RDA or no RDA that is the question

Welcome to this week’s addition of SASDA’s Blumin Brilliant Business Blog. Loads of business news to report from the ‘Blumin Brilliant Business Blog’ this week so let’s dive straight in:

More Problems for Far East Car Giant

All the talk this week has been about the news that Toyota is set to recall more vehicles over issues with braking systems, compounding issues already raised over problems with accelerator pedals across a wide range of the car giant’s models. The story is widely reported, shown here on the bbc website, http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/8473789.stm

Change in Paternity Rights Set to Hit North East Business

The Press & Journal website’s Gillian Bell provides comment on proposed changes that will see men given the right to up to six months paternity leave, three of those months paid. The change will be a massive leap from the current two week entitlement. Reaction to the news has been mixed, with the impact on small businesses a primary concern for local leaders. What do you think? Is this a good move to give Dads more freedom in their jobs? Or another layer of needless regulation from the state?

http://www.pressandjournal.co.uk/Article.aspx/1582120?UserKey

Ex Dragon Dishes out the Business Know How

The region took the benefit of ex-dragon Douglas Richard’s business know how with a series of workshops. Reported in nebusiness.co.uk and featured widely elsewhere in the press the events were organised by Finance Tree, the University of Newcastle and Together with O², and was sponsored by Newcastle law firm Ward Hadaway, Newcastle Science City and Access to Finance. Read the story here.

http://www.nebusiness.co.uk/business-news/latest-business-news/2010/02/04/a-masterclass-in-business-from-doug-richard-51140-25760626/

Positive Signs for Small Firms

A bit of good news was reported in the Journal by Karen Dent, highlighting statistic suggesting that many small firms had grown more than they expected last year. The survey included over 300 firms from the North East and was presented at the launch of the Chance to Change event, scheduled for the 22^nd of Feb. The event aims to encourage people to take on the mantle of running their own business, perhaps from a redundancy situation or similar. This seems to be an exciting new initiative, and combined with Durham County Council’s BE Enterprising Scheme should be a step in the right direction. The story is widely reported, but can be viewed here;

http://www.nebusiness.co.uk/business-news/small-businesses-in-northeast/2010/02/01/survey-shows-smaller-firms-growing-quicker-51140-25718179/

RDA or no RDA? That’s the Question

More political rumblings about the future of Regional Development Agencies are underway with the Conservatives changing their tune a little. It was only a matter of weeks ago that the ‘Blumin Brilliant Business Blog’ commented on Doug Richard’s comments that RDAs need to be completely dismantled. Mr. Richard is the chief enterprise advisor for the shadow government, which may or not be soon to be the ruling party? Speculation I know. The Northern Echo reports that the party’s stance on this has changed somewhat, and with One North East being one of the largest RDA’s in the country this could be really important for the businesses in the area, especially come the spring (or summer depending on when we go to the polls.) Businesses need support and they need investment. There needs to be a structure to deal with that support, so perhaps a system of benchmarking what is good with these organisations is preferable to dismantling them altogether. Read the full story here.

http://www.thenorthernecho.co.uk/features/4885251.Dangerous_dithering/

Durham County Council is also currently undertaking a review of all of the business support services available to you as small business owners and managers, so the Blumin Brilliant Business Blog will keep you updated on the results of that review.

That’s it for this week, check back next week for more comment.

Remember Remember the 31st of Jan and is the UK about to loose the Lesser Spotted Curly Wurly

Kraft works its way into Cadbury deal

Apart from officially having the “most depressing” day of the year, most the business news this week has centered on the controversial take over of one the UK’s leading brands. Kraft is a food giant, but still had to raise significant finance to buy our nation’s favorite guilty pleasure Cadbury. The talk is that finance was raised from the Royal Bank of Scotland, which is part owned by us, the UK tax payer. So, to recap… we gave money to a UK bank which lent it to a US multinational, who then used it to buy a UK institution; we should have just bypassed the banks and US giant and bought the factory ourselves! I call my share straight away; we might even get tax breaks. Instead of my tax rebate I’d happily accept a barrel full of Curly Wurlys and a job lot of Diary Milk. (I like the wholenut ones Mr. Brown!)
The story was widely reported, but some good comment here from the Daily Mail’s Lisa Buckingham and Sarah Bridge. http://www.dailymail.co.uk/money/article-1245576/Cadbury-chairman-hurt-lack-Government-support.html

Tax Returns Due at the End of the Month

31st of Jan is the deadline for online returns, so if you haven’t already then get yours in quick to avoid a £100 fine.

