East London and Waltham Forest Business |
|
| In any society, ancient or modern, it is the duty of the older generation to prepare the young to take their place in the economic, intellectual and social life of the community. In modern times this duty falls largely to the State. It provides a system of education in keeping with the highly complex activities of man in an industrial age. The paramount importance of systematized education has long been recognized . For the future of a society is intimately bound up with and to a great extent dependent upon the way the youth are prepared for the task of maintaining that society. Education for Barbarism |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
 'The men who plundered Europe': bankers on trial for siphoning €60bn
21 September 2019
read …
Martin Shields and Nick Diable are accused of tax fraud in ‘cum-ex’ scandal that exposes City’s pursuit of profit
They have been called “the men who plundered Europe”: a group of cowboy traders, seasoned tax lawyers and mathematical whizz kids who are alleged to have conspired in the heart of the City of London to siphon at least €60bn in taxpayers’ money from the state coffers of several EU countries.
In Britain, the so-called “cum-ex” scandal, named after the complex derivatives juggling act employed, gained little attention amid the frenzied debate around the UK’s departure from the European Union when the fraud scheme was discovered in 2017.
But in continental Europe what Le Monde has described as the “robbery of the century” has done almost as much to shape the view of Britain as Brexit itself. Dutch media has called it “organised crime in pinstripe suits” and one of the original German whistleblowers saying he now welcomes Britain’s exit from the EU in the hope it could weaken the influence of London investment banking on European financial institutions. |
 The Newham Business Awards 2018. Newham Chamber of Commerce
05 October 2018
read ...
The ceremony, held at the Old Town Hall in Stratford last night (Thursday), saw established business owners and new entreprenuers alike celebrate the success and achievement of those running enterprises in the borough.
Businesses were able to be nominated in 12 different categories, with a shortlist of between two and four drawn up for each.
The ultimate prize, business of the year, was only eligible to be won by companies who had won one or more of the other categories |
Waltham Forest Chamber of Commerce
 Waltham Forest Business Networks
read …
We support business forums and networking organisations across the borough.
Our key business locations are: Leyton, Leytonstone, Lea Bridge, Walthamstow, Wood Street, Blackhorse Lane, Chingford and Highams Park.
If you're interested in networking, starting or joining a forum in any of these locations, please email our Business Team for further information.
Business Growth, Investment and Employment Team
Magistrates Building
1 Farnan Avenue
Walthamstow
London E17 4NX
Phone: 020 8496 3000
Email: business.growth@walthamforest.gov.uk |
 Chaotic careers education harms economy, says Ofsted
24 November 2016
read ..
Chaotic careers education in England's schools could jeopardise the UK's future economic prosperity, says education watchdog Ofsted.
Lack of an "overarching government strategy" means a generation is leaving school unready for work, it argues.
The UK's post-Brexit success depends on harnessing "home-grown talent", says chief inspector Sir Michael Wilshaw.
The government said its strategy was "to open young people's eyes to many opportunities and choices".
Earlier this month MPs accused ministers of "burying their heads in the sand" over careers education.
Ofsted's report wants the government to do more to promote "enterprise education" in schools "including the promotion of economic and business understanding and financial capability" among pupils. |
 Work Programme 'fails to find work for 70% of claimants'
21 October 2015
read ...
The Commons Work and Pensions Select Committee said the £5bn Work Programme - launched in 2011 - was "not working well" for people with complex problems.
The programmet is run by providers who offer support and training to people on jobseeker's allowance (JSA) and employment and support allowance (ESA).
The committee said nearly 70% of people who had completed their two-year attachment to the scheme, which applies in England, Scotland and Wales, had failed to find sustained employment. People with drug and alcohol addiction, illiteracy and innumeracy and the homeless should be better served, the committee said. |
 Apprenticeship Levy Update
May 2016
read ...
The Apprenticeship Levy: Here’s how your company will be affected if you pay £3m+ in wages
The government is targeting the creation of 3 million apprenticeships in the UK by 2020. To fund this growth in England, a major policy shake-up has been confirmed: as of April 2017, all employers will pay 0.5% of their pay bill into the Apprenticeship Levy. Although large employers will be able to access their share of the levy plus a 10% government top-up to finance the training of apprentices, any funds not spent will permanently expire after 18 months. |
| |
|
| Olympic Park Legacy, July 2015 |
 Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park
London's new Park is open and free to explore!
http://queenelizabetholympicpark.co.uk/
Work on the Olympic Park is ongoing. A business park with industry and offices is being developed. It takes up a huge area - across the unused land from near the Westfield Stratford City pedestrian access to the stadium to almost Timber Café. The Financial Conduct Authority and Transport for London (TfL) are among those moving there. |
 more on the Olympic Legacy
 Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park
London's new Park is open and free to explore!
http://queenelizabetholympicpark.co.uk/
Download Park Map
Work on the Olympic Park is ongoing. A business park with industry and offices is being developed. It takes up a huge area - across the unused land from near the Westfield Stratford City pedestrian access to the stadium to almost Timber Café. The Financial Conduct Authority and Transport for London (TfL) are among those moving there.
The Victoria and Albert Museum, which is playing a key role in plans for a brand new higher education and cultural quarter on the Park, will be housed on the Stratford Waterfront, opposite the London Aquatics Centre, as well as a Sadler’s Wells dance studio and a new campus for the London University of Arts.
Already in operation at the former Communications Centre are a large number of small and micro IT and craft businesses, plus BT Sport TV
Three more schools, a boutique hotel and more health facilities are to be built on the park site
A new college for mature students has recently opened just outside the Olympic Park. Birkbeck College (also for mature students) opened a year ago in the Stratford cultural centre where Theatre Royal is located. A building craft college exists as does a school for hospitality and catering around the Westfield site.
The legacy dream is only just off the starting block. There is much to come. And we hear that the owners of Westfield are submitting a planning application for 1,200 more homes – in addition to the thousands already in the pipeline – and an expanded shopping centre.
The Olympic Park project is expected to deliver 3,000 jobs and 1.5 million additional visitors to the Park. with an anticipated completion date of 2020/21. |
|
|
| |
 26 March 2014 - The Waltham Forest Growth Commission has published a range of suggestions aimed at improving the borough's economy
The commission believes Waltham Forest is in an excellent position to encourage inward investment, support business and strengthen skills to lift economic output in ways that improve the lives of its people.
read the report ...
|
Walthamstow Guardian report
26th March 2014
read ...
Waltham Forest must improve its high streets, develop an attractive night-time economy and establish a unique ‘brand’ in order to boost the economy, according to an independent report.
The Waltham Forest Growth Commission last night published its findings on the borough's strengths and weaknesses and made recommendations about how to grow the economy.
Waltham Forest currently has the fourth smallest economy in London.
Chaired by Professor Tony Travers from the London School of Economics, the report calls on the council to lead in taking advantage of assets which other areas in London would see as crucial to economic growth, such as good transport links, a high quality public realm and green space, and good housing.
“The commission believes Waltham Forest is in an excellent position to encourage inward investment, support business and strengthen skills to lift economic output in ways that improve the lives of its people,” Professor Travers said.
“Economic growth is fundamental to meeting the needs and aspirations of the residents and businesses of Waltham Forest.”
He said the borough has weathered recent economic difficulties, particularly in securing funding for several flagship projects, and now has significant potential for economic development.
After canvassing thousands of residents and businesses over the last six months, primarily through an online survey, it was deemed that Waltham Forest and its assets were well-known locally, but little-known outside the borough and raising its profile was central to an improved economy.
It was also said that the state of the high streets was a driving factor behind pessimism about economic prospects.
The commission concluded that the borough needs a clear identity to explain why the area is a good place to live and work, building on the industrial and civic history in the borough and a growing creative and artistic sector.
The William Morris Gallery’s recent refurbishment and widespread recognition was noted as a prime example of such a marketing strategy.
“The borough should develop a coherent identity which reflects its current assets, cultural history and four distinct centres [Chingford, Leyton, Leytonstone, and Walthamstow],” the report said.
It was suggested that a bespoke governance structure for each of the area’s main hubs should be considered.
Establishing a designated chamber of commerce was also recommended.
Council leader Chris Robbins said: “We need to continue to work to ensure that we deliver the maximum possible economic and social benefits for our residents and businesses and ensure that they enjoy their fair share of London’s growth and prosperity.” |
|
|
Comments!
10:26am Wed 26 Mar 14
ruby newbie says...
sadly the only thing this borough deems to be investment is building more and more houses/flats clogging up every thing
1:30pm Wed 26 Mar 14
GavinQ says...
How about building a Dog Track? Or an old-fashioned, Art-Deco Cinema? Or a football stadium? Or even, crazy I know, a Police Station? Wait? What? Oh...
1:40pm Wed 26 Mar 14
mdj says...
'calls on the council to lead in taking advantage of assets which other areas in London would see as crucial to economic growth...';
'Waltham Forest is in an excellent position to encourage inward investment..'
The good professor is too courteous to spell out the point, which is: Why have these good things not been happening in an area with so much to offer?
The answer, as long-term residents already know, is Council neglect, apathy, incompetence, waste and probably corruption, over many, many years.
Does he have any recommendations as to how this could be changed?
Labour have been in overall power here for well over 25 years, after all.
5:34pm Wed 26 Mar 14
NTiratsoo says...
There are some sensible suggestions in this report, but also a sea of platitudes.
More seriously, the commission seems to be ignorant of recent local history. It’s all very well to suggest, as the commission does, that skills providers should work together under the leadership of the Council, and that BIDS companies may be a useful way of promoting business in particular localities, but such solutions already have been tried here – ‘Worknet’ and ‘the E11 BID Co.’ anyone?. Of course, the commission could have done us all a service and reflected on what went wrong in these cases, but that of course would have meant commenting on the leadership in the Town Hall, obviously a bridge too far, particularly because the commissioners appear to have been closely chaperoned throughout by the Council’s head of PR! So what much of the report reads like is the thoughts of a Martian on a brief recce – well intentioned, no doubt, but disconnected from time and place.
Finally, it is a pity that though the commission apparently met seven times, the minutes of only three of its meetings are available on the Council website. Local taxpayers funded the commission: why on earth can’t we read its full deliberations?
Still, it is probably not worth getting too excited. As I pointed out under a previous story, Navigant produced a perfectly respectable report on the local economy in 2010, and that has just gathered dust. In four years time, Professor Travers’ travails no doubt will seem like a similarly long distant memory.
5:41pm Wed 26 Mar 14
NTiratsoo says...
PS I attended a street consultation in Leytonstone about the commission's work, and raised the question of Worknet, only to be told by the staff present: "We don't talk about Worknet anymore".
11:37am Thu 27 Mar 14
David Cowell says...
I would like to see the list of 4 main centres increased to 5 and Highams Park included, not forgotten. It has a mainline train station and is able to add value to the offering in the local economy north of the borough. Additionally I would like to suggest we lobby for creating an identity around green technology in Waltham Forest. Sustainability should be factored in to new developments to ensure that we take advantage of regeneration that points to the future and will increase our magnetic pull in line with our chosen identity. This also falls in line with central government proposals for East London post Olympics. |
|
|
Waltham Forest Commission recommendations
WALTHAM FOREST GROWTH COMMISSION 2014
RECOMENDATIONS
read the report ...
LEADING LOCAL GROWTH
RECOMMENDATION 1
Waltham Forest Council should be the lead agency in facilitating work and collaborating with wider stakeholders
to attract growth to the borough.
STANDING OUT IN LONDON
RECOMMENDATION 2
The borough should develop a coherent identity which reflects its current assets, cultural history and its four distinct centres. The Council is best placed to lead on this and provide the initial investment.
STANDING OUT IN LONDON
RECOMMENDATION 3
The borough’s identity should be developed so that residents and businesses will act as its advocates. It should also be used to attract inward investment.
STANDING OUT IN LONDON
RECOMMENDATION 4
The identity should be marketed internally, across London and beyond, and a high profile attraction and investment strategy, highlighting the borough’s cultural, environmental and economic strengths, should be developed to advance it.
STANDING OUT IN LONDON
RECOMMENDATION 5
As with other parts of the city, Waltham Forest has a history of innovation and retains a level of manufacturing capacity unusual for London. It should consider how future investment can build on this heritage to foster a reputation for dynamism in this sector and raise the borough’s profile amongst potential investors.
THE IMPORTANCE OF THE HIGH STREET
RECOMMENDATION 6
The borough should develop a cohesive borough-wide high street strategy, which outlines individual plans for each of Waltham Forest’s four main high streets and consider a bespoke governance structure for each area. This will help to strengthen the borough’s identity.
THE IMPORTANCE OF THE HIGH STREET
RECOMMENDATION 7
The borough should plan for and actively seek high streets which are an appropriate mix of shops, leisure, cultural, social and residential uses, and a mixed economy of independent and national providers.
THE IMPORTANCE OF THE HIGH STREET
RECOMMENDATION 8
The Council should seek to embed the improvements that have already been made to the borough’s public realm and ensure that refurbished high streets continue to be properly maintained. They should also consider what other improvements could be made, for example, provision of free Wi-Fi and improvements to the energy efficiency of high street buildings.
THE IMPORTANCE OF THE HIGH STREET
RECOMMENDATION 9
The Council should investigate innovative models of working with strategic partners, including commercial and social enterprises, to develop the borough’s high streets offer and pioneer future models of high street development and ownership.
THE IMPORTANCE OF THE HIGH STREET
RECOMMENDATION 10
In order to ensure that all partners and investment are co-ordinated around the plans for each high street, we recommend that some form of managing or governance group be considered for each area. This may take a different form in each area and may build on existing arrangements, for example, Business Improvement Districts (BIDs).
THE IMPORTANCE OF THE HIGH STREET
RECOMMENDATION 11
In creating a mixed economy of independent and larger providers on the high street, the Council should assess the role of high quality ‘anchor’ enterprises, incentivising them, where possible, in order to act as a magnet to wider spending and to generate increased footfall.
