Pledge support for Local Enterprise
Local Enterprise Partnerships are to replace quangos such as Advantage West Midlands and will be created to develop the very best conditions for enterprise and businesses to flourish. Birmingham Chamber Group is seeking to form a Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP) with local businesses and local authorities from across Birmingham, Solihull and Southern Staffordshire. To convince Government to give the LEP the power and freedom to deliver what local businesses want, overwhelming local business support has to be demonstrated. Please take two minutes today to pledge your business support at http://bit.ly/aBz3hx . To read more about the LEP proposal (which is still in draft form) visit http://bit.ly/cLlG8n For more information, email: k.teasdale@birminghamchamber.org.uk. 

Weathering the storm
Small and medium-sized businesses in the West Midlands now have help preparing for climate change, while making and saving money – thanks to a new business guide. ‘Weathering the Storm – saving and making money in a changing climate’ has practical advice, checklists and case studies for small and medium businesses to help them take action to prepare for hotter drier summers, and more intense rainfall. This new guide takes businesses through a series of questions about flooding, extreme heat, shortage of water and other disruptions and comes up with some simple actions about how they can be addressed or prepared for. The guide also looks at the various aspects of business life and how they may be affected, such as insurance, people, utilities, IT, suppliers, stock and raw material. For further information email shelly.beckett@environment-agency.gov.uk, or julie.fay@environment-agency.gov.uk

Choose your company car carefully
Dains, Midlands based chartered accountants and business advisers are advising businesses to think carefully when choosing their company cars. Since 2009, the rate at which companies can claim back Capital Allowances on company cars has been based on the vehicle’s CO2 emissions, rather than its price, as was previously the case. Andy McQuillan, Tax Partner at Dains said: “For cars with CO2 emissions above 160g/km, businesses can only claim back Capital Allowances worth 10% of the purchase price, but this rises to 20% for cars with emissions below that figure. “Furthermore, for the ‘greenest’ cars, with emissions below 110g/km, 100% of the cost can be claimed against tax in the first year of purchase. And this need not mean sacrificing luxury or power – the Audi A3 and BMW 320d are among the cars which fall into this category.” In addition to savings on Capital Allowances lower-emission cars also attract reduced Benefit-in-Kind and National Insurance payments, benefiting the company and the driver. For a firm with a large corporate fleet, the savings could be considerable.

Thirty-six businesses reach final stages of Chamber awards

Thirty-six businesses are through to the final round of Birmingham Chamber Group’s annual business awards.  Each of seven categories focuses on the main sectors of the local economy and the award shortlist epitomises the exceptionally high standards set and achieved by the entrants who are Chamber members and non-members. Paul Bassi, president of the chamber said: “We did expect fierce competition as the event has been thrown open to the latest members of the Chamber family, those from Burton, Chase, Lichfield and Tamworth.”  The winners will be announced at the Birmingham Chamber Group dinner at the International Convention Centre in Birmingham city centre on September 16.  Hosted by Mr. Bassi, up to 700 guests are expected.  Sponsorship opportunities are still available.  To find out more, or book a table visit www.birmingham-chamber.com/events or call the events team at 0121 607 1772.

Cloud Net achieves high recognition
Cloud Net, the business phone system company has been awarded the Accredit UK certification and is the first business/telecoms/VoIP company to achieve the recognition. The Accredit UK quality standard was developed to prove a supplier’s level of proficiency in their specialist field – giving confidence to purchasers and opening new doors to suppliers. To gain the certification, Cloud Net has undergone a rigorous assessment that covers everything from how the company manages its employees through to the processes that are in place to ensure consistent high quality performance.

Straight-talkers restore confidence
Three former colleagues have launched their own financial services company - Chatfield Private Client Limited - in a bid to revive dwindling public confidence in the financial services sector.  Having previously worked together for 10 years, Jason Ashman, Adrian Pickersgill and Philip Challinor realised the only way to achieve their ambition was to form their own company - independent of external shareholders. Together the co-directors have more than 50 years experience in the industry, making them one of the most experienced and qualified teams in the country. For further information visit www.chatfieldprivateclient.com or tel. Jason Ashman on 0121 702 0733 or 07850 645038

Local company builds on success
Solihull based design and build specialists MTC Insulation Solutions has exceeded its 2009 order book within just six months after an upturn in repeat business and gaining two brand new clients. The company designs and builds factories for the food industry but has recently diversified into the pharmaceutical sector where last week it unveiled a £1.5 million, energy efficient factory in Swindon for Wasdell Packaging. MTC Insulation Solutions delivers projects nationally for brands including Greggs and Kellogg’s but also works closer to home as Perfection Foods has appointed the firm to fit out a £400,000 bakery in Walsall. For further information tel. 0845 2300082.

