Business

UKATA lends its support to Mates in Mind

17th March 2020

The UK Asbestos Training Association (UKATA) has pledged its support to Mates in Mind, a charity committed to raising awareness, addressing the stigma of poor mental health and promoting positive mental wellbeing across workplaces.

By partnering with UKATA, Mates in Mind hopes to reach even more self-employed construction workers, helping it achieve its target of reaching 75% of the construction industry by 2025.

Research suggests that around 350,000 people in the UK construction industry (1 in 6 workers) are experiencing depression, anxiety or stress. A 2017 ONS study found that, in England, the risk of suicide among low-skilled male labourers, particularly those working in construction roles, was three times higher than the male national average.

UKATA now joins fellow Supporters Mineral Products Association, Balfour Beatty, Galliford Try, Tideway and Tarmac who, together, are committed to driving change across the industry by engaging with their customers, members and colleagues by reinforcing the importance of wellbeing, and how they can address this within their organisations.

Recheal Valderama, Support Manager for Mates in Mind, said: “UKATA will play an instrumental role in reaching out to organisations who want and need to address mental health within their own business and the wider industry. By working together, we will better understand the needs of the asbestos removal industry and ensure they are supported when they are ready.

“We are doing this by working collaboratively with organisations. We learn to understand their needs, to then evaluate and prioritise any gaps and tailor a programme that fits the needs of the organisation and their people. We provide ongoing support throughout their journey and provide the clarity and confidence to understand what they want to achieve and how to do this, as well as reassurance that they are benchmarking to best practice.”

Thousands of workers in construction and associated industries throughout the UK undertake UKATA approved asbestos awareness training every year.

“Through our member network of trainers, we will actively encourage conversations in the workplace about mental health – opening up opportunities for employees and employers to access support and information where its required.”

Craig Evans, UKATA Chief Operating Officer explained: “It made absolute sense for UKATA to support Mates in Mind and we are delighted to be involved. Asbestos and mental health are both invisible killers but the risk of both can be managed through raising awareness.

Mates in Mind was established by the Health in Construction Leadership Group (HCLG) with the support of the British Safety Council in September 2016.

To learn more about Mates in Mind visit MatesinMind.org.

Click here to find out more about UK Asbestos Training Association (UKATA)

Posted in About Chesterfield, Business, Featured, Home

Helping local companies benefit from Northern Gateway development

16th March 2020

Local companies are being invited to a Meet the Buyer event to find out how to tender for work connected to the ongoing regeneration of Chesterfield.

The construction of the new Northern Gateway Enterprise Centre on part of the Holywell Cross car park is due to start in April. Main contractors Robert Woodhead Limited are interested to speak to local companies to form part of their supply chain on this project and other local projects in their pipeline.

The event will take place on 27 March 2020 between 8am – 12pm at Chesterfield Town Hall, Rose Hill, Chesterfield S40 1LP in committee room one.

The Enterprise Centre will provide 32 high-quality Grade A offices in a range of sizes (26 to 120 square metres) over three floors.

As part of its commitment to supporting the local economy Chesterfield Borough Council, as the planning authority, includes local labour clauses within developments of this kind to ensure developers use local suppliers, have apprenticeships and allocate as many jobs as possible to local people.

To maximise the opportunities for local companies, main contractors Robert Woodhead Limited and Chesterfield Borough Council will hold the event to provide details of a range of sub-contractor packages available during the project.

Other main contractors including Fortem will join the event to maximise the opportunities available to local businesses on the schemes they are developing across the Borough. Light refreshments will be provided, and companies are requested to bring plenty of business cards for what promises to be a valuable morning of networking.

