Apprentices at a Brierley Hill insurance broker were at the forefront of celebrations for the opening of their new premises.  Insurance Protector officially launched their new office space in Quay House on the Waterfront where plans are now in place to more than treble its workforce in the next five years.  This includes the recruitment of a further 10 apprentices in partnership with Stourbridge College.

Julie Tibbetts, Employment Skills Advisor at Stourbridge College said: “By aligning apprenticeship programmes to their company growth, Insurance Protector has a solid foundation from which to develop their own experts to take forward their business values.  

“The apprentices they have welcomed into their business over the last year are coming on in leaps and bounds and have excellent professional prospects ahead. 

“Much has been said about growth of the financial services sector across the Black Country and it will be fantastic if others follow in the footsteps of Insurance Protector by using their recruitment strategies to train and develop their workforces.”

Insurance Protector currently has three customer service apprentices and two business administration apprentices receiving on the job training while Stourbridge College assessors deliver their qualifications.

Bhabinder Kumar, Head of Retail at Insurance Protector, said: “Our apprentices are a key part of our expansion plans, so it’s fantastic to be able to recognise their contribution to the business and the career journey they are taking.  They all know that it’s as much about them putting into the business what they’d like to get back.  They’ve fully embraced the opportunities made available to them so we’re pleased to continue investing in their careers.”

He continued: “As a company, we’re continuing to welcome new clients and this is one of the reasons we made it our goal to move to bigger premises.  Since setting up in 2012, we’ve worked incredibly hard to serve the needs of local home and business owners, as well as develop niche products for the hospitality and leisure sector.  Going forward, we aim to develop our product range and perhaps explore new markets.”

Insurance Protector is the first company to relocate as part of Dudley’s new DY5 Business and Innovation Enterprise Zone.  The new office is an open plan 8,000sq ft office, which they have signed up to occupy for a minimum of five years.

Ambitious graduates and high flying businesses were celebrated at a glittering University of Wolverhampton awards ceremony.

The Business Achievement Awards recognise individuals and companies that have made an excellent contribution to enterprise and the regional economy.

The bi-annual awards held at the Molineux Stadium celebrate business collaborations and academic partnerships, graduate employment support and graduate start-up companies.

The winners on Wednesday, 26 April 2017 included Morgan Motor Company, who clinched Business Collaboration of the Year. The company works with the University to upskill the next generation of craftsmen and women, apply research to current design and manufacturing practices and develop new motor racing cars.

Santander won Strategic Business Partner of the Year. The banking giant has committed £120,000 in funding to the University over three years, which will fund students on an international study scholarship as well as international graduate work experience placements in Europe and South America each year.

The Graduate Start-up of the Year award was voted for by the audience on the night, and dAudio Music Group scooped the £3,000 prize to invest in their business. Broadcasting worldwide, the company works with independent musicians to discover, develop and promote new talent in Birmingham and surrounding areas.

Deputy Vice-Chancellor Professor Ian Oakes said: “The Business Achievement Awards enable us to celebrate graduates, employers and organisations who deserve recognition for their excellent contribution to business, enterprise and the economy.

“As a University, we are committed to ensuring our graduates have the best opportunities to gain work experience, internships and access to business start-up support. Our impressive 96% graduate employment rate is testament to the strong partnerships we have built with industry, business and the professions and the commitment of our graduates to reach their potential.

“All of the shortlisted individuals and organisations have made enterprising and innovative contributions to the region’s business landscape and they deserve to be incredibly proud of their achievements.”

A carefully chosen judging panel, made up of representatives from the region’s business community as well as representatives from the University selected the winners.

Birmingham City Council and the Institute of Fundraising (IoF) have agreed to launch a street fundraising agreement for the city. The agreement was initially piloted through a three-month trial, but has now been extended on a rolling one year basis, as agreed by the Licensing and Public Protection Committee on 12 April 2017.

This signals a long-term commitment from both Birmingham City Council and the Institute of Fundraising to ensure that one of the UK’s biggest and busiest city centres in the country will remain a space for everyone to operate in and to enjoy.

Chris Neville, Head of Licensing at Birmingham City Council, said:  “Following the success of our trial agreement with the Institute of Fundraising, introduced last July, there’s been a significant reduction in the number of complaints we receive about face-to-face fundraising and its impact on the public and local businesses.

“This new 12-month agreement will see fewer fundraisers in the city centre, which we welcome, and we will continue to work in partnership with IoF going forward.”

Ambitious plans to regenerate Tottenham Hale, the first phase of London’s largest Housing Zone, have moved a step closer after developer Argent Related and Haringey Council signed the Strategic Development Partnership (SDP) for the project.

