Chesterfield-based Mitchells Chartered Accountants and Business Advisers has swelled its ranks further with the appointment of Dominic Day (21), from Walton, as a trainee accountant.

The former Brookfield Community School pupil studied Accounting and Finance at Leeds Beckett University before graduating and taking up the role at Mitchells. Following continued growth in 2016, Dominic is Mitchells’ second appointment to date in 2017. His appointment signalling further expansion for the company which will celebrate its 150^th anniversary next year.

Dominic joins Mitchells’ Corporate Services team, where he will also be studying towards Chartered Accountant status over the next three years.

Commenting on his appointment Dominic said:-

“Joining Mitchells was a fantastic opportunity for me to advance my career and a stepping stone to becoming a Chartered Accountant. As part of my role within the Corporate Services team, I am looking forward to getting to know the business as well as the clients that we provide services for.”

While at school Dominic was ranked 25^th in England for throwing the discus and competed in the English School’s Cup. Although his discus days are over, when he’s not at work, Mitchells’ newest appointment enjoys golf and football, playing for local team Brampton Rovers.

Andrew McDaid, Partner at Mitchells commented:-

“We are always looking for new talent to join our growing team, who we can develop alongside our experienced staff members. Staff have always been at the heart of the business and developing them and ensuring they have long careers with us plays a key part in the firm’s longevity and enable us to continue to offer the best service possible to our clients.”

To service its expanding client base of growing businesses, Mitchells is looking to expand its team further. If you want a career with Mitchells Chartered Accountants and Business Advisers, call 01246 274121 or email with a copy of your CV and covering letter to Andrew McDaid at andrewmcdaid@mitchellsaccountants.co.uk.

A sponsorship deal has been agreed with City Taxis which will see the company’s logo feature on the daily training kit worn by Chesterfield players and management.

Paul Gosney, City Taxis’ business development manager, said:-

“Although 2016/17 hasn’t been the best season for the team, CITY Taxis are right behind the management team, board of directors and the players for next season.

“I’m sure everyone will come back for pre-season feeling revitalised and build a great foundation for a much better 2017/18. I feel it essential that local business’ support local teams and here in Chesterfield we have a great fan base and some fantastic companies.”

Jim Brown, Chesterfield FC commercial manager, said:-

“We are grateful for the sponsorship provided by City Taxis and thank them for their valuable support.

“I would like to take this opportunity to thank the previous sponsor of the training kit, National Windscreens, for their support.”

City Taxis are also the official private hire and taxi service to Chesterfield FC, with a direct phone line available next to all the hospitality lounges at the Proact.

City Taxis have also recently been announced as the official Transport Partner for this years Chesterfield Retail Awards which takes place on the Wednesday 24th May.

Businesses and organisations are being encouraged to bid into a £3million fund to boost the rural economy in Derbyshire and Nottinghamshire.

Money for three programmes is now available via the European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development (EAFRD) portion of D2N2’s current European Union funding. D2N2 LEP is the private-sector led partnership of businesses, local authorities, skills and training providers, and community and voluntary services promoting economic and jobs growth in Derby, Derbyshire, Nottingham and Nottinghamshire.

Rural businesses looking to improve demand for agricultural and horticultural products, or to create jobs, or companies or organisations wishing to improving countryside cycle networks for tourism or recreation use, can apply for support.

The details of three programmes now open for bids – via the Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs (DEFRA) website – are:

Food Processing – £501,253 to support expansion of food and drink processing businesses.

Priority will be given to projects which:

• create new, higher skilled jobs;
• develop strong supply chains within the D2N2 area;
• support businesses’ growth via export and accessing new international markets, or increase the volume of products exported;
• promote new techniques or processes which increase production or productivity.

Project bids must be for at least £50,000 in grant aid. The maximum grant is £501,253.

The programme will be open until mid-2018, while funding is available.

Business Development – £1.6million has been made available to invest in rural micro and small business ventures, including farm businesses diversifying into non-farming activities (for example, land used for tourism or leisure-based attractions).

Priority will be for projects which:

• Develop high growth businesses around D2N2’s eight key commercial sectors of transport equipment manufacturing, life sciences, food and drink manufacturing, construction, transport and logistics, the visitor economy, creative and digital industries, and low carbon goods and services.
• Create new jobs within the business applying for funding.
• Develop new higher skilled jobs within the applicant business.
• Demonstrate business innovation, boosting productivity by introducing or developing new technologies or processes within the business applying.