Opportunities include:

• Brickwork
• Plastering
• Screeds
• Joinery and kitchen fitting
• Floor finishes
• Fencing
• Landscaping
• Painting and decorating
• Wall tiling
• Mastic and sealants
• Cleaners
• Roof Tiling
• Local labour recruitment agencies
• Rendering
• uPVC windows and doors
• Fire stopping
• Fire door set installation
• Kitchen and bathroom installation
• Suspended ceilings
• Electrical
• Plumbing and heating systems/gas
• Scaffolding
• Pitched and flat roofing

Councillor Terry Gilby, Chesterfield Borough Council’s cabinet member for economic growth, said: “There is more than £1 billion of investment currently underway in Chesterfield and one of the key priorities of the council is that Chesterfield residents directly benefit from this by getting new jobs, training, business and skills opportunities.

“Robert Woodhead Limited has worked closely with the council to ensure that our borough benefits as much as possible from the opportunities that building this new Enterprise Centre will bring.

“I would encourage all local businesses to attend the Meet the Buyer event and see what opportunities are available for them and their workforces.”

In addition to the Meet the Buyer event, CITB (Construction Industry Training Board) and Chesterfield College will be in attendance to guide local business on how to access training and assist in the recruitment of apprentices.

To find out more about the Meet the Buyer event please contact Emily Williams on 01246 345254 or email emily.williams@chesterfield.gov.uk.

Posted in About Chesterfield, Apprentice Town, Business, Celebrate Chesterfield, Chesterfield Food and Drink Awards, Chesterfield Retail Awards, Development, Featured, Home, Made in Chesterfield

D2N2 LEP seeks two new board members

16th March 2020

The D2N2 Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP) has begun recruitment for two new board members who can help continue the growth of the region.

Local Enterprise Partnerships play a central role in deciding local economic priorities to drive economic growth and create local jobs.

D2N2 LEP are looking for new members who can help to shape the economic strategy across Derby Derbyshire, Nottingham and Nottinghamshire. Their goal is to improve the productivity of our economy through inclusive growth.

Board members represent the LEP’s interests to partners and stakeholders in the private and public sectors and work collaboratively with them to deliver a shared agenda for the economy.

Elizabeth Fagan CBE (right), Chair of the D2N2, said: “We’re keen to hear from business leaders with energy, creativity, and passion to help us shape and deliver our ambitions for the region.”

“This is an important time for our region as we drive forward work on our Local Industrial Strategy to develop a more prosperous and lower carbon economy, which creates better skilled and higher value jobs for our future generations”

“Our board members come from different backgrounds across our region and offer a breadth of sector knowledge and expertise. I am keen to hear from people that can build on this diversity.”

Applications are welcome from across the LEP area and from all sectors of the economy to reflect the diverse business community. The deadline for applications is Monday 20th April 2020.

To learn more about the position, download the Candidate Pack or visit the website here.

Over 200 delegates attended the 2019 D2N2 Local Enterprise Partnership Annual Conference

Posted in About Chesterfield, Apprentice Town, Business, Celebrate Chesterfield, Destination Chesterfield, Development, Featured, Home, Made in Chesterfield

Derbyshire County Council announce £1 million to support people affected by coronavirus

13th March 2020

Derbyshire County Council has set aside £1 million worth of funding to support residents and businesses who may be affected by coronavirus.

Council Leader Councillor Barry Lewis announced the £1 million fund today to complement the government support announced in the budget and said it was an initial amount and could rise, depending on how seriously the virus affected the county.

Nationally, a £500 million ‘hardship fund’ was announced by new Chancellor Rishi Sunak in Wednesday’s budget, which will be given to local authorities in England to help support vulnerable people through the coronavirus outbreak.

The hardship fund is one of a number of national measures to support the country through the coronavirus outbreak, including extending sick pay and suspending business rates for many firms in England, also announced in the budget.

Councillor Barry Lewis welcomed the government’s hardship fund announcement and said that all authorities needed to work together to support those affected by the virus.

There are currently four confirmed cases of coronavirus in Derbyshire, with the number predicted to rise over the coming weeks.

Councillor Lewis said:“We are pleased to be able to announce an initial fund of £1 million to support Derbyshire residents and businesses who may be affected by the coronavirus in the coming weeks.”