New Fund for North East Businesses

Also widely reported this week is the launch of a new fund to help firms find investment. The new “Super Fund” launch at Ramside Hall this week and signaled a massive investment for firms of this region. Here are just of the stories, but if you want more information just drop us a line here at the SASDA office and we can try and answer any questions. SASDA do not manage the fund but can help with information on how your firm can make use of this new investment.
http://www.egovmonitor.com/node/32920 and also in http://www.nebusiness.co.uk/business-news/latest-business-news/2010/01/22/200-companies-ask-about-business-support-money-51140-25657310/

Clear the Mists of Public Sector Contracts

For small businesses who have ever tried to contract with UK Plc there is finally some help to clear the mists of confusion. This new course could mean small to medium firms getting access to large contracts with our friends in government offices all over the UK.
http://www.bis.gov.uk/winning-the-contract

That’s it for this week, make sure to follow us on Twitter or check back next week for more Blumin Brilliant Business News.

SASDA Blumin Brilliant Business Blog

A new feature for the SASDA blog in 2010 will be a weekly update on the goings on in the world of business. We’ll bring you local issues and give a fresh and light hearted look on the events that are shaping your business world. So here’s your first dose -

Snow More Snow... Please

At the start of last week all the talk was about the record levels of snow fall and the prediction was we were about to see the next couple of months turn into the coldest winter on record! The thaw has started to take the edge of the inconveniences we all had to get along with, but what was the cost, or benefit to the business of our region?

Deborah Johnson of the Northern Echo reported on the 16^th Jan that even some of the more rural areas of the region could still be accessed with commitment and a bit of application and there are countless stories of staff in key industries soldiering through difficult conditions to make sure their service could run for the use of others. http://www.thenorthernecho.co.uk/business/4855175.Farm_feed_suppliers_triumph_over_the_snow/?ref=rss

James Moore reports in the Independent on the 8^th Jan that national figures estimate the cost to be £600m per day (Source Royal Sun Alliance and Federation of Small Businesses) but also reports that some businesses and products couldn’t get enough of the snow! Think about the products and services we need during a cold snap, WD-40 for instance, or outsourcing business functions due to staff absence. And I’ll “bet my bottom dollar” some of you tried to get your hands on a sledge! (I did too, but stole my nephews when unsuccessful)
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/business/analysis-and-features/the-real-cost-of-the-the-big-chill-1861336.html

Newton Aycliffe is Top Pop Chip Shop

In other FISH SHOP news, residents and businesses alike will be ecstatic to find out that a Chop Shop in Newton Aycliffe has won the coveted prize of “Britain’s Top Fish Shop”, awarded by the Mirror.co.uk and reported by Matt Roper on the 11^th Jan. REDZ Fish & Chips battered competition from all over the UK to come in first Plaice. (Sorry couldn’t resist) Congrats to them and let’s hope we all get to sample some of the produce soon!
http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/top-stories/2010/01/11/mirror-finds-top-chip-shop-115875-21957792

“Inflated” – Art for All

After the unveiling of one of the region’s most exciting examples of public art last year, another was unveiled last week at Netpark Sedgefield. "Inflated" a stainless steel Plexus sculpture forms the entrance into the park, which houses a range of exciting technology and research organisations. http://www.culture24.org.uk/science+%2526+nature/science+art/art75012

Sedgefield in Bloom

The town of Sedgefield has also been shortlisted for small town category for “Durham in Bloom” competition so well done to all you “Green Fingers” in Sedgefield. http://www.durhamtimes.co.uk/news/4853805.Durham_into_bloom_final/

New Allotments and Gardens for Sedgefield

Also in Sedgefield Sedgefield Town Council is set to launch an exciting allotment project, reported in the Durham Times on the 17^th Jan. The project aims transform a plot of land for allotment use, a massively popular pass time, and a sensory garden for children. http://www.durhamtimes.co.uk/news/4854073.Community_groups_handed_grants/

EU Backing for Micro-renewable

Businesses working in the micro-renewable sector in our region are about to get more support with a new initiative. The project will be managed from a base in the North of the area, but firms working in the sector in the Sedgefield borough should still engage, take advantage of and contribute to the project.
http://www.northeastengland.co.uk/news/2010/1/eu-backing-for-north-east-micro-renewable-energy-initiative.aspx?source=rss&feedid=2

Check back next for more news and don’t forget to sign up for RSS feeds of the blog, meaning the SASDA Blumin Brilliant Business Blog can delivered direct into your email client or web browser.

See you next week!

