December/ January Edition of TBE

INSIDE THIS EDITIONEmbrace CSR and do good things in 2016

Wiltshire’s media gets Positive In Profi le: Ian Lloyd of Milsted Langdon

www.tbeswindonandwilts.co.uk

Swindon & WiltshireSwindon & Wiltshire

ISSUE 22: DEC/JANUARY2015/2016

TBE DEC-JAN AW Rev8.indd 1 18/11/2015 16:08

T H W H I T E F I A T G R O U P B R A N D C E N T R E , F O R E S T P A R K R O A D , M E A D W A Y , H I L L M E A D , S W I N D O N S N 5 5 Q J .T O D I S C U S S O U R R A N G E O F B U S I N E S S C O N T R A C T H I R E O F F E R S , P L E A S E C O N T A C T E M M A M C A R D L E , F L E E T S A L E S S P E C I A L I S T , O N 0 7 4 6 7 3 3 6 1 6 9 O R E J M @ T H W H I T E . C O . U K

Fuel consumption fi gures for new Fiat 500 range in mpg (l/100km): Urban 51.4 (5.5) – 65.7 (4.3); Extra Urban 65.7 (4.3) – 83.1 (3.4); Combined 60.1 (4.7) – 74.3 (3.8). CO2 emissions 110 – 88 g/km. Fuel consumption and CO2 fi gures based on standard EU tests for comparative purposes and may not refl ect real driving results.

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Size 280x230 Operator Milly Studio Manager

Notes Creati ve Director

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THE BUSINESS EXCHANGEKEY STATISTICS- PRINT

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The Business Exchange is part of:

NATIONAL APPRENTICESHIP WEEK14-18 March 2016March celebrates National Apprenticeship Week, coordinated by the National Apprenticeship Service. In this edition we look at the positive impact local apprenticeships have on individuals, businesses and the wider economy.

CREATING THE DREAM TEAMWe talk to the experts and fi nd out what key ingredients make the top teams. Focussing on some of the county’s most accomplished teams, we discover their top tips for success.

SPOTLIGHT ON CHIPPENHAMChippenham has recently stepped up its game with the work of the Chippenham Business Improvement District (BID) and a new marketing plan to raise its profi le. We fi nd out more about the people behind the project, its intentions and its impact so far.

MARKETING YOUR BUSINESS IN 2016Planning your marketing strategy for the coming year? Arrange your no obligation meeting to see how we can help raise your profi le locally combining print, digital and social media platforms.

To fi nd out more call 01793 847966 or email: [email protected]

Welcome to the December/January edition of The Business Exchange Swindon and Wiltshire.

2015 has come to an end on a real high for me, with the magazine and its online offering soaring. This is our biggest edition yet and I would like to take this opportunity to thank all of our readers and advertisers for supporting us over the last year, it’s much appreciated.

In October TBE became part of the Positive Media Group, further strengthening our offering and making us the largest media provider headquartered in Swindon. See the photos from our launch event on page 32.

We have lots in store for 2016, with work underway to enhance our digital offering and stable of products. Look out for special TBE roundtables and events to be announced early in the year.

TBE and the Positive Media Group as an organisation is passionate about corporate social responsibility. In this edition we give you some top tips to help your business make a difference in 2016. Turn to page 8 to read the article.

Please continue to keep in touch with us in the new year sharing your business news stories and events. Contact us on the details below.

Wishing you a happy Christmas and a prosperous 2016.

Best wishes,

Anita

Editor: Anita JaynesE: [email protected] T: 01793 847966

Advertising: Dave Stewart E: [email protected]: 01793 847966Web: www.tbeswindonandwilts.co.uk

FEB/MARCH EDITION 2016

4 BUSINESS NEWSA round-up of this month’s business news

7 APPOINTED Recent appointments made by companies in Wiltshire

10 LEGAL Legal news and advice to help your business

11 FINANCE We fi nd out what’s going on in the world of fi nance and provide useful information for your business

13 PERSONAL BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT TBE experts provide top tips and advice for getting ahead in business

16 CREATIVE THINKING News from Wiltshire’s thriving creative sector

20 TECHNOLOGY Technological news and advice to help your business

23 REVVED UPGeoff Maxted reviews the Audio RS3 Sportback

24 NEW YEAR, NEW TAXExpert analysis on what the new tax rules mean for your business

26 COMMERCIAL PROPERTY We look at the commercial property market throughout Wiltshire and promote properties available to

buy or rent now

31 IN PROFILE We interview Ian Lloyd, general practice and audit partner for Milsted Langdon 34 CONNECT Networking events happening in Wiltshire

INSIDE THIS EDITION

T H W H I T E F I A T G R O U P B R A N D C E N T R E , F O R E S T P A R K R O A D , M E A D W A Y , H I L L M E A D , S W I N D O N S N 5 5 Q J .T O D I S C U S S O U R R A N G E O F B U S I N E S S C O N T R A C T H I R E O F F E R S , P L E A S E C O N T A C T E M M A M C A R D L E , F L E E T S A L E S S P E C I A L I S T , O N 0 7 4 6 7 3 3 6 1 6 9 O R E J M @ T H W H I T E . C O . U K

Fuel consumption fi gures for new Fiat 500 range in mpg (l/100km): Urban 51.4 (5.5) – 65.7 (4.3); Extra Urban 65.7 (4.3) – 83.1 (3.4); Combined 60.1 (4.7) – 74.3 (3.8). CO2 emissions 110 – 88 g/km. Fuel consumption and CO2 fi gures based on standard EU tests for comparative purposes and may not refl ect real driving results.

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NOTE FROM THE EDITOR CONTENTS

THE BUSINESS EXCHANGE 2015 / 2016 3


Come New Year, I usually look back at what the last twelve months held for Swindon and how we can build on what we’ve achieved. But this year is different. Now is the time to look ahead to a year of celebrations.

2016 marks a momentous occasion for our town as we celebrate what is effectively Swindon’s 175th birthday. Back in 1841 we were a rural hamlet with little to shout about until Great Western Railway directors gave the railway works the go ahead. This decision put Swindon on the map, creating an industrial powerhouse - the reason our economy is as strong as it is today.

Swindon 175 presents a great opportunity not only to celebrate our heritage, but to use it as a springboard for future growth. The railway works put us on the map; now let’s push on so that we stand out.

“2016 marks a momentous occasion for our town as we celebrate Swindon’s 175th birthday”

The anniversary gives us a chance to showcase Swindon’s track record as a place of economic innovation with a thriving business community which will help us enhance ‘brand Swindon’ to attract new waves of investment and visitors. It will be a real celebration of the whole town with business, education and local communities all engaged.

As chair of the Steering Group of Swindon 175 I know that a range of organisations have already shown an appetite to get involved and there is a buzz amongst the business community. Swindon 175 can raise the profile of our town as a place to live and work and with more business backing we can use the momentum to stimulate another 175 years of growth. With a year-long programme of events lined up we urge more firms to come forward so we can make this a truly memorable year with a great legacy.

For more information on how to get involved in the Swindon 175 celebrations email: [email protected]

The new centre, the first of its kind outside London, will benefit businesses across the county and has been launched as part of the bank’s strategy to bring its different commercial banking offerings together. The new hub is one of just three Relationship Management Centres in the UK. The decision to invest in Swindon signals the region’s growth in areas such as finance, manufacturing and technology.

James Shepherd, Area Corporate Director at HSBC, said: “Opening the new centre in Swindon is a real statement of intent for HSBC and was an easy decision to make; Swindon is becoming a real growth market so we’ve invested significantly to reflect our commitment to the region.

“Additionally, the electrification of the Great Western train line will mean

faster and more reliable connections between Swindon and London, meaning there is scope for even more growth over the coming years. Our investment means we are now able to support those businesses in Swindon with a turnover of up to £350m, where historically our ceiling was £30m. This will provide greater opportunities for some of the bigger organisations based here in Wiltshire.”

Around 100 HSBC customers and members of the business community gathered to look round the facility which includes a new reception area, coffee lounge with free Wi-Fi and iPads, plus state-of-the-art meeting rooms for HSBC clients. On the night guests enjoyed entertainment from a local magician, wine tasting and crazy golf.

Great Western Air Ambulance were

also in attendance to showcase their work in the community, a charity HSBC is passionate about locally. Through cake sales and other in-branch activities, HSBC in Swindon has raised nearly £10,000 for the charity over the last three years.

Guests had the opportunity to meet with directors and managers from all of

the local teams including retail, business banking and wealth management.

Mr Shepherd continued: “We want to extend our sincere thanks to everyone who came along to the opening of the new Centre here in Swindon and we look forward to welcoming both existing and potential customers back in the near future.

HSBC INVEST IN WILTSHIRE

2015 has been a stellar year for Chippenham headquartered 24-7 Staffing. An independent recruitment and training company that specialises in four distinct sectors, Driving and Logistics, Commercial, Industrial and Healthcare.

In June they opened their third branch. This was a tactical move for the company said Julian Thompson, managing director: “We chose to set up another office in Amesbury following the emerging economic and housing developments in the Wiltshire Core Strategy combined with the Super Garrison currently under construction in nearby Tidworth, as this area has traditionally always suffered with a candidate shortage. We knew we could really make an impact by helping with the supply of candidates from this overlooked pocket in Wiltshire.”

24-7 Staffing has made a conscious decision to ensure that training underpins everything that they do and have built a business model that invests in the future of their candidates and clients.

Across all sectors the firm now offers training and development, from Microsoft packages to driver CPC qualifications, certificates in healthcare as well as First Aid.

Healthcare is a new sector for 24-7 Staffing and they are particularly ethical about the way they work. As standard, the agency ensures their candidates have a minimum of six certificates before they are put out into the workplace. To ensure candidates are of the highest calibre, 24-7 Staffing is investing 50% of the training costs, with the individual paying the other 50%. The company

has responded to the needs of the marketplace, with many people asking for access to courses such as epilepsy training.

24-7 Staffing stands out from the competition as it has invested in a permanent compliance manager. Candidates cannot be put on their database unless all referencing and eligibility checks have been signed off by the department head to ensure the highest standards of quality at all times. The company’s business ethics is driving growth with an increasing client portfolio in new sectors and the appointment of high calibre new staff to support this. The team will have increased to a 19 strong head count by the end of December with an ambition to keep growing and respond to the needs of the market in 2016 and beyond.

Recruitment Co Going For Growth 24-7

‘THE WORD’with Ian LarrardDirector of the Initative in Swindon,part of Business West.

Businesses in Wiltshire can now access a variety of commercial banking services under one roof, following the opening of HSBC’s latest Relationship Management Centre in Swindon.

BUSINESS NEWS

4 THE BUSINESS EXCHANGE 2015 / 2016


The centre that’s just off the Great Western Way in Swindon, originally opened in 2007 under the Buildstore name.

In 2014 there was a company restructure and a new business, The Homebuilding Centre Limited, was formed to run NSBRC which is now employee owned with support from investor Capital for Colleagues.

The team is headed-up by managing director, Harvey Fremlin and there are currently 10 members of staff supporting the firm’s growth.

Harvey said: “We have seen more visitors this year between January and October than we had for the whole of 2014. It’s also been the best year in five for the generation of sales enquiries for exhibitors, which shows we are getting something right.”

“We offer advice to people at all stages of their self-build or renovation project and give impartial and independent advice to help them on their way.”

NSBRC has ambitious plans for 2016,

including growing their visitor footfall by up to 20% and being thought of as the go-to place to host conferences and events in Swindon.

Harvey continued: “We want to be the number one conference centre in Swindon and have recently invested heavily to achieve this. We have embraced the latest conference room technology, redecorated our lobby, improved the heating and installed specialist LED lighting.

“Louise Jarmey is our front of house manager and she has already worked hard to build relationships with clients such as Npower, Nationwide, local universities and colleges and other blue chip organisations.”

NSBRC is gearing up for their first show of 2016, the National Self Build & Renovation Show- January 29-31. Last year the show attracted more than 3,000 people across the weekend from all over the country.

To find out more about NSBRC, their meeting and conference offering and event schedule for 2016 visit: www.nsbrc.co.uk

BUILDING FIRM FOUNDATIONS FOR THE FUTURE AT NSBRC

REG0233_Swindon half page advert F.indd 1 13/11/2014 15:19

College opens new £21m state of the art campus

The state-of-the-art building has been built adjacent to the former campus by contractors Willmott Dixon.

Principal Amanda Burnside said: “This building opening heralds a new era for skills and training in the Chippenham area and is an important day for the county.

