In Focus issue 25 Spring/Summer 2023 | Randall & Payne Accountants & Business Advisors

Welcome to issue 25 of In focus.

From discussing potential tax savings, our tried and tested approach to selling a business and some fantastic insight from “Will’s 7 Wastes”, this edition has something for everyone.

Utilising any potential tax opportunities has been critical to SMEs and continues to be a key area of advice we offer clients. With the current challenging economic climate and against a backdrop of a diminishing number of tax incentives, this area of our work is more important than ever. Our experts provide invaluable insights on pages 4-7, on how to navigate the complexities of tax regulation, so you can make informed decisions that benefit you.

The challenging economy is also presenting some fantastic opportunities for businesses to grow and diversify through acquisition. We have seen an increased level of enquiries in relation to our corporate finance services and we celebrate a recent success in facilitating a large business sale. Achieving the best result for our clients is the ultimate goal of any corporate finance transaction.

Ollie share’s his experiences and expertise, offering valuable insights on how to navigate the complex process of selling a business, on pages 14-15.

On pages 12-13, this issue identifies ways you can safeguard the future of your business by eliminating unnecessary wastes from your processes. Wasteful practices can have a significant impact on your company’s profitability and sustainability. Working with Will and our Business Advisory team, you will learn how to create a leaner, more efficient organisation that is better equipped to meet the demands of a competitive marketplace.

As always, we are pleased to share our own news on pages 18-19 and an update on our charity fundraising, every little helps not just financially but for the wellbeing of our staff, as they engage in new and worthwhile experiences on pages 20-21. I hope you find these articles informative and helpful. As always, our aim is to provide you with valuable insights and knowledge that enable you to achieve success in your business and financial endeavours.

Tim Watkins

Managing Partner

Will abbott Partner Specialism: Business Advisory rob case

Partner

Specialism: Tax & VAT

ollie newbold

Partner Specialism: Corporate Finance

ryan Moore Partner

Specialism: Audit

Simon Dudfield Director

Specialism: Medical Services

nikki cairns

Client Director

Specialism: Accounts

James Geary

Client Director

Specialism: Corporate Tax

nicholas Gratton

Client Director Specialism: Accounts

shaun pegler

Client Director

Specialism: Accounts

Ben Burch

Client Director

Specialism: Audit

This is my first welcome message for our magazine, and it’s an exciting issue packed with articles that aim to support you in achieving success for you and your business.

P 4 Spring Budget at a glance

IN ThIS ISSUE

NEwS FOCUS | 4 – 6

The Spring Budget 2023 at a glance

NEwS FOCUS | 7

Budget changes affecting Medical Professionals

TIM’S vIEw | 8

Behind the scenes, making your money go further

ACCOUNTANCy | 9

Alice explains the myth that you will pay tax if you make a profit

AUDIT | 10 – 11

Rethinking the way auditors assess risk following the changes to ISA 315

BUSINESS ADvISORy | 12 – 13

Will explains how to eliminate waste from your business to increase profitability

CORPORATE FINANCE | 14 – 15

Sale success for MG Scaffolding (Oxford) Ltd

ACCOUNTANCy | 16 – 17

P 12 How to achieve profitable growth

Electric Bike business have our experts on hand to support their growth journey

RANDAll & PAyNE NEwS | 18 – 19

An update from Chargrove house including celebrating the success of our team

IN ThE COMMUNITy | 20 – 21

The launch of the 25th GloucestershireLive Business Awards and a perfect recipe for fundraising success

GUEST ARTIClE | 22

Raising awareness of the Public Hearts Campaign bringing defibs to our streets

EvENTS | 23

Key dates for your diary

P 16 Our experts support business growth

Summary of the Spring Budget announcements

The 4E (Everywhere, Employment, Enterprise & Education) 2023 Spring Budget set forth the Government plans to tackle inflation, improve growth and as a consequence reduce borrowing.

With the exception of some of the specific announcements in respect of the extension to childcare funding and encouraging more people of working age back into work, this appeared at first glance to be a budget of macroeconomic incentives. The announcements encouraged investment into all parts of the UK, businesses to base themselves here and further progress towards green energy. There are some sensible initiatives to be implemented, to help encourage growth, but there remains a question about the impact of all these announcements on individuals in the current period of economic uncertainty and cost of living crisis, not least those currently undertaking industrial action.

Business Tax

r&d Tax relief

From April 2023 onwards, the enhanced deduction for small and medium sized businesses (SMEs) will decrease from 130% to 86% and the payable tax credit rate will reduce from 14.5% to 10%.

Alongside this the relief rate for the R&D Expenditure Credit (RDEC) scheme is increasing from 13% to 20%. The government have stated their intention to merge to a single scheme from April 2024.

The Government has recognised that the drop in rates for SMEs is going to be challenging for R&D intensive companies and have therefore introduced a higher rate for loss-making SMEs with an “R&D intensity” of at least 40%. The higher rate will be 14.5% - so effectively preserving the current tax credit rate – although the enhanced deduction will still reduce to 86%, so overall a less significant drop in relief for these SMEs.

An additional change will be a new digital form to be completed and submitted alongside the Corporation Tax Return. Originally this digital form was going to be mandatory for claim periods beginning on or after April 2023, but this has been significantly pulled forward for all claims submitted from 1 August 2023 onwards.

One other piece of good news which became apparent after the main announcements was a delay to the exclusion of certain overseas costs in R&D claims – in particular subcontracting. These costs were due to no longer qualify from 1 April 2023 but this has been delayed in anticipation of moving to a completely new merged R&D relief scheme on 1 April 2024.

capital allowances and “Full expensing”

The Government have introduced “full expensing” for all new “main rate” plant and machinery for three years until March 2026, meaning all companies can obtain full tax relief in the year the expenditure is incurred – effectively a “bottomless” Annual Investment Allowance (AIA). Alongside this, the current first year allowance of 50% for “special rate” equipment (including integral features of buildings and longlife assets) will be preserved for those three years.

