Adur council invests in air quality equipment

Air quality equipment installed in Shoreham High Street is set to be upgraded as Adur District Council vows to keep up the fight on pollution.

The Council took the decision to install replacement equipment on the A259 coast road, replacing an old faulty monitoring station.

There is no regulatory requirement on the council to carry out continuous monitoring of pollution. However, once the new kit is up and running, councillors believe it will be money well spent if it can shine a light on the wider issue.

Councillor Dave Simmons, Adur District Council’s Executive Member for Health & Wellbeing, said: “Air pollution is a real concern across the country, so it is important that locally we do what we can to ensure it does not adversely affect our residents.

“This equipment means that we will have regular readings, giving us vital intelligence from which we can create a detailed plan of action to keep people in our communities fit and healthy.

“We cannot tackle this issue alone and I will continue to press West Sussex County Council, Highways England, and our other partners and MPs to ensure that it remains high on the agenda for decision makers.”

Due to the narrow nature of this main arterial road, air pollution has been an issue on the High Street for a number of years.

Ad hoc monitoring back in 2003 showed that Nitrogen Dioxide levels in the road were likely to exceed the national objectives.

In 2005 an Air Quality Management Area (AQMA) was declared along this stretch of the A259 with the council setting out plans on how it would improve the air quality.

Recent further testing suggests that Nitrogen Dioxide levels have now dropped below the national objectives - leading to government officials recommending the AQMA in the High Street be revoked.

But, due to a number of proposed developments coming forward in Shoreham, Adur council officials recommended it remain, so the full impact can be assessed in future years. This decision was endorsed by government officials.

Monitoring results will be used alongside other local and national evidence to help update the council’s air quality action plan, which is being revised this year.

The council also works with other Sussex authorities and West Sussex Public Health through a county-wide partnership known as Sussex-air to determine a wider partnership approach to reducing emissions and concentrations as per Government guidance.

Electric charging points go live across Adur and Worthing

A series of electric vehicle charging posts have been installed by Adur & Worthing Councils as it steps up efforts to encourage sustainable transport use.

With the sale of petrol and diesel cars set to be banned in Britain by 2040, the switch to alternatives is already underway.

Adur & Worthing Councils are doing their part by providing charging points in car parks across both areas.

A number of posts have already been installed: two in High Street multi-storey in Worthing, two in Brooklands' Western Road car park, and two at the Pond Road car park at the Shoreham Centre.

A further two are set to be installed in Worthing Civic Centre car park.

It is the first step to an area-wide network of posts that can be added to by businesses and other organisations.

After seeing the new posts in action at Brooklands Park, lead councillors were impressed with the new technology.

Councillor Emma Evans, Adur District Council’s Executive Member for the Environment, said: "More and more people are turning to electric cars so it's vital as a council that we do our part. This new equipment is extremely easy to use and with charging vehicles not having to pay to park, there's a real incentive for people to choose a sustainable way to get from A to B."

Cllr Diane Guest, Worthing Borough Council’s Executive Member for the Environment, said; “This is a small step along the right road. We need to move to cleaner air vehicles but we need to give people and businesses the infrastructure to have confidence to take the next step towards electric transportation.”

The new posts will be open so that anyone with an electric car can plug in.

Car park fees for those vehicles which are charging are waived with the session costing £1.50 an hour.

For more details, visit www.adur-worthing.gov.uk/parking/car-parks/electric-charging-points.

Bank Holiday Brunch at Indigo

The tradition of Bank Holiday Brunch at Indigo has been a welcome custom for many families for years. Reserve your table now and enjoy a feast of breakfast treats.

As much as you can eat from a buffet laden with every delicious breakfast item imaginable! 

A complimentary Bloody Mary or Bucks Fizz on arrival!

Click here to have a look

£13.95 per person

Call 01903 230451 or email reservations@indigorestaurant.info

Spring room hire offers at the Dome

Big Bang Fair South East

 Wednesday 27^th and Thursday 28^th June 2018

Led by EngineeringUK, the Big Bang Fair is supported by The Department for Business, Innovation and Skills as well as numerous sponsors from industry, the Big Bang Fair South East is the largest regional Big Bang event. Last year, more than 9,000 students and teachers attended, a dramatic increase on the nearly 2,000 attendees who attended our inaugural event back in 2012. Exciting and impactful, its aim is to inspire the next generation of young people to pursue science, technology, engineering and maths (STEM) careers.