“Students, staff and the employers we work with will have access to training facilities which are absolutely essential to meet the needs of our vibrant economic region.”

The new Chippenham campus has the latest equipment and industry standard workshops for technical and professional study in construction, engineering, motor vehicle, and IT.

It is designed to support growth in apprenticeships, university level courses and army resettlement.

The building, which is made up of more than 200,000 bricks and 50 tonnes of

steel, boasts 67 teaching spaces to suit the diverse curriculum, has low or zero carbon technology, 350m2 of solar panels and cooling and heating takes place via a 150kw ground source heat pump.

Neal Stephens, who is managing director for Willmott Dixon in the South West, said:“We are delighted to have been involved in creating such an important new facility for Wiltshire College.”

A new era has begun at Wiltshire College with staff and students celebrating the opening of its new £21 million Chippenham campus.

2015 has been a great year for the National Self Build and Renovation Centre (NSBRC).

BUSINESS NEWS



HILLS WASTE GOES NATIONAL

The brokerage team at Hills act as a single point of contact, managing approved suppliers to ensure that waste management and recycling activities are optimised across all the customers’ sites. The service means that customers save money by recycling more and avoiding landfill.

Hills Waste Solutions is one of the largest family-run waste management companies in the UK, recycling and recovering over 400,000 tonnes of waste in a typical year. Hills is also one of a select group of companies in the waste management sector to achieve certification of its Quality, Environmental and Health and Safety Management Systems to the three international standards of ISO 9001, ISO 14001 and OHSAS 18001.

National accounts manager Patrick Welsh said:“ Hills Waste Solutions has been providing quality waste management services for private and public sector customers for more than 50 years. We’re part of The Hills Group which was founded in 1900 and our customers stay

with us because they like our people, the way we do business and the positive impact we have on their supply chain.

“Our extensive network of UK waste and recycling contractors means we can provide our customers with tailored waste management services, wherever they are located and however many sites they operate. They also have the peace of mind that Hills is managing the whole process.

“Our highly trained waste consultants visit customers’ sites and audit the amount and types of waste produced, whilst also assessing the layout. We can then offer expert advice on how to maximise recycling whilst complying with environmental legislation.

“We work with customers in a wide variety of industries, but with the common aim of utilising waste as a resource and avoiding waste going to landfill. We have helped a number of customers achieve ‘zero waste to landfill’ and to operate sustainably as part of a circular economy.”

A new total waste management service from Swindon based Hills Waste Solutions is proving popular with companies who operate multiple sites across the UK.

More than a starter for TENThe Enterprise Network – launched to break down some of the barriers facing micro businesses in rural areas of Wiltshire and Swindon is celebrating its successes.

With the focus on small businesses this month (December), an independent evaluation of what TEN has achieved to date gives the initiative a resounding thumbs-up on behalf of local businesses.

The key barriers to small business growth in rural areas are lack of appropriate offices, slow broadband and the fact that businesses are spread over a wide area. TEN has addressed all three issues, using innovative ideas and with great results.

The initiative, led by Wiltshire Council with Government and EU funding, has some impressive outcomes to shout about: Four new Enterprise Centres launched

– at Ludgershall near Tidworth, Trowbridge, Royal Wootton Bassett and Salisbury – currently ‘home’ to 100 business tenants and their staff with 24 more businesses using the Centres for co-working, hot-desking and business address services

138.5 jobs created 44 new businesses supported Six other business centres supported as

satellites – at Chiseldon, Devizes, Holt, Lackham, Marlborough and Tisbury

£1.5m gross increase in GVA across

Wiltshire - a measure of how much Wiltshire’s economy has grown through The Enterprise Network’s activities - European Regional Development Fund definition.

TEN also funded free business support for 210+ local businesses through Inspire by Wessex Chambers, and in its early days provided more than £800,000 in EU and Government grants for specialist advice and for essential equipment, benefiting more than 130 Wiltshire enterprises.

As well as providing affordable offices for micro businesses, TEN works with partner organisations to support a wide range of free networking and learning events for businesses across Wiltshire which have attracted hundreds of participants.

Mary Webb, Chair, Salisbury Branch, Federation of Small Businesses, said: “The FSB campaigns to support small businesses which face many challenges in a rural area, including patchy high-speed broadband, pricey office space and lack of affordable places to meet clients in a professional environment. We’re delighted that The Enterprise Network’s Enterprise Centres offer solutions to all these challenges. TEN is making a real difference.”

To read TEN’s full outcomes report visit: www.theenterprisenetwork.co.uk/images/TEN_outcomes_2015.pdf

BUSINESS NEWS



SwindonCollege

How can Apprenticeships deliver for your business?Apprenticeships help businesses grow by:• Reducing training and recruitment costs

• Increasing productivity and profitability

• Developing a skilled, motivated and qualified workforce

• Improving customer service results

• Providing financial return on investment.

More than 100,000 employers of all sizes and from all sectors in England currently use Apprenticeships to attract new talent, re-skill existing staff and tackle skill shortages.

S w i n d o n C o l l e g e , N o r t h S t a r A v e n u e , S w i n d o n , W i l t s h i r e , S N 2 1 D Y

(01793) 498208 [email protected] www.swindon.ac.uk * @

For further information about taking on an Apprentice please contact the Apprenticeship Team at Swindon College on:

TOP PERFORMING COLLEGE IN THE SOUTH WEST FOR APPRENTICESHIPSSource: Skills Funding Agency 2013/14

New CEO atThames ValleyChambers ofCommerce

Paul Britton is the new chief executive of Thames Valley Chamber of Commerce who locally run Swindon Chamber.

Paul has been with the Chamber for five years as head of inward investment.

Prior to joining the Chamber he spent eight years with the Thames Valley Economic Partnership managing inward investment for the region, culminating in fDi Magazine’s European Cities & Regions of the Future report recognising local inward investment support in securing the Thames Valley as one of the highest ranked small regions in Europe.

He also worked with UK Trade & Investment and key public and private sector stakeholders to oversee inward investment and promotion on behalf of the Chamber and, in partnership with Microsoft, established the Thames Valley’s International Technology Conference as an annual flagship event in the region’s calendar.

Paul said: “I am proud to be representing the Chamber and look forward to building on a reputation for delivery of valued business benefits to our members and expertise in international trade support services. Moving forward, digital technology will play a key part in delivering relevant, informed member benefits.”

Sales Coaching Solutions appoints graduate

Wiltshire law firm Goughs Solicitors has appointed Angela Protheroe as employment specialist and associate solicitor.

Angela brings with her more than 15 years’ experience in all aspects of employment law.

Acting for SMEs, national and international companies and third sector organisations, undertaking all areas of tribunal and non-contentious work, Angela also represents individuals, high profile clients including doctors, consultants, QCs, national sports people and senior executives.

Angela has also represented universities, schools and academies, strengthening the firm’s sector specialism in education. Adopting a hands on approach, Angela is pro-active rather than re-active and is committed to finding solutions to difficult and complex situations.

Gemma Sumsion, partner and head of the commercial department said: “We are delighted to welcome Angela with her wealth of experience and skills which will prove indispensable.

“Her appointment further strengthens our strategy of really listening to our clients and delivering outcomes they value.”

Goughs Solicitors’ six offices across Wiltshire offer a full spectrum of legal advice.

Solicitors welcomes specialistA Chippenham

based sales coaching business welcomes Bath Spa graduate Natasha Baer as their new sales executive.

Natasha’s degree in writing and her experience in hospitality and retail helped her secure the role. At her previous job, a bookseller for Waterstones in Bath, she dedicated her time to providing excellent customer service.

Now she aims to help managing director, Alison Edgar move Sales Coaching Solutions forwards towards growth and a higher financial acumen.

Natasha said: “Alison has been a mentor to me, in the same way as she has helped small businesses increase profit through sales.”

Natasha believes that the most important part to the sales executive role is building relationships. Whether it’s creating new leads, or establishing a connection with existing clients, she insists that a friendly approach is always the best.

Between making phone calls and attending events, Natasha likes to blog about her experiences, these can be found at: www.salescoachingsolutions.wordpress.com

APPOINTED



Macmillan appeal for support in 2016Across Wiltshire around 10 people every day will hear the devastating news they have cancer and fi ve will sadly die from the illness, these numbers are rising. By 2030 almost 1 in 2 of us will have had a cancer experience at some point in our lives. The huge challenge we face is how to maintain our services AND meet the increasing demands on Macmillan that our future will certainly bring. Macmillan Cancer Support develops and delivers local cancer support services for people affected by cancer. Last year in Wiltshire we committed to invest nearly £440K in Macmillan services. These are wide ranging and include clinical professionals such as Macmillan Nurses, Oncology Support workers and GP Advisors. Also Information Support Workers, Benefi t Specialists, Active Health programs, and Macmillan Grants to name a few more. Last year Macmillan gave over £75K to 476 patients and carers in Wiltshire to help with essential items such as clothing, mortgage and heating costs.

Did you know Macmillan is funded almost entirely through public donation? We have the fantastic support of

individuals, groups, committees, and companies, made up of people who have decided to help us. For that help we are very grateful indeed, and a huge thank you to all who took part in this year’s World’s Biggest Coffee Morning. However, we urgently need your local support to help us in your community.

Macmillan is very much local in Wiltshire. Please do give consideration to us when you are thinking of supporting a charity for the year ahead, or perhaps for a single event. We have some great ideas for events and fundraising support packages including our highly acclaimed Macmillan At Work consultancy service advising companies on how to support employees affected by cancer. We can help you “Do Something Great Today”.

Please contact Steve Goodrick; Fundraising Manager Wiltshire, 07595 091812, or [email protected]

The team departed from Ark’s offi ces in Farnborough and fi nished at its campus site in Corsham. Huw Owen, CEO of Ark Data Centres Ltd said: “We have an exceptional team of employees at Ark Data Centres and a partner community which share our values. As a company we aspire for excellence, not just professionally, but also personally. Raw Hide is a fantastic project which brings together our corporate and partner community to live the Ark values of One Team, helping us on our journey to become a truly high performance partnership.”

MAKE YOUR BUSINESS POSITIVE IN 2016

Five reasons to do good things in your business:1) Increased social awareness, brand authority and trust2) Greater productivity – CSR is great for team building3) Helps recruitment and employee retention- people want to be associated with an ethical employer4) Strengthens professional network- a great way of meeting with other likeminded companies5) Increases profi tability- through brand recognition and customer loyalty

With so many charities appealing for volunteering and fundraising it is often hard to know who to help. One way to make a difference and be able to measure your impact

is by supporting a dedicated charity for the year. Some companies may even choose to support one local and one national or international charity.

5 ways to raise charity funds in 2016:1) Organise a cake sale at work: Macmillan Cancer Support hold the World’s Biggest Coffee Morning each year in September. In 2016 it falls on 25 September. Find out more at: www.coffee.macmillan.org.uk 2) Dress down and cash up: Have a non-uniform/ business dress day and donate the amount raised to a charity like Dorothy House Hospice www.dorothyhouse.org.uk 3) Take part in Inner Flame’s Channel Challenge 2016. Find out more at: www.innerfl ame.org.uk

4) Feeling fearless? Why not do a charity skydive? Wiltshire Air Ambulance organise events each year. Visit their website for more details: www.wiltshireairambulance.co.uk 5) Become a Business against Poverty member and help alleviate poverty at home and abroad. Find out more at: www.businessagainstpoverty.com

And don’t forget CSR isn’t just about supporting charities. It starts at home. Ensure your business is a mindful employer all year round by attending one of Swindon Mindful Employer’s conferences in 2016.

Contact [email protected] for more information or call 01793 432031

Corporate Social Responsibility or CSR has become a bit of a buzzword in recent years losing its true meaning and the real benefi t of embracing it in your business culture. Research shows that fi rms who make a positive contribution to society see multiple benefi ts. With company time being so precious, it’s OK to think ‘what’s in it for me?’ Especially for sole-traders and start-up businesses, the thought of giving up precious time in the offi ce can be a worrying thought, as much as you might want to help society and give something back.

£10,000 raised in one dayOn 14 August, 2015 Corsham headquartered Ark Data Centres Limited and its partners including H Sweet Construction, Norland Managed Services, Bladeroom, Vysiion and JCS cycled over 90 miles in a day to raise a critical £10,000 in aid of Macmillan Cancer Support.

