers and doctors, Wirral Partnership NHS and is a venture between the Foundation Trust.

Campaign for Awareness of Campaign founder, Cheshire Mental Illness Among Debtors

Society, and disputes resolution agency Acas.

Mr Honoré explains: “In a world obsessed with speed, the best way to get ahead is not always to go faster.

Sometimes it pays to slow down.”

insolvency practitioner Ian Williamson, left, below, said: “One in four people in the UK with a mental health problem are in debt and the latest figures show all people assessed after self-harming also have a major debt problem.”

The event will take place at the Trust’s Sycamores House training centre, in Ellesmere Port.

For further information, contact Ian Williamson via www. campbell-crossley-davis.co.uk or on 01606 45591.

Wednesday, May 30 Ian Williamson, left, and CAMIAD supporter Weaver Vale MP Graham Evans

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FORWARD Ladies is running a series of free training workshops to encourage professional women to mentor others in business.

Jo Howarth, director of The De-Stress Show, added: “For every £1 a business invests in staff wellbeing, they will see a return of between £3 and £6 in improved efficiency and productivity, so taking

that step to find out what will work for their business is absolutely worthwhile.”

Tickets for the show cost £200+VAT. To book, please visit: http://www.destress. org.uk/register/23may-2012-liverpool/

businesses who can benefit from the support of others who have faced the same issues.

Training is free, but each trainee must commit to mentoring a small business for at least an hour a month for a year.

Etta Cohen, of Forward Ladies, said: “We know mentoring works and that not only owners of small businesses, but women who want to take the next step in their professional careers, can benefit from having a senior mentor.”

The Liverpool event takes Forward Ladies’ Ettah Cohen place at the Liner Hotel, Lord Nelson Street, from 1-5pm.

The initiative – Get Mentoring – Delegates can book online at is championed by the http://www.forwardladies.com/ Government in the belief that networking-events-liverpool/getmentoring is the way forward for mentoring-free-training-2149# owners of small to medium-sized bookevent

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THE NETWORKER

ALISTAIR HOUGHTON . . . in which we discover why food is the foundation of any great business event N ARMY, Napoleon said, marches on its stomach.

And what’s true for a phalanx of pugilistic Frenchmen on the road to Russia is just as true for a battalion of businessfolk on the networking trail.

Food is so often the foundation of a great business event.

Yes, drink helps, too. But, if you leave an event well fed, then you leave satisfied – no matter how uneventful the formal proceedings.

A bacon buttie brightens any breakfast briefing. A sandwich platter flatters any lunchtime chatter. And a cornucopia of canapés captivates any post-work dealmaker.

Sometimes, event organisers get it wrong. All networking Ninjas know only too well that feeling of dread in the pit of their stomachs when they realise that they are only to be served a small number of small canapés.

As the vol au vents get smaller, the feeling of dread gets bigger. You mean, say the stunned faces and widening eyes, we’re going to have to feed ourselves later?

But those with happy stomachs leave events happy.

One event that got it very right

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recently was video game industry celebration Indie Showcase Liverpool, at PanAm, in the Albert Dock.

Back when I were a lad, video gamers used to enjoy sharing “cheats” – ways to bypass some of the hazards designed to trip them up in their favourite games.

So, chatting to folk over Continental lagers, I was able to share a favourite “cheat” of my own, designed to avert the hazard of leaving a networking bash hungry.

It’s a simple one – stand by the door through which the food is coming.

You get first dibs on the food – and as many courses as you like – while those dealmaking at the far side of the room can only look on in envy.

So at the gaming bash, my networking buddies and I were able to gorge ourselves on mini burgers and mini-portions of fish and chips.

Eventually, though, I relented and let the servers through to serve those at the far ends of the canapé highway in PanAm’s more distant corners.

HERE was more good feeding to be had at the opening of the latest Carluccio’s restaurant in the MetQuarter, Liverpool.

I was expecting the small canapé, small volume approach. But, instead, we were in for a feast.

It wasn’t surprising the quality was

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Even a Royal Wedding needs canapés – a chef checks a wilted spring onion and water cress quiche, ahead of William and Kate’s wedding last year

top-notch. Because at one point, at the back of the restaurant, I saw Antonio Carluccio, the spiritual father of the Carluccio’s chain, inspecting canapé trays. Once a chef, always a chef.

And the food kept oncoming. At some events, eagle-eyed waiters are determined to ensure your Champagne flute never goes empty. At this, our servers were determined that we should never be without a canapé in our clutches. So, the moment a guest polished off a prawn, a server appeared with a platter of risotto balls. And minutes later, another tray of Italian delicacies appeared at our elbows.

There was apparently a risotto available at the bar, but I was so enjoying being plied with food where I stood that I never ventured that far.

An enthusiastic accordionist added to the entertainment, weaving his way through the crowd and serenading selected diners.

And, of course, this was also the kind of event where eagle-eyed waiters were determined to ensure your champagne flute never goes empty.