The current £1 million AIA rate will continue to apply for any other qualifying purchases of used equipment. While the full expensing (like the super-deduction) is only available to limited companies, the AIA remains available to all businesses.

share options

From 6 April 2023, the Company Share Option Plan (CSOP) employee share options limit will increase from £30,000 to £60,000 and restrictions on the types of shares eligible for CSOP options will be lifted.

Simplifications will also be made to the process to grant Enterprise Management Incentive (EMI) options. From 6 April 2023, there will no longer be a requirement for the company to set out any restrictions to the shares being acquired in the option agreement and the employee will no longer have to sign a working time declaration.

There are no other changes to EMI options in terms of limits and tax benefits so these remain a very attractive form of employee incentive.

Venture capital schemes

The Government is increasing the generosity and availability of the Seed Enterprise Investment Scheme (SEIS) for start-up companies. The amount of investment that companies will be able to raise under the scheme will increase from £150,000 to £250,000.

The gross asset limit will be increased from £200,000 to £350,000 and the investment must be made within three years (increased from two years) of trade commencing. In a bid to support these changes, the annual investor limit will be doubled to £200,000. The changes take effect from 6 April 2023.

VAT & Customs

VaT and pharmacists

From May 2023, the VAT exemption for medical care services provided under the direct supervision of a medical practitioner is to be extended to include pharmacists in the UK. Presently clinical services are not normally carried out by

staff directly supervised by a registered pharmacist or pharmacy technician, but there appears to be an intention for them to become more involved. Whilst this may lessen the load for GP practices, it could negatively impact the partial exemption position and therefore VAT recovery for pharmacies.

vAT consultation on energy saving materials relief – improving energy efficiency and reducing carbon emissions

This new consultation which runs until May 2023 is seeking views on two potential areas of reform for this VAT relief (subject to the reduced rate at 5%) to meet its intended objectives more effectively:

1. The inclusion of additional technologies.

2. To extend the relief to installations of energy saving materials in buildings intended solely for a relevant charitable purpose.

simplifying customs procedures

The government announced its intention to deliver improvements to the Simplified Customs Declaration Process by:

� Increasing the amount of time traders have to submit their declarations for imports and exports.

� Allowing traders to submit only one supplementary declaration for goods imported over the course of a month.

Income Tax low income trusts and estates

Effective from April 2024, the entirety of discretionary trust income will now be taxed at trust rates, rather than the first £1,000 being taxed at basic rates of tax. Trusts and estates will not need to pay tax on income as it arises if the income is less than £500, nor will beneficiaries be taxed on income within that £500 limit.

Payrolling benefits in kind for agents

The Government stated that they will deliver IT systems to enable agents to payroll benefits in kind on behalf of their clients. This will enable our payroll team

to report benefits throughout the year, rather than an additional process of reporting benefits separately, and we look forward to this system as it should ultimately streamline processes and reduce the burdens on employers at the tax year end.

cash basis for the self employed

Businesses with turnover of less than £300,000 are currently able to use the cash basis for income tax purposes, however only 29% of those eligible have taken this up. The Government will be consulting on this until early June, considering reforms to four key areas:

1. Increasing or removing the restriction on thresholds. Currently, a business must have turnover of less than £150,000 to join the cash basis and must exit if turnover exceeds £300,000. The Government are considering increasing this threshold to match the VAT cash basis, being less than £1.35m to enter and £1.6m to exit, or scrapping the threshold entirely.

2. Cash basis as default. Seven in ten eligible businesses are not currently using this so making the cash basis the default would increase the use and improve access.

3. Increasing the restriction on interest. The Government are considering increasing this from £500 to £1,000, which would open the opportunity for businesses to make use of the cash basis where previously they were limited. However, the interaction of other consultations may mean that if a business is limited to £1,000 of finance costs, increasing the turnover limit to £1.35m (or removing it entirely) may not have the same uptake as £1,000 is far smaller a percentage of costs.

4. Allowing losses to be used sooner. If a taxpayer uses the cash basis, losses can only be carried forward. However, losses may be able to be used against general income of the same period, such as employment, or carried back to set off against income from earlier years.

Labour Market Reforms childcare reforms

One of the main measures announced was extending the existing provisions by allowing working parents in England access to 30 hours of free childcare per week, for 38 weeks of the year, from 9 months old to the age of 5 when they start school.

This will be rolled out in various stages over the next two years. Starting from April 2024, all working parents of 2-yearolds can access 15 hours per week and from September 2024 it will be extended to aged 9 months up to 3 years. From September 2025 all childcare hours will increase to 30 per week, on top of existing provisions for 3-5year olds.

To help working parents with school age children the Government also announced a funding package for local authorities that they hope will mean all schools will be able to offer wraparound childcare by September 2026.

pension reforms

To encourage highly skilled individuals to remain in employment, the government will raise the Annual Allowance from £40,000 to £60,000 from April 2023. Furthermore, the level of income at which the annual allowance begins to be reduced (the adjusted income) is set to be increased from £240,000 to £260,000. The allowable minimum allowance will be increased from £4,000 to £10,000; a welcome change.

It was announced that the government will remove the Lifetime Allowance charge from April 2023, before the allowance is abolished entirely from April 2024.

With the current lifetime limit set at £1,073,100. Individuals who exceeded this threshold were impacted by a significant pension tax charge; 25% if the money is invested to provide pension income, or 55% if drawn down as a lump sum. This particularly impacted doctors, who often incurred unexpected charges as a result of the 2015 NHS career average scheme. Consequently, because of the way pension taxes worked, employees were often considering early retirement.

An increase to the Money Purchase Annual Allowance from £4,000 to £10,000 was also announced to encourage more experienced workers to remain or re-join the labour market.