Vygon in Swindon took part in Macmillan’s World Biggest Coffee Morning in 2015

Macmillan corporate sponsors Arval hand over their fundraising cheque


POSITIVE BUSINESS


What motivates you? Problem solving for customers is at the core of our service and the biggest motivator. We are presented with varied and unpredictable challenges on a day-to-day basis from customers operating in a range of industries. We enjoy the challenge of finding new ways to deliver on their requirements. What is your business philosophy?We want to delight our customers and deliver exceptional service but we always remain grounded. I’ve always maintained an open relationship with our customers, which has paid dividends over the years. Our business comes from their loyalty and recommendation of our work and our approach, the ultimate compliment. Who do you admire the most? I admire Duncan Bannatyne – he left school at 15 with no qualifications and purchased an ice cream van for £450. From that ice cream van he built his empire which amasses £430 million to date. I admire his straight-talking style and hard nose for an opportunity. However, his OBE is for his charitable works – where his involvement is varied and committed. What would be your advice to anyone wondering if their business could benefit from joining Business against Poverty? Supporting BaP appeals to Devision because they are a local, approachable charity where we can see our support in action. BaP are so passionate about their cause, their

investment of energy makes supporting them a simple decision. If you want to help your local community as well as the less fortunate then BaP is the right choice for you.

To find out more about Business against Poverty visit: www.businessagainstpoverty.com or call 01225 718920

Visit them online at:www.devision.co.uk

Younite for Kenya

The project is run out of the Excalibur Communications office in Swindon. CEO James Phipps joined Fiona as a director in 2015 to help the organisation grow and develop.

The organised trips provide continuous support throughout the year to a country that despite its stunning landscape, culture and wildlife remains stricken with HIV, AIDS and extreme poverty.

To date over 100 volunteers have visited the Younite project schools, Melon Mission and Silver Bells offering educational teaching and working on school maintenance. Through fundraising Younite has also raised approximately £20,000 in the last three years to enable the schools to be come more sustainable.

To find out more about visiting a project or helping to generate vital funds visit: www.yoproject.org.uk or call Fiona on 01793 680545

The Younite Outreach Project is a community interest company, founded by Fiona Simpson. Younite organises cost effective trips for individuals and businesses to volunteer across two schools for orphans and destitute children in Nakuru, Kenya.

Devision the IT support specialistsMember of the month:

Business against Poverty (BaP) is a local community of business people who care about the issues of poverty and ethical standards. They are taking action through their charity People against Poverty, based in Trowbridge. Each edition of TBE we profile one of their members to find out more about them, what motivates them and why they support BaP.

This edition BaP interviewed Jon Evans, founder and CEO of Chippenham firm Devision. The company is a leading provider of IT supply and support services, working across the South West.

Vygon in Swindon took part in Macmillan’s World Biggest Coffee Morning in 2015

Macmillan corporate sponsors Arval hand over their fundraising cheque


POSITIVE BUSINESS


Alison said: ”The wills and probate event is designed to dispel some of the myths that surround the transfer of assets upon death and also to promote the benefits of having a Lasting Power of Attorney in place. Unfortunately, people mistakenly believe that this won’t benefit them which is not the case. There are complex issues involved in the preparation of a will for a business owner. I endeavour to ensure that all possible eventualities are covered to enable the individual business owner’s wishes to be carried out. It is especially important for business owners to make sure that their business and assets are transferred correctly on their death.”

“I often come into contact with clients and their families at difficult and emotional times. It is my task to ensure that the work required is carried out as efficiently and painlessly as possible to alleviate stress and worry wherever I can.”

The event is taking place at Basepoint, Rivermead Drive, Swindon on Wednesday 27 January between midday and 2pm.

For more information and to book a place email: [email protected] or call 01793 608800

Bower & Bailey is currently celebrating their 30th anniversary in Swindon, where Alison has worked since its inception. To find out more about their offering visit: www.bowerandbailey.co.uk call them on 01793 610466 and follow them on Twitter: @BowerBailey

On 27 January, a key wills and probate event is being hosted at Basepoint business centre in Swindon where Alison Hill, wills and estates partner for Bower & Bailey Solicitors is guest speaker.

Basepoint Swindon to host wills and probate event

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LEGAL



Hear it from the experts…

Agency payrollLike an employed person, you will pay tax and National Insurance on a salary; you should also receive holiday pay and statutory sick pay. There are no tax breaks and often agencies don’t run their own payroll which means freelancers are forced to choose one of the options below.

Umbrella companyTraditionally, freelancers who are ‘caught’ by the IR35 rule tend to use umbrella companies. You’ll be one of many workers who are paid under PAYE by the umbrella company and they will invoice your agency/end-client for your work. On receipt of payment, they will deduct their fees, tax and National Insurance due. You can claim for travel/subsistence expenses, saving you tax and national insurance. However, legislation is on the way that could take away the tax savings on travel and subsistence claims.

Limited company (PSC)Generally, Freelancers who are not ‘caught’ by IR35 set up their own Limited Company and use an accountant – preferably one who is expert in this area. It is more like running your own business and much more tax effi cient.

You can be paid in dividends, saving employee and employer National Insurance; and you can divide your income with a spouse/partner potentially saving income tax. You can join the Flat Rate VAT scheme and effectively get VAT back from HMRC. You will need to keep records and retain money to pay your tax bills.

Overall, it is vital to consider your IR35 status, because it has a major impact when deciding which payment option to use.

Peter Bromiley ACAAMS Accountancy Ltd, Swindon SN5 7XF01793 818400 www.ams-accountancy.co.uk/about-us/ask-ams

If you are a Freelancer, there are generally three options for handling your income.Agency payroll; umbrella company, or your own limited company, (known as a Personal Service Company).

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To view our films: www.ask-ams.co.uk

Baker Tilly becomes RSM

The new RSM logo and brand positioning – ‘The power of being understood’ – will be rolled out in all of the fi rm’s 35 UK locations including Swindon, as well as across the entire RSM network, comprising 37,500 people in 730 offi ces across more than 110 countries. RSM International is the seventh largest global network of independent audit, tax and consulting fi rms. Last year, it was the fastest growing top 10 global network posting an 18 per cent increase in revenue to $4.4bn for the year ending 31 December 2014.

Laurence Longe, RSM’s UK managing partner, said: “Uniting under a common brand presents a unique opportunity for RSM to truly become the fi rst choice adviser to middle market leaders, globally.

“Clients using an RSM fi rm will now have much greater confi dence that they will receive the same high quality of professional service for their audit, tax and consulting needs wherever they do business in the world.

“By coming together under a common brand, we will be better able to draw on

local knowledge and global expertise from across the network and this will help us to help our clients be successful wherever and whenever they expand the international reach of their business.”

Sharon Omer-Kaye, offi ce managing partner at RSM in Swindon said: “It’s exciting to play our part in the global launch of the new RSM brand here in Swindon. Although our name has changed, we will stay true to our roots and maintain the core essence of our business and a strong dedication to our local client base.”

To coincide with the rebrand, the UK fi rm will be launching its new look website at www.rsmuk.com and will be adopting a new Twitter handle @rsmuk.

Baker Tilly in Swindon has adopted the name RSM, uniting under a single common brand with RSM audit, tax and consulting fi rms across the world.

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FINANCE



How important are honesty and integrity in business and beyond?Recent events in the automotive industry have reminded us just how important values such as honesty and integrity are in business, says Mike Lloyd, Managing Partner at the Swindon offi ce of Haines Watts, Chartered Accountants and Business Advisors.Honesty is about telling the truth, but business integrity is all about doing the right thing because it’s simply the right thing to do.

It’s not a business value; it’s that part of a business’s DNA defi ning its moral code and it should drive all business behaviour.

Businesses with integrity aren’t afraid of the truth.

What may have started out with an honest intention to get vehicles through emissions tests clearly went awry when individuals – singly or collectively - engineered a method to circumvent testing procedures.

This scandal has highlighted the fact that when a company’s integrity is compromised, the costs can be immeasurable; not only could it be fi ned a sum which could run into the billions, but it will lose substantial shareholder value and its brand may be irreparably damaged.

The same thing happened in our own profession a few years ago; Arthur Andersen did not go from one of the largest accountancy fi rms in the world to being insolvent because it got Enron’s accounts wrong; it disappeared because it shredded the fi les and thereby lost its integrity.

Arguably, integrity is more important to SMEs, which don’t always have the governance procedures, internal checks and balances implicit in larger businesses.

Our governance is often set by the moral compass of the business owners themselves rather than with the benefi t of external

input. This can directly affect the way a business owner thinks and operates.

Integrity in an SME business is instinctive. The best and easiest way of running a business is with honesty and openness, both internally to our own teams and externally to our clients.

Because it’s instinctive, it works more easily; it’s more effective than it is when it is hidebound by regulation and internal bureaucracy.

You can fi nd with the larger companies there are as many people employed to fi nd a way around regulations as there are employed to write them in the fi rst place.

While mega businesses like Volkswagen are often envied by smaller organisations, we should remember they could learn a lot from the simplicity of operation and clarity of thought of the SME business owner.

Does anyone want to buy a second-hand Volkswagen???

For business accounting and tax advice however contact Mike on 01793 533838 or [email protected]

Feel free to browse our website at: www.haineswatts-swindon.co.uk

“Businesses with integrity aren’t afraid of the truth”

FINANCE



How did you become a Vistage chair?October 2009 I came to a pivotal part of my career. I’d spent 28 years building a specialist cultural change and top tier executive leadership company called VI International. I built a team of over 20 consultants around the world with a subsidiary in Singapore.

VI International had established clients such as American Express, Diageo, Microsoft, Virgin Atlantic, and Standard Chartered Bank

One day I woke up in a hotel in Shanghai and said: “What am I doing? This business is running me, rather than me running it”. From this moment I embarked on a journey to change the business and change my life - in the right way with honesty and integrity.

My vision was to carry on my one-to-one Corporate Coaching and stop any International work. When one of my clients – a Vistage member suggested I should be a Vistage chair I looked into it. I did know the company and when I researched it, it was clear I had the right credentials. I had run my own successful business supplying to the big corporates and had worked globally with senior leaders.

So now I have a portfolio of roles – my Corporate Coaching and my Vistage group here in the South West. I can work locally giving something back to the SME and helping the local community.

What’s special about Vistage?Vistage attracted me because it’s a global organisation. It has 20,000 members worldwide. I wanted to retain the global reach and connection I had established with VI International, but make a difference on a local level too.

Vistage enables the CEO/MD/ Business Owners to become better leaders, making better decisions and achieving better results.

What is your ambition as south west chair?My purpose is to achieve the best Vistage group in the UK. I’ll do this by creating a non-competing group, with no

customers or suppliers within it. A confi dential and safe group, where the members can bring their most diffi cult and challenging issues and we can work together to come up with the resolution.

Members of the south west group so far all have different styles, personalities and businesses, but they all are highly ambitious and are great fun to be with. They all care and want to help their fellow members achieve success together.

How do you join?By invitation only. Vistage is not right for everyone and not everyone is right for Vistage. The group has criteria that the business members must have a turnover of £3m+, be able to commit the time of one day a month (group time) and two hours of executive coaching, be open to learn and have an ambition to grow.

Why do people join?Business leaders often feel lonely and isolated. Some things cannot be discussed with their board or with anyone at home. My Vistage Group provides that safe place where anything and everything can be shared with the Group who do not have a vested interest – only your success!

Members also join because they want to be challenged. As CEO, often no one challenges them – we will!

Everyone needs to have their thoughts, ideas and behaviours challenged to grow and succeed.

Others may join because they are looking to create an exit strategy and their business is not in the right place. We help build a clear plan with clear structures and processes. The group also helps change the culture of the company for the better because to stay competitive businesses have to change and evolve. Vistage is not a hospital; it’s a gym to get your business fi tter and healthier.

What would be your top tips for business success?1) Know your numbers in all areas of the business.2) Build a high performing culture and within that a shared vision of success that supports it.

3) Keep the right people in the business and get the wrong people out.4) Be a great leader, inspire and motivate your people. 5) Be customer centric. Focus on what the customer wants and needs to give it to them.6) Continue to grow and learn (rather than becoming staid and stuck) 7) Keep healthy and fi t and fun to be around.

The Vistage community meet regularly in the South West to share, connect, learn and brainstorm business values. A series of events are planned for 2016 email Nicola to fi nd out more.

VISTAGE PEER ADVISORY GROUP - SOUTH WEST

[email protected] - 07887 616606 Uk.linkedin.com/nicolamchale

Nicola McHaleVistage Chair

Nicola McHale is Vistage chair for the south west, a private advisory group for business leaders. The group was established in July 2015 and currently has seven members and will grow to a team of 16 over the next year. TBE met with Nicola to fi nd out more about her and the Vistage offering.