Appointments suggest green shoots
Much needed green shoots of activity are evident in the construction industry according to national property and construction consultancy Wakemans.  A number of recent appointments on projects that are moving forward in the hospitality, residential and mixed use sectors indicate that there is still some confidence in the market, says Wakemans chief executive David Howles. “Whilst we are a long way from the road to recovery there are signs that developers are more positive and willing to proceed albeit more cautiously than usual with developments.  We have a number of projects that represent a construction value of around £50 million all beginning to move again after a period of inactivity.”

Architects herald Battle of Britain concert
Lichfield based architects Brownhill Hayward Brown showed their support for the city’s annual arts festival by sponsoring a ‘Proms’ style evening to celebrate The Battle of Britain. Held in Lichfield Cathedral the evening was a highlight of The Lichfield Festival 2010 and starred Claire Sweeney in the 'Vera Lynn' role as narrator and singer, with Carl Davis leading the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra in a medley of wartime classics.

College student makes the cut
A Solihull College student has secured a place in the national finals of the L’Oreal Academy London hairdressing competition.  21 year old Dannika Southern achieved success in Level Two of the competition run by the UK Hairdressing Council and L’Oréal Professionnel.  It is the third year in a row that a Solihull College student has secured a place in the national finals.  Three Solihull College students joined hairdressing hopefuls from across the Midlands to compete in two categories. Level Two students were asked to create an ‘up style’ for long hair while Level Three learners were judged on their cut and blow dry techniques. Simon Gammon who also attends the College was awarded second place in the Level Three category of the regional heat. 

Aston students help Chile quake victims
Four undergraduates from Aston Business School, currently on a placement in Chile, have been extolled by their mentors for going the extra mile to help bring back smiles and wipe the tears of victims of the recent Chilean earthquake. The students – Samuel Dorie Bates, Priya Mattu, Emma Saint-Genies and Rufus Henneken – who are studying International Business and Modern Languages (IBML) with Spanish are on a year-long internship at accountancy firm PriceWaterhouse Coopers in Chile. For enquiries about the Internship Programme contact Carolyn Keenan, Placement Manager (acting) on 0121 204 3196 or email c.a.keenan@aston.ac.uk or visit www.abs.aston.ac.uk/undergraduateplacements

Green Transport drives into school
As part of its adoption of the eco schools “Going Green” programme, Chamber member, Saint Martin’s School in Solihull is hosting an event where exciting innovations in green transport and vehicles will be on display. The event takes place at the school in Brueton Avenue on 7 October at 7.00pm and features speakers from across the sector. Peter Wright of Jaguar Land Rover will give an insight into the company’s green vehicles programme; David Wright from Coventry will highlight some of the new technologies researched and developed across the universities in the region and Chrissie Fell of Arup will describe the CABLED project, which has electric and hybrid vehicles being used day to day across the West Midlands. Places are limited. For free tickets, email jwebber@saintmartins-school.com quoting “Next Generation Transport Event” in the subject header. 

Financial reward from internal thefts
Expert Investigations is to hold a free breakfast seminar for businesses highlighting how employees make financial reward from internal thefts and how they use the internet to dispose of stolen products.  ‘The Criminal Entrepreneur’ will be held on 30 September from 0730 to 0855 at 43 Temple Row in Birmingham city centre. For more information visit www.expert-investigations.co.uk

Deloitte strengthens dealmaking team 
Professional services firm Deloitte has significantly strengthened its corporate finance advisory team in Birmingham with the appointment of Steve White as senior director. Steve, an experienced transactor, joins the team from Deloitte in the South East, where he led the firm’s corporate finance team in Cambridge and St Albans. 

Grant Thornton grows business risk team
The Birmingham office of leading business and finance adviser Grant Thornton has made two key appointments in its business risk services department. Lorna Barry joins as associate director to head the Midlands-based team after 14 years at Deloitte. An internal audit specialist, Ms Barry has extensive experience in both public and private sectors, latterly working with a wide range of blue chip companies on fraud risk management projects.
 

Temp lands major award
26-year-old Rebecca Jones started her job at the Insolvency Service in Birmingham three years ago expecting to stay there for a few weeks – but was appointed as an Electronic Document & Records Management System Manager at the Cobalt Square Office. Her dedication has seen her chosen as the Katie Bard Temp of the Year 2010 at an awards ceremony held at Nuvo in Brindleyplace.