THE IMPORTANCE OF THE HIGH STREET
RECOMMENDATION 12
The borough should assess what improvements can be made to the evening economy and other convivial spaces, which help generate footfall, spending and improvements to high streets.
THE IMPORTANCE OF THE HIGH STREET
RECOMMENDATION 13
We recommend that the Council looks to lever in an investment pot to support the development of its high street plans.
THE IMPORTANCE OF THE HIGH STREET
RECOMMENDATION 14
Alongside other local authorities, the borough should continue to campaign for local planning powers so that it can prevent negative clustering where it runs counter to the interests of the high street. It should actively lobby to be a ‘pathfinder’ authority.
THE IMPORTANCE OF THE HIGH STREET
RECOMMENDATION 15
The Mayor of London, in reviewing the London Plan, and national government should consider how local planning laws can better support their stated aim of creating thriving high streets.
SKILLS AND JOBS
RECOMMENDATION 16
Local skills providers should work together to ensure that local skills provision matches, as far as possible, current and future job opportunities across London. The Council is best positioned to lead a cross-sector approach and we recommend that they investigate whether a public sector ‘community budget’ might best meet the needs of local people.
SKILLS AND JOBS
RECOMMENDATION 17
A mechanism is needed to secure skills provision that meets local needs and the Council should look at what models have been tried elsewhere.
SKILLS AND JOBS
RECOMMENDATION 18
The Council should try to lever in additional specialised training centres to attract businesses to the borough. It should consider becoming a centre of excellence for training and development in London. This would allow residents to access training opportunities, and also prove attractive to future employers looking for somewhere to base their operations.
SKILLS AND JOBS
RECOMMENDATION 19
The Council needs to work closely with neighbouring authorities on opportunities for jobs growth and training.
TRANSPORT
RECOMMENDATION 20
It is clear that transport is a strength for the borough. The borough should consider how it both builds on and maintains these strengths, and finds new ways to meet the future challenges of a changing and growing population. Given that transport is such a strength, the Council should seek a special relationship with Transport for London (TfL) and other bodies with responsibility for transport infrastructure to maintain its advantageous position.
TRANSPORT
RECOMMENDATION 21
We recommend that key problem routes and transport problem areas within the borough are identified, particularly where these might be an impediment to jobs and training or the connectivity of the four high streets, and consider how these might be best improved.
TRANSPORT
RECOMMENDATION 22
The Council should continue to regularly review the impact its parking policies have on the four main high streets.
TRANSPORT
RECOMMENDATION 23
The Council should actively seek grants for innovation in transport. This could include funding for electric vehicles and working with TfL to secure new Routemasters on the borough’s bus routes.
HOUSING AND LAND USE
RECOMMENDATION 24
In developing the borough’s identity, the Council should recognise the relative affordability of Waltham Forest as a key asset. However, the Council should continue to balance the needs of people moving to the area with those of current residents who may need to access affordable housing as prices continue to rise.
HOUSING AND LAND USE
RECOMMENDATION 25
The Council should maintain its current plans for the level of land safeguarded for industrial and business use. This policy should continue to be reviewed every three to five years to ensure that commercial and industrial activity is able to continue without adversely affecting people’s quality of life and that housing shortages are not impacting on the local economy.
HOUSING AND LAND USE
RECOMMENDATION 26
The Council should consider working with local businesses and neighbouring boroughs already carrying out work to retrofit properties, including those on the high street, so that all local residents are able to make their homes more environmentally sustainable. As part of this the Council should investigate what funding is available for this work.
BUSINESS
RECOMMENDATION 27
The Council’s support package for local businesses is evolving and we recommend that the Council expedite this support and ensure that it is widely understood and regularly monitored so that it meets the needs of the business community. It should consider whether this support is best delivered by the private sector.
BUSINESS
RECOMMENDATION 28
Businesses report a preference for the creation of a Chamber of Commerce, but remain unclear about the gaps in current business support provision. Whilst this change should arguably be private sector-led, the Leader of the Council and the Council’s Chief Executive could usefully assist this process by holding early discussions with the London Chamber of Commerce to investigate a localised offer. |
|
|
Waltham Forest Commission Skills and Jobs Recommendations
WALTHAM FOREST GROWTH COMMISSION 2014
SKILLS AND JOBS RECOMMENDATIONS
8.1 Ensuring that people are equipped with the right skills to enable them to find employment is a national issue. Policy-makers across government are still looking for better and different ways to deliver skills training that meets employers’ needs.
8.2 The evidence presented to the Commission made it clear that Waltham Forest will continue to be a borough where the majority of people living within its boundaries will work elsewhere. This is not necessarily a bad thing, just a fact of life reflective of London’s broader economic and spatial structure. Nor does it mean that existing and new business will not thrive. We will return to the topic of business later in this report.
8.3 What is vital is ensuring that residents have the skills and education to take advantage of current and future job opportunities across London. The capital’s economy is changing rapidly and radically, and we think that more could be done to ensure that residents are equipped to meet the challenges that this poses.
8.4 Whilst Waltham Forest’s GCSE pupils achieved their best ever results in 2013, the Council has recognised that the borough’s schools need to continue to improve. It has embarked upon a school improvement and building programme which aims to put the borough in the top ten education performers in London, whilst becoming a centre of excellence for urban education.
8.5 We are disappointed that so few further education establishments responded to our call for evidence. It would have been useful to hear their views on how they are meeting current challenges and where they see a need for change and reform. Having said this, we believe that further education and skills training are of vital importance to the strengthening of the economy and the fulfilment of residents and businesses aspirations.
8.6 Businesses reported a skills gap in the borough, but struggled to articulate their needs in this area. This is perhaps indicative of national difficulties in finding practical solutions to the question of how to ensure skills provision meets the needs of businesses.
8.7 The Council drew our attention to its investment in the Leyton Skills Construction Centre. This has allowed residents to develop the skills needed not just for employment within the borough, but also within the Olympic Park. The House of Lords Olympic and Paralympic Legacy Committee recently highlighted the opportunities that will exist in the Olympic Park and around its fringe. For example, the iCITY at Hackney was cited. The Committee noted that more needed to be done to ensure that residents in host boroughs were equipped to take advantage of these opportunities.12 12 House of Lords Olympic and Paralympic Legacy Committee, Keeping the Flame Alive (November 2013).
8.8 But this is not the only opportunity for future jobs across London.
8.9 We think that there is a need for an evidence-based approach which maps skills training in the borough to current and future job opportunities across the city. This would help to ensure residents can access good job opportunities and grow the local economy. There may also be a need to try and make accessing information on opportunities that exist more straightforward for people.
8.10 We consider that the Council is best positioned to lead a cross-sector approach to developing skills training. It should play a leadership role in bringing business, education and skills providers together to help map current and future skills provision to meet the skills needs of the wider London economy.
8.11 The borough should consider investigating whether a ‘community budget’, which pools the budgets of all public sector providers, might best support the delivery of skills training.
8.12 The Council might also try to actively attract additional specialised training centres to the borough. Waltham Forest could become known as London’s centre of excellence for training and skills centres. This would allow residents to access training opportunities, but also prove attractive to future employers looking for somewhere to base their operations. Attracting a high profile provider in a growth sector could help boost wider efforts to promote and market the borough as a whole.
SKILLS AND JOBS
RECOMMENDATION 16
Local skills providers should work together to ensure that local skills provision matches, as far as possible, current and future job opportunities across London. The Council is best positioned to lead a cross-sector approach and we recommend that they investigate whether a public sector ‘community budget’ might best meet the needs of local people.
SKILLS AND JOBS
RECOMMENDATION 17
A mechanism is needed to secure skills provision that meets local needs and the Council should look at what models have been tried elsewhere.
SKILLS AND JOBS
RECOMMENDATION 18
The Council should try to lever in additional specialised training centres to attract businesses to the borough. It should consider becoming a centre of excellence for training and development in London. This would allow residents to access training opportunities, but also prove attractive to future employers looking for somewhere to base their operations.
SKILLS AND JOBS
RECOMMENDATION 19
The Council needs to work closely with neighbouring authorities on opportunities for jobs growth and training.
A concerted effort is required by all providers of skills training, working with employers and the Council, to raise skills levels.
Evidence submitted by the Skills Funding Agency “ ” |
|
|
| "The Council should try to lever in additional specialised training centres to attract businesses to the borough. It should consider becoming a centre of excellence for training and development in London." - Recommendation 18 |
| |
 British Chambers of Commerce
2 April 2014
read ...
John Longworth, director-general of the BCC accused the political class of failing young people, in a scathing attack on the education system which has ‘wasted human capital’.: Britain needs politicians ‘to be more economically literate and business orientated’.
‘Education, education, education' – what a meaningless phrase this proved to be, he said.
Accusing some schools, colleges and universities of ‘losing the plot’, Longworth said: ‘Preparing this generation for the British workforce is too important to the economy for us to ignore.’ |
Britain told to prepare for 'real austerity.'
2 April 2014
read ...
Britain is ‘barely off the starting blocks’ in the global race and faces a painful bout of ‘real austerity’ in the years ahead. That was the message from UK plc at the annual meeting of the British Chambers of Commerce in central London yesterday.
Business leaders gathered at the Queen Elizabeth II Conference Centre called for a ‘laser like focus’ on growth driven by exports and investment.
John Longworth, director-general of the BCC, slammed critics of enterprise ‘who do not get it’ and said Britain needs politicians ‘to be more economically literate and business orientated’. He also accused the political class of failing young people, in a scathing attack on the education system which has ‘wasted human capital’.
‘Education, education, education – what a meaningless phrase this proved to be,’ he said.
Accusing some schools, colleges and universities of ‘losing the plot’, Longworth said: ‘Preparing this generation for the British workforce is too important to the economy for us to ignore.’
Karren Brady, vice chairman of West Ham United FC and star of TV show The Apprentice, also raised concerns about how badly prepared many youngsters are for the workforce.
She said one business she visited in her role as small business ambassador for the Government was forced to send young staff on a letter-writing course so they could communicate with clients.
Brady also urged small businesses to take on staff: ‘There are 4.8m small and medium-sized enterprises in the UK. If every one of them hired one person, there would be no more unemployment.’
Addressing the conference, Education Secretary Michael Gove put English and Maths at the top of the agenda as Business Secretary Vince Cable conceded the UK faced ‘big, deep problems’ in terms of training and skills.
Gove said: ‘We need to ensure we eliminate illiteracy and innumeracy in Britain in the same way as developing nations know they need to secure clean drinking water and eliminate malaria if their children are to flourish, and in the same way as our forefathers more than a hundred years ago knew they had to eradicate polio and TB if children were to flourish.’
Longworth accused George Osborne of pulling off ‘a brilliant Houdini-like trick’ in talking tough on austerity but failing to deliver it.
The deficit has fallen from a record £157bn in 2009-10 to £115bn last year but the Chancellor is not expecting to deliver a surplus until 2019. The national debt is on course to top £1.5trillion – or £60,000 per household – in the coming years and will not start shrinking as a percentage of national income until 2016-17.
‘Contrary to popular opinion, we haven’t really seen austerity in the way, for example, it has been applied to many countries around the eurozone,’ said Longworth.
‘The next stage will require more belt tightening, possibly even real austerity in some quarters. Whoever is in government next will face very hard choices.’
Longworth accused successive governments of ducking the big decisions required to improve the country’s rail network, airport capacity and motorways.
‘On investment in infrastructure, the can has been well and truly kicked down the road,’ he said, as he called on businesses to loosen the purse strings.
Turning to the drive to rebalance the economy towards exports, Longworth said: ‘So far the national plan has failed.’
Cable added: ‘If we don’t broaden our horizons, we consign ourselves to the certain fate of becoming a marginal, bit-part player in the global economy.’ The BCC voiced concerns about the impact of the Scottish referendum, an in/out vote on Britain’s membership of the European Union, and anti-business policies proposed by Labour leader Ed Miliband.
‘In our global race to create great, sustainable growth, Britain is barely off the starting blocks,’ said Longworth.
‘It may be obvious to us in this room why great growth is so important. But surprisingly there are many people out there who do not get it, do not subscribe to it, and do not think it is the most important thing for the UK.
‘The simple fact is that it is only through wealth creation that we can afford all of the things we want like education and the NHS. I have said it before and I cannot repeat it enough – achieving sustainable, great growth should be and must be the number one priority of any government, and our political class needs to be more economically literate and business orientated.’ |
|
|
| |
 ‘Diversity deficit’ threatens FTSE 100 companies’ competitiveness
10 February 2014
read ...
Two-thirds of FTSE 100 companies still have an all-white executive leadership, according to research which warns that a “diversity deficit” puts their global competitiveness at risk. The research found that just 10 people from ethnic and cultural minorities hold the top posts of chairman, chief executive or finance director – equivalent to 3.5 per cent of the 289 jobs at that level.
The situation is no better for women in the FTSE 100: they occupy 12, or 4.2 per cent, of the most senior posts.
The findings come from a study by Trevor Phillips, who used to chair the Equalities and Human Rights Commission, and Professor Richard Webber of King’s College London, who developed the Mosaic consumer classification system. |
 Lord Sugar quits Labour Party
11 May 2015
read ...
Lord Sugar said he is quitting the Labour Party after 18 years over its "negative" stance on business.
He said: "In the past year I found myself losing confidence in the party due to their negative business policies and general anti-enterprise concepts they were considering if they were elected. I expressed this to the most senior figures in the party several times.
Lord Sugar served as an "enterprise champion" under Mr Brown's government and was among Labour's most prominent supporters. He is one of the party's largest donors - giving it £163,827 after Ed Miliband became leader in 2010. |
| |
 Thames Water has promised jobs to people living in Waltham Forest after securing permission for a £250m sewage site upgrade
3 March 2015
read ...