Local Shops for Local People - Full of Special Things

Christmas is getting ever closer. Crikey! Where’s that credit card. And if the weather reports are to be believed we are heading for a cold snap to boot! A tenner says the only ‘snowflake’ we see on Christmas day is the neighbour’s cat, sleeping in-front of the fire after pinching the turkey!

The Christmas period is tough for some businesses, but the retail sector is in full swing tempting us ‘happy’ shoppers into their stores to part with the year’s hard earned cash. The Sedgefield borough has a wealth of shops catering for all sorts of shopping needs. The temptation is to join the masses on the A1 and head to the region’s own Nirvana’esq retail-shop-fest that is the Metro Centre, but my thought to you aforementioned ‘happy’ shoppers this Christmas is to look at what’s on our doorstep before we brave the marble corridors and fun packed car-parks of shopping facilities further north.

The retail businesses of our area have loads to offer and can provide a personal and friendly service that just might get you and the family in the Christmas spirit. And have you coming back in the New Year to support our local economy.

By spending in the shops, pubs, butchers, green grocers, garden centres and the anything in-betweens we are supporting local people and keeping our £’s in our local economy. Did you know that if you spend one quid in a large multinational supermarket only 20p stays in the local economy? If you spend that same quid with a local retailer nearly £1.20 is retained. And it will re-circulate up to five times! Food for thought, just a taster to get you warmed up for the annual eating-contest that are the Christmas holidays.

I’m sure we will all be trudging off to some shrine of consumerism at some point though, and the wonderful world of internet shopping will save us from some of the pain, but I for one will be making an effort to use the shops on my doorstep where I can. Let’s support our local businesses and the people in them, as I for one, would miss them if they were gone.

New Look Site on the Way

The SASDA website will soon be getting a new look to coincide with our brand spanking new brand and logo. The changes will be purely cosmetic, although we will be adding some new sections which should provide some interesting content.
One of the more detailed additions will be the creation of a “SASDA Business Donut” which can be accessed from our main site.
The Business Donut provides a range of small business information including Law, Marketing and Start Up sections. The information is free to users of the SASDA site and can be viewed through RSS Feeds for all those interested in getting the news delivered straight to your Outlook, Web Browser or other Desk Top software.

Following on from our 25th birthday celebrations on the 10th November, the website will also have some interesting features which look back at SASDA’s work over the last quarter of a century. Supporting people in businesses has always been the ethos of the organisation and the microsite will take a look at some contracts, projects and clients that have made up the agencies work for 25 years.
The new look site will be live for December and the 25 Years – Supporting People in Business micro site will run through to the festive season and into the New Year.

Manufacturing & HR Specialist Paul Hetherington Update

Just a quick update on how things are going. It’s now almost two months since we launched the WNF. Things are really taking shape and I have already met some fantastic people. The skills, spirit and warmth of our local business people is amazing. As is the ingenuity and resilience being shown in the face of the current economic turmoil. I have placed my first few people into work and am looking forward to working with them over the coming months to sustain employment and encourage further growth. I can’t recall a more rewarding experience in my professional life.

Follow the blog for updates on the project and the WNF team’s experience in the field.

The Working Neighbourhoods Fund - One Month In

Delivering the Working Neighbourhoods Fund for SASDA has been a great challenge in these first few weeks.

As the Marketing specialist I have been tasked with getting the WNF message out there in the business community. Telling businesses in Sedgefield Borough (or what once was Sedgefield Borough in these days of our unitary council) that we are here to provide employer engagement.

So what on earth is employer engagement? I hear you cry! Well I've been asking myself that too.

Where we have settled is that the WNF is about giving businesses a boost. The full WNF team is here to provide the advice and support loads of small businesses need. We can talk through our specialist areas and see if we can help their business. Be that through growth, expansion, consolidation or diversification. All these "Managementisms", for us, basically means that we need to help businesses identify job opportunities. Hard times to create employment I know, but that’s our task. Once identified we need to work with businesses to get them into a position where they can actually create that new job. Taking someone from the Sedgefield district off benefits and getting them back into work and giving the business all they need to make it happen. The offer of financial help is there too. If the job creation lasts 6 months the company will be awarded a fund which they can use in their business.

We can lend a hand when times are hard too. If a firm is facing the possibility of making staff redundant we can offer the kind of support only available to larger organisations. The support is still on offer as well, and if we can safeguard some of those 'in-danger' jobs then we'll be proud of our achievement. Me and the team are out in the business community now and are getting loads of positive experiences to give us confidence.

If you feel we might be able to help your business, just call us and we can see what we can do.

Check back for updates on how we are getting on.

Steven Robson - Marketing Specialist Business Advisor