Media regulator Ofcom intends to examine the report to consider its options but there is another government body that could also be interested.

Read the full article by Ja Adams courtesy of ou strategic partner Accountingweb.

http://www.accountingweb.co.uk/article/director-disqualification-what-you-need-know/527281

According to HRZone.co.uk editor Cath Everett the court unanimously dismissed an appeal by Clarkson Wright & Jakes partner Leslie Seldon, who was told to retire after his 65^th birthday. Seldon wanted to continue working and was unhappy when his request to do so was turned down.

Read the full artcle by Cath Everett courtesy of our strategic partner Accountingweb.

http://www.accountingweb.co.uk/article/court-rules-employers-can-force-retirement/527114

Last year the Government announced that £35 million of innovation funding would become available to support the development and demonstration of innovative technologies and systems that can reduce carbon emissions from buildings. Of this £35 million, £10 million has now been allocated to a competition to reduce the risk and cost of innovative technologies or processes which can demonstrate significant energy and carbon savings in non-domestic buildings.

£20 Million Competition for Carbon Capture & Storage Now Open (UK)

The Department of Climate & Energy Change (DECC) has announced details of an upcoming competition to fund the development of innovations in Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS) technologies.

Accolade for Southend

The Low Carbon Business Programme provided by the European Regional Development Fund and involving nine partners across Thames Gateway including Southend-on-Sea Borough Council – has been named Britain’s top New Energy Champion of the Year. The programme assists small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) to reduce their carbon footprint and as such make them more competitive.

Investment for Yorkshire Renewable Energy Sector

Investment worth in excess of £40 million is to be made available to the Yorkshire renewables energy sector. Banks Renewables has consented to a £21.9 million funding agreement with The Co-operative Bank to fund the building of a new wind farm near Rotherham.

Boost the Business in You Competition Offers Support and £15,000 of Advertising

Boost the Business in You is a competition delivered in partnership between the Government’s Department for Business, Innovation & Skills (BIS) through its Business in You campaign and Guardian News & Media Limited.

Through real-life case studies, the campaign will reward companies that have started-up or evolved their operations in spite of the challenging economic times. The aim is to encourage entrepreneurial people who are starting up or growing a business through developing ideas, writing a business plan, employing more staff or commencing overseas trade. As well as helping start-up and business growth, the programme provides links to key business support tools.

Government to Invest £80 Million in Green Infrastructure

The Business Secretary Vince Cable has announced details of a new Government investment in the UK’s green infrastructure. A total of £80 million has been committed to two specialist fund managers who will make and manage investments in the small-scale waste infrastructure sector. This will be undertaken by a team within the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS).

Nominations Open for the 2013 Queen’s Awards for Enterprise

Nominations are now being accepted for the 2013 Queen’s Award for Enterprise and Queen’s Award for Enterprise Promotion. The Queen’s Awards for Enterprise are the UK’s most prestigious Awards for business performance. They recognise and reward outstanding achievement by UK companies.

One-Day Training Workshop for those Setting up Renewable Energy and Low-Carbon Initiatives

The Centre for Sustainable Energy is providing a free one-day training workshop in Milton Keynes in May 2012 for those people interested in setting up renewable energy and low-carbon initiatives in their communities. The workshop will be held on 8 May and has been funded by the Department of Energy and Climate Change, and will provide an introduction to the ‘PlanLoCaL’ (Planning for Low Carbon Living) suite of interactive tools and information.

Scottish Government’s CARES Loan Programme Opens

The Scottish Government’s Community and Renewable Energy Scheme (CARES) programme has opened again. The programme offers loans of up to £150,000 to cover 95% of agreed costs and provides free local advice and support as well.

This is good news for community organisations and rural businesses throughout Scotland who need funding for community and locally owned renewable energy projects. In order to be eligible, projects must provide wider community benefit and need the loan in order to go ahead. A condition of the loan is a binding legal agreement on community benefit set at a minimum of £10,000 per MW per annum of installed capacity.

Sustainability Live! 2012

This year’s Sustainability Live!, the UK’s leading water, energy, environmental, land and sustainable business exhibition, takes places on 22-24 May at NEC Birmingham. Sustainabilitylive! will be running an extensive, free three-day conference and seminar programme where a panel of experts will put the spotlight on the big issues, latest advice and ground-breaking innovations.

The real reason most people don’t do cash flows is because they don’t know how to, so they use one of the statements above as an excuse to avoid writing them.  However, for those of you who are still sceptical, let me give you some food for thought.

First and foremost doing a cash flow with forecasted sales targets gives you something to aim for.  Of course the targets should be in line with your overall end goals, and they should be stretching but not unachievable.  The sales targets need to be made clear to all the team, so that everyone can celebrate the successes, and strive for greater things.  Of course I can accept that forecasts are just that, but I can assure you, if you write these figures down, you have a  lot more chance of hitting them, than if you just think about it.

Secondly a cash flow allows you to plan for capital expenditure and/or employment of new staff as you grow.  Once you have set your sales targets for planned growth, you can then work out when you can afford to pay for new and improved pieces of equipment, or new staff to ease the workload.

Thirdly you can plan your marketing strategy and marketing spend against your sales targets. By working out your clear target market niches, you can then plan how you intend to market to them.  This in turn allows you to budget for the expenses incurred.

Fourthly, once you have done your cash flow (or cash flows if you want to look at different scenarios) you can see if there are likely to be any negative months, and if so will you need a bank loan or an extended overdraft facility.  If you can present well thought out and logical figures to your bank well in  advance of the potential problem times, they are far more likely to help you out.

Finally and importantly, it gives you control, so you can quickly see if things are going as you expect.

Our thanks to Peter Disney of our strategic partner Wood and Disney for this article.  www.wood-disney.co.uk