Thames Water has promised to hand a life-line to unemployed people in Waltham Forest after being given permission for a £250m project to improve a sewage works site. Enfield Borough Council agreed to the works last week at the 1950’s built Picketts Lock Lane site. |
| |
 Liam Byrne: Business should lead the way in creating a more equal society
3 February 2015
read ...
Business can show us a more practical way forward. Not with the creative tax-planning of Boots boss Stefano Pessina, but with a renaissance in the extraordinary lost tradition of business genius epitomised by George Cadbury, William Lever, John Spedan Lever and Anita Roddick, all of whom set out to change the rules of the game and share the wealth they minted.
George Cadbury created the greatest chocolate firm in the British Empire, and around his firm in Birmingham’s Bournville built a prototype of the welfare state, from technical education to pensions.
William Lever, founder of Unilever, didn’t just match that effort in Port Sunlight, he pioneered profit-sharing — or co-partnership — introduced for more than 1,000 staff in 1909 in an effort to build a “close family brotherhood”. |
| |
England is one of the most unequal countries for children’s reading levels, second in the EU only to Romania.
8 September 2014
read ...
A report has found that poor reading 'could cost UK £32bn in growth by 2025'
Campaign links literacy failings with joblessness, as authors, charities and CBI unite to improve reading standards |
| |
 Ageing population and poor productivity sees UK out of top 10
10 February 2015
read ...
Too many old people and not enough hard workers means the UK's place as one of the world's top economies is in jeopardy, a report by a leading City accountant has warned. The PricewaterhouseCoopers report claims Mexico, Turkey, Nigeria, Vietnam, Colombia, Poland and Malaysia could all overtake the UK in the next 35 years.
The UK is currently tenth of world economies in terms of overall wealth and should remain there until at least 2030 before slipping to 11th place in 2050, the study says - behind Brazil, Mexico and Nigeria.
The PwC report projects the UK's economy will lag behind emerging markets, as its GDP growth rate falls from 2.3 per cent in 2014 to around 1.8 per cent in 2050.
Nigeria, Vietnam and the Philippines have high projected average growth rates of around 4.5-5.5 per cent per year until 2050. Malaysia is also projected to grow at around 4 per cent, which is higher than China's projected average growth rate of around 3.5 per cent.
PwC's chief economist John Hawksworth said: 'Europe needs to up its game if it's not to be left behind by this historic shift of global economic power, which is moving us back to the kind of Asian-led world economy last seen before the Industrial Revolution. |
| |
 Britain ranked 13th most prosperous country in the world ahead of Germany and France
3 November 2014
read ...
Public policy think tank Legatum Institute rated 142 countries in its 2014 Prosperity Index by looking at eight categories, including education, health, personal freedom, safety and security and entrepreneurship. Legatum placed the UK ahead of Germany in 14th place, and of France at 21st, Spain 26th and Italy 37th. Russia was the worst-performing country in Europe, falling seven places to 68th. The UK's ranking was boosted by its high scores for entrepreneurship and philanthropy.
|
 Principles of Prosperity
read ... |
Entrepreneurship & Opportunity
More prosperous societies promote better and more equal access to opportunity
Education
Education is important for prosperity ... because education is important for democracy
Health
There is a proven link between health and economic growth
Safety & Security
Around the world women feel less safe today than at any point in the last eight years
Personal Freedom
Economic freedom can help stimulate demand for other freedoms
Social Capital
Countries that have strong familial bonds, charitable intent and high levels of trust are also the wealthiest |
 World Rankings Map
The Prosperity Index ranks countries according to their performance across eight equally-weighted sub-indexes. The 2014 rankings reveal the most and least prosperous countries in the world.
more ... |
| |
 Bank of England's Mark Carney highlights housing market's risk to UK economy
18 May 2014
read ...
UK housing market has 'deep, deep structural problems', says governor, and there is little the Bank can do
The real problem lay in the shortage of homes – with the UK building half the number of new homes that were being built in his native Canada, despite a much bigger population. Tthere are not sufficient houses built in the UK.
|
 The Guardian, 5th March 2013, reports both Council and the National Construction College blaming the economic downturn for the poor performance of the Leytonstone Skills Academy in providing training to unemployed local people.
mdj says...
1:34pm Tue 5 Mar 13
Construction training is a huge and vital problem with wide economic effects. Unfortunately, it belongs on that long list of problems to which most of us would not think of Waltham Forest Council as being the likely source of a solution. |
| >> The Worknet Debacle << |
| |
 Zero-hours contracts breed mistrust and feelings of insecurity, says Acas
12 May 2014
read ...
Zero-hours workers are afraid to look for work elsewhere, turn down hours, or question their employment rights in case their work is withdrawn or reduced, says Acas chairman Sir Brendan Barber.
Workers on zero-hours contracts are often afraid to look for other jobs and feel excluded from the sense of security given to full-time employees, according to a study.
Acas's chairman, Sir Brendan Barber, said: "Our analysis reveals that many workers on zero-hours contracts experience a deep sense of unfairness and mistrust that go beyond the use of exclusivity clauses.
"A lot of workers on zero-hours contracts are afraid of looking for work elsewhere, turning down hours, or questioning their employment rights in case their work is withdrawn or reduced. |
| |
 Employers to play bigger role in rating skills training
28 April 2014
read ...
Ofsted is asking employers in England to rate the effectiveness of skills training and education providers.
The aim is to "increase employers' engagement in education and training", said Lorna Fitzjohn, of Ofsted.
Employers are asked to rate short in-service training courses in a specific skill, apprenticeships and longer more general courses that give students a grounding in a particular profession or trade before they start work.
It will be on similar lines to Learner View, launched 18 months ago, which allows learners to register their views on the quality and effectiveness of the training they receive.
|
Employer View: a new online tool that enables employers to rate further education and skills providers
28 Apr 2014
read ... |
 Ofsted Learner View
Where learners can give their views
read ... |
| |
 UK construction industry warned of 'timebomb' from health and safety cuts
read ...
Ex-Labour adviser Baroness Donaghy predicts rise in deaths on building sites as inexperienced workers are recruited
A freedom of information request from the construction workers' union, Ucatt, showed a 7% fall in unannounced inspections of construction sites between 2011-12 and 2012-13, though the HSE said the number of inspections had risen in 2013-14 to make up for that dip.
The FoI request also revealed a fall in improvement notices – which are HSE-issued orders to employers to address safety risks – from 1,021 in 2011-12 to just 800 the following year. And the number of employers being prosecuted for safety offences also fell, from 456 to 410.
Steve Murphy, the general secretary of Ucatt, said: "I sincerely believe the construction industry is chaotic. And deaths on sites will tragically rise in the next year."
However Heather Bryant, chief inspector for construction at the HSE, said the organisation was adequately resourced, and that construction was one of its priority areas. |
| |
 3 March 2014 -
Waltham Forest Open for Business |
| Our new Business, Employment and Skills team is making a real difference to our borough |
Letter to WF Principal Employment Training Advisor - 6-3-2014
xxxx xxxxxxx
Principal Employment Training Advisor
London Borough of Waltham Forest
Telephone: 020 8496 6785 / 07791 189419
Dear xxxx xxxxxxx
Thank you for your email. I am sorry you feel that the information received is not relevant to your area of interest. Your name was included because it was, erroneously, assumed you were concerned or involved with Waltham Forest’s education, skills training and business initiatives.
The information is sent to a number of individual people in the UK and Europe, mostly connected in some way with skills training or employment. The information sent includes current education and training initiatives in a number of European countries as well as sources of European funding.
Our motivation is that young adults interested in acquiring one or more work related and language skills stand a better chance of finding suitable employment in the UK or in Europe.
See the Ploteus website: http://ec.europa.eu/ploteus/home_en.htm
Waltham Forest Council’s record in education and skills training is abysmal.
You address has been removed from the list. Please let me know if you receive any further unwanted emails.
I would appreciate it if you would indicate which council department is better placed to make use of this kind of information.
In future a ‘remove’ me from the list will be included. |
|
|
| |
 Youth Participation in Democratic Life
LSE Final Report, February 2013
read
There is a clear lack of opportunity and political inclusion amongst some young people who are systemically excluded (through poverty, unemployment, linguistic, ethnic or social integration, etc.).
"young people do not believe that politicians sufficiently address their concerns. This could be improved either by political parties making an effort to take youth concerns more seriously, or through the direct elections of young people representatives which would force a campaign on youth-relevant issues." |
| |
 Council leadership claims a new unit has significantly increased employment
19th February 2014
read ...
The town hall leadership has hailed a new unit set up last year to tackle the problem by increasing co-operation between businesses and job centres.
Council figures show the employment rate in the borough is currently 66.4 per cent.
London’s average is 68.1 per cent and the national average is 70.4 per cent.
Councillor Mark Rusling, cabinet member for economic development and corporate resources, said: “That puts us among the top 10 performing boroughs in London on overall falls in unemployment during the period March to December 2013 and I think that has a lot to do with the hard work we have been undertaking.
“Now our business, employment and skills unit is up and running and making an impact, I am sure there are plenty more opportunities out there to maximise the chances for our residents to find work.”
However, this claim was attacked by the Conservative opposition and Liberal Democrats, who say the coalition government’s economic strategy is responsible for the fall in joblessness. |
| |
May 2002 - Collapse of trans-national EU project which was meant to regenerate small businesses in the south of the borough.
THE borough's head of planning and development, Bob Bennett, has been sacked by the council, following the Le Cheile debacle in which £123,000 of European grant money went unaccounted for. Shaukat Khan, the project leader on the Le Cheile scheme until it folded in July 2000, has previous convictions for theft and forgery and spent six months in prison in the early 1990s. Khan, who was appointed even though his conviction was not spent, denies misappropriating any of the money. more ... |
The Le Cheile debacle
 Le Cheile debacle
read ...
Bennett, a former chairman of the Association of London Boroughs Planning Officers, was suspended along with two unnamed "senior" officers following alleged failures in the management of two European-funded regeneration projects. An extraordinary panel meeting of five council members last week recommended to the council cabinet that Bennett should be dismissed.Cabinet members were due to consider the recommendation as Planning went to press.
The allegations centre on two projects - a trans-national project called Le Cheile and an Objective 2 regeneration project.The Le Cheile project, locally known as the "Business into Community" scheme, is a European programme linking Waltham Forest with Dublin, Madrid, Rome and Vila Nova De Gaia in Portugal which aims to help minority groups establish small businesses.
It is alleged that checks made on payments involving the Objective 2 project were inadequate. |
 Clyde Loakes and Stella Creasy
read ...
During Loake’s rule Waltham Forest Council was a recipient of Labour Government largesse in the form of Local Renewal Fund/Better Neighbourhoods Initiative money that was meant to help the lives of people in some of the most deprived areas of the country of which Waltham Forest is one.
However, as early as 2004 concerns were raised about how the Council was handling the multi-million pound sum. Now, Creasy was no longer on the Council when the scandal started breaking in 2008, but she was firmly embedded within the Loakes regime from 2002 to 2006.
Here is a contemporary report from the Waltham Forest Guardian (1 December 2008). This is a quote from it:
The files show no contracts were in place and the expenditure was not monitored or audited.
Some of Cllr Loakes Labour Party colleagues in Leyton and Wanstead are so concerned about the BNI/NRF fiasco that they have passed a strongly worded resolution calling for misused money to be paid back by the council.”
Eventually fraud was acknowledged to have occurred alongside other massive waste and mis-management as this blog reported on earlier, here.
Well, Loakes ‘stepped down’ as leader in 2009, remaining as an ordinary councillor and subsequently lost when selected to fight the Northampton South seat for Labour during the 2010 election. A whole series of Council officials got pushed out. The new regime, led by Chris Robbins got in auditors from Croydon Council (assisted by Deloitte) to do a [WHITE WASH] audit report on the scandal and the whole thing became submerged in council sub-committees. Same thing happened over the O-Regen (Orient Regeneration) ‘scheme’ which saw a whole lot of money going ‘missing’ and no jobs created. The police were called in but the fraud probe was dropped on a ‘technicality’.
Anyone with a nose could smell the stink coming from Waltham Forest Council, presumably our new MP could smell it also – despite the fact that she had gone off to work for the Scouts after leaving the council in 2006.
So why have you remained silent on this issue, Stella? Just what do you know? I think we should be told. |
| |
| |
|
|
| |
 Waltham Forest Council yet to produce evidence that anti-fraud rules were followed when 420k given to organisation representing private businesses
31st January 2014
read ...
Hundreds of thousands of pounds of public money was given to an organisation representing private businesses in Waltham Forest by the council without a formal agreement on how the money should be spent or monitored, evidence suggests.
Data released under the Freedom of Information Act shows the council gave Waltham ForestBusiness Board (WFBB), set up to promote commerce in one of London’s smallest economies, £421,000 between 2009 and 2012.
A large portion of the money was given to the E11 Bid Company, which was established tosupport businesses in Leytonstone and is now the subject of a police fraud investigation.
E11 Bid’s managing director, Fawaad Sheikh, was a director of WFBB’s operating arm, Waltham Forest Business CIC, at the time the payment of £150,000 was made.
The council has so far provided no evidence that required checks were carried out before the money was handed over. [comment] |
WFBB chairman Michael Polledri said he is happy to stand by the organisation's record
 31st January 2014
read ...
Hundreds of thousands of pounds of public money was given to an organisation representing private businesses in Waltham Forest by the council without a formal agreement on how the money should be spent or monitored, evidence suggests.
Data released under the Freedom of Information Act shows the council gave Waltham Forest Business Board (WFBB), set up to promote commerce in one of London’s smallest economies, £421,000 between 2009 and 2012.
A large portion of the money was given to the E11 Bid Company, which was established to support businesses in Leytonstone and is now the subject of a police fraud investigation.
E11 Bid’s managing director, Fawaad Sheikh, was a director of WFBB’s operating arm, Waltham Forest Business CIC, at the time the payment of £150,000 was made.