Project bids must be for grants of at least £35,000. The maximum grant is £170,000.

The programme will be open for applications until mid-2018, while funding is available.

Rural Tourism Infrastructure – £928,247 will be used to develop rural tourism infrastructure, particularly recreational cycling, in D2N2’s rural areas.

Project bidders can apply for capital funding for schemes which connect rural attractions, and encourage recreational cycling and more visitors to come to those areas.

Priority will be given to projects which:

• Enable new or existing attractions to improve their visitor ‘offer’, encourage longer stays and increase tourism spend in the rural D2N2 LEP area.
• Extend the tourism season beyond the May to October period.
• Improve access links to and between visitor attractions, including through development of multi-user paths.
• Support cycling’s development, building on recent successes such as the 2015 and 2016 ‘Tour of Britain’ cycling events.
• Create new skilled jobs in applicant businesses.
• Develop visitor accommodation where there’s a demand for additional accommodation, as detailed in D2N2’s Destination Management Plan or LEP Tourism Strategy.

Project bidders must apply for at least £50,000 in grant aid. The maximum grant is £170,000. The programme will be open for applications until the end of 2017, while funding is available.

Grants given will only cover a percentage of projects’ costs, with successful bidders expected to also invest.

The D2N2 LEP held a free ‘Rural Means Business Conference’, to give potential applicants more information on the funding, in February (2017).

Peter Richardson, Chair of the D2N2 Local Enterprise Partnership, said:-

“Around a third of jobs in the D2N2 LEP’s area are in rural areas, but employers there tend to have less access to the benefits of infrastructure and business development opportunities in urban areas.

“Targeted funding via D2N2, such as the European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development grants now available, help level the playing field; growing jobs and businesses which people living in rural areas rely on.”

Addressing the skills gap must the top priority for the Government’s Industrial Strategy.

Availability of suitably skilled workers, both at school-leaver level and for key positions, remains the biggest concern for firms, East Midlands Chamber told Greg Clark MP, the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, in its formal response to consultation.

“To develop an economy fit for the future, it is essential that we focus on addressing the skills gaps within the high productivity sectors where we perform well, such as engineering and manufacturing,” the Chamber’s response said.

And it called on Mr Clark to focus not just on basic skills but also on soft skills, such as communication, collaboration and problem-solving.

“Employers can train a new recruit to do a job, but they can’t train attitude,” the Chamber’s submission said.

The second most important consideration for implementation of an Industrial Strategy, as discussed at several regional forums and highlighted by Chamber members, has to be improving transport infrastructure at intra- and inter-regional levels.

“Our central location and availability of land provide opportunities for connecting to the rest of the UK and internationally that other areas do not have,” said the Chamber’s response, adding: “Unsurprisingly, this has resulted in strong transport, logistics and distribution sectors based in the East Midlands.

“Situated between our three largest cities, East Midlands Airport is the UK’s largest pure freight airport, a new Strategic Rail Freight Interchange is currently being developed and we are planning for the future arrival of an HS2 station at Toton. It is essential that the opportunities these bring are maximised.”

The third priority highlighted by the Chamber is Government backing for businesses looking to exploit opportunities presented by the weaker pound, which has made UK-made goods cheaper overseas.

“For smaller businesses, or those looking to go overseas for the first time, support for market research and trade missions is one very practical way that they can be aided,” said the response.

It also called for digital technology to be given a higher profile, saying:-

“Fast, reliable, affordable broadband will be an enabler in allowing this to happen and must be delivered to all businesses and residences alike.”

Other priorities included affordable energy and low-carbon technologies, an area where the East Midlands has the potential to become a world-leader, and entrepreneurship, which the response described as “an important trait within the East Midlands”.

Finally, the response urged Government to work with Chambers of Commerce to deliver its Industrial Strategy because Chambers “provide a presence, consistency and stability not replicated anywhere else in the Midlands landscape” and because “we have no political affiliations and a strong track record of working with partners from across the public and private sector”.

Chris Hobson, Director of Policy at East Midlands Chamber, said:-

“The Government, whatever its persuasion after 8 June, has an opportunity to shape Britain’s economic future post-Brexit. It needs to heed the voice of business in determining that future and as the biggest business-representation organisation in the Midlands, we hope it will take note of what our members are saying.”

A team of runners backed by Chesterfield based Whittam Cox Architects, have raised more than £900 in support of the Special Olympics GB Sheffield Games.