“We just don’t know how this will affect people personally, or how it will hit local businesses, but we want people to know that support is available to help them get through the outbreak, whether it’s advice and information or financial support.”

“So even though we can’t predict the impact of coronavirus, we are acutely aware that businesses – particularly small and independent traders – and people organising events will be worried and we want to be ready to assist where we can.”

“The £1 million fund is an initial amount, and we will consider further allocations when we know more about the government schemes and local needs, which is why we especially welcome the announcement in the budget that there will be support for local authorities to help their communities when they need it most.”

“Any further increases in the fund will, of course, need to be balanced against the additional costs the council faces in delivering its own services, particularly to vulnerable residents, during this period.”

Further details of the Derbyshire fund will be made available shortly.

Find out more information about the coronavirus on the Derbyshire County Council website.

Posted in About Chesterfield, Business, Featured, Home, Leisure, Visiting

‘Greta Thunberg effect’ hailed as an opportunity for innovation and employment in Chesterfield

13th March 2020

The ‘Greta Thunberg effect’ has been hailed as an opportunity for innovation and employment in Chesterfield by leaders from the town’s tourism and rail sectors.

Elizabeth Fagan CBE, Chair of D2N2 Local Enterprise Partnership, Jon Veitch, Managing Director of Talgo UK and Rupert Carr, Director of Birchall Properties, the company behind PEAK, spoke at the annual Celebrate Chesterfield Conference (11 March), which was organised by Destination Chesterfield in association with the University of Derby.

The creation of PEAK resort, an HS2 station and maintenance depot, as well as investment in the borough by Spanish train manufacturer Talgo, makes Chesterfield well-placed for the UK’s projected growth in rail travel and staycations brought about by the public’s growing concern for the environment.

Earlier this year Chesterfield Borough Council also announced its plans for the borough to be carbon neutral.

At the conference it was announced that Chesterfield is at the forefront of Talgo’s All Britain Strategy. The company, which has a 60% market share of the high speed rail industry in Spain, established its head office in Chesterfield early this year. It now has plans to open a research and development centre, co-located with Barrow Hill Roundhouse, with recruitment due to begin shortly. The company is currently bidding to supply trains to HS2.

Jon Veitch, Managing Director of Talgo UK, shared his ambitions for Chesterfield and the UK

Jon Veitch praised Chesterfield’s connectivity, saying: “Chesterfield provides us with an ideal location to access clients throughout the UK and take advantages of the growing opportunities within the rail sector being driven, in part, by the Greta Thunberg effect. Already this has had a detrimental effect on air travel in Spain, further opening up opportunities for Talgo. We anticipate a similar effect in the UK and we want to be at the forefront of the rail revolution in the UK.”

Speaking at the conference, Elizabeth Fagan CBE said: “The 2008 Climate Change Act allowed the opportunity for the UK Government to declare its ambition on carbon reduction and set legally binding targets, HS2 allows our region to be at the forefront of declaring itself carbon neutral as well as being a leading bastion in energy efficiency and development and use of clean energy technology.

“HS2 is a once in a generation opportunity for the town, enabling employment opportunities to be unlocked. We must ensure we take this moment in time to deliver our carbon neutral ambition to improve the skills of the people who work in this region and ensure that Chesterfield, D2N2 and Midlands region is at the forefront of leading this UK-wide ambition.”

Elizabeth Fagan CBE, Chair of D2N2 Local Enterprise Partnership, on stage at Celebrate Chesterfield

The decrease in air travel, coupled with Brexit, has led to a growth in the UK staycation market. According to research from UK hospitality job board Caterer.com, 70% of the British population are planning a break in the UK for 2020, an increase in the predicted number of staycations compared to those taken last year.

Riding on the staycation boom, it was announced at the Celebrate Chesterfield conference that construction on the David Lloyd Adrenaline World has begun at PEAK. It represents the beginning of the phase one delivery of the resort which, when completed will be an integrated leisure, health, sport and education destination on the edge of the Peak District National Park; set on the 300-acre Birchall Estate in Chesterfield.