The council has so far provided no evidence that required checks were carried out before the money was handed over.
It has also not explained why WFBB, which is not accountable to the public, was used to distribute the grant when the authority gave E11 Bid large amounts of money directly on other occasions.
The council has so far provided no evidence that a formal arrangement was in place on how the money should be spent and whether outcomes were monitored, as required by law.
The payment to WFBB raises further serious questions about Waltham Forest Council’s handling of taxpayers’ money following previous long-term mismanagement.
WFBB insist E11 Bid’s application for funding was assessed by the council.
But the authority, which was responsible for assessing E11 Bid’s annual accounts, has not explained why the application was approved despite audits in 2010 and 2011 showing financial turmoil, with chaotic accounts and staff not registered with Her Majesty’s Revenue and Customs.
Deputy council leader Clyde Loakes was a director of E11 Bid between November 2010 and August 2011.
The authority said the money was allocated in accordance with government requirements.
A council spokeswoman said: “The £400,000 paid to the WFBB was a non-ring fenced grant, the Local Authority Business Growth Incentive, released by the previous government to help councils promote business growth locally.
“It was given to councils on a discretionary basis for them to utilise in accordance with business needs in their respective areas.
“This was therefore under grant conditions, as applied by the government to the council, and not technically a contract.”
The authority also said payments and project outcomes were monitored through progress reports submitted by the WFBB.
However the council has refused to provide the Guardian with this information as a Freedom of Information Act disclosure is pending.
Michael Polledri MBE, chairman of the WFBB, said the expenditure was audited in full by Barnes Rolfe, with a full monitoring process from the local authority.
He said the money was divided between business improvement districts and various activities in the borough, such as shop front improvement grants and an appeal against business rates.
“As a business board we are held up as an exemplar throughout the country of good practice arrangements between the local authority and the private sector and I’m happy to stand on our record,” he added.
Nick Tiratsoo, whose research has uncovered failings in the management of public funds by Waltham Forest Council, said: "Once again Waltham Forest Council is found to be passing round public money without proper controls, this time to the unelected and unaccountable ‘representatives’ of the business lobby.
"That a large portion of these funds apparently then ended up with the crisis-riven E11 BID Co. only goes to show what happens when normal procedures to ensure probity are ignored." |
|
|
Comments !
Comments
31 Jan 14
cynicalsue says...
The evidence is most probably in the asbestos-ridden basement with all the other we-don't-want-the-pu
blic-to-see documents.
31 Jan 14
Villagecranberry says...
When will the police be called or is it just accept that it was Trebles all round?
Another Labour farce with public finances.
Remember folks, vote them back next time round.
6:33pm Fri 31 Jan 14
mdj says...
'The £400,000 paid to the WFBB was a non-ring fenced grant....'
...so it's OK if we just throw it out of the window.
And even this isn't a true statement of facts. All spending must be accounted for.
Only in the public sector would someone on £100,000 a year think this was a remotely adequate explanation. How do they get away with it?
One of the many shocking things about this affair is that it takes a lone private citizen, the heroic Nick Tiratsoo, to unearth this sleaze, when our salaried opposition councillors say absolutely nothing.
As for the officials, there's no hope to be had there. The five who left in a hurry when the £11 million BNI scandal hit the fan - again, solely thanks to Nick Tiratsoo - soon surfaced in other boroughs on £100,000 a year. Freemasonry? Common Purpose? Who knows what gives these people impunity?
31 Jan 14
Techno3 says...
Can we please just be clear: the organisation in question does not 'represent private businesses.' There are people who may claim it does that that but there are many hundreds of local businesses who have nothing whatsoever to do with those people.
31 Jan 14
NTiratsoo says...
So, if the local paper is to be believed, the unelected and unaccountable Michael Polledri MBE was given public money to pay for 'an appeal against business rates'.
Quite extraordinary.
31 Jan 14
Love your high street says...
Can I say 'a hugh' thanks to Nick Tiratsoo for reveling the Council and the WBB'S business deal.
May I ask where all this money been spent? I can't see any of it in Leytonstone. Well, I am still waiting for the Olympics works to be completed in the Leytonstone High Street and the works on Kirkdale Road with the junction of Leytonstone High Street to be changed to two-way. Is this ever going to happen? The dirty pavement needs to be cleaned or will it be left dirty? Dirty streets - an Olympic legacy?
31 Jan 14
Love your high street says...
So will the Directors of the E11BID Co. ever pay the taxes due to the inland revenue or will they not? Is there any consequences for not paying taxes for a councillor Director? What are the consequences for deducting taxes from an employee whilst not registered? Is there any answer or will the tax man need to be involved? What are the political parties stance on this? Another Geoff Hammond? Vote Labour!
31 Jan 14
livedheretoolong says...
The funny thing is that we never hear about any of these stories in the Council's own 'newspaper' WFN.
It's about time we had a Dispatches or Panorama investigation, preferably just before the May election.
31 Jan 14
Love your high street says...
There's some money to be saved!
31 Jan 14
Villagecranberry says...
One thing for sure, whenever any scandal like this, Al 1976 goes 'all quiet over there, all goes quiet over there, all goes quiet, all goes quiet, all goes quiet over there!'. Just saying.
1 Feb 14
Alan_1976 says...
Sorry to not be able to feed your bizarre obsession with me. Had other more enjoyable things to do on a Friday night.
Everything that needs to be said about this corrupt council has been said above.
You are a very sad individual. Just saying
1 Feb 14
Alan_1976 says...
There is stuff to read in that thing? I thought it was merely supplied as free firelighters
1 Feb 14
myopinioncounts says...
From Cllr Clare Coghill's newsletter -"St James Street Big Local -
Following the council securing £1million for the St James Street area, RESIDENTS HAVE TAKEN CONTROL OF THE FUND (my capitals) and great strides are starting to be made in getting a sense of people want to see happen in the area."
Considering a prominent Councillor (allegedly) owns a lot property in the area how much influence and control of the money do other residents have?
1 Feb 14
Villagecranberry says...
And there we have it.
1 Feb 14
Love your high street says...
Remember Geoff Hammond?
1 Feb 14
mdj says...
Something strange has happened on the Web: references to the North London Business Board, chaired by a former director of the e11BID Gary Ince, and housed at the heart of Mr Polledri's property empire, have disappeared.
When Mr Ince performed his brief resignation over the Leyton Market fiasco
(LEYTON: Co-organiser of 'disastrous' Olympics market resigns ...
www.guardian-series.co.uk/.../9865492.LE
...
Waltham Forest GuardianAug 9, 2012)
it was also found that NLB, a company supposedly co-funded by this and other councils to promote business activity, had not filed accounts for several years. So where did the Council''s money go?
Mr Ince, who was revealed to have a glaring conflict of interest over the Market of which the Council, who partly paid his salary, seemed to be unaware (and uninterested) is now portrayed, in rehashed pages very similar to the old ones, as Chair of North London Ltd.
What is going on?
A shredding process ahead of litigation from the market traders, who saw over £300k of their money disappear when SkateCo rushed into liquidation, possibly?
Given his usual eagerness to be in the public eye, Mr Loakes' shyness in coming forward to explain his role as director when the BID was losing its wheels is a little baffling.
Perhaps his colleague Mrs Pye, who was also a director, could help explain?
But since they were the lead Councillors who presided over the disappearance of £11 million of BNI money for which they have still not accounted, perhaps we shouldn't hold our breath.
1 Feb 14
Don't Give Up says...
Apart from what appears to be total incompetence of the council hierarchy in allowing the money to be used, lost or flushed away without proper records, why has this not been previously investigated by any of the various Scrutiny Committees?
This money should have been spent on encouraging people to shop locally to help businesses by way of keeping public toilets open and longer free parking time.
2 Feb 14
NTiratsoo says...
Councillors Gray and Loakes’ involvement is an interesting one, because according to Companies House and other records, they were directors of the E11 BID Co. at a time when the company posted its accounts late; failed to keep its accounts in an orderly manner; deducted tax and national insurance from employee’s wages but did not hand such monies over to HMRC; and traded with another company when it had been struck off. That’s quite a litany and needs explaining.
As a separate observation, it is deeply amusing that those who claim to be hard nosed businessmen, and so eminent as to represent their peers in relations with the Council, turn out – as this case shows - to have been presiding over an outfit which is almost a case study in how NOT to run a business.
2 Feb 14
mdj says...
At the E11BID open meeting last autumn in Leytonstone Library, the public could attend but not speak.
This was on the grounds that they were not stakeholders in the company. Given that we now know it had swallowed £400k of our money, that could have been questioned!.
The meeting was chaired by Mr Polledri, who described himself as an 'independent local businessman'.
How this role as honest broker came about was not explained.
It might seem a little startling in light of his massive business interests in the borough, which inevitably involve close association with Council officials over planning and regeneration, and his own involvement with the Borough's other BID on the Argall estate.
The close intertwining of quangos, business boards and Lea Valley Estates' own entities seem to have created a world in which poachers and gamekeepers sit so often at the same table that it is hard to tell one from the other.
2 Feb 14
Don't Give Up says...
The two latest comments surely justifies an independent investigation into the whole matter. Maybe with the involvement of Eric Pickles it would be beneficial for all concerned.
2 Feb 14
Stevo98 says...
"May I ask where all this money been spent? I can't see any of it in Leytonstone. Well, I am still waiting for the Olympics works to be completed in the Leytonstone High Street "
Yeah, what happened to that? They were going to tidy up the southern part of the high road near the overground station, when's that happening? Looks rubbish down there. |
|
|
| |
Michael Polledri, Chairman of the lead developer Lee Valley Estates
was honoured with an MBE for services to enterprise and regeneration in 2010. He said: "Lee Valley Estates are proud to have played a part in helping the young adults with their achievement. read ... |
| |
Feb 2011: Council admit poor fund fraud took place
The council is yet to reveal when the evidence emerged and what action was taken.
PriceWaterhousCoopers (PwC) investigators in 2008 found the BNI in complete disarray, despite warnings about council spending in poor areas being made as early as 2004 -[comment]
read ... 29 Nov 10
read ... 17 Feb 11 |
Latest statement raises the possibility of further criminal, investigations.
WALTHAM FOREST: Council admit poor fund fraud took place
17th February 2011
read ...
FRAUD occurred in the handling of money intended for Waltham Forest’s poorest areas, the council has admitted for the first time.
A report published in November last year into the authority’s response to the scandal over Better Neighbourhood Initiative spending found no evidence that lessons had been learned after the mismanagement of millions of pounds was uncovered.
Speaking at a recent meeting of councillors where the report was considered, the Town Hall’s chief auditor said: “It was recognised that fraud and waste of monies had occurred in this case.”
Previous enquiries into the fiasco have said that, while there was widespread evidence of waste and failure to follow rules, there was no evidence of fraud.
But the latest statement raises the possibility of further, possible criminal, investigations.
The council is yet to reveal when the evidence emerged and what action was taken.
The November report reviewed two previous investigations into BNI spending and concluded that the widespread financial chaos could happen again because concerns had not been "communicated throughout the council".
This is despite at least ten previous investigations into the problems, with a cost to the taxpayer of up to £200,000.
PriceWaterhousCoopers (PwC) investigators in 2008 found the BNI in complete disarray, despite warnings about council spending in poor areas being made as early as 2004.
It found half of project files did not contain a signed contract and all projects in 2007/08 had not been approved by council lawyers.
There was no evidence that a tendering process had been carried out in several cases.
Missing file data meant PwC was unable to check money paid against the council’s own logging system. Only eight per cent of files were found to have complete budget details.
The findings resulted in 14 council officers being interviewed to establish what went wrong.
The probe found the team responsible for managing the project did not understand council contract rules.
It also emerged that there was also no formal procedure for allocating BNI grants and ensuring those involved declared a potential conflict of interest.
Butlers Management Consultancy (BMC) was drafted in October 2009 to try to trace BNI spending.
Although the investigation found widespread weaknesses, the report has never been formally approved.
BMC found £125,000 was spent on projects relating to the 2012 Olympics, but it remains unclear whether this came from a separate budget or BNI funds in error.
On a small number of occasions negative amounts were entered into the council’s log. No reason for this was established.
The report did not recommend any disciplinary action or further investigation. |
|
|
Comments !
Comments
4:59pm Thu 17 Feb 11
KWyatt-Lown says...
What a double disgrace. Not only that the grossly negligent Councillors responsible for the management of this travesty of justice should still be in charge of the Borough; but that they betrayed the trust and ignored the needs of the most vulnerable members of our community. Shame on them for daring to call themselves Socialists.
5:46pm Thu 17 Feb 11
KWyatt-Lown wrote:
Bentley driving Socialists. Keir Hardie would be so proud.
Security word: wave-make.
Not waving, but drowning in a sea of corruption!
8:48pm Thu 17 Feb 11
mdj says...
No comments yet from Cllr Loakes, or Cllr Pye, the two representatives officially in charge of this programme? They must have seen this finding a long time before the rest of us - if it came as a surprise.
Does 'missing file data' mean that information was not recorded, or more sinisterly, that somebody deleted it? How many people would have had that ability?
9:36pm Thu 17 Feb 11
NT says...
17 February 2011
Dear Mr. Esom,
The NRF/BNI programme and fraud
At the most recent Audit and Governance Committee meeting, no less than the LBWF Head of Audit, Fraud and Risk advised unambiguously that the NRF/BNI programme in the borough had been marked by fraud ('it was recognised that fraud and waste of monies had occurred in this case, which was clearly unacceptable').
As you will know, over the past few years, senior officers and councillors have commented a number of times in public on the shortcomings of the NRF/BNI programme, and have admitted to mismanagement and misuse of resources. However, they have also always insisted that no evidence of fraud has been uncovered.
Thus, the Head of Audit, Fraud and Risk's forthright assessment is a wholly novel and striking departure.