Competitors from Sheffield United Football Club, supported by the locally based architecture firm, took on the 2017 Plusnet Yorkshire Half Marathon in Sheffield in aid of the charity.

Physiotherapists, masseurs, video analysts, kit men and accountants from the Club, teamed up with Luke Prest of Whittam Cox (who sponsored the team), as well as Jayne and David Thompson, parents of Special Olympics GB Sheffield’s Alex Thompson, to take on the endurance event.

The Special Olympics GB National Games will be the largest sports event to take place in GB for people with an intellectual (learning) disability and will be taking place in Sheffield in August. United’s Bramall Lane stadium will host the opening ceremony.

Dave McCarthy, Operations Director at Sheffield United, said:-

“We are incredibly proud of the team for taking part in the marathon and raising more than £900 for the Special Olympics GB Sheffield Games.

“Special thanks to Jayne and David Thompson, whose son Alex will be competing in the Special Olympics, and Luke Prest, of Whittam Cox Architects for helping strengthen our team – it was a particularly hot day but everyone gave their best effort to get to the finish line.

“We really want more people to learn about the Special Olympics and we’d like to encourage anyone connected with the Club to support this worthy cause.”

Jayne Thompson, mum to Special Olympics GB athlete Alex Thompson, said:-

“The main reason for us taking part in the marathon was to raise awareness about the charity and the games coming up in August.

“We are really excited that they’re taking place in Sheffield this year and are hoping we can get lots of people to come along to cheer on all the athletes.

“Sheffield United, in particular Dave McCarthy, and Whittam Cox have been absolutely amazing throughout this time and they’ve done brilliant work in raising such a fantastic amount of money!”

Luke Prest, Head of Visualisation at Whittam Cox Architects, said:-

“I am incredibly proud to have been involved in this amazing fundraising effort.

“I’m a huge Blades fan, so the opportunity to run alongside the team, while raising money for a brilliant cause was something I just couldn’t say no to!”

The Brexit mini-boom enjoyed by business has boosted the East Midlands Chamber State of the Economy Index to its highest level in nearly two years.

For Quarter 1 of 2017 the measure of business confidence and success stood at 375, only eight points below its Q2 2015 level and nearly 100 points higher than just before the EU Referendum last June.

The Index is based on the net results of responses given by business to repeat questions in the Chamber’s Quarterly Economic Surveys, the latest of which (Q1 2017) was carried out between 20 February and 10 March.

The survey recorded a rise in the number of firms reporting increased sales in the UK (up from 27 net variance to 29) and overseas (up from 14 to 23 net).

Confidence levels were also higher with an increase in the number of firms expecting improved performance in the next three months in the UK (up from 23 to 27 net) and overseas (up from 18 to 26 net).

And the number of East Midlands firms expecting turnover (up from 51 to 67 net) and profitability (up from 30 to 49 net) to increase this year was also higher in the first three months of 2017 than in the final quarter of 2016.

The net variance of firms reporting intentions to invest in equipment rose from 10 to 15, and those with intentions to invest in training went up from 18 to 29.

There was also a boost in employment with the net number of firms reporting increased staffing levels up from 19 to 23 and the variance of those expecting to take on more personnel rising from 20 to 38 net.

However, finding suitably skilled staff remained the single second-biggest issue for responding firms. The most serious longer-term concern according to the Q1 2017 QES was inflation, which leap-frogged the Q4 2016 QES top concerns of business rates and exchange rates.

Chis Hobson, the Chamber’s Director of Policy, said:-

“What these figures confirm yet again is that the East Midlands economy has remained robust and far from falling into the mire of doom and despair predicted by many in response to Brexit has enjoyed nine months of mini-boom.

“We know there are inflationary pressures that can potentially hinder growth, especially coupled with the raft of new upfront costs for businesses introduced this month. Firms are already beginning to do report squeezed margins, but despite that we can see that, on the whole, business remains confident and plans to invest in equipment and training.

“Business in the East Midlands had all but conquered the initial fears over Brexit and coped with the fall in the value of Sterling, however, the recently called General Election on 8 June has the potential to create more short-term uncertainty.

“What is really important now is that all Parties clearly articulate what they stand for. There are a multitude of domestic issues that need to be managed and we would call on all candidates to make clear to business what their plans are for strengthening the economy now, during Brexit negotiations and post-Brexit.”