Cambridge House, 4 College Court, Regent Circus, Swindon, Wiltshire SN1 1PJ

T: 01793 610466 F: 01793 511505 www.bowerandbailey.co.uk

Local expert legal advice for you, your business and your family

• Accident and Injury Compensation

• Commercial Property

• Company and Commercial

• Consumer and Civil Disputes

• Divorce and Children Matters

• Employment issues

• House Sales, Purchases, Mortgages

• Wills and Estates

Bower&Bailey_TBE_Swindon_59x210mm_Ad_v3.indd 1 06/11/2015 08:23 THE BUSINESS EXCHANGE 2015 / 2016 13

PERSONAL BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT


Not only has this led to a number of new challenges in the workplace for the HR agenda but it has challenged the building and maintaining of a career centric culture which is fundamental in implementing career management programmes to benefi t both organisations and individuals.

A career centric culture is where an organisation has:• A clear and embedded career strategy• Visible and embedded career discussion programmes with

senior leaders• A clear process for employees at a career crossroads to access guidance in confi dence• Regular development for senior infl uencers and leaders to

hold effective career discussions• A clear difference between career discussions and the

appraisal process

Effective career management requires a level of two way knowledge between the employer and the employee which informs softer issues such as skills, values, abilities and fi t, whilst the more contextual issues such as role content, structure and role context are also critical.

In 2015 we found that increasingly management are guided by perception rather than the all-round evaluation

of an individual witnessed at close quarters. Context both for decisions and messaging is key and almost singularly the biggest cause of misunderstanding. Emails are very one dimensional in their message delivery, text and Skype messages almost always inadequate in a business setting.

A fresh approach to career managementMoving forward, we need to ensure that a more robust, visible and fl exible career culture is established within the organisation. In addition to this, a more appropriate appraisal mechanism is required to more accurately recognise and develop talent within the organisation.

Effective career conversations are at the heart of this building work. Leaders at all levels need development to help them hold impartial, confi dential and objective conversations and also be clear as to where to refer employees for further assistance.

For more information on the future of Career Management contact: Steve Thompson-Martyn Career Directed [email protected]

The home based dayThe working day in your offi ce at home – the one where you have no appointments and you are dedicated to administration, negotiation, operations and task management.A typical start: 6am: Alarm clock buzzes/cat scratches at the door/ binmen are crashing around/child jumps on your bed. Through a fuzzy brain 3 questions permeate:1. Where am I waking up? 2. What day is it? 3. What business am I working on today?Some time later: A desk peppered with ‘to-do’ lists, piles of papers randomly organised into ‘Urgent’, ‘Pressing’, ‘Low Priority’, ‘Top Priority’ – (this is the list you really should be dealing with every day but somehow the tasks on it slip steadily down the ladder). You sit down with a big sigh, open your laptop, get up, go and make a coffee, come back and what is the fi rst thing you do? Yes, that’s it – the emails. Some time later still: coffee drunk, you have about 10 emails open, half are partly replied to, multiple other tasks have been generated. No one task is quite completed. Flip to the end of the day – You have managed to get some stuff done, and some of it was on your Top Priority List. Several key conversations have taken place by phone or Skype, you have negotiated some tricky contracts, you have made some promising connections. Tired, pleased that you have ticked some boxes, you juggle the other tasks (cat, children, meals, laundry) and take your whirring mind, already started on tomorrow’s ‘to-do’ lists, to bed.

But….no-one knows that you spent the day in your dressing gown with the cat on your lap. And tomorrow it is Tango time!

Isla Baliszewska is a business support specialist and serial entrepreneur, having run businesses in property, publishing, asset management and IT. She now works with Smart Coaching & Training helping business leaders and their organisations to fl ourish. She is a lover of Argentine Tango.Smart Coaching & Training are running ‘The Tango Model for Business Success’ on 27 January at Radisson Blu in Bristol; an event with a difference that will be fun, informative and provocative.

For more information contact [email protected] or call Isla on 07828 516058.

A day in the life of a serial...ised tangoing entrepreneur

HR agenda 2016 - career management

Our consultants have 20+ years experience helping organisations like yours increase profitability through commitment to a career centric culture. Contact us today for information on our career Management

programmes.Tel: 0333 240 8115 Email: [email protected] Web: careerds.co.uk

Throughout 2015 we have seen the effects of a growing virtual workforce on retention, loyalty and productivity. Remote working now takes on many guises whether it is through home working, small satellite operations or regional structures where the interface between leaders and their team members is increasingly sporadic.

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PERSONAL BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT


The report, “A Head for Hiring: The Behavioural Science of Recruitment”, by the HR professionals’ body, the CIPD, shows that employers often use their first impressions of a job candidate to assess whether they are likely to be a good fit. It also shows that they are more likely to select people whose experience, skill set, personality and even hobbies, closely mirror their own.

However, Lauren Harkin, a Senior Associate in the employment team at Withy King in Swindon, warns that this approach may leave businesses vulnerable to discrimination claims. She explains:

“This latest report from the CIPD is worrying because it shows that many businesses’ recruitment practices are leaving them exposed – and they may not even end up with the best person for the job.

“Recruitment from a legal perspective can be quite challenging particularly because there is no one piece of legislation specifically about recruitment processes. There is, however, a significant amount of employment legislation, particularly in relation to discrimination, which is relevant to the recruitment process, from how to word your advertisements and application forms to selection

and assessment criteria and interviewing procedures, so businesses can’t really afford to wing it.

“Whichever recruitment practices your business uses, it is imperative that you comply with the anti-discrimination laws (set out in the Equality Act) which prohibit discrimination on the grounds of age, disability, gender reassignment, marital status, pregnancy, race, religious beliefs, sex, and sexual orientation.

“It is important to understand that employers are vicariously liable for any discriminatory behaviour of their employees in recruitment practices unless the ‘reasonable steps defence’ is established. This defence will at least require a business to have a well-established Equal Opportunities Policy. Thankfully, recruitment discrimination claims continue to be a rarity. However, a job applicant alleging discrimination in an Employment Tribunal claim may be able to obtain copies of the documents relating to a recruitment process including anonymised information about other candidates.”To find out more about recruitment discrimination or any other employment issue, please contact Lauren on 01793 847777 or email [email protected]

WHAT’S WRONG WITH HIRING A MINI-ME?Recent research has shown that recruitment processes are often heavily skewed by unconscious bias from those carrying out job interviews – and many tend to hire mini-me’s.

Lauren Harkin, employment specialist, Withy King

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EMPLOYMENT


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Lis McDermott is passionate about helping businesses to understand the importance of having a professional portfolio of images. Often the fi rst thing people see is your headshot and many of the pictures that appear in public and social media profi les have been taken on camera phones, or taken at an event and not specifi cally for that purpose.

What is your online presence in terms of images?

What do they say about you and your professionalism?

Is your business represented in the best way?

After working for 34 years in education, Lis started her own photography business in 2008, with her focus mainly on people photography. The skills she gained in her educational roles, working with so many different people has aided her in her photography work. She recently published her fi rst photography book, ‘Headshot Diva – why your business profi le affects your bottom line’.photography work. She recently published her fi rst photography book,

and many of the pictures that appear in public and social media profi les have been taken on

After working for 34 years in education, Lis started her own photography business in 2008, with her focus mainly on people photography. The skills she gained in her

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CREATIVE THINKING



SOCIAL MEDIA - OF THE MOMENT OR A USEFUL WAY TO MARKET YOUR BUSINESS?“More sales, more customers, more profit” is surely a mantra for all business owners regardless of the size or type of business they run. Long term success requires a long term strategy, preferably one which is focused on marketing your business to the right people. While identifying the right customer, the right product at the right price should be second nature, actually creating and implementing an effective communication plan to reach that customer is often a little bit harder.

The cost of marketing has often been assumed to be prohibitive particularly for small businesses.

Marketing tools such as advertising, literature, promotions, events and PR are frequently viewed as simply margin off the bottom line rather than essential expenditure required to ensure a profitable and sustainable return.

Consequently, many businesses have eagerly embraced the dawning of so called ‘free’ social media as a way to market their business.

The benefits of social media tools such as Twitter, Facebook, Pinterest and LinkedIn is they can quickly help to create a personality for your business and your brand. As

communities interact more and more online, social media can successfully be used to create a strong reputation and

following for any type of brand. But nothing in life is free and managing a social media campaign can and does take a lot of time if it is to be done well.

So what works, with whom and when? Well, content is king. Video, interactive competitions, surveys and engaging images are what people want. This is where great product shots, top tips, usage suggestions, informative videos and reviews really work.

Social media is certainly of the moment but like the internet it is here to stay. It needs careful handling and planning like any marketing technique.

Done well, it can be a good way to help you differentiate your brand and, importantly, it can help you engage, attract and ultimately sell to more customers.

Linda Donaldson, founder of Geometry PR

“The benefits of social media tools is they can quickly help to create a personality for your business and your brand”

CREATIVE THINKING



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Juicy Designs is a creative design agency offering practical marketing solutions that really communicate. With over 25 years creative experience, working with lots of exciting clients both large and small, we have the expertise on tap to help you communicate and engage with your customers.

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Record growth for print fi rm

In the last fi ve years the company has grown from a team of 14 staff to 25. They have also managed to buy their second unit on Rivermead Drive in Swindon in the last 18 months, proving that the print market is anything but dead.

The fi rm is one of the only full service printing houses locally, offering litho, digital and large format printing, fulfi llment and mailing services. This allows Interprint to be really fl exible with client deadlines as everything is completed under one roof.

A resurgence in direct mail has driven growth, the millennial generation has grown up without receiving snail mail and getting something in the post has become something of a novelty. *Research by the Direct Marketing Asssociation (DMA) found that:

• 90% couldn’t live without a letterbox• 46% of us believe a world without print would be worse than today’s

With high numbers of email campaigns deleted before they are opened, direct mail is outperforming email marketing. Especially when combined with targeted direct mail marketing lists and creative, personalised campaigns.

Interprint is practicing what they preach and is reaping the rewards. Their own targeted direct mail campaigns have seen double fi gure rewards.

Sales director Kevin Stevens said: “Our clients are embracing direct mail with bespoke designs, such as gimmicky boxes rather than envelopes. Projects we’ve worked on vary from simple money off vouchers, to personalised tickets for cruise companies. Being innovative with how you deliver your message is giving the results.”

To fi nd out more about Interprint and their services visit: www.interprintswindon.co.uk

*Statistics taken from DMA ‘From Letterbox to Inbox Survey’ www.dma.org.uk

Interprint is celebrating a record year following a £750,000 investment into the digital printing and large format digital market.

Gain a ‘fresh pair of eyes’ for your documents

Having a second pair of trained eyes to double-check all of your important writing can save your spelling and grammatical mistakes being noticed by colleagues, assessors, clients and potential customers.

Mistakes in writing can be expensive and even embarrassing, and learning the hard way in business is never productive, which is where AA Editorial Services come in.

In 2011, following early retirement, Angela Atkinson embarked upon her joint English degree, quickly learning the tricks the brain can pull on even the most analytical of writers. The brain sees what it wants to see in a lot of cases, and will gloss over mistakes as we have all learned to our cost at one point or another.

So if the written word is causing you problems, or you simply don’t have the time

to proof read every document you send, even if you simply appreciate the value of a sanity check, AA Editorial can help.

For more information visit: www.aaedits.co.uk

Having your documents read perfectly is almost an unwritten rule of business, and no-one is above trickery of the brain when it comes to proofi ng your work.

CREATIVE THINKING



An exciting project from Malmesbury Town Team sees the launch of a brand new ‘Discover Malmesbury’ promotional logo for this historic town and a bright, fun and informative new mobile friendly website.

Malmesbury has become ‘home’ to the annual WOMAD festival at nearby Charlton Park, the BBC History weekend and many other well-known music, history, arts and gardens events and festivals. Keen to be recognised for the vibrant life in the town in addition to its stunning 12th century Abbey, original Market Cross, world famous Abbey House & Gardens and other fascinating history, the brand and website bring together a theme of ‘Vibrant, Treasured and Historic.’