Please will you forward me details of exactly when LBWF became aware of the fraud in the NRF/BNI programme, how this new awareness arose, and what action (if any) you have taken to prosecute miscreants and/or recover assets?
Yours faithfully,
Nick Tiratsoo
6:59am Fri 18 Feb 11
Walthamster says...
Congratulations to Nick Tiratsoo for uncovering this fraud, through hard work over a long period of time, and to the WF Guardian for publishing it.
Meanwhile the councillors and council officers who allowed this to happen remain well paid and never face any penalties.
Will we at last see some prosecutions?
8:01am Fri 18 Feb 11
Sam Hain says...
And how long has it taken to prise this information out of a reluctant and intransigent council? Anyone harbouring any frail hopes that we might be living in a mature and open democracy must surely have been disabused by this revelation. The rest of we old sceptics and cynics have, sadly, been proved all too right.
9:51am Fri 18 Feb 11
UKIP-local says...
Waltham Forest council may have been warned about irregularities since 2004, but that is a mere flash of time compared with the 16 years since the EU accounts were signed off by auditors.
At a presentation to Chartered Accountants, the UK member of the audit committee of the EU was relaxed about 25% irregularities on their overseas budgets and as much as 6% on internal administration spending.
The councillors should be held accountable but so should staff and anyone else involved. I do not believe this could have happened without a number of knowing accomplices.
As we have seen over MP expenses fraud, very few get charged and the rest gets buried and forgotten - except by us.
10:05am Fri 18 Feb 11
Morris Hickey says...
UKIP-local wrote:
Waltham Forest council may have been warned about irregularities since 2004, but that is a mere flash of time compared with the 16 years since the EU accounts were signed off by auditors. At a presentation to Chartered Accountants, the UK member of the audit committee of the EU was relaxed about 25% irregularities on their overseas budgets and as much as 6% on internal administration spending. The councillors should be held accountable but so should staff and anyone else involved. I do not believe this could have happened without a number of knowing accomplices. As we have seen over MP expenses fraud, very few get charged and the rest gets buried and forgotten - except by us.
The self-righteous Andrew Smith pipes up again. Perhaps he'll tell us what Farage is doing about the EU accounts.
12:09pm Fri 18 Feb 11
Sigi from Walthamstow says...
Can individuals get the police involved to investigate?
For instance via crimestoppers?
This was fraud on a massive scale.
And it hits the poorest people the hardest.
The government asks us to report benefit fraud.
So we are surely expected to report fraud within a council.
And we can expect it to be investigated and people responsible for this to be fined / punished. |
|
|
| |
 SME's missing out on billions of euros in bank loans
January 2014
read ...
It is a source of frustration all too familiar to cultural and creative businesses across Europe. They painstakingly craft a solid business plan, but when they go to their bank and ask for a loan to turn their brilliant entrepreneurial idea into a profitable venture, all but the biggest enterprises usually find the door firmly shut. A new study published by the European Commission finds that a mismatch in supply and demand in the loans market means creative businesses are missing out on billions of euros in credit. In the next seven years, the financing gap could reach up to €13.4 billion, the study warns.
|
| |
Promo2u, based in Chingford, East London, has won the prestigious Mayor’s Award for Best Small Business Apprentice Employer
11 October 2013
The company was nominated for the award by the Federation of Small Businesses |
Poll Tax On Business! – WFBB demand a review
8 January 2014
David Cowell, Director of Waltham Forest Business CIC last week joined the Federation of Small Businesses (FSB) for lunch with the Mayor of London at City Hall. The Mayor was interested to hear directly from businesses on the challenges facing SME’s. |
Promo2u Wins Prestigious Apprentice Award
October 11th, 2013
read ...
Promo2u, based in Chingford, East London, has won the prestigious Mayor’s Award for Best Small Business Apprentice Employer.
The company was nominated for the award by the Federation of Small Businesses. After picking up work for the Olympics in 2012, the management team at Promo2u re-invested the profits to employ and train an apprentice to grow its business.
Collecting the award last Thursday at City Hall, David Cowell, Managing Director said, “I am very proud to receive this recognition and think it is a good reflection of what businesses can do to assist our economy. We plan to continue growing our business by introducing more apprentices and would encourage other businesses to consider giving an opportunity to the young and talented people leaving our education system.” David took Waleed Ali onto the stage to collect the award to acknowledge that without a willing apprentice their program would not be a success. Waleed Ali said “I am enjoying my role and can see the potential for me to progress is without limits at Promo2u.”
Promo2u is a small family owned company based in North Chingford, East London with a print industry background founded in 2000. They supply branded promotional products for marketing professionals and business owners. Their knowledge, expertise, and creativity have allowed them to put together their own range of promotional products that deliver marketing messages and brand with lasting impact. Knowing which products communicate messages best, how to brand them and where to source them both ethically and sustainably is their forte. The company has in-depth experience at supplying the needs of large and small organisations which has been developed over decades. The company’s range has been selected from the tens of thousands of gifts available and is constantly refined looking for innovative ways to get businesses noticed.
In the last 12 months Promo2u has:
- Increased turnover by 168%
- Increased profitability
- Invested in their Offices in North Chingford, London E4 and furnished them with state of the art equipment/PC’s
- Invested in their online systems and web services to offer fully automated punch out ordering systems
- Introduced a Growth Through Apprentice Scheme
For further information contact: Managing Director, David Cowell on
07879 475896 or at david.cowell@promo2u.com |
|
|
Poll Tax On Business! – WFBB demand a review
8 January 2014
read ...
David Cowell, Director of Waltham Forest Business CIC last week joined the Federation of Small Businesses (FSB) for lunch with the Mayor of London at City Hall. The Mayor was interested to hear directly from businesses on the challenges facing SME’s. The topics discussed were apprenticeships, business rates, access to finance (including crowd funding), business confidence, parking, policing, and employment laws.
Examples were given of businesses closing down as their leases were due for renewal, it was recognised that uncertainty of the current rate relief program was contributing to this. Additional examples of businesses putting up with small premises and outsourcing jobs outside the UK to avoid increases in this taxation, dubbed at the meeting a poll tax on businesses.
David also thanked the Mayor for the recent increase in polica officers in Waltham Forest and the positive contribution the money from the outer London Fund has made. The meeting ran over as the Mayor showed a great interest in discussions. David Cowell commented “ It is clear that the Business Rates System is in need of a major review, Waltham Forest Business Board will work with the FSB and other alliance partners to lobby for changes that benefit out local businesses. |
|
|
| |
 1 January 2014 - Labour MP Keith Vaz and fellow member of the Home Affairs Select Committee, Tory Mark Reckless welcomed the 7.40am flight from Tirgu Mures to greet new arrivals from Romania
|
The UK will be in a position to overtake Germany as Europe's largest economy, according to the British Chambers of Commerce and the Centre for Economic and Business Research. |
Employers advertise to recruit 5,000 in Romania
1 January 2014
read ...
The Labour politician even bought some a cup of coffee as he waited in the arrivals hall at Luton Airport this morning.
On board the flight from Tirgu Mures in central Romania was Victor Spiresau, who has come to the UK to work in a London car wash so he can send the cash he earns back to his family.
'I don't come to rob your country. I come to work and then go home,' he said.
'Here you pay a lot, in Romania it's very cheap'.
The 30-year-old, who said he earned 10 euros a day working in construction at home, said he hoped to make 10 euros an hour here.
'I don't want to stay here. I want to renovate my home and to make a good life in Romania because it's much easier to live in Romania because it's not expensive,' he added.
Mr Spiresau, who has left his wife at home in their small village, added: 'She hopes to see me with a lot of money.'
After speaking to reporters the Romanian was invited to join Mr Vaz for a coffee where the MP asked him what he planned to do in this country.
'We've seen no evidence of people who have rushed out and bought tickets in order to arrive because it's the 1st of January,' Mr Vaz said.
'We'd be surprised if they did so, this is after all only a snapshot'.
The Labour MP for Leicester East added: 'There are already 141,000 Romanians and Bulgarians living in the UK.
'The concern of the committee has always been the lack of robust estimates of people coming here and we still feel very strongly the Government ought to have asked the Migration Advisory Committee to have conducted a piece of research which would have told us the number of people who were came into this country or were coming into this country.
'We think that would have been extremely helpful. The fact that we don't have those estimates means that we have this kind of drama at the end, which is not helpful to anybody.'
Also on the flight was Silviu Todea, who was returning to London after visiting Romania over the holidays.
He said he believed the majority of his compatriots would want to work.
Mr Todea, 27, who has a job in marketing in the capital, said: 'Everyone has their own opinions especially with their past experiences with other nations, but I think it won't be so bad.'
It came as it emerged British companies are already turning to Romanians to work for them as chefs, care workers, midwives, doctors and even lapdancers as restrictions on the UK labour market were lifted today.
UK employers are advertising nearly 5,000 positions on Tjobs.ro this morning, a Romanian recruitment website which claims to help 160,000 from the country find work in Western Europe.
Many say the low-skilled jobs in this country will provide them with ‘cash daily’ and others claiming knowledge of English is ‘not necessary’.
Some 4,896 jobs were advertised today as being available in England, along with 80 in Northern Ireland, 24 in Scotland and 20 in Wales.
Among them are 50 nursing positions in southern England, 100 private hire taxi drivers, 10 GPs in Liverpool, 100 warehouse metallurgists and 20 carpenters in London.
Other roles include chefs, carers for the elderly, secretaries, au pairs, butchers and warehouse workers.
Workers from Romania and Bulgaria will be able to work freely in the UK from today after temporary labour restrictions were lifted under EU treaty rules.
In the past year more than 60,000 British jobs have been advertised in Romania, as well as weekly job fairs.
But Raluca Stefanescu, of Tjobs, said that a major influx was unlikely because many of the Romanians who wanted to move to the UK were already here.
'Most of the Romanians (who travel to the UK) choose to leave the country for economic reasons and according to our statistics more than 80 per cent are planning to work abroad for a few years, save money and came back to buy a small house and maybe start a small business,' she told The Times.
Laszlo Andor, the European Commissioner for Employment, said the UK was unlikely to experience a large surge in immigration from the two countries because many Bulgarians and Romanians have already been able to settle in other EU countries.
Eight other countries imposed similar curbs, which are being lifted at the same time - Austria, Belgium, France, Germany, Luxembourg, Malta, Spain and The Netherlands.
As of today, Austria had 245 jobs advertised on Tjobs.ro, Belgium 25, France 591, Germany 2,055, Luxembourg 50, Malta 95, Spain 130 and The Netherlands 214.
As fears continue to grow over the number of new migrants who are expected in the UK, a Romanian official spoke of his concern over the ‘invasion of people’ who will travel to Western Europe.
Daniel Teau, the president of the Federation of Romanian associations in Europe, said: ‘According to our estimations, based on the number of Romanians who have left the country during 2007 to 2012, around 30,000 to 50,000 will leave the country every month to travel to Western Europe from January.
'The invasion of people who will take advantage of the benefits system in those counties is imminent.
‘I’m warning the Romanian authorities to take the necessary measures to prevent the imminent exodus of Roma people into Northern Europe.
‘We ask the Romanian government to send police officers to these countries to prevent the crimes of the Roma gangs who are already in these countries, or those who will travel there.’
|
|
|
UK could be Europe's 'largest' economy by 2030
26 December 2013
read ...
UK could be Europe's 'largest' economy by 2030
The CEBR says that the UK's "relatively low tax" would aid growth
The UK will be in a position to overtake Germany as Europe's largest economy, according to the think tank the Centre for Economic and Business Research (CEBR).
The CEBR predicts that Germany will lose its current top spot in Europe by 2030.
It cites the UK's population growth as an aid to economic acceleration.
The report echoes the recent confidence of other business groups such as the British Chambers of Commerce (BCC).
Earlier this month, the BCC said that the UK economy would surpass its pre-recession peak in 2014.
In its annual World Economic League Table, where it ranks the ups and downs of global economies, and forecasts their future position, the CEBR said in addition that China will overtake the US in 2028, which is later than some analysts have suggested.
The UK will overall perform second best of all advanced economies, the CEBR said.
Yet, this performance will still lag behind growth in emerging countries such India and Brazil.
The CEBR in its report added that in addition to the UK's population growth boosting economic expansion, that "lesser dependence on other European economies" would also aid progress, as well as "relatively low taxes by European standards."
However, as far as Germany, the group said that should the euro "break up", that "Germany's outlook would be much better."
As for France, the CEBR said it will be one of the "worst performing" of the Western economies, and will be overtaken by the UK by 2018. This is because of slow growth due to "high taxation" in addition to the general issues of eurozone economies.
|
|
|
| |
 Shadow immigration minister lambasts government as Britain opens its borders to Bulgarian and Romanian workers.
The government has failed to introduce measures to protect the rights of low-skilled British workers whose jobs may be threatened by new migrants from eastern Europe, a Labour shadow minister has claimed. |
British workers left unprotected says Labour as immigration row deepens
1 January 2014
read ...
Shadow immigration minister lambasts government as Britain opens its borders to Bulgarian and Romanian workers
The government has failed to introduce measures to protect the rights of low-skilled British workers whose jobs may be threatened by new migrants from eastern Europe, a Labour shadow minister has claimed.
As Britain opened its borders to Bulgarian and Romanian workers on New Year's Day, David Hanson, the shadow immigration minister, said the government has ignored calls to strengthen existing legislation that could stop employers from undercutting British employees' wages by recruiting from overseas.
His comments came as the first Romanians and Bulgarians with unrestricted access to the UK labour market began to arrive amid a deepening political row.
All political parties are aware that the possibility of high numbers of new migrants has become an issue, fuelled by unproven claims that the new arrivals could lead to a rise in crime and social problems.
Romanians landing at Luton airport on Wednesday were greeted by the home affairs select committee chairman, Keith Vaz, who said they provided just a "snapshot" of those expected to come to the country over the coming months.