Finally

The Government appears to be investing in other areas of tax too. The separate declaration of the disposal of cryptoassets from the tax year commencing 6 April 2024 and also allowing taxpayers to arrange payment plans online are two ways they intend to better use technology.

To discuss your situation in more detail contact your advisor on 01242 776000, or email tax@randallpayne.co.uk and we would be happy to chat this through with you.

Ex ECUTIVE SUMMAR y

Rate changes at a glance

B USINESS : r&d

enhanced deductions – decreased to 86%.

payable Tax credit rate – reduced to 10%.

r&d expenditure credit – increased to 20%.

c apital a llowance

aIa full expensing for new equipment for limited companies until March 2026.

50% 1st year allowance – extended to 2026.

s hare options

company share option plan – limit doubled to £60,000.

Venture capital scheme

seIs – limit increased to £250,000. Gross asset limit – increased to £350k.

annual investor limit – doubled to £200k.

VaT

May 2023 medical exemption to include Pharmacists.

P ERSONA l :

childcare reforms

apr 2024 Free childcare: 2yr – 15h/wk. sep 2024 Free childcare: 9m-3yr –15h/wk.

sep 2025 Free childcare: 9m-3yr –30h/wk.

pensions

pension annual allowance –increased to £60k.

adjusted income threshold –increased to £260k.

Minimum allowance – increased to £10k.

Money purchase allowance –increased to £10k.

Businesses with turnover of less than £300,000 are currently able to use the cash basis for income tax purposes, however only 29% of those eligible have taken this up.

Budget changes affecting Medical Professionals

The Chancellor’s Spring Budget announced the reform of the taxation of pensions in a bid to try to avoid the large potential tax charges arising on doctors’ pension contributions.

Pension flexibility

Changes to the NHS Pension scheme:

VaT changes

Terry Bentley-darby Senior Tax Manager

annual allowance charges

The annual allowance for pensions will increase to £60,000 from 6 April 2023. Those with earnings over £260,000 will start to have the pensions allowance tapered. Currently this could be tapered down to only £4,000, but this will be increased to £10,000.

lifetime allowances

The Lifetime Allowance charge has been removed from April 2023, before the allowance is abolished entirely from April 2024. It should be noted that the maximum tax-free lump sum remains at 25% of the current lifetime allowance.

Money purchase annual allowance

The money purchase annual allowance will be increased to £10,000. This is the annual allowance for those who have taken pension benefits but wish to contribute further to pension schemes afterwards.

1. From 1 April 2023 employees who have taken their pension from the 1995 scheme will be able to join the 2015 scheme.

2. From 1 October 2023 members of the 1995 scheme will be able to take from their pension while continuing to work for the NHS.

3. Removal of the 16 hour rule whereby an employee was restricted to the hours which could be worked in the month following a return to work.

4. Annual allowance calculations will be amended to exclude pension growth caused by rapidly rising inflation.

change in basis periods

From 2024/25, for partnerships and the self-employed, profits will be assessed on the tax year rather than the accounting period ending in the tax year, with 2023/24 being a transitional year. This will primarily affect GP partnerships with a non 31 March/5 April year end.

1. Zero rate on prescriptions is being extended to medicines supplied through Patient Group Directions.

2. VAT exemption on healthcare to include medical services carried out by staff directly supervised by registered pharmacists from 1 May 2023.

disclosure of Gp earnings

The implementation of the general pay transparency regulations will come into effect in April 2023 with the 21/22 NHS earnings. Under these regulations, partners, salaried GPs and locums who have NHS pay (effectively pensionable earnings) over £156,000 for 21/22 are currently required to make a self-declaration of their earnings by 30 April 2023

Should you have any queries or need further advice please contact us, although questions regarding pension advice will need to be dealt with by a specialist IFA. contact Terry Bentley-darby for more information by emailing terry.bentleydarby@randall-payne.co.uk or call 01242 776000.

Behind the scenes, making your money go further

The rises in the cost of living continue, inflation showed a surprise increase last month and remains over 10% and the Bank of England have lifted interest rates again.

We are being told there is light at the end of the tunnel though and inflation should drop significantly before the end of the year and we should avoid a recession. Let’s hope the “experts” are right!

Like all other businesses we have looked at costs and processes, letting Will guide us through the 7 Wastes programme referred to in this issue. But what more can we all do as businesses or individuals, and what are we doing for you behind the scenes that you might not be aware of?

Remuneration packages are always looked at to make sure that what people draw from their companies is as efficient as it can be with regard to company and business taxes, including national insurance. The rules surrounding taxation of dividends have changed regularly of late and now company tax rates are altering making this something that needs to be reviewed annually.

We talk to you at meetings about how your business is doing and this is not only

because we are interested and want to know but also if we hear you have bought new equipment for example or had unexpected costs we can look at future tax payments on account and reduce what HMRC might otherwise be asking for, keeping money in your business and helping cash flows.

Individuals receiving salaries or pensions are given PAYE code numbers which set how much tax is deducted during the tax year before money arrives in our accounts. Quite often these code numbers either contain errors or are out of date due to changes in circumstances that HMRC might not be aware of.

Where we can we keep an eye on the code numbers so that the tax deducted is correct so HMRC aren’t getting more than their fair share. This might mean a little extra coming in each month to help with the bills.

Most importantly though we are here to talk to you if you think you are paying too much tax or if you want to talk about your business and making changes to improve income or profits.

contact Tim Watkins for more information by emailing

tim.watkins@randall-payne.co.uk or call 01242 776000.

Most importantly though we are here to talk to you if you think you are paying too much tax or if you want to talk about your business and making changes to improve income or profits.

Explaining the myth that you will pay tax if you make a profit

It is often assumed that when a profit is shown on a set of financial statements there will be tax to pay, but that’s not always the case.

alice prout Senior Accountant

The reasons why tax may not be payable can be explained by adjustments applied to your tax computation:

calculating your tax

For most businesses, several adjustments are made to the profit from the financial statements in order to calculate the taxable profit. Depreciation and capital allowances are usually the cause of the biggest discrepancies between the two profit figures.