At the event, Councillor Tricia Gilby, Leader of Chesterfield Borough Council, praised the Destination Chesterfield campaign recognising the difference it has made to investment in the borough. There is more than £1 billion of development currently happening in Chesterfield, with key developments Chesterfield Waterside, PEAK and an innovation centre at Northern Gateway all set to come out of the ground in 2020.

She said: “Ten years ago, Chesterfield Borough Council made the very bold decision to invest in establishing Destination Chesterfield. It is has proved to be a great success helping us attract new companies, like Talgo, to Chesterfield, creating new jobs and transforming local peoples lives and benefitting local communities. The next 10 years are equally exciting, as we have developments like PEAK and Waterside coming out of the ground as well as proposals on the table for the next phase of making Chesterfield a thriving borough.”

Cllr Tricia Gilby was to describe the opportunities for Chesterfield over the next 10 years in 3 words: “exciting, sustainable and inclusive”.

Peter Swallow, Chair of Destination Chesterfield added: “Destination Chesterfield as a project has put the town on the map. We have a higher regional and national profile which is certainly a tick in the box for current and prospective investors. HS2 moving into the town has further raised our profile and I am confident that international investors will now be looking towards the town.”

Mr Veitch added; “We are delighted to be investing in Chesterfield. The town is on the cusp of sustainable, generational change and we very much want to be a part of Team Chesterfield and its future.”

Celebrate Chesterfield, which was held in association with the University of Derby and sponsored by Bridge Help, Central Technology and Markham Vale, is now in its tenth year, and is one of the biggest and most hotly anticipated business events in the area. This year the free breakfast event attracted nearly 300 delegates.

To find out more about investment opportunities in Chesterfield, click here.

The free business event attracted nearly 300 delegates

Posted in About Chesterfield, Business, Celebrate Chesterfield, Chesterfield Food and Drink Awards, Chesterfield Retail Awards, Destination Chesterfield, Development, Featured, Home, Made in Chesterfield

Winners announced of Enterprising Women Awards announced

13th March 2020

Neeyantee Karia, co-founder of nationally renowned, Leicester-based food producers Jake & Nayns’, has been named Enterprising Women Business Woman of the Year for 2020 at a glittering awards ceremony at Double Tree by Hilton, Sheffield Park.

She was one of eight winners on the night as a record number of guests gathered to acknowledge and celebrate the very best female business talent across Derbyshire, Nottinghamshire and Leicestershire.

Food Attraction Ltd manufactures food for many high street restaurant chains as well as the Jake and Nayns’ brand of handheld street food for the retail market.

Neeyantee has now collected six major awards in the past 12 months, two of them national awards.

She oversees finance, production and the manufacturing site as well as HR and H&S and has been instrumental in the success of the company, which has grown from a start-up to an international business, with further growth predicted.

Neeyantee is mother to two daughters and looks out for the 100 staff in the business. Her attitude to work and passion for supporting those around her is infectious and she is influential in nurturing employees to bring out the best in them.

She said: “I am both shocked and delighted to win this award. I want to thank my amazing team for this win as well as the Enterprising Women Awards sponsors and everyone at the Chamber – this is such a huge honour.”

Other winners on the night included Mital Thanki, Spark Academy (Female Entrepreneur of the Year), Easy Internet Services (Social Commitment Award), Blueprint Interiors (Small Business of the Year Award), Emma Anderson, Freeths LLP (Female Employee of the Year), TTK Confectionary (Team of the Year), Learn by Design (Outstanding Contribution to Working in STEM) and Sophie Neil, Turner & Townsend (Apprentice of the Year).

The sponsors for the Enterprising Women Awards were Futures Housing Group (headline sponsor); Pick Everard, Leicester Racecourse, Leicester Tigers, Hastings Direct, Smallman & Son, The Belmont Hotel, Derby College Group (category sponsors); Purpose Media (media sponsor), Mercia Image Print (print sponsor), Cross Productions (design sponsor) and The Conference Works (AV sponsor). The host for the evening was TV personality Emma Jesson.