The Town Team were very keen to make sure the brand and website project was an inclusive process for the people of Malmesbury, with a number of focus groups held during the project involving retailers,

hotels, business and community groups,

the Town Council and other Malmesbury

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BARKING HEN LOGO DESIGN

After many years of working in the jewellery industry for other people, Tamara felt the time was right to realise her ambition and start her own jewellery business, Barking Hen Jewellery. Gaining inspiration for her jewellery from nature, Tamara works with a variety of different materials, including copper, silver and coloured glass to produce truly individual pieces.

Having chosen an unusual name for her business ‘Barking Hen’ which was quirky and untraditional, it was important for her logo to refl ect her brand. “Although I am a creative person I didn’t have a clue where to start in designing a logo” said Tamara.

Tamara knew that the logo would need to ‘work’ for her in different formats for marketing, social media and on packaging. The fi nal design was sophisticated, modern and easy to reproduce in different formats.

After an initial consultation, the team at The Front Room worked with Tamara to develop her ideas into a logo which would work commercially. They developed several concept ideas which were refi ned into the fi nal identity. Tamara said “The experience was brilliant. The Front Room were very welcoming and relaxed. As my workshop wasn’t yet fi nished I had no jewellery to show but they took on board the ethos of my business when designing my logo - I love it.” To fi nd out more about Tamara’s bespoke jewellery visit her Facebook page, Barking Hen Jewellery or follow: @TheBarkingHen on Twitter.

Tamara Eggleston was setting up her own business Barking Hen Jewellery when, in September, she entered The Business Exchange Start up September competition. She was the lucky winner of a business logo, donated by The Front Room Marketing & Design.

An exciting project from Malmesbury Town Team sees the launch of a brand new ‘Discover Malmesbury’ promotional logo for this historic town and a bright, fun and informative new mobile friendly website.

Now even more to discover

CREATIVE THINKING



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Mind your electronic manners

Time for a new SEO strategy

It has been a great year for business, not just for Smarter Search, but noticeably for our clients, connections and Wiltshire business in general

Business confidence appears to be on the up and this is backed by the increased level of enquiries we receive on a daily basis. If you haven’t considered SEO as part of your sales and marketing strategy then now is a great time to do so.

Why now?With more people spending ever increasing amounts of their waking hours online, whether that be at their desk, at home or elsewhere, there has never been a better opportunity to position your business in the right place at the right time.

Let’s take the example of an accountant; a potential customer would search something along the lines of “accountant in Swindon. If the accountancy firm appears in the top half of page 1 in a Google search, chances are they will receive an enquiry. This enquiry could be their next customer.

If your business isn’t currently positioned where it needs to be then unfortunately you will be losing out on those enquiries to

your competitors who are currently a few steps ahead of you...

Times have already changed, have you?Search Engine Optimisation has become more important than ever. When was the last time you picked up a phone book to look for a service? If you are looking for a product or a service, then you will most likely look online. The same happens with your potential customers.

If we can pass on one piece of guidance heading in to the New Year it would be to analyse the optimum search phrases for your business. What are the main phrases that your potential customers are searching? Which competitors of yours are ranking for them and gaining the new business?

If you are unsure how to analyse these keywords feel free to drop us an email and we’ll send you some simple instructions. It could be the boost your business needs.

For more about Smarter Search visit: www.smarter-search.co.uk

To receive Smarter Search’s free simple guide to keyword research email: [email protected]

Smarter Search’s Karl Paul discusses why the time is now.

TAIN BRAE’S SOCIAL MEDIA TREND PREDICTIONS FOR 2016This year, we saw a recognisable boom of the social media industry. More than 1 billion people are now using Facebook, and more than 80% of small businesses are reported to use social media for their branding and marketing efforts.

While 2015 was a great year for social media, 2016 is predicted to be even better. Here are some predictions from David Bolton at Corsham based Tain Bare Digital on social media trends for the coming year.

1. More E-Commerce FeaturesThe “buy” button will become a distinctive feature in most social media platforms. Facebook and Pinterest are just two of the platforms that gained attention this year by introducing this feature and others will follow. We may also expect a shopping cart in one of these big social networks in 2016.

2. New Publication OptionsFacebook have launched Instant Articles which allows full-length articles to users without having to link to an external source. As social platforms become more competitive and more aggressive about keeping users in-app for as long as possible, social platforms will launch more sophisticated forms of publishing for businesses in 2016.

3. Increased Advertising FunctionsMore and more companies are using social

media ads in addition to Google ads to promote their products. It’s also expected that social media platforms will allow more advertising functions, including automated ads and pop-ups during 2016.

4. Increased Safety and Security Because of the rising social media trend, more users have become victims of phishing and other cyber crimes. Such concerns call for better security in divulging personal information online. During 2016 social media platforms will probably have better security features which will prevent identity theft, cyber stalking, and phishing.

5. In-the-moment updates will dominateSocial media is already “in-the-moment” by nature, but there are some posts that are more “in-the-moment” than others. For example Periscope allows users to give a live video broadcast of some stretch of their lives. Periscope reports users collectively watch 40 years of live video each and every day. This is likely to increase during 2016 with other platforms launching.

If you want to get your social media and digital marketing moving in 2016 then speak with us at Tain Brae Digital. To find out more visit: www.tainbraedigital.co.uk or call us 01249 476406

Rob Perks, CEO of Inspire by Wessex Chambers

Are your email messages news or a nuisance? Now that most people are struggling to manage a daily stream of emails, you need to be sensitive to the pressure they are under if you want to get their attention. In this edition, I thought I’d suggest a few tips.

1. Keep your message short. Apart from time, your message may well be picked up on a mobile device.

2. Do not cry wolf. High priority should mean what it says.

3. Read your message over before you send it and try to imagine you’re the person reading it

4. In the body of the message, mention any attachments and tell recipients what they contain or else they may get deleted.

5. Your name should appear in the sender section. Because spam mail is so common, recipients need to easily identify the sender.

6. Never send email when you’re angry – and I do mean never!

7. Assume whatever you write could appear in the local press. Email can never be guaranteed to be private.

8. Avoid huge attachments. It implies you assume your recipient has the same bandwidth as you.

9. Stop checking your email when your partner wants to make love, your kids want to talk to you or your friend calls you.

10. Do not check your emails when you’re in a face to face meeting. Think about what you would want people to do when you’re making a presentation or talking.

11. Don’t give out another person’s email address without permission.

12. When you receive an email from someone, pay attention to the style they use. Is it terse, friendly or imaginative? If the person is “no nonsense”, keep your correspondence business like. If it’s more laid back and mentions their holiday, don’t offend them or make them feel foolish with a terse response.

13. Write a handwritten note from time to time. In this digital age, a handwritten communication can say a lot about you and make a real impression on the reader.

I’m sure my team will tell me to read my own tips but here’s to really great email communication!

TECHNOLOGY



Faringdon based IT firm Computing Information Systems (CIS) has further strengthened its offering with the purchase of Agile networking, a comprehensive IT services and support business.

The acquisition was an easy decision for CIS as the services Agile provide complement their current IT support and services offering. One of the services Agile previously didn’t provide was cloud solutions and this is an area of real growth for CIS. Agile customers can now benefit from CIS’s extended stable of products, whilst being assured of the same excellent customer service they were used to as an Agile client.

Richard March CEO of CIS said: “CIS has a new exciting portfolio of clients to work with. To ensure the same level of support is received across our client base, we are recruiting more staff, organising more training and implementing further sales support to guarantee a first rate client experience all round.”

Both CIS and Agile as individual brands hold the reputable Microsoft and Sophos Gold certified partner accreditation and they are also VMware and Veeam Silver partners.

To ensure business continuity Agile’s

previous owners are remaining in the business to drive growth. Richard Hobley, MD of Agile Networking said: “Joining with CIS was an easy decision to make. All of our clients can rest assured that CIS will be delivering the same ethics that all of our clients are used to. On top of that, CIS will be leading the way with Private Cloud migration that’s important to adopt in this day and age.”

CIS works across the South West and hosts a private cloud near Newbury, where the data is stored in an ultra-secure nuclear bunker. To find out more about their offering visit: www.cisltd.com

DON’T BECOME THE TALK TALK OF THE TOWN

So what’s happening here?You’ve heard it on the radio, you’ve seen it in the news. With the recent high profile cyber-attack on telecoms giant Talk Talk, following those on businesses such as British Gas and the Ashley Madison dating site, the security of stored and transmitted data is once again topping the media agenda.

What’s perhaps surprising is the lack of reaction from a sizeable proportion of businesses, which despite the constant torrent of hacking news stories, persist with outdated and insecure practices when handling valuable data in their everyday work tasks. However there’s about to be a real sea of change with the introduction of EU data protection regulations next year, which will place a legal duty on everyone who holds electronic data concerning EU citizens to implement appropriate security measures and to have a clear data protection policy. There will be punitive sanctions for non-compliance.

The New EU Data Protection RegulationIn March 2014, the European parliament

voted by an overwhelming majority in favour of legislation to protect the security of its citizens’ data. The resulting legislation is due to come into force in 2016 with penalties of up to 100m Euros or 5% of annual turnover per data breach.

Why your business should be concernedWhatever the size of your business, a significant loss of personal data represents a catastrophe of mammoth proportions and proves terminal for many. As well as sanctions imposed under this legislation, there’s the cost of notifying anyone whose data has been compromised and the subsequent loss of customer confidence and reputational damage to the business. Whilst ‘traditional’ crime figures continue on a downward trend, cybercrime statistics are rising dramatically. No MD or business owner wants to find themselves in the position of the Talk Talk CEO who had to announce to her entire customer base that all of their personal information was now potentially in the public domain!

Encryption will soon change from a “might do” to a “have to”. See why…

CIS STRENGTHENS WITH NEW ACQUISITION

Richard Marsh CEO of CIS with Richard Hobley, MD of Agile Networking

Rob Perks, CEO of Inspire by Wessex Chambers

REVVED UPTECHNOLOGY



FIRST OF ITS KIND TECHNOLOGY EXPERIENCE STORE LAUNCHES IN SWINDONA new business has been launched in Swindon allowing individuals and businesses to embrace the latest in cutting edge technology.A group of four friends have taken their passion for technology and worked together to create a unique new concept, the fi rst of its kind in the UK. Rotus Motus is a technology experience store based on Edgware Road in the centre of the town. The shop gives you the opportunity to engage with tech that is otherwise inaccessible to the masses. They offer lessons, experiences and bespoke team building events from just £20.

Gadgets include AirWheels, AirBoards, MyndPlay Experiences, 3D printing technology and virtual reality.

The idea behind the business is to make inaccessible technology accessible, inspiring people to think of new ideas for how the technology can be used, helping to create the inventors of the future. The Rota Motus team all come from technology backgrounds having worked for the Institute of IT, as CAD designers and product ambassadors for brands such as Samsung. Jo Allen head of sales and marketing said: “We all love gadgets and technology and can see the possibilities for future use. People need to engage with this technology to be able to come up with new innovations. By becoming social with it new ideas will fl ourish.”

Swindon was specifi cally chosen to launch the brand due to its key demographic. There are a lot of young professionals in the town, the average age is 33 and many of its residents work for companies like Intel, the British Computer Society (BCS) and Nokia.

Jo continued: “There is a population of 240,000 people in Swindon and a catchment of 800,000 within a half an hour drive on the M4. The dream is that by launching Rota Motus in a tech-savvy town, it will give us the platform we need to achieve our ambition - to have a store in every city of the UK.”

Rota Motus are working with inventors to get their products out there, supporting and showcasing their work. The ambition is to get more gadgets into store as soon as they are released, with plans for inventor fairs in the future.

The team is passionate about supporting British inventions, as only 0.3% of the world’s inventors are in the UK and most of this comes from large blue-chip companies with specialised research and development departments.

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TECHNOLOGY



AUDI RS3 SPORTBACK - IN THE FAST LANEThe Audi A3 Sportback is, arguably, one of the two best small hatchbacks on the market.Like all Audi cars it is superbly built inside and out and does all that could be required of a small family car. The range-topping RS3 costs around £40k new. The featured car, packed as it is with optional extras, costs just over £50,000. The trouble is, all the extras are wholly desirable, not least the superb seats.

Launch ControlAs if the 2.5L Turbo-charged engine with a six-speed tiptronic auto box wasn’t enough to get you off the line, this car also features ‘Launch Control’. The necessity for this is dubious. Certainly when I tried the feature, it was mighty impressive, the car going from nought to warp-speed in seconds. It was also fun when I did it again – but then what? If I’m honest, it’s not something I crave. It has a use on a race track, but otherwise it has little point on British roads.