Depreciation – Common types of depreciable assets include vehicles, office equipment, computers, machinery, and equipment.

In the financial statements, fixed assets are depreciated by a set rate each year and spreading this cost means it can be written off against profits over several years rather than just the year of purchase. The rates for each class

of asset are similar across industries, but there may be small discrepancies between businesses. One business may choose to depreciate their motor vehicles on a 20% “reducing balance basis” (the accounts value is lowered each year by 20% of the previous year’s amount), whereas another may depreciate using a 5-year “straight line” method.

Capital allowances – Effectively the tax version of depreciation. They are fixed rates and allowances issued by HMRC for certain types of assets. Some assets may qualify for Annual Investment Allowance, or the new “full expensing” which is a 100% allowance in the year the asset is purchased. Others (for example cars other than those with very low emissions) may qualify for an 8% annual allowance. Capital allowances are a complex area of tax, so please contact us to discuss before purchasing an asset.

Disallowed expenses – To check whether an expense is allowable for tax purposes, the ‘wholly and exclusively’ test must be satisfied.

Most everyday business expenses will be allowable (e.g. purchases of

raw materials) but there are a few transactions which are disallowed by HMRC. The main ones we see when preparing the corporation tax returns include:

� Non-staff entertainment

� Depreciation (capital allowances are claimed instead)

� Fines and penalties (e.g. late filing penalties, parking fines)

� Legal fees which are capital in nature

There are many grey areas, which is why we ask our clients lots of questions during meetings.

Understanding your accounts can seem complex but it is important that you can make sense of all the elements that contribute to your financial statements, so please keep asking questions about anything in your accounts that you are uncertain about.

contact alice prout for more information by emailing

alice.prout@randall-payne.co.uk or call 01242 776000.

Rethinking the way auditors assess risk

The International Audit and Assurance Standards board approved major changes to the ISA 315 which will affect the audits of financial periods beginning on or after 15 December 2021 and revises the way auditors assess risk.

ryan Moore Audit Partner

INSIG h TS OF AN AUDIT MANAGER process Implementation

The foundation of an audit not only provides credibility to a set of financial statements but also helps improve the company’s internal control and systems. The revised standard is designed for auditors to meet the challenges of an evolving business environment and relates to how risk is identified and assessed as part of the audit, ensuring integrity and financial reliability.

Randall & Payne’s mission is to “make your success our priority” so our audit team proactively worked together to recognise how this revision related to our audit work and our clients. The answer to these points will be covered through looking at the implementation of this standard from the perspective of an Audit Manager and an Audit Senior.

To ensure we were ready for this significant revision, we implemented a three-stage process and a separate internal project team. The project was led by Audit Manager Tom Bayliss and involved the following:

1. Technical presentations provided by the ICAEW and other third parties were attended by audit managers to gain a thorough understanding of the revisions required and the impact this will have on the audit methodology applied at Randall & Payne. This was supported by a review of various technical papers and guidance.

2. Updates to the Randall & Payne audit methodology and templates were developed and internal training sessions held to re-iterate the importance of these revisions, including discussing these changes with our client base.

3. Piloting of the audit templates was undertaken before releasing the changes to our full client base.

The main impact on our audit approach was as follows:

� Renewed risk assessment process with a focus on inherent risk factors.

� Considering risks on a spectrum, rather than grouping as high, medium & low.

� Increasing focus on internal controls deemed key to the audit and IT environments.

this revision related to our audit work and our clients.

randall & payne’s mission is to “make your success our priority” so our audit team proactively worked together to recognise how

Tom Bayliss

What does this mean for our clients?

With the implementation of ISA (UK) 315 revised our clients can expect:

� Increased time being invested at the audit planning phase.

� Additional audit time applied to understanding your IT environment.

� Changes to the presentation of your audit planning and findings reports in regard to risk classification as well as potential for new and amended risks being scoped into the work.

INSIG h TS OF AN AUDIT SENIOR practical example

We now scale audit risks in a spectrum, providing more room for discussions within the team and moving away from a binary approach to risk classification (High, medium, low).

Practically, we utilise spectrum diagrams as a useful means by which to plot these risks giving a more visual approach to the planning process. This also allows for fluidity of changes, as risks may move on the spectrum as the audit team discusses and assesses the risks identified whilst conducting the audit work.

Our approach was recently implemented on a large Group audit, where the audit team identified a wide range of risks surrounding the client and developed the most direct approach to tackling these risks in an efficient manner. The increased level of discussion within the team was excellent and allowed for further development of ideas and feedback.

We also placed more focus on the client’s IT environment. The starting point for this is an IT questionnaire which we developed as a team, allowing us to gain greater knowledge on how their IT systems work, and where complexities arose, we could consider this in our risk assessment and audit approach.

The assessment of risks was considered throughout the audit to completion and reporting to management. Through using the updated methodology, we were able to give greater insight into the risks, resulting in more meaningful and deeper discussions with management and directors who were very satisfied with our work.

The revision to ISA (UK) 315 impacts all audit engagements. Although it will increase efforts required from both auditors and our clients, it will allow for more targeted and tailored audit testing to be undertaken.

ISA 315 - THE DETAIL

contact contact ryan Moore by emailing ryan.moore@randall-payne. co.uk or call 01242 776000.

The International Audit and Assurance Standards Boards (IAASB) approved major changes to ISA 315 in September 2019. The changes will be effective for audits of financial statements for periods beginning on or after 15 December 2021. The effects of the revisions will be far-reaching and will require firms of all sizes to revise their approach to risk assessments.

The introduction of five new inherent risk factors to aid in risk assessment; subjectivity, complexity, uncertainty, change and susceptibility to misstatement due to management bias or fraud.

A new spectrum of risk, at the higher end of which lie significant risks.