Co-Chair of Enterprising Women, Eileen Richards, founder of ER Recruitment, and Vice-President at the Chamber, said: “The standard of entries was, again, very high this year and we had a record number of submissions, which is testament to the real hunger among women in the business community to be recognised for their achievements.

“These awards go from strength to strength every year and are one of the best ways to achieve that recognition. In the past we have had some very worthy winners and I’m delighted that Neeyantee is now among them; every single finalist and winner deserves to be celebrated and should be immensely proud of their efforts.”

Co-Chair Jean Mountain, a Past President at the Chamber, said: “These annual awards never fail to inspire me, and it is an honour to be able to showcase the fantastic female talent we have in this great region of ours. My congratulations go to all the winners and finalists and a big thank you goes out to all our valued sponsors which do such a wonderful job in supporting these prestigious awards.”

Lindsey Williams, Group Chief Executive of headline sponsor Futures Housing Group, added: “Futures Housing is proud to be sponsoring this event. We are currently tackling a long-standing issue – to get more women on company boards – so it is so important to get the messages of encouragement out to women in business.

“Neeyantee’s passion and drive for both her business and her team really shone through and she has won a category in which the standard was exceptionally high.”

For more information on Enterprising Women, visit www.emc-dnl.co.uk/connecting-you/enterprising-women.

Click here to find out ore about East Midlands Chamber

Posted in About Chesterfield, Business, Featured, Home, Made in Chesterfield

Bolsterstone’s £150million Bradford scheme delivers ALDI food store

12th March 2020

An ambitious £150 million mixed use regeneration scheme in Bradford, which is being delivered by the sister company of Chesterfield Champion Bolsterstone Group, has taken a further step forward.

Practical completion has now been reached for a new 1,700 sq m ALDI food store within the heart of the New Bolton Woods scheme. The new food store, which will create around 40 jobs, will serve residents within the local area, including nearly 1000 homes which are currently being built at the urban village.

The opening of the Aldi foodstore will achieve a major objective in the ambitious plan to create a £150m urban village in Bolton Woods which is located between Bradford and Shipley. The ambitious plan is being delivered through a dynamic partnership set up by Bradford Council and Bolsterstone’s sister company Urbo Regeneration, which together trade as Canal Road Urban Village Ltd.

“The opening of this high quality ALDI store is a significant milestone as we continue to drive forward the bold plan to create a new neighbourhood at New Bolton Woods,” says Peter Swallow, Managing Director of Canal Road Urban Village.

“ALDI is the UK’s fastest growing discount supermarket chain, with more than 800 stores nationwide. With a reputation for great value and wide range of products they will bring huge benefits to the people of Bolton Woods and the surrounding area.

“We are proud to be helping to make New Bolton Woods a great place to live.”

A spokesperson for ALDI commented: “ALDI are delighted to be opening a store in New Bolton Woods in the spring and look forward to serving the local community. This has been an exciting regeneration opportunity that ALDI are proud to be a part of.”

ALDI is the second major retail occupier to be announced for the New Bolton Woods project. A Costa Coffee cafe and drive-thru, which opened on Canal Road near to the ALDI development site last Spring, is already proving highly popular.

Bradford Council’s Portfolio Holder for Regeneration, Planning and Transport, Cllr Alex Ross-Shaw, commented: “New Bolton Woods is really starting to take shape now with housing and the first phase of the new village centre being delivered.

“It’s a really exciting time for the community in this area as we’ve also just announced plans to re-naturalise the nearby Bradford Beck, making it more open and attractive, and last year opened a new cycleway and greenway that passes right through New Bolton Woods.

“We are very pleased to see bold, sustainable development now being delivered in Bolton Woods and we are confident that our successful Canal Road Urban Village partnership with Urbo Regeneration will continue to deliver excellent results for both residents and businesses.”

Bolsterstone’s sister company, Urbo Regeneration, is also in talks aimed at developing a GPs’ surgery, health centre and pharmacy close to the ALDI store.