Historically the event has been a one day event but for the first time this year it will be held over two days offering the chance for more young people to attend. Students aged between 9 and 19 years will be able to engage in a range of interactive workshops, shows and activities being provided by over 250 local employers, HE and FE institutions and professional engineering bodies.

To provide you with an insight into what the event offers, please take a look at last year's video.

The Big Bang UK Young Scientists & Engineers Competition

The Big Bang competition celebrates the achievements of 11 to 18 year olds living and studying in the UK. As it is project based, students can bring along work they have completed at school, at a STEM club or at home. The South East regional heats are held at the Big Bang Fair South East on Wednesday 27^th June. The winners will go through to the national finals taking place at the NEC in Birmingham in 2019.  Prizes can be sponsored by event sponsors/partners.

How to book students on the event

Schools and parents can book places for Wednesday 27th here or Thursday 28th June here. Please note, the Competition takes place on the first day.

How local companies can support the Big Bang Fair South East

The Big Bang Fair South East is all about inspiring the next generation of young people to find out more about STEM subjects and their future career paths.  The event aims to raise awareness, improve perception and motivate young people to consider careers in STEM disciplines by providing two fun-filled days of around 250 interactive STEM related shows, workshops, demonstrations and activities. 

This annual event, organised by STEM Sussex, requires the continued support from South East based employers, scientific and professional associations, and education and outreach organisations.    In order to reflect the variety of STEM based career paths and continue running this unique event, STEM Sussex is keen to engage with new supporters and funders. In return companies and organisations are guaranteed to engage with many teachers and students and consequently have the opportunity to inspire and motivate the future workforce and help to reduce the local STEM skills gap.  In addition, businesses are able to further build their reputation in the region and network and engage with other like-minded organisations.

Companies or organisations interested in exhibiting or funding the event can email BigBangSE@brighton.ac.uk or telephone Estelle Whewell at STEM Sussex +44 (0)1273 644178

           CHANDLERS WORTHING.

PROUD SPONSORS OF THE BETTER BUSINESS SHOW.

If you manage a fleet of fewer than 50 company cars, the award winning BMW I MINI Business Partnership has been designed specifically for you. The full range of BMW and MINI models are available to order, along with compelling contract hire rates and comprehensive service and maintenance packages.

Visit our state of the art Centre in Rustington to view the latest BMW and MINI range.

For more information please contact your Local Business Development Manager, Bob Andrews, on 01903 334801 or email bandrews@chandlers-bmw.co.uk.

CHANDLERS WORTHING
Manor Retail Park, Rustington,
Littlehampton, West Sussex BN16 3FH

01903 334801                                                          www.chandlers-group.co.uk

Official Fuel Economy Figures for the BMW Range: Urban 13.8-72.4mpg (20.5-3.9l/100km). Extra Urban 30.4-91.3mpg (9.3-3.1l/100km). Combined 21.1-470.8mpg (13.4-0.06l/100km). CO2 Emissions 325-0g/km. Figures may vary depending on driving style and conditions. Official Fuel Economy Figures for the MINI Range: Urban 27.2-72.4 mpg (10.4-3.9 l/100km). Extra Urban 47.9-91.1 mpg (5.9-3.1 l/100km). Combined 37.7-83.1 mpg (7.5-3.4 l/100km). CO2 Emissions 175-89 g/km. Figures may vary depending on driving style and conditions.

Chandlers Worthing is a credit broker and not a lender.