Sitting comfortablyIt’s an Audi so you know what to expect. Although this is a very hot hatch there is none of that wild extravagance used to perk up lesser cars.

If anything, it is understated and demure with a familiar dashboard and, as usual, the build quality is superb. I loved the optional Nappa leather sport seats with the fancy quilting; otherwise indications of the car’s real purpose are kept to a minimum. Also, the car is as practical as the regular models with Isofi x and an entirely usable boot.

On the moveAgain, subtlety is the key as the RS3 doesn’t at fi rst glance look a lot different to the regular Sportback, but the clues are there: gloss black grille, LED headlights, gorgeous 19” alloys and a deep roof spoiler. The wheel arches fl are out to accommodate the RS3’s wider track and big tyres and, when the keen observer walks around the back, there’s a pair of exhaust outlets straight off the back of the Starship Enterprise. The sound upon start-up is symphonic; Wagnerian even and truly, deeply addictive.

The all-wheel drive system’s multi-plate clutch is mounted on the rear axle for better weight distribution and up to one hundred percent of the available torque can be directed to the Audi RS3 Sportback’s rear wheels, with the intention of improving both agility and neutrality of the chassis. In short, this car is planted on the road and never once in normal and legal fast driving did I have any untoward moments. The grip goes on forever and the power just keeps on coming. Some might blanch a bit at emissions of 194g/km but when you think that just a few years ago that fi gure would have been in the four hundreds then it ‘s really not so bad. If fuel consumption around 26mpg in the real world or a BIK rate presently at 33% bothers you then you don’t want this car anyway.

It is pleasing that cars like this can still be made. As I have pointed out, driven properly The Audi RS3 Sportback can deliver all the power you want to satisfy your base urges whilst still being perfectly happy pootling round to the offi ce. Certainly, for business users, this car is unlikely to feature on your preferred list but, even today, it doesn’t all have to be about work, surely?

Geoff Maxtedwww.drivewrite.co.uk

£190 per month^i40 Tourer S 1.7 CRDi Blue Drive

with £1,140 initial payment (plus VAT)

Hyundai makes business a pleasure

Fuel consumption MPG (l/100km) for Hyundai range: Urban 18.0 (15.7) - 80.7 (3.5), Extra Urban 32.8 (8.6) - 94.2 (3.0), Combined 25.2 (11.2) - 88.3 (3.2), CO2 Emissions 261 - 84 g/km. Fuel consumption: figures shown are based on official EU test figures. These are to be used as a guide for comparative purposes and may not reflect all driving results. ^Business users only. Contract hire offers for business users for i40 Tourer S 1.7 CRDi Blue Drive, figure based on a non-maintenance contract hire package with advance rental of £1,140+VAT, then 35 monthly rentals of £190+VAT. Excess annual miles over 10,000 charged at 7.21ppm.For orders received between 1st October and 31st December 2015, subject to availability, status and agreement. Guarantee/indemnity may be required. Prices and details are subject to change without notice. Free metallic paint is only available in conjunction with Hyundai Contract Hire offer and applies to selected models only. For full specification, wear and tear provisions and other Ts&Cs see Hyundai Contract Hire Master Agreement and your local Dealer. ALD Automotive Ltd., t/a Hyundai Contract Hire, BS16 3JA. 5 Year Unlimited Mileage Warranty terms and exclusions apply. Please see www.hyundai.co.uk or ask your local Dealer.

Pebley Beach Hyundai 01793 644777 West Swindon Motor Park, Paddington Drive, Bridgemead, SWINDON, Wiltshire, SN5 7SB [email protected]

REVVED UP



TBE contributor Fiona Scott investigates the new tax rules that are set to impact business in 2016.

Small businesses have to come to terms with a new tax regime during 2016. It’s estimated over the next fi ve years, SMEs will pay almost £7bn more in tax to the Treasury. In the Budget 2015, the Government announced a new tax on dividend income – often a vital part of the income of those who own and run small and micro businesses.

However any dividends paid out over £5,000 will become subject to tax – 7.5 per cent for basic rate tax payers rising to 32.5 per cent for higher rate tax payers and to 38.1 per cent on dividends paid to those on the 45 per cent tax rate. The Treasury has said the changes “will ensure ordinary investors with smaller portfolios and modest dividend income will see no change in their tax liability – and some will pay less tax”.

It says the increase to the personal allowance and the introduction of a personal savings allowance, means individuals will be able to receive up to £17,000 of income per annum tax-free.

However there are worries higher income investors might be discouraged by the changes and there have even been claims some business people will shut down companies before the new rules come into force. Here in Wiltshire, we’ve asked some local accountants to share their best advice for the SME community in our county.

Steph Rickaby, Co-founder of Sunfl ower Accounts Ltd

“The employer’s allowance is being withdrawn for sole person on the payroll, so for those clients affected, we’ll be looking at salary strategy.

“The main advice I’m giving all clients is to keep bookkeeping up to date and to manage cash fl ow, ensure they are keeping enough cash in the business to manage

working capital and business commitments. “Clients need to know who owes them

what and when they are being paid by customers. They need to know how much profi t they are making so we can look at corporation tax planning ahead of year end and also look at dividend planning.”

“So for our clients the main thing we’ve been focusing on since the budget in July is looking at dividend planning whilst ensuring the balance sheet doesn’t look like it has been stripped of all profi ts.”

SMEs need to plan carefully so they may control their wealth in the manner they choose, without being penalised for so doing.

My second point would be “watch out for pension slip ups” – the advent of pension auto-enrolment places responsibilities upon all employers which require vigilance to ensure they meet their obligations.

My last point would be “do not expect equity in tax” – political attitudes to tax

effi ciency have, in my opinion, become

inappropriately distorted.

Those willing to risk their personal

wealth in order to build businesses and

create employment and wealth are

increasingly being judged in the same

light as those who take little or no risk in

deriving an income.

I expect there to be a continuation of the

increased examination of and challenges to

the taxation policies of business owners.

“My fi rst point would be “advance planning” – the tax legislation, despite the government’s aspiration that tax should be simplifi ed, has become increasingly complex mainly due to the proliferation of anti-avoidance legislation.”

Martin Gurney, Tax Partner Haines Watts Swindon


NEW YEAR - NEW TAX


Professional Successful Efficient Effective

01793 839977www.banksbhg.com

Accounts & Audits | Academies | Auto Enrolment & Payroll | BookkeepingInsolvency | Tax Planning | Wealth Management

Banks BHG are a long-established firm of chartered accountants, auditors and tax advisers, providing specialistaccountancy and taxation services to small and medium-sized businesses.

With years of experience, we fully understand what it takes to offer a quality service at an affordable rate andtherefore tailor our services to suit our clients' individual needs.

Why not contact us for a free no obligation chat to see how we can help you grow your business.

Neil ElsenDirector ofBanks BHG Chartered Accountants

“Under the new regime, the dividend tax credit is being abolished and with it a new rate of income tax specifi cally for dividend income.

“The company will still need to pay corporation tax on its profi ts before dividends and corporation tax is to reduce from its current rate of 20% to 19% in 2017 and 18% in 2020.

“Some good news is the confi rmation the Annual Investment Allowance has been confi rmed at £200,000 from 1

January 2016. It is currently £500,000 but was due to fall back to only £25,000. While the reduction is not what many business owners wanted, its permanence is welcome.

“The fi nal point for consideration must be the uncertainty surrounding Small Business Rates Relief. This is due to end and where it has previously been extended, the fact the Chancellor chose not to mention it has left many commentators worried about its future.”

“The main change that will affect SME business owners in 2016 is the change in the taxation of dividends.”

Ian LloydTax PartnerMilsted Langdon

“The biggest issue for SME owners to consider in 2016 is the change to dividend tax planned to start in April next year.”

“As most small businesses look at their total tax burden on the business and on the proprietor, this change will undoubtedly have a more profound impact on SMEs than larger businesses.

“Similarly, the impact of the living wage and auto-enrolment will hit small businesses harder than large ones because they simply do not have the infrastructure in place to deal with it.

“Although there are tax breaks available for SMEs looking to invest, these are of little

use to SME owners simply looking to earn a wage.

“Personally, I believe although the UK needs to attract larger businesses to keep the economy buoyant, small businesses need assistance too and I hope the Government does not forget this in 2016.”


NEW YEAR - NEW TAX


Our priority at Bowman House Business Centre is to meet the needs of our clients and to support the thriving business community in Royal Wootton Bassett. To help meet those ends we have now opened 18 new serviced offices. They are fully furnished and are ideal for start-ups or for businesses looking to

relocate to a modern commercial centre.When people are looking for new offices there are many factors to consider, however in our experience, free parking with easy access, high speed broadband and a professional business environment are key.

If you are unsure of whether a serviced office is right for you Bowman House has a 28 day try before you rent offer available. Contact the business centre for details.

Easy access to the M4 CorridorUltrafast fibre broadband

Ample free parkingAir-condtioning

Short term licence agreementsBusiness Network Opportunities

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OBCIllustrator CS2Yes

At Bowman House Business Centre we appreciate that every business is unique with different needs. We offer a flexible range of support, facilities, and services which allow our clients to operate in a hassle free workplace.

Ultrafast fibre broadband Ample free parking Air-conditioning Short term licence agreements Business networking opportunities

A client’s view

''Helpful and accommodating, with modern and comprehensive facilities and service'' Andy Poulton, Enterprise Online Marketing Solutions

Bowman House, a better place to do business

Are you looking for Serviced Offices, Meeting Rooms or Training Facilities?

Bowman House Business CentreWhitehill Lane, Royal Wootton BassettSwindon, Wilts SN4 7DB

T 01793 843100E [email protected] www.bowmanhouse.co.uk

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With the construction industry experiencing good levels of growth, the major issue facing the industry is the ageing workforce and declining numbers of new talent entering the industry. Almost without exception, every sector of the industry is struggling to recruit good talent and young people.

Carol Heneghan, business manager at Halsall Construction and lead on marketing and communications for Constructing Excellence South West (CESW) has been working with a passionate group of constructors to bring new talent into the sector.

Carol said:“Our research has shown that a career in construction is almost the last resort, particularly if you’ve not got the grades or don’t perform at school. There is also a misnomer that the only jobs the industry offers are bricklayers, plumbers and architects. Young people describe working in the industry as …cold, damp, dirty, lots of time standing around, boring and not for girls - but in the case of the Crossrail project “going down in the creepy tunnel would be cool!”

With these entrenched views in young people, their teachers and parents, CESW are focusing efforts on making the image of construction good again. The team is working with both the CITB to train more Construction Ambassadors – professionals who can engage and mentor young people and Class of Your Own (COYO) the highly regarded, industry supported learning programme, Design, Engineer, Construct, for young people focusing on technical and professional aspects of the built environment.

COYO’s ‘Adopt A School’ scheme encourages businesses to work directly with a chosen school, either independently

or with others to offer focused support over a two-year period, enhancing classroom activities and providing teacher guidance. Students study towards recognised qualifications equivalent to GCSE A*-C and A Level A*-E with UCAS points. The programme was launched recently at a UWE hosted event where a mix of contractors, architects, engineers and professional services companies heard how the programme works and saw it in action with a presentation from students and teachers from Beechen Cliff School in Bath who are into their second year of the programme sponsored by Buro Happold.

Greg Aston from Ridge & Partners, property and construction consultants, is a huge supporter of the project and believes the old image of construction needs to be dispelled if the South West wants to meet its growth potential. Greg said: “On a day to day basis Ridge encounter the issues associated to the skills shortage in the construction industry. We are currently trying to recruit designers, surveyors and engineers at graduate and senior levels, but there simply isn’t the supply to meet the current labour demands. The challenge for the industry, and those of us who work and have a passion for it, is to future-proof the professions by backing current initiatives such as CITB Construction Ambassadors and the Adopt a School programme, where young-people can get first-hand experience of the what the industry has to offer.”

Stride Treglown architect and Women in Property’s Rachel Bell, is particularly keen to encourage more women into the industry and not just in design roles. “Our membership at WiP shows the breadth of opportunities available in the industry, I

started out on the practical side, moved into architecture and now work across many sectors on new business. With new technologies and ways of working our industry offers many exciting roles.”

Future projects like Hinckley Point will continue to put strain on the current industry workforce and resources, but will also produce fabulous opportunities for young people. Carol said:“We all need to work hard to raise awareness within school, academies and colleges, to make sure the message is clearly understood by the educators shaping the career path for our future industry designers, engineers, surveyors and builders – construction is great and needs you!”