New Bolton Woods is one of a number of large-scale regeneration schemes in the UK being delivered by Bolsterstone and its sister company. Further schemes include Chesterfield Waterside in Chesterfield, West Bar Square in Sheffield City Centre and Moneystone Park in Staffordshire.

Peter Swallow, Managing Director of Bolsterstone Group, said: “Bolsterstone’s regeneration projects are moving forward at a pace in 2020 with construction either already underway or due to begin this year. All our projects represent long held visions by the company to positively transform communities and local economies and create spaces in which people will want to live, work and enjoy their leisure time.”

Based in Dunston, Chesterfield, Bolsterstone Group’s property investment portfolio stands at around £800million and includes some of the UK’s largest regeneration sites.

For further information about the investment opportunities at any of Bolsterstone Group’s development sites, please visit www.bolsterstone.com.

Posted in About Chesterfield, Business, Development

East Midlands Chamber comments on Budget

12th March 2020

Scott Knowles, Chief Executive at East Midlands Chamber (Derbyshire, Nottinghamshire, Leicestershire), has commented on on Rishi Sunak’s Budget.

He said: “Given the current challenges being faced, the Chancellor did a good job of reassuring businesses and communities of Government’s intention to offer meaningful and robust support during this period of uncertainty.

“Specifically, support in the form of additional business rates relief for the leisure, hospitality and retail sectors – and SMEs in general – will be welcomed, given the current and anticipated impact of coronavirus.

“Employers are already working closely with employees on coronavirus concerns, however the additional support around statutory sick pay for SMEs with fewer than 250 employees will be welcomed.

“Away from immediate challenges, Government’s commitment to “unleash the power of business” will be well received; although, as ever, the devil will be in the detail.

“More funding for start-up loans, backing for businesses looking to export, as well as continued support from Growth Hubs are all important part of developing the business support landscape following our exit from the European Union and, in the fullness of time, details will be required as to how such elements will be funded.

As a region blessed with innovative and forward-thinking businesses, the extra support announced in relation to R&D investment is encouraging, although more businesses need to be supported to access this.

“If the East Midlands is to truly level up, infrastructure investment is paramount and to that end, a recommitment to major infrastructure in the region – including the pre-announced Transforming Cities Fund for Derby and Nottingham – is a positive, as is the commitment to improving the strategically important A46, often referred to as the Trans-Midlands Trade Corridor.

“Further funding for the Midlands Rail Hub, which unlocks regional rail routes across the East Midlands, and £27bn funding for the country’s strategic roads network, will also be crucial to our region’s long-term prosperity.

“Equally, the focus on investing in high-skill, high-wage, low carbon jobs presents a real opportunity for the East Midlands, while additional funding for flood damage repair will be important for the parts of our region affected.

“Finally, while some measures announced in Mr Sunak’s speech centred on Education, the Budget statement was relatively light on how we ensure businesses access the right people in the long term – away from immediate pressures, this is one of the biggest priorities we face as a country and a perennial issue facing members we speak with.

“On the whole, though, businesses across the East Midlands will be encouraged by the measures outlined in the Budget and the impact such measures will have in the short-term and moving forward.”

Posted in About Chesterfield, Business, Home

Casa Hotels are the highest rated Four Star hotels in Derbyshire

11th March 2020

Casa Hotels are delighted to announce that both Casa Hotel and their sister hotel, Peak Edge Hotel, have once again achieved the coveted silver star status from the AA.

Both the hotels visited by a member of the AA inspector team recently who stayed overnight at each hotel. They were subsequently marked on the various standards that make up the renowned AA star rating, including accommodation, dinner and facilities in general.

The six critical areas that the hotels are marked on are: cleanliness, hospitality, service, bedrooms, bathrooms and food and both hotels with both hotels receiving excellent merit scores. It means that Casa and Peak Edge Hotels are now the highest rated four-star hotels in Derbyshire. The inspector commented on the high standards of the hotel teams and the cleanliness of the hotels. Both the Red Lion Pub and Restaurant and Cocina restaurant have also maintained their Two AA Rosette Awards.