The 180-seat aircraft from Târgu Mureș, Romania, had only 140 passengers on board, he said, most of whom already live and work in the UK.
"Just on the conversations we've had with people who have come here, a lot of them are returning people, they already work in Britain and they're coming back after a holiday so they're not people coming here for the first time," Vaz said.
"We've seen no evidence of people who have rushed out and bought tickets in order to arrive because it's 1 January.
"We'd be surprised if they did so, this is after all only a snapshot. But we do need to resolve this issue in the future, and it's an issue for the whole of the EU to resolve so we don't get these kinds of dramas at the end."
Hanson, interviewed on BBC Radio 5 Live on Wednesday, said the government had failed to introduce a series of measures to slow the recruitment of low-skilled workers from eastern Europe.
"We have been arguing for the past year that [the government] should be looking at other measures such as enforcement of the minimum wage, such as extending gangmaster legislation to areas such as catering and tourism, and particularly focusing on recruitment agencies which are recruiting solely from eastern Europe. Those are other measures we could be doing to focus on low-skilled immigration," he said.
Hanson also claimed that some of the rhetoric employed by Tory politicians had turned the issue of migration controls into a frenzy: "These controls have been lifted across the whole of Europe. We should not have a frenzy, we should have a calm, measured approach," he said.
Romanian representative Roxana Carare, an honorary consul in Britain, said the number of people travelling to the UK would not change, but added that there was demand for Romanian and Bulgarian labour.
"The numbers haven't changed because people have been able to travel since 2007," she said. "But I hear that people are being recruited, so they are coming in response to the demand for work. Romanians are being recruited by work agencies from everywhere in Europe, not just UK agencies.
"It's down to the employer to decide who they are going to offer a job to, but if agencies are going to recruit workers from Romania then there is a reason for that."
Speaking to the BBC, Carare added that countries that offer employment training would prove the most attractive to Romanian migrants.
"For labourers, and other skilled workers, countries that they can relate to, from a cultural and linguistic point of view, [will be the most attractive]. Britain is not top of the list because this is Anglo-Saxon country and Romania is a Latin country. People are more likely to go to Italy, Spain and other Latin countries."
The Guardian disclosed on Tuesday that MPs on the all-parliamentary party group on Gypsies, Travellers and Roma have expressed alarm about provocative language, as a prominent Tory council leader in suggested some Roma were planning to come to the UK to "pickpocket and aggressively beg" following the end of labour market controls on the two countries.
Ahead of the lifting of the restrictions, Philippa Roe of Westminster city council blamed Roma in central London for already causing "a massive amount of disruption and low-level crime", including defecating on doorsteps. Speaking to the BBC, she called for more limits on benefits for new arrivals from EU countries and claimed there would be rising costs in council tax unless the government offers financial help.
"I know the vast majority of Romanians and Bulgarians planning to come to the UK are planning to work and contribute to society here," she said. "But I think the fear that everybody faces is those that come to Britain and either fail to find jobs and therefore fall back on our welfare system, or those who deliberately come here to pickpocket and aggressively beg.
"We have seen in the past 18 months particularly the Roma in central London causing a massive amount of disruption and low-level crime which has made a very negative impact on our communities. It's this minority one is really concerned about but it is this minority that has this really big impact."
Ninety senior Conservatives attempted to block the lifting of the restrictions in a letter to David Cameron, arguing he could invoke a clause in EU law to keep the borders shut.
But ministers denied such a move would be feasible.
Vaz spoke out against the government's refusal to bow to repeated demands to publish or commission estimates of the numbers expected to enter Britain after unofficial research predicted as many as 50,000 people would arrive from Romania and Bulgaria each year.
"The concern of the committee has always been the lack of robust estimates of people coming here and we still feel very strongly the government ought to have asked the migration advisory committee to have conducted a piece of research which would have told us the number of people who were came into this country or were coming into this country.
"We think that would have been extremely helpful. The fact that we don't have those estimates means that we have this kind of drama at the end, which is not helpful to anybody," he said.
|
|
|
| |
In 2001 Waltham Forest Education was a mess.
An Ofsted inspection listed five failings, including not doing enough to raise standards in secondary schools, and not giving sufficient help to schools with behaviour problems. Former Ofsted chief Chris Woodhead claimed that Waltham Forest Education had a "culture of failure and hopelessness." |
 Nov 2010. London Borough of Waltham Forest,
Local Economic Assessment,
Waltham Forest has the smallest overall production and is the least productive borough in London. Skills levels are very low, as in most of EastLondon. Waltham Forest ranks 377th out of 408 local areas in Great Britain on overall skills and qualifications scores. There are more Asian/Asian British unemployed in Waltham Forest than any other ethnic grouping.
read full report |
A few main points from the report
Fig 7.5.3: Proportion of population living in Lone parent Households (2008)
In 2008, there were a significant number of people – 56,041 – living in Lone parent households in
Waltham Forest. This means a quarter of the borough’s population live in Lone parent households,
which is the highest proportion in London, and nearly twice the national average, and nearly 50%
more than the London average. Within this, 40,476 live in households where all the children are dependent on the parent, which is potentially a significant issue for the borough as – nationally – an
average of 4% of those households have a parent in employment.
Table 4.9.1: Business and Economy assessment summary
Large firms (employing 200+) are usually the major drivers of productivity in a local area. While
Waltham Forest has a number of large regeneration sites, and strategic industrial locations that could locate new large businesses coming to the area, the potential for such inward investment is viewed by partners are unlikely.
The Inward Investment market – particularly for Foreign Direct Investment is risk adverse, and companies will not take a chance on locating to an area without a strong track record as a business location. Ethnic minorities are less likely to run businesses in the borough.
Despite a large and diverse ethnic minority population, there is a relative lack of entrepreneurialism – particularly among the Pakistani community. This analysis offers the opportunity to promote enterprise among certain communities – which could have community cohesion as well as economic benefits.
Summary: Key Issues, 2010
- Skills levels in Waltham Forest are very low, as in most of East London. Waltham Forest ranks 377th out of 408 local areas in Great Britain on overall skills and qualifications scores.
- Males are more likely to be unemployed, and females are more likely to be economically inactive. Ethnic minorities are more likely to be effected by worklessness.
- Waltham Forest has a higher proportion of small businesses than London, the Host Boroughs and North East London. 2.6% of employers provide 50.1% of jobs in the borough.
- Micro‐businesses (employing 10 or less people) are the most significant employer in Waltham Forest – providing 27.1% of jobs. This is unique to the borough among comparator areas.
- Waltham Forest has the smallest overall production and is the least productive borough in London
- The borough has low skills levels, which is critical to employment risk, and levels of unemployment and economic inactivity
- The profile of those economically inactive ‘Seeking work but unavailable’ are very likely to be young and male in Waltham Forest.
- Men are far more likely to be unemployed in Waltham Forest than women. The differential between rates of unemployment by gender in the borough is the highest is London.
- There are more Asian/Asian British unemployed in Waltham Forest than any other ethnic grouping. Asian/Asian British residents are nearly three times as likely to be unemployed as White residents, and twice as likely as Black/Black British residents.
- Economic inactivity is concentrated in the Asian/Asian British population of the borough, and predominantly amongst women.
- Of those who are economically inactive, the proportion of Asian/Asian British who are “not seeking but want a job” is strikingly low.
|
|
|
| |
 Cllr Mark Rusling
June 2013
Business awards up, growth and economy down, public procurement awards up, council staff happiness up, WF crime down, NEETs' up, HIV and AIDS up..
The Council is investing in our young people and their education. We have already shown our commitment to apprenticeships by increasing the number we employ to 41 - one of the highest figures for any London council. We are also launching a campaign to have a business representative on the Board of Governors of every school in the borough to improve work skill and job readiness among our young residents.
To express an interest please contact Benjamin.Woods@walthamforest.gov.uk. |
|
| |
 4 Feb 2013 - We need new skills to fight inequality
A more efficient society requires different skills and behaviour if it is not to be associated with greater inequality. We have a world of declining inequality between countries but increasing inequality within them. There is a lot to be done. more ... |
| |
 Council is investing in schools to give children the best chance of a bright future.
To accommodate an increase in demand for primary school places and provide decent school buildings we are carrying out work to some primary schools in the borough as part of a multi-million investment programme. - Sep 2013 |
 Blueprint for borough's growth
New panel to stimulate investment and attract businesses to the area.
The panel includes Tony Travers, Elizabeth Cox, Kapil Wadhwani and Alex Jan.
Council Leader, Chris Robbins, said: 'Our high level growth commission will examine how we can maximise all growth opportunities in our borough to the benefit of our residents.'
Sep 2013- read ... |
'Biggest ever' business event - comments
 'Biggest ever' business event
15th October 2013
read ...
Seminar co-founder Ted Wigzell hosting a speed-networking session. Seminar co-founder Ted Wigzell hosting a speed-networking session. An event to promote business in Waltham Forest is being held next week.
Waltham Forest means Business will feature seminars, workshops and exhibitors at the Walthamstow Assembly Hall in Forest Road on Tuesday. Organisers say the event, which runs from 9am to 5pm, is the biggest of its kind to be held in the borough.
Recent figures show Waltham Forest has the fourth smallest economy in London. |
| Comments |
mdj says...
At last! Somebody is thinking creatively. We all have some useful input to make here. LBWF has the smallest 'GDP' of any London borough, and the highest percentage of residents who have to leave the borough to find work. The present programme of mass house-building on all the sites where the jobs used to be is a recipe for disaster: jobs out, job-seekers in. However, it is highly profitable for the local developers who - how to put this? - have the council's close attention.
A forward-looking, 'green' policy will do its best to keep people as close to their workplaces and schools as possible. We have superb transport links, but then swamp them into uselessness. If half our commuters could work locally, think how much of their time would be saved for useful things, and how much more money would be kept in the local economy.
If the council at last has the humility to grasp, after decades of stagnation, that it is itself the main problem , we may be getting somewhere.
A local Labour Party member assured me 25 years ago that stagnation and lack of aspiration suited the party's electoral interests very well.
Could this initiative at last indicate a change of attitude?
This consultation should be flagged up at every ward forum if it is meant sincerely.
NTiratsoo says...
I agree that, potentially, this might be a useful departure, but nevertheless have qualms.
The consultancy Navigant produced a detailed analysis of the local economy three years ago (https://www.walthamforest.gov.uk/documents/lbwf-local-economic-asssessment.pdf) at a cost of £63,515, and its reasonable to ask if we now really need what no doubt will be an equally expensive successor.
Second, its all very well to focus on what the council can do to promote growth, but this is pointless unless there is a complementary discussion about why it is that the council seems so feeble at delivery - why for instance its Worknet programme has been such a disappointment. If the LSE team ask these kinds of question, well and good. But my bet is that it will not, because it knows like the rest of us that by doing so it will have to confront some rather awkward and highly political questions – and of course consultants dislike upsetting their paymasters.
Still the proof will be in the pudding. My recommendation of where to start: ask who in the Town Hall read the Navigant report, and what actions they then instigated! |
|
|
| |
 4 Nov 2013, Review of Engineering Skills, Prof Perkins -
"We should support the UK's young people by preparing them to compete for highly paid, skilled engineering jobs, improving their career prospects and reducing the need to import engineering skills" |
 11 Nov 2013 - The Confederation of British Industry has criticised the education system for continuing to focus teenagers on the "default" university route which, it said, would fail to close the UK's "chronic skills gaps". |
UK recovery 'constrained' by lack of engineers
4 November 2013
read ...
The UK's economic recovery could be "constrained" by a lack of engineering skills, warns a government adviser.
Prof John Perkins, chief scientific adviser at the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills has identified "a substantial demand for engineers". He has issued "a call to action" to government, industry and educators to "step up" to inspire future engineering talent and address skills shortages.
Business Secretary Vince Cable said too few teenagers were studying science. "Engineers must have a strong foundation in maths and science, especially physics.
Early intervention
"The number of young people choosing these subjects post-16 is relatively low, especially amongst women," said Mr Cable.
In his Review of Engineering Skills, Prof Perkins says the UK already relies on "inward migration" to fill skilled jobs in key sectors such as oil and gas extraction, aerospace, and computer, electronic and optical engineering.
"This should not be our long-term solution.
"We should support the UK's young people by preparing them to compete for highly paid, skilled engineering jobs, improving their career prospects and reducing the need to import engineering skills," says the review. It calls for "purposeful and effective early intervention to enthuse tomorrow's engineers" and ensure they have the "solid academic foundations to engage in the subject".
The report calls for as many young people as possible to study "rigorous curricula in maths and science". In particular it says the UK lags behind its competitors in the number of 16- to 18-year-olds studying maths.
'Misconceptions'
Prof Perkins says the profession suffers "from widespread misconceptions and lack of visibility that deter young people, and especially girls from pursuing it as a career".
The report refers to polling carried out for the Tomorrow's Engineers Week campaign, which suggests that only half of 11- to 14-year olds would consider a career in engineering.
This dropped to 35% among girls and only 24% of parents of girls said they thought engineering was a suitable profession for their daughters.
Prof Perkins draws "some comfort that we are heading in the right direction" with initiatives to inspire future engineers, a focus on maths and science in schools, more apprenticeships and "our continued strength in higher education". His 22 recommendations urge both short and long term action to "get the right messages to young people" - particularly girls, to ensure vocational training is high quality and high status and that "higher education continues to deliver".
The Department for Business, Innovation and Skills said it was making available nearly £49m to boost engineering skills.
Long-term task
From January some £30m of this money will allow employers to bid for match-funding for training schemes to address specific engineering skills shortages. Another £18m will fund an elite training facility in Coventry, while Tomorrow's Engineers will get £250,000 to encourage schoolchildren into engineering.
Terry Scuoler, chief executive of EEF, the manufacturers' organisation, which represents almost 6,000 companies, said: "The report rightly shines the spotlight on the need for a pipeline of talented future engineers, with credible recommendations on how this can be achieved. "Whilst this is a long-term task, the message from employers is clear - we are ready to take on the challenge."
