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!