Requiring “sufficient, appropriate” evidence to be obtained from risk assessment procedures as the basis for the risk assessment.

A great deal more on IT, particularly IT general controls.

More on controls relevant to the audit and on the design and implementation work required for these control.

Other changes and considerations in relation to smaller entities and conducting a “stand-back” analysis during the audit.

Through using the updated methodology, we were able to give greater insight into the risks, resulting in more meaningful and deeper discussions with management and directors who were very satisfied with our work.

Why Profitable Growth is the New Normal

Our 2023 Business Leader Survey highlighted that the number one theme for this year is “profitable growth”. Is this possible and if so what is driving this change in mindset?

There are a number of circumstances that are unusual if not exceptional. We are in the post Covid world which I believe has had a significant impact on the way people think about their lives, their futures and their business. We are in a Brexit world and the practical consequences of that including staffing and paperwork. And we are experiencing inflation and increasing interest rates.

These are all challenges we have to overcome as Business Leaders and I believe are causing people to stop and really question what they want (or need) from their business and how they will make it happen. The number of clients and prospects reaching out to us for help has never been greater. People

often talk about being busy fools, but it now feels like this is more than just a flippant comment; people really do want to use their time wisely. Why grow the business if it doesn’t result in more profit?

Putting all these issues together it is perhaps no surprise that our conversations with clients are around right sizing and resetting. If there is no real prospect of finding the workers you need to do the work you have, you need to reset in order to make increased profit with the resources you already have.

Waste elimination is one of the most effective ways to increase profitability in a business. Processes either add value or add waste to the production of an item or service. To eliminate waste it is important to fully understand exactly what waste is and where it can be found. Toyota, the Japanese automobile manufacturer, after years of work to remove waste, identified seven wastes as the most prominent ones.

Our waste audit workshops with your team will identify the low hanging fruit and prioritise where you need to focus initially. We encourage clients to undertake the exercise at least annually as waste will creep back into every organisation and technology is continually developing and offering new opportunities.

It’s long been understood how challenging it can be to achieve an increase in growth and an increase in profit simultaneously. It has been normal to target growth and then consolidate in order to maximise profitability.

Will Abbott Partner

Waste elimination is one of the most effective ways to increase profitability in a business.

overproduction

To produce more than is needed to meet a customer’s need or to produce it before it is required. It is the result of producing to the ‘Just in Case’ scenario instead of ‘Just in Time’.

Waiting

This occurs whenever time is not being used efficiently. Much of a product/ services lead time is tied up in waiting for the next operation. This usually is because the material flow may be poor, the production run too long or the distances between work centres are too great. It is not unusual for a product/ service to spend 99% of its time waiting. Waiting may sometimes seem to contradict overproduction, but time can be used to add value by improving the processes. In a service business waiting is also applicable and includes waiting to get paid, waiting for information, waiting for customers, etc.

Transporting

Customers do not want to have to pay for transportation between processes, so this is a clear source of a non-value cost. Also, every transport event is an opportunity for damage/loss to occur and the quality to deteriorate.

Inappropriate processing

Can be easily explained by using the analogy ‘using a sledgehammer to crack a nut’. Are you using the right tool/ process for the job? Are you using big expensive high precision equipment when simpler tools would suffice? Are you using the right person for the job?

unnecessary Inventory

Work in Progress (WIP) is a direct result of overproduction and waiting. Reducing WIP allows the other problems to surface. The analogy often used is that of a ship sailing along on a sea of WIP which hides rocks below the water level. Lowering the water level of the sea of WIP allows the problems to be addressed as they surface. If this is not done there is a high probability that the ship will run aground.

defects

Cost money either now or later and impact directly on the bottom line. They can be internal defects found before sale and incur the costs of scrap, rework or delays. They can also be external defects which have been delivered to customers and incur the costs of warranty claims, on-site repairs and potential loss of customers.

unnecessary Motions

This waste is related to ergonomics and is seen in instances of bending, stretching and reaching or moving around the building.

Now really is the time to work smart and a waste audit is the ideal place to start.

contact Will abbott for more information by emailing will.abbott@randall-payne.co.uk or call 01242 776000.

Bite-Size d Thinking

› Reset to make increased profit with the resources you already have.

› Identify the areas where you can eliminate waste.

› audit your waste annually.

To find out more about any of the topics discussed in this article, visit randall-payne.co.uk

These seven wastes apply to any organisation

OVER PRODUCTION

PROCESSING

MG Scaffolding (Oxford) Ltd acquired by RSK Group Ltd.

Bringing the business to life with a comprehensive Information Memorandum secured sale success for MG Scaffolding. The desired outcome was achieved, allowing the business to continue in the best of hands for further growth and development.

Highly regarded MG Scaffolding (Oxford) Ltd had been referred to us by a previous client and we were delighted to have the opportunity to provide honest and practical advice regarding the sale of their business. Working hand in hand with Sherborne’s solicitors to deliver completion in July 2022 our detail focused, collaborative and tenacious approach as advisors helped provide Carl and Stephen a well-earned retirement!

Incorporated in 2002, Carl Fallon and Stephen King initially operated the business from one wagon covering Cheltenham and the surrounding areas. The business quickly gained momentum and an outstanding reputation, leading them over time to open two more branches; Oxford in 2012 and Birmingham in 2018. The company has won numerous awards and accolades due to its wide ranging expertise and its unwavering commitment to maintaining quality and health and safety standards in the construction sector.

When Carl approached us to discuss the sale it was important to him that we understood how many opportunities there were for potential purchasers with the foundations he had set. We therefore invested a great deal of time understanding the detail of the business and the opportunities within it. This allowed us to gather further understanding about the technical areas of the business and condense the necessary information to encourage interested parties.

From this initial investment in time we were able to finalise a comprehensive Information Memorandum which set out potential opportunities for buyers. The document provided vital information so that those interested in acquiring MG Scaffolding (Oxford) Limited could make informed offers based on the data presented to them in an easily understandable format.