Anne Spackman of the charity Career Academies which runs internship schemes to prepare schoolchildren for employment said efforts to "grow the number of potential recruits" into engineering were crucial. "Engineering is an area rich in job opportunities but lacking the skilled workers to fill them," said Ms Spackman. |
|
|
Employers criticise government
11 November 2013
read ...
Almost two thirds (60%) of UK employers feel the UK government does not do enough to support skills education.
Nearly three quarters (72%) said they viewed vocational qualifications as essential for preparing young people for work.
Over 1,000 employers were quizzed for qualification provider City and Guilds and skills charity Edge Foundation.
The government said its reforms to apprenticeships were putting "employers in the driving seat".
Researchers questioned recruitment managers at a range of small, medium and large businesses in a variety of sectors across the UK.
Over half (53%) said they valued vocational qualifications in prospective employees above academic attainment.
'Wholesale overhaul'
Some 78% agreed that young people who preferred practical learning need a better alternative route to A-levels.
An overwhelming 83% said young people needed better advice on the career options open to them.
Some 84% also agreed that pupils needed more robust work experience while they were still at school.
The survey findings echo widespread concerns that vocational education can too often be of low quality, too short and fail to lead to jobs or further study.
More than two years ago a review of vocational qualifications by Prof Alison Wolf recommended an wholesale overhaul.
And last year a review of apprenticeships for the government by entrepreneur Doug Richard recommended that they should last for at least a year and genuinely prepare trainees in a new role.
'Proven route'
Earlier this year the Confederation of British Industry criticised the education system for continuing to focus teenagers on the "default" university route which, it said, would fail to close the UK's "chronic skills gaps".
Research for qualification provider City and Guilds this month found that half of businesses thought that the current education failed to meet their needs, while a third had considered recruiting skilled workers from abroad.
The government has embarked on a range of changes to vocational education and training in schools, colleges and work-places.
A spokeswoman for the Department of Business Innovation and Skills said: "Apprenticeships are a proven vocational route to a successful career.
"We have set out a clear and coherent set of reforms to apprenticeships.
"We will to continue to increase quality, simplify the system and put employers in the driving seat.
"More than 60 employers from eight different sectors have already signed up to develop new standards as part of the first Apprenticeship Trailblazers.
"We will work with more businesses and sectors over the coming months to develop concise employer-led standards for apprenticeships."
The spokeswoman added that the government's new traineeships would help 16- to 24-year-olds improve their English and maths and to gain work skills and experience.
'Skills gap'
Jan Hodges, of the Edge Foundation, said it was refreshing to hear how highly employers of all sizes rated vocational education.
"We have skills gaps emerging in many sectors within the UK and it is crucial that young people are given the right training and encouragement to be able to fill these gaps."
Chris Jones, chief executive of City and Guilds, said "In recent years society has placed too much emphasis on academia.
"Employers are crying out for young people who have the right skills to add value to their business.
"Vocational qualifications can provide these skills - but how many people know about them?
"Careers advice provision in schools is limited, uninspiring and often purely focused on university." |
|
|
| |
|
 30 December 2013, John Cridland, director general of the CBI, said: businesses should deliver "better pay and more opportunities" for their employees. He added
too many people are "stuck" in minimum wage jobs, despite an upturn in the UK economy.
|
CBI: Firms must pay workers more as economy improves
30 December 2013
read ...
CBI boss John Cridland says the UK's economic recovery is not reflected in how much people are paid
The head of the UK's main business lobby group has said too many people are "stuck" in minimum wage jobs, despite an upturn in the UK economy.
John Cridland, director general of the CBI, said businesses should deliver "better pay and more opportunities" for their employees.
He told the BBC: "If we get productivity going, we are creating more wealth, and we can share it."
Recovery should be sustainable before wages increased, he said.
Mr Cridland said: "It's nice for once to have a somewhat more upbeat message. The message is, if the economy is growing, we can have everybody swim upwards."
But he said lacking productivity was a "bit of a worry" in the UK economy and that it was important that skill shortages did not undermine recovery.
In his annual new year's message, Mr Cridland said despite economic growth, there were "still far too many people stuck in minimum wage jobs without routes to progression, and that's a serious challenge that businesses and the government must address."
Rebuilding trust
Mr Cridland said businesses must support employees in "every part of the country" to progress in their careers and help young people get their first jobs.
He called for a vocational system, similar to Ucas, to help raise awareness about other routes to higher skills.
Mr Cridland said: "If 2013 was the year that business trust took a hammering on a range of issues from corporate taxation to energy prices, then 2014 must be the year that business leaders take action to rebuild that trust."
His comments came as the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD) warned 2014 had to be a "year of productivity" if earnings were to rise sustainably.
Mark Beatson, chief economist at the CIPD, said: "Employment growth looks set to continue at an impressive rate over the year to come. However, the downside is that UK productivity has yet to improve and remains below its pre-recession level."
He said the low productivity was behind falling real wages and the high cost of living in the UK.
Mr Beatson said: "Central to this [lacking productivity] is business and government acting together to improve the way people are managed, with more emphasis on working smarter and creating value. "
He said the "crisis of trust" in many organisations had to be tackled to boost productivity, alongside making more use of the "skills and talents of our workforce". |
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
 Business owners in Leytonstone have called on fellow traders to stop payments to E11 BID company which was set up to look after their interests.
22nd June 2014
read ...
Gym owner Dean Hyams signs Suja Khaled's petition against the E11 (BID) company.
The company, run by Fawaad Sheikh, fell into financial chaos and latest figures put it at around £87,000 in debt. Now, former board member Suja Khaled, who owns the Luna Lounge in Church Lane, has launched a petition to close the E11 BID
Company Check -- E11bid directors |
 |
 |
 |
The three Leytonstone ward councillors have close links with the Leytonstone business community, which they represent..
What are they doing to support their local businesses?
|
|
|
E11 BID will continue until 2018, despite debts
04 Apr 14
Managing director Fawaad Shaikh: The first term operations of the BID exceeded the expectations of many people. With a strong and even more disciplined management board in place for the second term we will go further to champion the economic revival of Leytonstone and again exceed all expectations. |
| |
 Waltham Forest College and the council have started a business 'LaunchPad'
26th June 2014
read ...
Waltham Forest Council with Waltham Forest College have opened an ‘affordable office space’ to offer a helping hand to start up businesses in the borough.
In a joint venture with Waltham Forest College the council’s business team is offering people the chance to use their new Business LaunchPad at the Forest Road college.
The space is shared with other entrepreneurial residents looking to start their journey in the business world.
For more information and prices,
email business.support@walthamforest.gov.uk. |
| |
 Sunrise (Waltham Forest)
Business Network International
http://www.bni.eu/chapter.php?chapter=2235
The Sunrise (Waltham Forest) chapter meet at Waltham Forest College, Forest Road Site, 707 Forest Road, Walthamstow, London E17 4JB.
For more information contact Denyse Whillier on 07853 285669 |
| |
 30 Oct 2013 - Businesses can access training support aimed at improving staff skill levels. Waltham Forest Council announced the programme today as part of a drive to boost the borough's economy, which is one of the smallest in London. |
 The authority’s Adult Learning Service will offer any business in the borough with 10 or more employees a bespoke training programme. |
Council announces new skills pledge
30th October 2013
read ...
Businesses can access training support aimed at improving staff skill levels. Waltham Forest Council announced the programme today as part of a drive to boost the borough's economy, which is one of the smallest in London.
The authority’s Adult Learning Service will offer any business in the borough with 10 or more employees a bespoke training programme. Some of the courses being offered address leadership and management, customer service, ICT and business
regulation compliance.
Visit www.walthamforestclass.gov.uk/working-with-employers for more information. |
|
|
| |
 Waltham Forest Chamber of Commerce Training Trust
www.trainingtrust.org
Provides vocational training to young people and adults and work with employers in North East London and the surrounding areas to provide employment opportunities for the unemployed and up skill their employees.
Our mission is to support the success of our learners and partners
We provide a supportive learning environment which enables learners to succeed in
their chosen career. Learners are given the opportunity to develop their skills and knowledge in their chosen career enabling them to lead fulfilling lives. Learners achieve their chosen aims within a safe learning environment.
We aim to offer high quality training in partnership with employers and other providers of education and training. |
Waltham Forest Chamber of Commerce Training Trust: domain registration
WHOIS query:
Domain name: wfbchamber.co.uk
Registrant: Wfb Chamber
Registrant type: UK Individual
Registrant's address: The registrant is a non-trading individual who has opted to have their address omitted from the WHOIS service.
Registrar: Webfusion Ltd t/a 123-reg [Tag = 123-REG]
URL: http://www.123-reg.co.uk
Registered on: 29-Feb-2012
Expiry date: 28-Feb-2014 |
|
|
| |
 The Waltham Forest Chamber of Commerce
http://wfbchamber.co.uk
initially known as the Walthamstow Chamber of Commerce, was inaugurated on 23 March 1920 under the Chairmanship of Mr A M Matthews, a local businessman. The Chamber represented the interests of local business in the area and over the next thirty years expanded and consolidated its activities until permanent offices were opened at 306 Hoe Street, Walthamstow in April 1950. In 1969 the Walthamstow Chamber and Leyton Chamber amalgamated and became known as the South Waltham Forest Chamber of Commerce. This enlarged Chamber operated two sections, one representing the Retailers and the other the interests of industrialists.
Such was the success of the new Chamber in its role of representing business interests that in 1974 the Retail and the Industrial sections were joined under a new constitution and Waltham Forest Chamber of Commerce was born.
On the 02 October 2003, after 83 years of the service the Waltham Forest Chamber of Commerce joined with the Waltham Forest Asian Business Association to form a new organisation, which now operates as the Waltham Forest Business Chamber. |
Waltham Forest Chamber of Commerce: domain registration
Domain Name:TRAININGTRUST.ORG
Creation Date: 2007-01-18T
Registry Expiry Date: 2015-01-18
Sponsoring Registrar:Mesh Digital Limited (R1728-LROR)
Registrant Name:Linda Petts
Registrant Organization:
Registrant Street: Commercial House
Registrant City:Gants Hill
Registrant State/Province:Essex
Registrant Postal Code:IG26NQ
Registrant Country:GB
Registrant Phone:+44.2085186131
Registrant Phone Ext:
Registrant Fax:
Registrant Fax Ext:
Registrant Email:andy@agcdesign.co.uk
Admin Name:Linda Petts
Admin Organization:
Admin Street: Commercial House
Admin City:Gants Hill
Admin State/Province:Essex
Admin Phone:+44.2085186131
Admin Email:andy@agcdesign.co.uk
Tech ID:MNT34537018651
Tech Name:Webfusion Ltd.
Tech Organization:
Tech Street: 5 Roundwood Avenue
Tech City:Stockley Park
Tech State/Province:Uxbridge
Tech Postal Code:UB11 1FF
Tech Country:GB
Tech Phone:+44.8454502310
Tech Email:yoursupportrequest@123-reg.co.uk |
|
|
| |
 Waltham Forest Means Business
http://walthamforestmeansbusiness.co.uk/
It is so important that small businesses get all of the support they need, as well as meeting and interacting with fellow entrepreneurs. This event brings together the best that Waltham Forest has to offer, so it is a ‘do not miss’ date in the diary.
Waltham Forest Council
701 Forest Road, Walthamstow, London E17 4JF
020 8496 3000
Paul Kelly
Vice Chair - Greater London
Federation of Small Businesse |
| |
 Federation of Small Businesses
http://www.fsb.org.uk/
Youth unemployment must be tackled -
In the three months to February UK unemployment rose to 2.56 million according to the latest figures from the Office for National Statistics. The number of young people unemployed for more than a year has reached 250,000. The FSB has said that the Government should focus on helping small firms take on apprentices and boost young people's employability skills. |
Federation of Small Businesses
The FSB is non-profit making and non-party political
The Federation of Small Businesses is the UK's largest campaigning pressure group promoting and protecting the interests of the self-employed and owners of small firms. Formed in 1974, it now has 200,000 members across 33 regions and 194 branches.
Lobbying
Our lobbying arm - led by the Westminster Press and Parliamentary office - applies pressure on MPs, Government and Whitehall and puts the FSB viewpoint over to the media. The FSB also has Press and Parliamentary Offices in Glasgow, Cardiff and Belfast to lobby the devolved assemblies. Development Managers work alongside members in our regions to further FSB influence at a regional level.
Member Benefits
In addition, Member Services is committed to delivering a wide range of high quality, good value business services to members of the FSB. These services will be subject to continuing review and will represent a positive enhancement to the benefit of membership of the Leading Business Organisation in the UK. See the full range of FSB benefits.
Vision
A community that recognises, values and adequately rewards the endeavours of those who are self employed and small business owners within the UK
Mission Statement
To be and remain the largest and most effective organisation promoting and protecting the interests of the self employed and small business owners within the UK.
Principal Objectives To Achieve The Mission Statement
To recruit continuously at a high level
To retain as many members as possible
To promote the interests of members
To protect members' business
To publicise the benefits of self-employed and business ownership
To identify the continuously changing needs of members |
|
|
| |
 Waltham Forest Business Board
www.walthamforestbusinessboard.com/about/
The Waltham Forest Business Board has been developed as a strategic body to work in partnership with the London Borough of Waltham Forest to ensure that the Borough is one in which business can thrive and stay. The Board has a key role in interfacing with the Council and the business community to ensure the voice of business is heard by the Politicians and Officers of the Council. Acting as a sounding board for the Local Authority the Board aims to ensure Council policies and procedures are as business friendly as possible. read ...
|
Waltham Forest Business Board
Background & Objectives
read ...
The London Borough of Waltham Forest published an Enterprise Strategy in 2007 which proposed the establishment of a top level business board within the hierarchy of business representation across the Borough.