*Offer available to business users only. Figures exclude VAT. Based on 36 month MINI Business Contract Hire agreement for a MINI Cooper 5-Door Hatch with metallic paint and Tyre Cover with a monthly rental of £137.24, a contract mileage of 18,000 miles and an excess mileage charge of 8.16 pence per mile and a BMW Business Contract Hire agreement for a BMW 320d M Sport Saloon AUTO Non-maintained with metallic paint with a monthly rental of £234.61, a contract mileage of 18,000 miles and an excess mileage charge of 9.37p per mile. Applies to vehicles ordered between 1 January and 31 March 2018 and registered by 30 June 2018. Vehicle condition charges may apply at the end of your agreement. Subject to status and in the UK only (excl. the Channel Islands). Individuals must be 18 or over. A guarantee may be required. The amount of VAT you can reclaim depends on your business VAT status. Rentals may change if VAT rate changes during agreement. Hire provided by MINI/BMW Group Corporate Finance. MINI. BMW Group Corporate Finance is a trading style of Alphabet (GB) Limited, Summit Avenue, Farnborough, Hampshire, GU14 0FB. Offers valid at the time of upload and liable to change.

Station Square – designed by humans, built (in part) by robots

Worthing’s multi-million pound Teville Gate redevelopment looks set to become the first site in Britain to benefit from modular housing using robotic construction.

Sixty members of the Sussex Property Alliance heard from Aized Sheikh of Mosaic Capital, the developer behind the proposed Station Square transformation. He described how they have set up an advanced robotics facility to build the 1000 self-supporting steel-framed pods that will make up the 350 homes destined for the town centre scheme.

The vision for Station Square is to create a new, vibrant, public space that will bring together beautiful apartments, retail spaces, leisure facilities and public car parking. Work has just started on the 25-week demolition phase.

“This will be a very different way of developing and building,” said Mr Sheikh. “Our architects are experts in modular design and this, together with our unique off-site construction capability, means that once the site is prepared by local contractors, we will simply crane in the fully-fitted pods. This will cut the time on-site by about 40% over conventional methods, and reduce construction costs by up to 20%.

“Through our partnership with the council in Worthing, we will be creating a community that will breathe life back into this part of the town,” he said.

At the meeting, Worthing Borough Council Project Officer Cian Cronin outlined the progressive approach being taken to future development, with a focus on a number of strategic sites to meet the housing and business needs of the local economy. To wrap up the meeting Dan Hobbs, Tax Associate at MHA Carpenter Box, provided expert insight into the requirements of the Annual Tax on Enveloped Dwellings (ATED), which is often overlooked by property companies and can result in significant financial penalties if neglected.

The Sussex Property Alliance provides a forum where property professionals get together, exchange ideas, and build relationships. It is supported by Sussex-based MHA Carpenter Box chartered accountants, Bennett Griffin solicitors and Michael Jones commercial real estate agents.

Our photos shows (l-r): Dan Hobbs (MHA Carpenter Box), Cian Cronin (Worthing Borough Council), Gemma Lawrence (Bennett Griffin), Aized Sheikh (Mosaic) and Steve Berrett (Michael Jones).

www.sussexpropertyalliance.co.uk

The diesel dilemma: how SMEs can fund a vehicle fleet overhaul

Diesel has gone from hero to zero in a blink of an eye and this change is causing small business owners a big headache. How can they afford to overhaul their vehicle fleets? Alternative finance is part of the solution.

Diesel has copped a lot of flak, not least in terms of its effect on human health, and as a result, companies that run diesel vehicles and employees that drive them face higher road tax, new emission charges and larger parking fees. Furthermore, from April, diesel drivers will see their benefit-in-kind supplement rise by 1% if their vehicle does not meet the Real Driving Emissions tests introduced last September.

As ever, the truth about diesel isn’t black and white. While older diesel vehicles perhaps deserve the bad reputation, newer ones largely don’t. Nevertheless, small business owners are faced with having to meet new emissions standards and overhaul vehicle fleets. With diesel vehicles being demonised, SMEs are being encouraged to switch to more eco-friendly petrol or electric vehicles.

There is a clear and significant cost to this reorganisation, and it couldn’t come at a worse time for many small businesses. The burden of policy and non-policy costs is already weighing heavy as Brexit-borne uncertainty continues to hamper market performance. As such, the need to overhaul vehicle fleets threatens to stretch margins to breaking point.

So how can SMEs manage the cost? Alternative finance has a role to play. Capital is required for investment in new vehicles and to safeguard cashflow. To access this cash, small businesses are increasingly using the likes of invoice finance, peer-to-peer lending and crowdfunding.