Casa Hotels Managing Director, Stuart Downham said: “We are once again absolutely delighted – to be awarded silver star status is fantastic but to maintain it proves that we do indeed offer consistently high standards at both of our hotels. We all work tirelessly to ensure that our guests have the best possible experience when they stay at Casa or Peak Edge and being awarded the Silver Star award cements all of our hard work”.

Casa Hotel was also a finalist at the Marketing Peak District Tourism Awards on Thursday 5th March. They were delighted to be awarded the silver award in the Hotel of the Year Category. This was the first year of the awards, held at the Buxton Dome in Derbyshire.

Click here to find out more about Casa Hotel

Click here to find out more about Peak Edge Hotel

Posted in About Chesterfield, Business, Celebrate Chesterfield, Chesterfield Food and Drink Awards, Featured, Home, Leisure, Made in Chesterfield, Visiting

Chamber outlines asks ahead of Wednesday’s Budget

10th March 2020

Ahead of Chancellor of the Exchequer Rishi Sunak’s first Budget on Wednesday 11 March Scott Knowles, Chief Executive at East Midlands Chamber, said:

“Now is the time for Government to replace sound-bites with concrete actions and commit to creating an environment in which our businesses and communities can thrive.”

“If Government is serious about ‘levelling up’, nowhere more needed than the East Midlands, it must take on board the real-world issues and concerns that, along with sustained uncertainty, have meant many of our businesses have been operating with the handbrake on in recent times.”

“This Budget must be one of aspiration. This includes committing to infrastructure investment, breaking down barriers that inhibit growth – such as the broken Business Rates system – and supporting businesses in their key priorities, like attracting the right people and enhancing climate and sustainability credentials.”

“This budget is an opportunity to put business, the creators of wealth and prosperity, front-and-centre in the UK’s drive for future prosperity and it is vital this opportunity is seized.”

The Chamber will be part of a live roundtable summit, hosted by strategic partner RSM, on Budget Day, with reaction both during and following Mr Sunak’s announcement.

For reaction on the day, follow @EMC_Newsroom on Twitter and visit www.emc-dnl.co.uk.

Posted in About Chesterfield, Business, Featured, Home

North East Derbyshire District Council named as finalists in UK Housing awards for work on homelessness

8th March 2020

North East Derbyshire District Council have been announced as finalists at the UK Housing Awards for their work in preventing residents becoming homeless through collaborative working with other authorities.

They have been nominated as finalists in the Homelessness Partnership of the Year category. Dash Services and authorities across Derbyshire and Nottinghamshire set up Call B4 You Serve, an initiative which is aimed at providing landlords with free advice and support for dealing with tenants in difficulties.

The awards holders recognised the contribution and success of the Call B4 You Serve Project, which has helped people stay in their homes in difficult circumstances and has prevented homelessness across the two counties in the private rented sector.

Councillor Alan Powell, portfolio holder for Communications and Housing said: “This is a fantastic achievement for the Authority. Being recognised nationally and being finalists for the work we have done on homelessness just goes to show the efforts we are making to help people in desperate need.

“The advice and support landlords have received from the Call B4 You Serve project has been pivotal in helping people stay in their homes. We are passionate about helping both the tenant and landlord, and this project has provided the perfect platform the remediate between the two.

“This award is well deserved and shows that collaborative working with other authorities has far reaching benefits for our residents, a huge well done to all involved.”

The winners of the event will be announced on 7 May 2020 at an event at the Grosvenor House Hotel in London.

Pictured left to right: Mark Skelton (Dash Services Call B4 You Serve) / Lee Pepper (NEDDC Housing Options Manager) / Linda Cobb (Dash Services Call B4 You Serve) / Helen Scott (Dash Services Call B4 You Serve) / Sally Agyeman Dash Services Call B4 You Serve)

Posted in About Chesterfield, Business, Development, Home