The aim of the board is to bring together the most influential business leaders in Waltham Forest to address key strategic issues affecting the economic competitiveness and well being of the Borough and the quality of life of its residents. The Board’s main objectives are:
- To provide leadership that drives sustainable economic growth and prosperity in the Borough through inward investment, business start up and the expansion of existing firms.
- To champion the Enterprise strategies for the Borough whilst promoting entrepreneurship and innovation.
- To lobby to bring long term benefits to the Borough from opportunities arising throughout London, the Thames Gateway, the London Stansted Cambridge growth corridor and from the 2012 Olympics.
- To articulate business views about strategic decisions on transport, communications and infrastructure affecting the Borough by engaging the decision makers at the regional and local level.
WFBB is a strategic body established to represent all businesses from across the Borough, liaise with the Local Authority and work with London Government to ensure Waltham Forest achieves its share of inward investment into London and is seen as a Borough that welcomes business and is prepared to help it grow.
The Waltham Forest Business Board has been developed as a strategic body to work in
partnership with the London Borough of Waltham Forest to ensure that the borough is one in
which business can thrive and stay.
This is the top level business board within the hierarchy of business representation across the
borough. Other sub-forums include the Blackhorse Lane, Leyton, Leytonstone, Walthamstow and
Chingford Business Forums, the E11 and Argall Bid Companies, and the Waltham Forest Business
Support and Training Providers Forum. Training provider direcctory |
|
|
| |
Local WFBB Forums
Contact details
Bakers Arms, Blackhorse Lane, Leytoin Enterprise, Wood Street, E4, WF Business |
Waltham Forest Business Forums
Joining your local business forum will provide an ideal opportunity to find out about what is going on in the area, discuss marketing strategies, discover opportunities available to local businesses, engage with local government officials and meet other business people. There are a number of Forums across the Borough. Please contact the relevant person below for your area.
BAKERS ARMS BUSINESS FORUM
For more information please contact: Suleman Ahmed Chair of Bakers Arms Business Forum suleman.ahmed@gmail.com
BLACKHORSE LANE FORUM
For more information please contact: Derek Hall Chair of Blackhorse Lane Forum derekhall.mbe@hotmail.co.uk
LEYTON ENTERPRISE FORUM
For more information please contact: Ummar Dad Chair of Leyton Enterprise Forum info@pvestates.co.uk Please address e-mail: For the attention of Ummar Dad
WOOD STREET FORUM
For more information please contact: Steven Barnabis Chair of Wood Street Forum s.barnabis@thesoulproject.com
E4 BUSINESS FORUM
For more information please contact: David Cowell Chair of E4 Business Forum david.cowell@promo2u.com
WALTHAMSTOW BUSINESS FORUM
For more information please contact: Philip Waterfield Lead of Walthamstow Business Forum philip.waterfield@strettons.co.uk
All the Forums are supported by Maureen Branch-Davis. She can be contacted regarding any of the forums, or if you would like further information about the forums in general terms. She can be contacted on maureen@wfbb.co.uk |
|
|
| |
 We are Wood Street - A local traders organsation.
http://www.e17woodstreet.co.uk/
We are friendly, we are independent, we are local
An attractive traditional high street in Walthamstow, close to Epping Forest. Offering a wealth of independent, niche and creative shops next to welcoming cafes, just 19 minutes from London Liverpool Street. |
Wood Street Business Forum
WS Business Forum
With over a million-pound investment to improve the whole look and feel of the high street, provide business support and training it is an exciting place to be doing business in Wood Street. A traditional high street which has a growing creative industry, which complements this friendly and local high street. Wood Street Market is near the centre of the high street, existing alongside local shops some of which have been trading on the street for generations. New cafes have recently opened and there is momentum to see real change and improvement on Wood Street.
The aim of the business forum is to bring together all businesses on Wood Street so they can act as one voice. Currently supported by Vision On the business forum is being re-established and all members of the business community on Wood Street are encouraged to join.
The forum will provide an ideal opportunity to find out about; what is going on in Wood Street; discuss marketing strategies; discover opportunities available to local businesses; engage with local government officials and a chance to meet other forum members.
For further information, please contact info@e17woodstreet.co.uk |
|
|
| |
 Wood Street First
http://woodstreetfirst.org
Wood Street First is a community group that aims to make Wood Street ward in Waltham Forest a better place to live. They are part of the Government’s Community First initiative.
|
| |
|
|
 Business in the Community
http://www.bitc.org.uk/
Business in the Community worksing to shape a new contract between business and society, in order to secure a fairer society and a more sustainable future. Today, we engage thousands of businesses through our campaigns. We hope you will join this progressive movement and become a member of Business in the Community.
|
The British Chambers of Commerce
http://www.britishchambers.org.uk/
The
BCC is the national voice of local business. It sits at the heart of a nationwide network of 54 local Accredited Chambers of Commerce, serving tens of thousands of business members across the UK.
read ... |
 London Chamber of Commerce and Industry
We promote and defend the interests of our members, representing London business to the Mayor and the GLA, national government, the opposition, international audiences and the media. Our main policy areas are London's Competitiveness; Transport and Infrastructure; and Skills and Employment
read ... |
 Redbridge Chamber of Commerce
The Chamber provides businesses with recognised status within the community, opens gateways for networking and provides information on business opportunities and legislation. The Chamber works actively with Redbridge Council and other agencies to stimulate business and help influence decision making in the Borough.
|
 The North London Chamber of Commerce
http://www.londonchamber.co.uk/lcc_public/home.asp
We cover Enfield, Barnet, Haringey and Waltham Forest. If your business is outside of this remit you can still join and get involved as long as you want to do business in these areas. |
 Networking in East London & Essex
http://www.nelemeetings.co.uk
Networking in East London & Essex (NELE) was started in
February 2011 by Catherine Thomson for several reasons:
1. To help promote her cleaning business C&D Cleaning Services,
2. Other networking events were too formal or clickey,
3. Attendees disappeared after the speeches, and
4. Some networking groups were too expensive or restrictive.
5. You do not have to be a Member to attend.
Catherine wanted a networking event that was all about networking and which would bring all businesses together in a relaxed, informal atmosphere and without the difficulty of trying to break through clicks.
Therefore from the very first meeting there has always been a sign-in sheet so you can see who is in the room. We have hostess to meet, greet and introduce you we offer a personal touch at our meetings.
You are never left on your own, we strive to ensure that you get to speak to businesses that are relevant to you and your business or whom may be able to help you.
NELE Meetings were originally held in Public Houses, Hotels and Serviced Offices and at one point in time were FREE and you paid for your own food and drink.
Today we are now working in Partnership with Barclays Bank, Metro Bank, Pinney Talfourds and West Ham Events, and catering is included in our fees. We have General Networking, Guest Speakers, 500k plus and Industry Specific Networking Events.
To date NELE is growing in momentum and it is our belief that if we work together all our businesses will succeed. |
 Newham Chamber of Commerce
http://www.newhamchamber.com/
We are a thriving Chamber in a vibrant area of London, Newham being the host borough for the 2012 Olympics. The Chamber represents and supports local businesses in the London Borough of Newham and surrounding areas. As the official independent representative of business in the borough, we take pride in our ability to provide support, information, advice and networking opportunities to our members. |
 Essex Chambers of Commerce
http://www.essexchambers.co.uk/home.htm
Chambers members range from sole traders through to multi-national companies covering a wide range of business activities ensuring that we truly are the voice of business in Essex.
By becoming a Chambers Member you can ensure that your own voice is added to those of our existing Members and ensure that our voice is even larger and more powerful in promoting the needs of the county's businesses. |
| |
|
|
   |
International and Europe
Europe Direct
Free help for EU Citizens
Telephone 00 800 67 89 10 11
– from anywhere in the EU
– 9.00-18.30 CET (weekdays) – in any official EU language. |
European Small Business Portal
http://ec.europa.eu/small-business/index_en.htm
What can the EU do for your business? Help you to get finance, partners, go international.
This portal gathers together all the information provided by the EU on and for SMEs, ranging from practical advice to policy issues. |
 TED – Business opportunities in Europe
http://simap.europa.eu/index_en.htm
The SIMAP portal provides access to most important information about public procurement in Europe.
Tender notices are published on TED website, the single official source of public contracts in Europe. |
 Tenders Electronic Daily
http://www.tendersdirect.co.uk/Default.aspx
Tender Alert Service for the Public and Private Sector
The UK's most comprehensive and accurate tender alert service - if there’s a tender out there then we have it. |
 The European Union Chamber of Commerce in China
http://www.europeanchamber.com.cn/en/home
As the independent voice of European business in China, we seek greater market access and improved operating conditions for European companies. |
 Eurochambres
http://www.eurochambres.be/content/Default.asp?PageID=41
EUROCHAMBRES voices the interests of over 20 million member enterprises in 45 European countries through a network of 2000 regional and local Chambers represented by 45 national and two transnational organisations. More than 93% of these enterprises are Small or Medium Enterprises. Chamber members employ over 120 million employees.. |
 Council of British Chambers of Commerce in Europe
http://www.cobcoe.eu/
COBCOE is an independent, not for profit organisation working together with its 40 member chambers across Europe to advance international trade and business with the United Kingdom. Our role is to help member chambers reach their full potential so that they may support their members to do business successfully. |
 European Economic Chamber of Trade, Commerce and Industry
http://www.european-economic-chamber-eeig.eu/en/index.htm
Actively serves the vision of a United, Prosperous and Industrious EUROPE . To be the best in performing, initiating and mediating leadership and partnering, and - through our functionaries and experts - to fight inefficiency, build global competitiveness, contribute to the improvement of quality of products and services, create jobs and secure an enduring prosperity of economy and in people's lives . Warning! |
 International Chamber of Commerce
http://www.iccwbo.org/
To that end, ICC provides a forum for businesses and other organizations to examine and better comprehend the nature and significance of the major shifts taking place in the world economy. |
 European Chamber of Commerce in Hong Kong
http://www.eurocham.com.hk/
The European Chamber of Commerce creates business opportunities via its network of Chambers, business associations and government agencies. |
 American Chamber of Commerce to the European Union
http://www.amchameu.eu/ |
|
| |
|
|
 Waltham Forest Women in Business
http://www.nlcc.co.uk/index.cfm?mode=browse&page=11439
We are a group of Waltham Forest based companies and those with an interest in the borough. We aim to increase our business locally, increase our local contacts, improve the way we run our businesses and network with like-minded individua |
RSA Trust Inspiring Women Programme
http://www.walthamforestbusinessboard.com/2013/09/the-rsa-trust-inspiring-women-in-business/
|
 Walltham Forest Business Network, Waltham Forest Women in Business
Networking, events and meetings happen throughout the borough. Why not book for the next event and see what we're about? |
| |
|
|
 OUTstanding In Business
Network, aimed at executives, backed by Google, BP and Barclays. Lord Browne, former chief executive of BP, is on its advisory panel.
|
 The Gay Business Association
The GBA represents businesses, organisations and individuals in business who provide products and/or services to members of the LGBT community in a
non-discriminatory manner, throughout the United Kingdom, Channel Islands and the Isle of Man.
It is a a trade association to fight the inequalities from hostile authorities. Working with other groups we have won legal equality, and today the GBA is a modern day gay chamber of commerce. |
 The International Gay and Lesbian Chamber of Commerce (IGLCC)
was founded in 2006 in Hamburg, Germany and is based in Montreal, Canada.
The IGLCC is the world’s leading international LGBT business network with members in 15 countries:
Argentina, Australia, Austria, Brazil, Canada, Denmark, France, Germany, Mexico, Netherlands, New Zealand, Spain, Switzerland, United Kingdom and the United States of America.
more ...
The International Gay and Lesbian Chamber of Commerce (IGLCC) is pleased to unveil the results of the second edition of the International Business Equality Index. |
 Stonewall Housing
Securing safer spaces for the LGBT communities. Stonewall Housing provides supported housing, advice and advocacy for the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender communities in London.
At the heart of our work is the aim to help LGBT people find a home they feel safe and secure in.
more .. |
 Pink! AccuraCast
In order to supply the gay and lesbian market with the same winning combination of marketing services that we offer our mainstream, big brand clients, we created Pink!
Historical connotations of the colour pink were not positive. However, like many similar tags, the gay community adopted this one and turned it into something positive.
It is with that same spirit of positive intentions, forward thinking and happy outcomes that we chose to also name the part of our agency that deals with lesbian, gay, bisexual and trans gender marketing, Pink.
The exclamation point at the end of the name is there to indicate that the name should always be said in a positive, upbeat way.
In order to find out more about AccuraCast, the parent company, its history, services offered, clientele and much more, please visit the agency homepage:
www.accuracast.com |
| |
|
|
 Chingford Freemasons help raise £700,000 for charities
3rd April 2013
Freemasons from Chingford contributed to nearly £700,000 that was given to charity in 2012, according to figures collected by Essex Freemasonry.
Donations that came from members of 37 lodges in Chingford are thought to have amounted to £80,000 of the total sent to more than 370 local charities by Freemasons across Essex.
About £50,000 went to hospices, while around £120,000 to medical research and local hospitals, £40,000 was collected for children’s charities and £50,000 was given to military service organisations.
John Michael Webb, Provincial Grand Master for Essex, said: “Monies raised come directly from Freemasons and their families. “This magnificent sum is also the result of hundreds of individual lodges and other Masonic orders across Essex independently choosing to support charities in their own local communities.”
He added that aside from the more ordinary fundraising methods such as raffles, younger Freemasons collected cash by bungee jumping and cycling from London to Brighton. more ... |
| |
 Freemasons, The Walthamstow Lodge
http://www.walthamstow2472.co.uk/
|
| |
 Rotary Great Britain and Ireland
http://www.ribi.org/
Rotary is a worldwide network of inspired men and women who translate their passions into relevant social causes, to change lives in communities. |
| |
|