Come and work in construction - it might not be what you think

At Halsall Construction the task of reducing energy consumption has become a key requirement for many of their affordable housing customers.

Nicola Thorogood, design manager at Halsall said: “Fuel poverty is a very real concern. People still want homes that are comfortable to live in and landlords want properties that are cost effective to maintain and not a drain on any single source of energy.

“We’ve been building highly sustainable homes for quite some time, working on numerous ‘Code for Sustainable Homes’ projects. However recently, our design ethos has changed to the fabric first approach embraced by Passivhaus buildings.”

The Passivhaus standard was developed in Germany in the early 1990s. Its approach concentrates on prioritising

reduced energy consumption, over energy efficiency, providing excellent air quality and indoor comfort levels.

The success of Passivhaus lies in its simplicity; building a house that has an excellent thermal performance, exceptional airtightness with mechanical ventilation. This robust approach allows the architect to minimise the heating and cooling of the building and in some cases only specifies a heated towel rail as means of heating. This heat can then be recovered and circulated by a Mechanical Ventilation and Heat Recovery (MVHR) unit.

Halsall’s first project, which adopted the Passivhaus principles, was completed for the Hastoe Group. Whilst the scheme was not certified, it embodies the energy consumption reduction and fabric first approach. The 20 new affordable village

homes were built using local natural materials, achieving a 77% reduction in energy costs for the tenants. Gas was not available to the site and renewables were not an option, the Passivhaus style enabled Halsall to install just two small electric panel heaters and a towel rail in three bed homes.

Halsall now has a fully certified ‘Passivhaus’ scheme in Somerset. The design encompasses a combination of

traditional and modern construction styles, with a traditional materials palette of natural stone, slate and clay roofs tiles and timber windows. To ensure Passivhaus compliance Halsall are utilising a heavily insulated off-site manufactured timber-frame system; highly efficient floor insulation; and careful detailing and management of uncontrolled air leakage and heat recovery ventilation systems.

Low energy, healthy homes One of the biggest issues facing Europe and the UK is the consumption of energy- over a third of the total energy consumption in Europe results from building operations. The task of reducing that consumption is long overdue.

For more information contact: 01761 433744 www.halsall.co.uk

Our priority at Bowman House Business Centre is to meet the needs of our clients and to support the thriving business community in Royal Wootton Bassett. To help meet those ends we have now opened 18 new serviced offices. They are fully furnished and are ideal for start-ups or for businesses looking to

relocate to a modern commercial centre.When people are looking for new offices there are many factors to consider, however in our experience, free parking with easy access, high speed broadband and a professional business environment are key.

If you are unsure of whether a serviced office is right for you Bowman House has a 28 day try before you rent offer available. Contact the business centre for details.

Easy access to the M4 CorridorUltrafast fibre broadband

Ample free parkingAir-condtioning

Short term licence agreementsBusiness Network Opportunities

3034329

3034329WOO_308225

05.12.143rdKA/KA/KA





A client’s view






3 3 333

New serviced offices now open


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A client’s view






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If you are starting to climb the ladderor are a few rungs up and wanting to growyour property portfolio.

Contact Martin & Co today to book your free, honest,no obligation appraisal.

Whether you are on the top or bottomstep, Martin & Co can help maximiseyour investment opportunity.

Martin & Co Swindon108 Commercial Road, Swindon, Wiltshire SN1 5PL

01793 487760swindon.martinco.com [email protected]

Refl ecting on the changes to the Swindon property market in 2015, a few keys points occur to me regarding our specialised area, residential lettings.

Sales agents must have had a dramatic 12 months, with the average rise in prices in Swindon being in excess of 7% and the lack of properties coming on to the market, has led to sales in record time.

Part of the service we offer, at no cost, is doing initial viewings of potential rental properties, on behalf of (or with) landlords, and the number of times recently that I have been told “sorry that one is now sold”- even though it may have only been on the market a few days is astounding. So that alone indicates that if you were selling, it should have been your year, but if you were looking to buy it might have been a bit harder than anticipated.

This has had a knock on effect to the rental market with some landlords making the timely decision to sell up, adding to the shortage of good rental properties. The basic law of supply and demand dictates and consequently, from the middle of this year we have seen rental prices increase by a similar average to sales, again in excess of 7%. Thus giving current (and future)

landlords a better return on investment, and as an added bonus, there has also been a great reduction in void periods.

The trend looks set to continue through the fi rst half of 2016, so if you are thinking of investing to become a landlord, there couldn’t be a better time to start. If you are already a landlord, now could be the perfect time to look for that extra property to add to your portfolio too.

If you have a tenancy approaching renewal, it’s the ideal time to review the monthly rent you are asking, but remember to be fair to your tenants. Good tenants are hard to fi nd and need to be retained wherever possible, so rent increments will not necessarily match the current market value. If you need help with rent reviews always ask your agent as they should be able to help.

If you are considering property investment, please call or send an email for our complimentary landlord services and a full market appraisal on any potential purchase. 2016 just might turn out to be your year!

David Whaley, managing director of Martin & Co, Swindon

Martin & Co Swindon refl ect On 2015 property market

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The new 35 acre Hawke Ridge Business Park is emerging in mid-Wiltshire

Over 500,000 sq. ft. of flexible accommodation

Build to suit units available in sizes up to 250,000 sq. ft.

Strategic mid-Wiltshire location

Direct trains to London and South West

Superb access to A303 and motorway network

High bandwidth and power availability

Skilled local workforce

Bath postcode - BA13 4LD

James [email protected]

John [email protected] www.hawke-ridge.com

Twelve months later, via the adoption of the Core Strategy early in 2015 and a successful planning application, work is now under way on site to deliver over 500,000 sq ft of commercial accommodation at a strategic location in the heart of the South West region. in the heart of Chippenham.

Delivered by South West based HPH Commercial Property, Hawke Ridge Business Park situated between Trowbridge and Westbury takes an occupier focused approach to construction delivery, with build to suit opportunities tailored for potential occupiers. It will offer high quality infrastructure, including high speed fi bre optic broadband and high capacity electrical connections in an

attractive landscaped setting. “Progressing swiftly from planning

approval to build is a refl ection of the growing confi dence in the market and the demand from occupiers of new high quality, fl exible accommodation”, commented Chris Wordsworth of HPH Ltd. “Our commitment is to provide new commercial space which meets the latest standards expected from occupiers. Furthermore, our location at the hub of the A350 crescent between Chippenham and Warminster and the conurbation it serves, provides a solution to the latest challenges in the changing retail and logistics market with the move to e-commerce and e-fulfi llment. This is particularly the case with regard to the

nearby Bath market, which suffers a marked undersupply of warehousing capacity, not to mention quality commercial space.”

With construction work under way, interested parties are now contacting HPH Ltd to take full advantage of the opportunity to have input on the design of their accommodation to meet the current and projected needs of their business.

For more information on opportunities at Hawke Ridge Business Park please call James

Gregory at Alder King on 01793 615477 or John Mulholland at JLL on 0117 927 6691 or visit www.hawke-ridge.com and follow

@hawke_ridge on Twitter.

Hawke Ridge Business Park - From core strategy allocation to reality in less than a yearThis time last year, Hawke Ridge Business Park was a red line on a draft of Wiltshire’s Core Strategy development document.

HAWKE RIDGE

Brook Lane Trading EstateNorthacre Park

West Wilts Trading Estate

COMMERCIAL PROPERTY



Next edition we talk to:

Carolyn BrownellChippenham Business Improvement District Manager

Ian Lloyd General Practice and Audit Partnerat Milsted Langdon

Ian’s a Wiltshire man through and through and has lived near Salisbury for some 50 years. Outside of work he is currently vice chair of governors at Wiltshire College and has been heavily involved in seeing the College achieving ‘good’ at Ofsted.

We interviewed Ian to fi nd out more about his career, his new role at Milsted Langdon and his plans for the future of the Bath offi ce.

How did you start out in the accountancy world?I started my career with a small fi rm in Salisbury, who merged with national fi rm Moore Stephens. It was here that I met my wife Sarah. To progress my career, I left to join another local fi rm who are now part of Francis Clark, where I duly qualifi ed and became offi ce manager. It was at this fi rm that I specialised in the farming and agricultural sector.

In the late 90s I started at Strutt & Parker, Salisbury, as head of their client accounting department for the south and south west. The role at Strutt & Parker saw my team looking after local prestigious estates and farming enterprises. In 1996, S&P undertook a restructure of this department and I was asked to move to Chelmsford where the national team was to be centralised. I politely declined and decided to revert to professional practice life again.

I joined Monahans’ Chippenham offi ce in 1998, where I served as lead partner for 16 years, until September 2014. During this time, I oversaw three offi ce moves and two mergers and was heavily involved in the local community, being president of the Chippenham Chamber of Commerce and also working closely with Wessex Chambers, now Inspire.

From my experience, within a number of practices, I would say I know what works and what doesn’t work. I have not stood still in my career and I have been well travelled. I believe I am therefore well placed to advise all businesses in the locality.

What services does the Bath offi ce provide?

We are a full service accountancy offi ce, providing additional/specialist support in corporate fi nance headed up by Susannah Adams, incorporating buying and selling of businesses, raising fi nances and valuations. Helen Gregory supports with forensic accounting, a specialist area that is led by Roger Isaacs who is well known across the UK and sits on the national committee.

The Bath offi ce also has a strong tax specialism, with Rachael Verinder (a Chartered Tax Adviser) heading up this area of work. Some of you may know Rachael in Wiltshire for her work with Inspire, as a representative on the partner board. Rachael was formerly with Target in Bath and then Grant Thornton in Bristol, and specialises in all areas of tax.

Other specialists include Gill Freeman who works as our charities and academies expert and Dan Kenyon who leads our business intelligence support for clients. The business intelligence team interprets accounting data, by way of our bespoke software and produces effi cient, timely and effective management reporting, which helps strategic planning and business improvement.

In your opinion what are the challenges the accountancy industry faces at the moment?

The current tier system of the accountancy market is changing rapidly. It’s becoming more apparent than ever that to survive you need to have a unique selling point that differentiates you from the competition. Those offering advisory services support to businesses will fl ourish and those that have specialisms/sector specialisms are likely to be the ones that succeed.

We need to be aware of what is happening in the marketplace internationally and the impact over the next fi ve years. I’m an accredited Mindshop facilitator, which means I am suitably qualifi ed to give strategic advice and advisory support. The network offers benchmarking and new technology for the benefi t of clients and businesses. Milsted Langdon is part of the MGI network, which allows us to access colleagues and associated fi rm across the UK, Europe and the rest of the world; all sharing in best practice and supporting each other.

What are your ambitions for the Bath Milsted Langdon offi ce?

I joined the fi rm as lead partner in March this year and under my leadership we have already seen rapid growth. My plan moving into 2016 and beyond is for us to be the ‘go to’ fi rm in Bath, incorporating the surrounding area of Wiltshire, for business and professional contacts. We are approaching this by offering national specialisms at a local level and at a cost that is affordable, providing value for money.

We are also keen to be embedded into the business community locally. We have just signed up as partners/sponsors of Bath Rugby and in Wiltshire we are now partners of Inspire by Wessex Chambers of Commerce.

What is the key to your success in business? My success lies in my lasting relationships with clients and professional contacts. I spend my time working with clients to become their trusted adviser and add value to them by looking at the total offering, including their personal circumstances and work-life balance. I become part of their team and offer a quality, accessible point of reference.

My passion lies in helping clients set a strategy, implement it, review the growth of their business, and then consider succession planning and exit routes.

Tell us something we wouldn’t know about you

I represented Wiltshire and Dorset at schoolboy level at rugby and cricket, schooling at Bishop Wordsworth Grammar School, Salisbury; playing alongside Bath and England RFU players Richard (Duracell) Hill and David (Eggie) Egerton.

One of my schoolmates was Ralph Fiennes, a thespian at the tender age of 18 years who was destined to be a star… how our lives have changed! I would love his bank balance.

HAWKE RIDGE

Brook Lane Trading EstateNorthacre Park

West Wilts Trading Estate

IN PROFILE



Juice Recruitment Summer Party

WILTSHIRE MEDIA SCENE GETS POSITIVE

The official Positive Media Group launch took place on Thursday 1 October at Arclite House, Swindon their office shared with Excalibur Communications. Over a hundred attendees enjoyed canapes, cocktails and champagne courtesy of Hospitality Services 24:7.