We were delighted to receive several high quality offers, with Carl identifying RSK as the buyer who had the resources and

Working hand in hand with sherborne’s solicitors to deliver completion in July 2022 our detail focused, collaborative and tenacious approach as advisors helped provide carl and stephen a well-earned retirement!

appetite to take MG Scaffolding to the next level, whilst keeping the firm’s ethos, culture, name and brand.

By using a tried and tested approach to data preparation, underpinned by Sherbornes to ensure completeness from a legal perspective, we were able to provide a detailed pre-populated Data Room. RSK could consequently access a wealth of relevant information without any delay associated with pulling together the initial suite of information.

Simon Birks from Sherbornes Solicitors comments “Working with Ollie and the wider Randall & Payne team, on deals such as this, is a real pleasure. Their preparation, organisation, efficiency and their knowledge of the end-to-end deal process makes our job so much easier”.

RSK’s focus on business growth, coupled with the desire to maintain the MG Scaffolding (Oxford) Ltd brand, identity and culture has allowed Carl and Stephen the peace of mind that the business they have worked so hard to build will have an ongoing legacy.

At Randall & Payne, we recognise that considering a business sale can be a very challenging and stressful time.

Through our knowledge and experience we make the process as streamlined and efficient as possible. From initial conversations all the way through to completion, we work in collaboration with all parties to ensure you can exit your business safe in the knowledge that client success is at the heart of our business.

Carl and Stephen have exited MG Scaffolding safe in the knowledge that the brand and legacy of the MG Scaffolding (Oxford) Limited will continue and grow.

Preparation + Collaboration + Energy = Success!

contact ollie newbold for more information by emailing corporatefinance@randall-payne.co.uk or call 01242 776000

Bite-Size d Thinking

› If your 5-year plan includes selling your business, work on getting it into shape now.

› choose your advisor carefully to ensure you achieve the best possible sale value.

› clear timescales and processes are key to a successful company disposal.

To find out more about any of the topics discussed in this article, visit randall-payne.co.uk

The randall & payne team were tenacious in their approach and had great attention to detail. In any meaningful transaction there are always challenges along the way, the trick is being able to navigate your way through them. randall & payne and sherbornes worked really well together to deliver the right end result.

Carl Fallon

Electric bike business have our experts on hand to support their growth journey

By understanding the business and its goals from the outset, Shaun has been able to bring in the right expert at the right time to help EDEMO Electric Bikes manage their rapid growth.

After opening their showroom in 2018, EDEMO Electric Bikes experienced rapid growth from the outset. It became apparent that they needed specialist business advice to help with their dayto-day operations and compliance liabilities to help them manage the next steps in their growth journey.

EDEMO found us following a Google search as they were looking for an accountant that was able to offer the breadth of services they required and who could help them to drive their business forward

As a full-service Accountant, we recognise that having a range of experts in one place, we can effectively assist in the development and success of any business plan. Whatever the need, we have the exper t with the solution

Due to the pandemic, Owner, Dan Radford, first spoke to Shaun, Client Director, via MS Teams. Based on the advice given, EDEMO initially engaged us to carry out accounts, corporate and personal tax work.

it was structured. As a result, Ollie, Head of Corporate Finance, and James, Corporate Tax Director, were introduced to help with a valuation and to set up share options for their employees. The purpose of the scheme was for the employees to feel a sense of ownership and loyalty. The scheme provided a tax efficient way of the employees having options to acquire shares in the business, building the team ethic further still.

The next hurdle for the business was associated with complex legislative changes following Brexit. Rob, our Tax Partner and VAT expert, worked closely with EDEMO to demystify the rules around VAT and imports, clarifying their position and giving them the confidence in their growth in this area.

As lockdown continued so did the increased interest in outdoor activities, particularly cycling, and the business became more successful, which encouraged Dan to consider the way

EDEMO also benefitted from the experience of our bookkeeping experts to understand how the transactions should be treated and processed. Since they were already using Xero, Alex, one of our Xero experts from our

Significant savings were identified by our eagle-eyed accounts team by spotting the annual employment allowance had not been claimed.

shaun pegler Client Director

Management Services team, was able to carry out quarterly VAT checks quickly and easily. We helped to streamline the process in which they raised their deposits and invoices, to maximise their cash flow position. We also worked with fellow directors to complete their annual tax returns. Significant savings were identified by our eagle-eyed Accounts team by spotting the annual Employment Allowance had not been claimed. In addition to all this further tax planning opportunities were identified and implemented.

Three years on, we continue to support Dan to achieve his business goals with a breadth of services and he has the reassurance we are with them every step (or pedal) of the way.

Working with a business, even before they choose to become a client, it’s important for me to understand right from the beginning what success looks like to them and understand their vision. We discuss what their goals are and be honest about whether we are the right fit to help to achieve them.

I like to think that my team and I become more than just the accountant but act as a sounding board for ideas, help to find the solutions to problems and offer advice based on our wealth of experience and knowledge. Many clients benefit from our external expert opinion, acting as a fresh pair of eyes on their

“Working with Randall & Payne has been a breath of fresh air. They have taken care of all the ‘less exciting’ yet immensely important parts of running a business, making sure all the accounting boxes are ticked and highlighting opportunities that may have otherwise been missed. Shaun is great to work with. Whilst incredibly professional and thorough, he still has a sense of humour which makes meetings a pleasure instead of a chore.

The support we have received Shaun and the rest of the team has allowed us to focus on our real strengths... riding bikes, (falling off bikes), making great films and sharing our passion for ebike adventures.”

Dan Radford Director, EDEMO

To find out more check out the EDEMO Electric Bikes YouTube channel https://www.youtube.com/edemoelectricbikes

business to highlight any opportunities which may have been missed previously.