This is how an SME in Sussex used peer-to-peer lending, through a commercial finance broker in Worthing that specialises in alternative finance, to raise £20,000 for new equipment.

Indeed, alternative finance is proving a lifeline for many small businesses, with the accessibility, affordability and flexibility of invoice finance, peer-to-peer lending and crowdfunding offering a timely and much-needed antidote to the continued caution being displayed by traditional lenders with regard to SME funding.

It is important that businesses prioritise environmental and social responsibility, and develop their operations to minimise their impact on the planet. However, this evolution comes with a cost and it is smaller businesses that are most vulnerable to these demands. Alternative finance can help these firms to meet these costs and maintain their forward momentum.

To find out more about A&T Business Associates services, contact Tony on 01903 602211 or tony@atbusinessassociates.co.uk.

Worthing Tourism Goes To Westminster

To mark the start of 2018 English Tourism Week, the Worthing Hospitality Federation (WHF) and Worthing Borough Council joined forces to visit the Tourism Minister in Parliament to argue the case for a better deal for Worthing’s tourism businesses.

Andy Sparsis, Chairman of the Worthing Hospitality Federation, and Councillor Dan Humphreys, Leader of Worthing Borough Council, were invited to attend the Tourism Alliance’s Parliamentary Reception where they were able to take concerns about the Government’s support for the hospitality sector directly to the Tourism Minister Michael Ellis.

A ‘tourism sector deal’ for post Brexit Britain that contained a commitment to reviewing the taxation system was the main request put to the Government and the Minister gave a positive response.

Andy Sparsis, Chairman of the WHF said: “We formed the WHF last year precisely because local hospitality businesses felt we were underrepresented. In a short period of time we’ve had some substantial successes and the fact that we’re now being invited to Parliament to meet the Tourism Minister shows how far we’ve come in such a short time.”

Cllr Humphreys said: “The Borough Council has a proud record of supporting the local tourism sector through our work promoting the town, investing in the local area, supporting a wide range of fantastic events and delivering an exciting theatre programme that has been proven to have a return on investment of £7 for every £1 spent. I’m delighted that we’re able to work with the Worthing Hospitality Federation to promote the needs of local businesses in Parliament.”

MHA Carpenter Box Wins Prestigious Regional Award for a second time

Sussex-based chartered accountants, tax and business advisers, MHA Carpenter Box, has won the Business of the Year category of the Gatwick Diamond Business Awards 2018. The specific category relates to larger businesses with turnovers in excess of £1million, which the firm comfortable exceeds. Following a previous win in the Professional Services Firm of the Year category of the same awards back in 2015, the firm has continued to take great strides forward.

Chris Coopey, Partner and Practice Director commented: “This is an absolutely fantastic achievement. It recognises the dedication and passion of the team here to our clients, the business and to the communities in which our offices sit. The firm has gone from strength to strength over the last year recruiting a record number of people, including our largest ever intake of trainee accountants. MHA Carpenter Box has exciting plans for the future and are very proud to have been given such an accolade. Well done to all!”

The firm was presented with the award, which was sponsored by NatWest, by comedian Brian Conley in front of an audience of over 600 at a glittering ceremony at the Effingham Park Copthorne Hotel, Gatwick. It was an extra special evening as the Gatwick Diamond Business Awards themselves were celebrating the 10^th anniversary of what is the most prestigious awards programme in the region.

The judges were particularly keen to note the significant year-on-year growth of MHA Carpenter Box. They highlighted how they go above and beyond when it comes to serving their customers, through their expert knowledge, and consistently look for new and innovative ways to add value to their clients; in the judges’ words: “They are truly passionate about your business.”

The judges were also impressed by the incredible amount of work that the firm does for their community and the fact that they have raised thousands of pounds to help local good causes.

The Business of the Year category is awarded to high performing and innovative companies that do the right thing for their clients, people and the Gatwick Diamond Community.

The Gatwick Diamond is a key economic area, not just for the South East, but for the whole of the UK and the business awards celebrate those who have shown innovation and inspiration in their work, as well as real commitment to the region. The awards have become one of the regions premier business occasions recognising the ‘best of the best’.