The SDP provides the formal framework for the plans, which include around 900 homes including market sale, build to rent and shared ownership properties to be built over the next five years; the first homes could be available as early as 2020. The redevelopment next to Tottenham Hale Station – with Victoria line, National Rail and potential Crossrail 2 links – will also feature new shops, cafes and restaurants and community facilities. The station itself is undergoing £20 million of improvements, including a new landmark entrance.

Leader of Haringey Council, Cllr Claire Kober, said: This is a significant milestone in our ambitious plans for Tottenham Hale. We look forward to working with Argent Related to deliver hundreds of new homes, jobs and opportunities for Haringey residents.

The wider redevelopment of Tottenham Hale will also also see a new district health centre, an employment and skills programme for local people, improved green spaces and better access to the nearby Lee Valley Regional Park.

Argent Related will shortly begin engagement with local residents, community groups, schools and businesses to explain the vision for the area and invite feedback on various elements of the development.

Haringey’s partnership with Argent Related in Tottenham Hale is the latest in a series of major regeneration milestones for Tottenham, including the £750 million Tottenham Hotspur stadium; the £60 million Grainger Apex House development at Seven Sisters; a £32 million new rail and underground station at Tottenham Hale; town centre and public realm improvements at  Tottenham Green and Holcombe Market, and the opening of ADA, the National College for Digital Skills at Tottenham Hale.

Robert Evans, Partner at Argent, said: This partnership has come about because both Argent Related and Haringey are firmly committed to making Tottenham Hale a better place to live, work and spend time in. We look forward to progressing our plans and to presenting them to the Tottenham community.

A brave team of nurses, dubbed ‘Max’s Minions’, at Heartlands Hospital in Birmingham are set to tackle a challenge of endurance in aid of their young patients.

Julie Thomas, Elizabeth Checketts, Emma Goodaker, Demi Butler and Helen Whitehouse work at the Children’s A&E Department at Heartlands Hospital, and have set a daring challenge to complete the Wolf Run, which is taking place at Stanford Hall in Leicestershire on Saturday 3 June, to raise money to support patients.

Julie said: “We are really excited to be taking part in the Wolf Run to raise money for Heartlands Hospital Charity. The money will help us to refurbish the children’s A&E Department, and provide toys and equipment for patients.”

“It’s great that we are doing this as a team and we can’t wait for the day! We’d love to raise £1,000 so any donations, big or small, are hugely appreciated.”

Sian Averill, Fundraising Manager at Heartlands Hospital Charity, said: “We are thrilled to hear that Max’s Minions will be taking on the Wolf Run and would like to wish them the best of luck for the day. The Charity is delighted to be able to support staff as they make improvements to the hospital, and we’d like to encourage as many people as possible to get involved, either doing some fundraising themselves or supporting others in their quests!

“We can’t wait to see the photos after the event – good luck everyone!”

To sponsor Max’s Minions please donate to their JustGiving page by visiting https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/Children-s-A-E-Dept-Heartlands. To find out more about how Heartlands Hospital Charity supports patients, please go to www.heartlandshospital.org.uk or call 0121 371 4852.

Delays and rising costs in the planning system are driving small companies away from house building and slowing down attempts to tackle Britain’s housing crisis, a report claims today.

New research from NHBC Foundation shows that small builders are experiencing “deeply frustrating” delays, with a third waiting more than a year for local authority planning approval and nearly 80 per cent experiencing a significant hike in planning-related fees in the last two years.

The NHBC Foundation report ‘Small house builders and developers: current challenges to growth’ outlines the climate faced by small firms, using the experiences of almost 500 companies who typically construct less than 10 homes a year.

The report highlights the fact that the number of small firms active in house building continues to decline, accounting for just 12 per cent of market share in 2015, compared with 28% in 2008.

Earlier this year, the Government pledged “radical, lasting reform” to tackle Britain’s housing shortage, including accelerating the planning system by making it more accessible and increasing its support for small and more innovative builders.

Commenting on the report, NHBC Head of Research and Innovation Neil Smith said: “While the planning process is recognised as a necessary control, small house builders and developers continue to express considerable frustration with it. The increasing complexity, time taken to achieve a decision, and the unpredictability and inconsistency within the planning process are slowing the delivery of new homes and, in some cases, causing companies to leave this market.

“Greater certainty and more standardised approaches, clarity concerning the fees and tariffs, coupled with a more responsive service from planning departments would increase predictability and significantly help to speed up the process, thereby increasing the number of homes built.”

The report found that the lack of viable building land was also a major barrier for small house builders who raised concerns about shortage of skilled workers and a lack of interest among young people in becoming apprentices.