If you are looking for more than just an accountant, we offer a free advice clinic to see if we would be the right fit for you.

contact shaun pegler for more information by emailing shaun.pegler@randall-payne.co.uk or call 01242 776000.

Bite-Size d Thinking

› Is your success your accountants priority?

› check that all savings for you and your business have been identified

› don’t be afraid to ask challenging questions.

To find out more about any of the topics discussed in this article, visit randall-payne.co.uk

We helped to streamline the process in which they raised their deposits and invoices, to maximise their cash flow position.

The idea came from Ethan King and Alice Prout who felt there weren’t many options to gain networking experience for those starting out in their careers. They suggested that we could run one ourselves, so we rose to the challenge and organised a friendly table tennis competition with nibbles and of course some networking! We plan to do another soon, but with skittles.

As part of the audit process, plans were put in place to further reduce our carbon footprint.

Three EV charging ports have been installed for staff to use in the office car park, sensor lights have been put in our attic space, and the water urn has been replaced with a light sensing model which comes on when the lights are on!

Over the summer months we plan to replace the windows to be more energy efficient during the winter. We have obtained quotes for LED lighting throughout our open plan office, and we are looking at upgrading our boiler in 2024.

Further down the line solar panels on the roof may be another option to explore. The journey will continue as there will always be more we can do.

yOUNG P RO f ESSIONALS N ETWOR k ING E VENT

After many years taking steps to reduce our impact on the environment, our sustainability journey became official when we achieved ISO 14001: Environmental Management Systems in May 2022.

It was a pleasure to host our first networking event for Young Professionals which took place at Chargrove House in February.

Laura Jenkinson joined us as a part-qualified accountant a year ago. Having completed her A’ Levels, Laura chose to do an accountancy apprenticeship to earn on the job, but having worked for a couple of small practices, she hadn’t gained enough actual accounts experience relative to where she was in her studies.

Since she joined us, Laura has experienced a much more nurturing learning environment and has felt supported by Carrie and the wider accounts team. More recently Laura has also had the opportunity to train others on elements of an accounts job which has given her more confidence.

Laura comments:

“At Randall & Payne, I believe the slogan ‘we make your success our priority’ is highly important to the firm and isn’t just around clients’ success but also their employees’, which is demonstrated by how they help to prioritise study periods alongside work.”

Celebrating staff success

Congratulations to the following staff for their achievements:

� Alice Prout for completing her ACCA studies and for her promotion to Senior Accountant.

� Rhia hill for becoming ATT qualified.

� Rachel Roberts for her promotion to Personal Tax Assistant Manager.

� Jo Kline for winning the Well-Being Egg at the Good Egg Awards organised by ISO Quality Services Ltd as well as overall Winner of Winners!

Introducing Nikki’s baby Noah

In January, Nikki Cairns gave birth to a beautiful baby boy called Noah. Nikki has often brought a ‘family member’ into the office, with Eddie the Beagle being a frequent visitor, and it was a pleasure to meet the newest member of the Cairns family when just a few weeks after the birth Nikki and Noah popped into the office to say hello.

With our search for three new trainees for our Summer 2023 trainee intake underway, we are pleased to share some great feedback from Laura in our accounts team about how supported she feels by the firm.

The GloucestershireLive Business Awards are back for their 25th year

The main event in October will celebrate innovation, entrepreneurship, technology and creativity – here’s how you can take part in the county’s biggest and longest-running business celebration.

Fiona Hughes Marketing Manager

We were thrilled to host the launch of the GloucestershireLive Business Awards 2023 where previous winners and sponsors gathered for an early morning networking launch event.

After a warm welcome, Tim introduced Marcia Mitchell, Event Director, and Alistair Houghton, BusinessLive Editor, who spoke about plans for this year’s awards and celebrations for their 25th year. This year’s host and keynote speaker will be Iwan Thomas MBE.

To celebrate the 25th Anniversary Reach are offering FREE digital advertising including £250 for all nominees and £1000 for every winner (terms and conditions apply).

Anna Mason, Community Fundraiser for Maggie’s Centre Cheltenham, said a few words about how delighted she was on behalf of Maggie’s to be confirmed as the charity partner for this year’s awards.

These awards are open to businesses of all types and sizes, so whatever your company does, there will be a category that fits. There are also categories for individuals, from apprentices starting out, to people who have been making a difference for decades.

The awards are FREE TO ENTER, so for your chance to be a winner, simply fill out the online form. Entries close on July 14 and winners will be announced at the silver anniversary awards ceremony at Cheltenham Racecourse, on Thursday, October 12.

� Provide an overview of your business.

� Include the reason for your nomination.

� Detail recent achievements in relation to the category you are entering.

� Remember to highlight what makes your business/ you stand out from your competitors.

� End with your development plans for the next 12 months.

contact Fiona Hughes for more information by emailing marketing@randall-payne.co.uk or call 01242 776000.

For the list of 12 categories visit: www.glosbusinessawards.co.uk.

Alistair’s top tips for writing an award-winning entry:

fitness, firewalk and fancies

a perfect recipe for fundraising success

The last issue shared details of our bumper fundraising 1st year for Maggie’s and my “up for a challenge” colleagues have already surpassed themselves in 2023.

Jo kline Client Experience Officer

With just 3 months of 2023 underway we have already added over £7,500, bringing the total to a whopping £18,850. An outstanding effort, they never cease to amaze me, and reflects on how kind-hearted and generous my colleagues are when it comes to supporting others.

“No pain, no gain” was the saying of the month when a number of us took on the Maggie’s February exercise challenge. Some of us agreed to do 2800 squats (100 a day), whilst others agreed to run 50 miles over the month.

Our team of squatters and runners completed this challenge raising an amazing £2,710 collectively. This has been our biggest total for firm collaboration to date. A big shout out to James Cook, who’s friends and families’ support helped him raise a phenomenal £2,095.