The Business Exchange Swindon & Wiltshire (TBE) is now part of the Positive Media Group joining two other complementary titles, Swindon Link, a community magazine for Swindon established in 1972 and The Ocelot, a local entertainment guide that will celebrate ten years of business in 2016.

TBE editor Anita Jaynes said: “We’re now the largest media provider headquartered in Swindon with an unrivalled reach covering a range of demographics from business to community groups to the going out crowd. Overall the group has a readership of over 100,000 people on a monthly basis, meaning together the publications have a huge impact.” The Positive Media Group team: Roger Ogle founder of Swindon Link, James Phipps group owner, Anita Jaynes founder of TBE and

group marketing director and Jamie Hill founder of The Ocelot and group editor.

David Latham, project leader for Swindon Mindful Employer network and

Shirley Ludford station manager at Swindon 105.5 community radio station.

The Villiers Park Education Trust team were invited to promote their new appeal at the launch. The appeal is for 100 Swindon firms to sponsor 1 of 100 secondary school children in the town, assisting them to achieve their full potential, including preparing them to apply for top universities.

Lyn Chapman, manager of Basepoint business centre in Swindon, with Jane Wright and Sandy

Evans of PA To Go.

Hil intotatem fugit excepe est delesti simposam volupta as rehendellam.

Fiona Simpson introducing Swindon Soup to the guests

www.hospitalityservices247.co.uk Tel: 01793 513888

Catering • Events • Venues • Equipment & Furniture Hire • MarqueesThe experience to deliver quality service whatever your needs

14_04_Wiltshire_Business_Advert.indd 1 15/09/2015 10:1632 THE BUSINESS EXCHANGE 2015 / 2016

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Juice Recruitment Summer Party

It seems my last article about communication and the power of written letters touched a few hearts, with quite a few of you letting me know that you’ve decided to write to someone (I’ve even received a couple of letters myself which was lovely).

“My article on the power of the written letter touched a few hearts”It got me thinking even more about the world of technological communication, especially via social media. I’m old enough to remember when the platform Friends Reunited fi rst appeared. It revolutionised social connectivity, bringing together long-lost pals, igniting old fl ames and often putting pressure on some marriages! But that was just the start. These days we have Facebook, LinkedIn and Twitter to name

but a few – and they are all as dangerous as they are brilliant if they’re used without a modicum of thought.

As an owner of a business and someone that hires and interviews, I can tell you now that when the name of a candidate appears before me, the very fi rst thing I do is look them up online. We all do. It’s become human nature. The web has given employers much greater insight into the lives of their prospective candidates. We know where you’ve been, what you like to eat, what you like to wear, what you like to do, who you like to do it with and how often you like to do it. And all this before you’ve even got to the interview!

I guess the purpose of this article is to send a warning to any ‘over-sharers’ out there. Some things are great to share, other things not so much. If you’re looking at becoming a lawyer, perhaps it’s best not to

post pictures of yourself half-naked on a dentist’s chair in Ibiza drinking shots. It might also be advisable to bury those images of you dressed as a body part while handcuffed to a Smurf a good six feet under.

Don’t let me stop you doing it. What we do in our own time is private, or at least it was. And that’s the point – just have a little think before you take that phone out of your pocket and capture the moment. Once you post it, it’s out there forever and your eDNA is quite hard to shake off.

My advice when it comes to posting stuff online: take a second and ask yourself, “What would my mum think of this?” If the answer makes you cringe then hit delete!

John Daviese: [email protected]

t: 01793 412634

John Davies is a senior corporate partner at leading commercial law fi rm Thrings. In each edition of TBE John addresses a topical news or business-related issue. In this issue John discusses the power of communication.

IS IT ME?

@ThringsLaw

www.thrings.com

Thrings


CONNECT


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04 DecemberGet fi t for business in 2016 with award winning ActionCOACH Ellis Bardsley. TBE editor Anita Jaynes will also be there to discuss how to build relationships with the press and get your story in print.Time: 9am-12pm Cost: FreeLocation: Arclite House, Century Road, Swindon SN5 5YNFor more information visit: www.actioncoach.com/ellisbardsley/events/

08 DecemberInspire by Wessex Chambers Turning Monthly Management Accounts into BetterBusiness ResultsTime: 09:30am-1pm Cost: Non subscriber £100, Subscriber FreeLocation: Manor House Enterprise Centre, Royal Wootton BassettFor more information visit: www.inspirebiz.co.uk/events

09 DecemberInspire by Wessex Chambers Creating a winning formula for your businessTime: 9.30am-5pm Cost: FreeLocation: Old Fire Enterprise Centre, SalisburyFor more information visit: www.inspirebiz.co.uk/events

10 DecemberBusiness WestManaging discipline and grievance with Acas Time: 09:30am-4pmCost: £160+VATLocation: Mecure White Hart Hotel, Salisbury

For more information visit: www.businesswest.co.uk

10 DecemberInspire by Wessex ChambersWomen’s Christmas Lunch Time: 12.30pm-2pm Cost: £26 members, £46 non-membersLocation: Bowood House Hotel, CalneFor more information visit: www.inspirebiz.co.uk/events

11 DecemberSwindon Chamber of Commerce Christmas DrinksTime: 12:30pm-2.30pm Cost: £15+VAT for members and non-membersLocation: Swindon Marriott HotelFor more information visit: www.thamesvalleychamber.co.uk/events

15 DecemberInspire by Wessex ChambersSocial media for businessTime: 9.30am-1pm Cost: Free Location: Castledown Enterprise Centre, LudgershallFor more information visit: www.inspirebiz.co.uk/events

15 DecemberBusiness WestBusiness planning and fi nance for Start-ups in SwindonTime: 10am-4pm Cost: £48 (inc of VAT)Location: Park House, SwindonFor more information visit: www.businesswest.co.uk

20 JanuarySwindon Business Breakfast & Business Leaders’ ForumTime: 7.30am-9.15am Cost: Mem - £21.60, Non-mem £33.60Location: Swindon Marriott Hotel, Pipers Way, SwindonFor more information visit: www.thamesvalleychamber.co.uk/events

21 JanuaryJust CurryTime: 6:30pm-11pm Cost: Free to attend, you just pay for your foodLocation: The Raj, 18A Station Hill, ChippenhamFor more information visit: www.justcurry.biz

29 JanuaryEnterprise. Inspire. Grow 2016Time: 07:30am-15:00pmCost Please see website for free and paid parts of this eventLocation: The Corn Exchange, Devizes, For more information visit: www.inspirebiz.co.uk/events

If you would like us to promote your event please email:[email protected], call 01793 847966 or tweet @tbesw

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WE SPEAK WITH FACTS.

FIORINO FROM

£165▲

DOBLÒ FROM

£182†SCUDO FROM

£208*DUCATO FROM

£244**

Fuel consumption fi gures for the Fiat Professional range in mpg (I/100km): Urban from 24.4 (11.6) – 55.4 (5.1); Extra Urban from 38.2 (7.4) – 74.3 (3.8); Combined from 31.7 (8.9) – 65.7 (4.3) CO2 emissions 90 – 222 g/km. Fuel consumption fi gures are obtained for comparative purposes in accordance with EC regulations and may not be representative of real-life driving conditions. Factors such as driving style, weather and road conditions may also have a signifi cant effect on fuel consumption. CO2 fi gures are for comparative p purposes in accordance with the VCA van CO2 & fuel consumption database. Images for illustration purposes only. Applies to: ▲Fiorino Tecnico Cargo 1.3 (225.2LF.0T), †New Doblò Cargo Tecnico 1.3 (263.12D.1T), *Fiat Scudo Tecnico L2H1 1.6 90 (272.4L6.0T), **Ducato 2.3 30 Tecnico (290.0LB.4T). Rentals shown based on a non-maintained contract hire payment profi le of 6 rentals in advance followed by 35 monthly rentals. Rentals shown exclude extra cost options, VAT and maintenance. Rentals are subject to VAT at statutory rate. Based on 10,000 miles per annum. Excess mileage charges apply. Vehicles must be registered with FCA Contracts by 31st December 2015. Offer subject to status. A guarantee or indemnity may be required. Offer correct at time of going to press (11/15) and may be varied or withdrawn at any time. Subject to availability. FCA Contracts, PO Box 4590, Slough, Berkshire, SL1 0WU

AND THE DUCATO COMES WITH EVEN MORE:• UConnect SatNav with DAB Radio 5"

• Touchscreen CD/Bluetooth/USB/AUX • Rear Camera • LED Day Running Lights • Cruise Control & Speed Limiter

THESE HIGHLY SPECIFIED TECNICO MODELS COME WITH THE FOLLOWING AS STANDARD:• Manual Air Conditioning • Reverse Parking Sensors • Front Fog Lights

• Wheel Trims • TomTom® SatNav • Steering Wheel Controls

Concept Master Adapt Sign Off Initi al

Filename IDFP00190_Q415_TECNICO_Range_PricePoint_T H White Fiat Group Brand Centre_280x230_ON11485 Acct Management



DISCUSS YOUR PERSONAL REQUIREMENTS, FIND OUT MORE OR BOOK A TEST DRIVE TODAY

T H WHITE FIAT GROUP BRAND CENTRE, FOREST PARK ROAD, MEAD WAY, HILLMEAD, SWINDON SN5 5QJ.TO DISCUSS OUR RANGE OF BUSINESS CONTRACT HIRE OFFERS, PLEASE CONTACT EMMA MCARDLE, FLEET CAR AND COMMERCIAL SALES SPECIALIST, ON 07467 336169 OR [email protected] WWW.THWHITEVANS.CO.UK


WE SPEAK WITH FACTS.

FIORINO FROM

£165▲

DOBLÒ FROM

£182†SCUDO FROM

£208*DUCATO FROM

£244**

Fuel consumption fi gures for the Fiat Professional range in mpg (I/100km): Urban from 24.4 (11.6) – 55.4 (5.1); Extra Urban from 38.2 (7.4) – 74.3 (3.8); Combined from 31.7 (8.9) – 65.7 (4.3) CO2 emissions 90 – 222 g/km. Fuel consumption fi gures are obtained for comparative purposes in accordance with EC regulations and may not be representative of real-life driving conditions. Factors such as driving style, weather and road conditions may also have a signifi cant effect on fuel consumption. CO2 fi gures are for comparative p purposes in accordance with the VCA van CO2 & fuel consumption database. Images for illustration purposes only. Applies to: ▲Fiorino Tecnico Cargo 1.3 (225.2LF.0T), †New Doblò Cargo Tecnico 1.3 (263.12D.1T), *Fiat Scudo Tecnico L2H1 1.6 90 (272.4L6.0T), **Ducato 2.3 30 Tecnico (290.0LB.4T). Rentals shown based on a non-maintained contract hire payment profi le of 6 rentals in advance followed by 35 monthly rentals. Rentals shown exclude extra cost options, VAT and maintenance. Rentals are subject to VAT at statutory rate. Based on 10,000 miles per annum. Excess mileage charges apply. Vehicles must be registered with FCA Contracts by 31st December 2015. Offer subject to status. A guarantee or indemnity may be required. Offer correct at time of going to press (11/15) and may be varied or withdrawn at any time. Subject to availability. FCA Contracts, PO Box 4590, Slough, Berkshire, SL1 0WU

AND THE DUCATO COMES WITH EVEN MORE:• UConnect SatNav with DAB Radio 5"

• Touchscreen CD/Bluetooth/USB/AUX • Rear Camera • LED Day Running Lights • Cruise Control & Speed Limiter

THESE HIGHLY SPECIFIED TECNICO MODELS COME WITH THE FOLLOWING AS STANDARD:• Manual Air Conditioning • Reverse Parking Sensors • Front Fog Lights

• Wheel Trims • TomTom® SatNav • Steering Wheel Controls

Concept Master Adapt Sign Off Initi al

Filename IDFP00190_Q415_TECNICO_Range_PricePoint_T H White Fiat Group Brand Centre_280x230_ON11485 Acct Management



DISCUSS YOUR PERSONAL REQUIREMENTS, FIND OUT MORE OR BOOK A TEST DRIVE TODAY

T H WHITE FIAT GROUP BRAND CENTRE, FOREST PARK ROAD, MEAD WAY, HILLMEAD, SWINDON SN5 5QJ.TO DISCUSS OUR RANGE OF BUSINESS CONTRACT HIRE OFFERS, PLEASE CONTACT EMMA MCARDLE, FLEET CAR AND COMMERCIAL SALES SPECIALIST, ON 07467 336169 OR [email protected] WWW.THWHITEVANS.CO.UK



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