|
Business rate changes
The Government announced in the
2014 Autumn Statement a package of business rates measures including:
-
doubling Small
Business Rate Relief for a further year (2015-16). (This is currently
applied to accounts and meant to end in March 2015 but will roll over to the
next year)
-
a two per cent
cap on the inflation increase for 2015-16
- increasing the
temporary £1,000 discount for shops, pubs and restaurants with rateable values
below £50,000 to £1,500 for 2015-16
- to extend the existing transitional relief
scheme for two years for properties with a rateable value up to and including
£50,000. (As a result small properties (with a rateable value of less than
£25,500 in London) that would have faced bill increases above 15% and medium
sized properties (with a rateable value of £50,000 or less) that would face
bill increases above 25% will benefit
More information on Business Rates is available
here.
Business
Rate multipliers for 2015-16
There are two multipliers which are used to calculate how much you will pay in business rates.
The
small business non-domestic rating multiplier, which is used for those
properties with a rateable value below £25,500 in London, is provisionally set
at 48.0p
The non-domestic rating
multiplier, paid by properties with rateable value above £25,500 in London, is
provisionally set at 49.3p
More information on Business Rates is available
here.
 Business Giving to the Voluntary and Community Sectors
Havering
Council is developing a new project with companies with a presence in Havering
who wish to support their local voluntary and community sector.
More information is available here.
|
Motorvations link with BMW
Romford-based Motorvations is a unique facility in East
London delivering alternative learning to young people,
giving them the necessary skills, qualifications and confidence to enable them
to progress into mainstream training or employment.
Recently some of the studnets visited Sytner BMW in Harold Hill
for a look at some of the new models (pictured) and the workshops where they
are serviced.
More information on Motorvations is available here.
|
Christmas giving
SAG Media, of Eastern Road, Romford has teamed up with Rainham
Foodbank to ask local businesses to help provide 200 Christmas hampers for Havering families in need.
More information
here.
|
Bauble design winner
As part of its work with local schools The Liberty Centre runs an annual ‘Deck the Malls’ competition. St Joseph’s Primary
School in Upminster unveiled the winning, nativity scene inspired
design, that beat more than 1,000 entries from primary schools across the region to
take centre stage above The Liberty’s Christmas tree. Budding artist, Amelia
Johnson, 10, from St Joseph’s, was the winning bauble dsigner.
|
Invest in Havering
Havering Council has launched a new website for businesses looking to
relocate or expand.
The site provides information about the help and support available to
local businesses.
More information here.
|
£3,000 to boost your broadband
Businesses in Havering could be eligible for a £3,000 voucher to help
improve their broadband connections.
Help and advice on how to apply is available from Emma Waites.
Apply for your voucher
here.
|
Win a £10,000 makeover
in six seconds
Can you explain in six seconds
why a technology makeover would benefit your business? If so you could win £10,000
worth of Microsoft products by developing a six-second long elevator pitch for
your business.
Two winning pitches get an
independent technology assessment for their small businesses, followed by
£10,000 worth of Microsoft products.
It could be anything –
Cloud technology, server software, mobile devices or any combination worth up
to £10,000 – depending on what works best for your business.
Closing date is Sunday 18
January 2015
More information available
here.
|
Business Growth Service
launched
The government has
launched the Business Growth Service which consolidates three previous schemes into a single service.
The Business Growth
Service will make it easier for businesses with the potential, capability and
capacity to improve and grow to access expert advice and support. Businesses
that require export support will be referred
to UK Trade and Invest (UKTI) and UK Export Finance. The service is also closely
linked to InnovateUK and the British Business Bank.
More
information is available here.
|
 Cycling
Workplaces
Transport for London's Cycling Workplaces has re-launched for
2014!
Havering employers are entitled to free cycle stands
for their workplace and they can also receive free cycle safety checks, bike
marking, on-bike commuter cycle skills sessions and a cycle safety seminar for
their employees.
Click here to find out how you could
kick-start cycling at your workplace - use invite code LBHV1.
|
Now open in town
Havering is proving an attractive place for
new businesses which bring with them jobs for local people.
On 1 December, Doddle opened two parcel collection and drop-off service centres
– one at 98 South Street, Romford, RM1 1RX and one at Upminster Station,
Station Road, Upminster, RM14 2TD.
Specialist bed retailer, Dreams, has opened a store (pictured) at Unit C, 270-272 Hornchurch
Road, Romford, RM11 1PZ.
|
|