March saw the return of the Maggie’s Bake-Off and, selflessly, our Managing Partner Tim, along with Anna and Ela from Maggie’s, took on the challenge of judging (and eating) ten delicious entries. There was no clear winner, a rather unique banana and carrot cake won the prize having scored highest in all the judging elements.

We also hosted the 2nd Maggie’s Firewalk. I chose to help with the refreshments this time and support in other ways, handing the baton over to Tim, Alice and Mo who took part. The added challenge this time was the snow, but the experienced team at BLAZE Firewalk were not going to let a bit of the ‘white stuff’ stop this event being another ‘blazing’ success. Just like me, they all felt a sense of achievement and had more confidence having faced their fears. Alice instantly said that she will be doing the next one!

Tim said afterwards “after saying no way and I’m not doing that, I got persuaded to do it and had no regrets at all, it was a thoroughly enjoyable experience

for a great cause”. We would all recommend having a go, after all no-one spontaneously combusted!

In addition, I continue to make breakfast butties for the team, which strategically take place the day of our staff meeting to maximise orders and are delivered mid-morning with a range of options available, so have now been renamed ‘brunch butties’.

It doesn’t stop here as we already have events planned, including our Quiz Night on 22 June and Race Night in September.

I can’t believe we are already into the second year of charity partnership with Maggie’s, it has been a fantastic journey together to date. I personally am looking forward to taking part in the rest of this year’s activities and am excited about achieving our best fundraising total ever.

If you would like to get involved please visit our website for news of our fundraisers to see how you can take part or donate.

The Public Hearts Defibrillator Campaign goes from strength to strength

As an Ofqual regulated first aid training and education provider, learning how to respond to a cardiac arrest is an essential and vital element of all first aid training course. This includes the safe use an Automated External Defibrillator (defib).

On our First aid courses we are often asked “where is my nearest defribrillator”, which prompted the start of the Cheltenham Defribillator Campaign, more fondly known as Public Hearts.

Back in 2018/19, when I co-founded Public Hearts, there were very few public defibs available. Thanks to the generosity of Cheltenham Business Improvement District (BID) who put forward the planning permission and the funding to bring Cheltenham Town Centre’s first public access defib to one of the phone boxes on The Prom.

Our aim was to facilitate a series of public access defibs along Cheltenham High Street and 4 years on, thanks to key partners, we are making significant progress.

Inspiring local leaders, Bob Holt OBE and Mike Turl both were motivated by the campaign and volunteered to fund defibs. Spirax Sarco’s commitment to the not-for-profit campaign facilitated increased coverage and awareness and

by the end of June 2022 there were 21 defibs in and around Cheltenham.

G4S Facilities Management then donated 11 defibs which, with the community contributions from Chun Kong in collaboration with Marketing Cheltenham, East Glos Club and independent businesses, brought the total to an impressive 34.

At this time, I was surprisingly awarded the Gloucestershire Live Local Business Hero Award 2022, which was heartwarming for me and great for raising awareness of the campaign.

G4S donated another 16 defibs and Public Hearts reached out to Cheltenham Borough Council to facilitate defib coverage in Community Resource Centres and high-density public spaces. Earlier this year the campaign reached the big 50. Public Hearts is delighted to expand relationships to include the YMCA, The Cheltenham Trust and Ubico.

Each time a new location is added, we welcome that organisation, charity or business into the Public Hearts Defib Family. Because Public Hearts is not-forprofit, it gives the ability to work across all sectors and organisations and is truly inclusive without any course for commercial interest.

The community campaign continues to install defibs and raise awareness, with ambitious plans continuing throughout the year and beyond.

If you would like to fund the placement of a defib or are concerned you can’t see one in your area please visit our dedicated public hearts hub or call 01242 371999

www.tidaltrainingdirect.co.uk/public-hearts

KE y DEA Dl INES

Due date for 2023/24 PAYE month 2

22 PAYE & Class 1 NIC payments (electronic)

30 Accounts deadline to Companies House – periods to 30/09/22

Corporation Tax return deadline to HMRC – periods to 30/06/22

SEP 23

1 Corporation Tax due –period ended 30/11/22

19 Due for 2023/24 PAYE month 5

22 PAYE & Class 1 NIC payments (electronic)

30 Accounts deadline to Companies House – periods to 31/12/22

Corporation Tax return deadline to HMRC – periods to 30/09/22

BUSINESS BOOTCAMP

Maximising Leadership Performance: Coaching for Success

6 June 9.30am

Our peer-to-peer workshops are designed for Owner Managed Businesses and aim to challenge thinking and deliver results. Held quarterly and facilitated by Will Abbott, who has 30 years’ experience in helping business owners and managers to solve problems.

If you are interested in finding out more, please email marketing@ randall-payne.co.uk

young Persons Networking Event

25 May at 5.00pm

At Randall & Payne we recognise that developing networking skills with like-minded people from varying sectors and professions, is important for self-development. We are hosting a series of events aimed at making networking enjoyable (and less daunting) by combining it with an activity. The next networking event will be combined with a game of skittles and will be held at Hatherley and Reddings Cricket club.

If you are interested in finding out more, or for details on how to book please email marketing@randall-payne.co.uk

People Focus Seminar

17 May at 8.30am

Event description: In partnership with HR People Support, Willan’s Solicitors and Circle 2 Success we bring you the 2nd in the series of seminars offering expert advice in managing your teams to maximise success.

To book a place visit the Circle 2 Success events page www.circle2success.com/events

Charity Quiz Night

22 June 6.00-9.00pm

Randall & Payne and WSP Solicitors bring you their Annual Charity Quiz Night.

Gather your team and join us for a trivia-filled evening of questions, questions, questions!

Tickets are £60 per team of four people with food included and all proceeds going to our chosen charities Maggie’s Centre Cheltenham and Young Gloucestershire.

If you are interested in finding out more, or for details on how to book please email marketing@randall-payne.co.uk

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