INALLY, I had another humdinger of a feast at Pickled Walnut’s Taste of the North 2012 showcase, in the crypt of the Metropolitan Cathedral.

To design buffs, the crypt is known as the only surviving remnant of Sir Edwin Lutyens’s plan for a cathedral to rival any other.

To ale buffs, it’s best known as Liverpool’s biggest bar, when in February it hosts the wonderful Liverpool Beer Festival. But it also makes a suitably gigantic restaurant in which to serve a nine-course meal to hundreds of guests.

Before the meal, guests mingled beneath the brickwork to share the first course – canapés of potted shrimp, salmon and pork, served on platters billowing with clouds of liquid nitrogen.

We then headed to our tables for the remaining eight courses – including a “posh fish finger” and a roast chicken dinner terrine.

There was even a drink with every course. At one point, I made the classic social faux pas of putting mead in a meringue glass and meringue in a mead glass. The shame.

Our hosts were urging guests to mingle – we were, the programme declared, an “eclectic mix of people from many industry sectors”. So this was dinner meets networking, and a jolly good thing it was, too.

You may not be able to do a ninecourse meal at your business bash, but remember – great grub means happy networkers.

And, if you really want your event to be remembered for years to come, with no bum notes, then do what the Pickled Walnut gang did and end your night with a wine called Terre Arse.

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SPONSORED BY MATCHDAY HOSPITALITY AT EVERTON 0151 530 5300

SOCIAL DIARY THE NETWORKER

Emma McGloughlin, director of sales, Hilton Hotel, second left, with Hairline executives Kim Joyce, marketing/ media director, Barbara Murphy, operations director, and Danielle Joyce, creative director, at the PAs’ networking event

Zac Ryan, Kenny Stancliffe, Tyler Rightside and Stewart Hunt, of Southport Pleasureland, at the launch of the new ride

CAROLYN HUGHES Wine expert Alice Anastasiou with Kim Joyce, Hairline marketing/ media director, at the PAs’ Hilton Hotel event

THE Hilton Hotel, in association with Liverpool LEP, hosted a PAs’ “Fashionably Fun” networking event last week, for some of the region’s most influential PAs, to showcase the hotel’s conference, function and event facilities.

Hairline showcased some of their extensive collection of hair extensions, hairpieces, half wigs and attachments, and there was also a wine tasting session, hosted

by Alice Anastasiou, and a sumptuous buffet.

■ NEW Pleasureland launched their latest attraction, bringing the Piranha River Ride to Southport. The park’s characters were on hand

to launch the ride, along with piranha expert Becky Goodwin, from the Blue Planet Aquarium. Norman Wallis, owner of New Pleasureland, said: “There is a lot of ongoing investment and some really exciting things in the pipeline.”

■ CONGRATULATIONS to Debbie McGovern, from the Liverpool Dental Spa, in Brunswick Street, who last week picked up the coveted Dental Therapist of the Year prize, at The Annual Dental Awards at the Lancaster Hotel, in London, adding to the growing list of awards the Spa has won since opening its flagship city centre practice.

Nic Smith, Hilton Hotel sales manager, with Hilton director of sales Emma McGloughlin, and wine expert Alice Anastasiou, at the Hilton

Debbie Green, of Liverpool LEP, with Hairline creative director Danielle Joyce, enjoying the PAs’ networking event

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Piranha expert Becky Goodwin, of the Blue Planet Aquarium, Ellesmere Port, with Pleasureland owner Norman Wallis at the launch

Popular Pleasureland character Maxicus meets a Captain Jack Sparrow look-alike at the Piranha River Ride launch, in Southport

Marius McGovern and Debbie McGovern, of Liverpool Dental Spa

Award winner Debbie McGovern, of the Liverpool Dental Spa, with David Bloom, past president of the British Association of Cosmetic Dentistry, and David Winkler, past president of the British Academy of Aesthetic Dentistry

2012.13 Executive Lounge Membership is on sale now. Early Bird deadline - Sunday 13 May. Members Early Bird Price (+VAT)

Non-Members Early Bird Price (+VAT)

Full Price (+VAT)

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0151 530 5300 EVERTONFC.COM/EXEC CORPORATESALES@EVERTONFC.COM *Membership includes all home Barclays Premier League and domestic cup fixtures up to and including quarter finals.

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LIVERPOOL JOHN MOORES UNIVERSITY INTELLIGENT BUSINESS SUPPORT

WE HAVE WHAT YOUR BUSINESS NEEDS At Liverpool John Moores University we work with lots of businesses and organisations, big and small, to provide world class know-how, resources, facilities and graduates.

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It’s what we call Intelligent Business Support because we pride ourselves on our ability to work in partnership to tackle real world challenges.

Whether you work within the commercial, public, or not-for-profit sector, we can combine our know-how with yours to help meet your needs.

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To learn more about the services and solutions available visit ljmu.ac.uk/intelligent or call 0500 876 543

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