|
Friday 15 November 09:00 - 15:00 at the Enterprise Hub, University of Hertfordshire
This Hertfordshire Growth Hub workshop has been designed to equip you as a business owner, with the essential information needed to effectively plan for succession or exit to ensure a smooth transition and the continued success of your business.
|
|
|
 Friday 6 December 08:45 - 15:00 at Knebworth Barns, Stevenage
Join with business specialists and likeminded business owners at Hertfordshire Growth Hub’s flagship event ‘All The Help You Can Get’.
Enjoy the opportunity to network with over 100 attendees from across Hertfordshire, whilst exploring an exhibition area packed with local, regional and national organisations providing funded business advice and support. As well as a busy business support show, there will a choice of free bitesize workshops to join on the day along with an interactive panel discussion.
STANTA's Digital Skills Hub offers a wide variety of workshops designed to help you start, grow and develop your skills to benefit your business.
Workshops are offered FREE to businesses in St Albans District (under 5 years old). Once you have registered to join Get Enterprising - call 01727 837760 or email advice@stanta.co.uk.
Employees of established businesses are also invited (£50 per course).
Upcoming workshops include:
- How to confidently present your business - Friday 15 November
- NEW Master video with your phone part 1 - Tuesday 19 November
- Attract more customers to your website (SEO) - Monday 25 November
- NEW Master video with your phone part 2 - Tuesday 26 November
- NEW Google ads for beginners - Tuesday 3 December
- Build a successful brand - Friday 6 December
- NEW Bookkeeping for beginners - Tuesday 10 December
|
|
|
Are you an employer wanting to upskill your current staff? Not sure how you can, or where to begin? Step2Skills can support your business in developing the skills of staff and continuing their professional development.
Step2Skills is managing Multiply in Hertfordshire, a national campaign to help improve people’s confidence with numbers. As part of this, they are working with businesses across the county to help improve the skills of your employees for free.
Several online workshops throughout November and December have been announced, covering topics including digital skills, Excel, Google Sheets, and time management in the workplace.
If you have 8 or more candidates, workshops may be delivered on your premises. To find out more, contact employers@hertfordshire.gov.uk.
|
|
|
The University of Hertfordshire now offers several new higher and degree apprenticeship programmes which can be used to upskill and retain your current employees or attract and recruit new talent to your business.
The team at the University of Hertfordshire are your local experts and can provide advice on this including how to use your levy or how to tap into other organisations levy via a transfer. They can help you with recruitment, interviewing, onboarding, and choosing the right apprenticeship programme for your business.
Applications are now open on programmes with a January start date.
To find out more, contact apprenticeships@herts.ac.uk or visit the University of Hertfordshire website.
|
|
|
Sunday November 17 sees the return of the Christmas Cracker to St Albans City Centre.
This fantastic community event, organised by the District Council, is a sparkling afternoon of music, panto stars, entertainment, games and crafts. The family-friendly event takes place in St Albans City Centre, where St Peter’s Street, High Street and Chequer Street will be closed to accommodate around 100 market stalls alongside fairground rides and other activities, many of which are free of charge.
The BID’s festive light installations will be illuminated for the occasion and there will be the chance to meet Santa in his grotto. Part sponsored by St Albans BID, this is a spectacular festive event that will kick off the festive shopping season in style.
|
|
|
The annual additional December Market Days are running this year on the following dates:
Wednesday 11 December 2024 (09:00 - 16:30)
Thursday 12 December 2024 (09:00 - 15:00)
Friday 13 December 2024 (09:00 - 15:00)
Saturday 14 December 2024 (09:00 - 16:30)
Sunday 15 December (09:00 - 15:00)
Wednesday 18 December 2024 (09:00 - 16:30)
Thursday 19 December 2024 (09:00 - 15:00)
Friday 20 December 2024 (09:00 - 15:00)
Saturday 21 December 2024 (09:00 - 16:30)
Sunday 22 December 2024 (09:00 - 15:00)
Tuesday 24 December 2024 (09:00 - 15:00)
The additional December Market Days will include a general market and international street food along St Peter’s Street.
Please also be aware of changes to the market over Christmas:
Closed – Wednesday 25 December 2024 (Christmas Day)
Open – Saturday 28 December 2024
Closed – Wednesday 1 January 2025 (New Years Day)
Open – Saturday 8 January 2025 (back to normal)
|
|
|
The Creative and Screen Industry is one of the fastest growing sectors in the UK, with just over half of the new studio space being planned and delivered around London and the south-east coming to Hertfordshire.
Hertfordshire Film Office was established in response to this rapid and large-scale growth, to maximise the potential of the sector and provide a coordinated gateway for productions looking to film in Hertfordshire.
As a local business you can provide information about your area and access to locations, products and services to promote the benefits of location filming to your business and the local economy. You can also register your property/location for free.
|
|
|
Hertfordshire Futures is developing a new Economic Strategy for the county for the next 10 years and beyond. It is placing residents, businesses and communities at the heart of plans to build a more inclusive and sustainable economy and position the county for future success.
Local businesses are invited to share their views on the challenges and opportunities facing their organisation and their confidence for the future.
Find out more about the new economic strategy, and how your responses will be used, or go straight to the survey with the link below.
|
|
|
A draft Local Plan for St Albans District’s future growth has been agreed by Councillors for the purpose of submission to the Secretary of State. The Plan identifies land for housing, employment developments and green spaces for the years to 2041.
Residents, community groups, businesses, neighbouring local authorities, statutory bodies and other organisations have helped shape the document by giving their views in consultations.
The Regulation 19 Consultation, which allows for public comment on the draft Local Plan's compliance and ‘soundness’ with national planning policies, has just ended. More information, including the draft Local Plan and other documents, is available at the link below.
|
|
|
|
There have been reports across the county of businesses receiving calls from people pretending to be from the local council.
Alcohol licence holders have been contacted by fraudsters and advised that their licence has expired and requires renewal. Food operators have also been contacted by someone reporting to be from their local council’s Environmental Health team. Both are an attempt to extract money from the business. Any legitimate requests for payment will be made in writing and should only be paid through official channels, such as BACS or directly to the Council.
The National Cyber Security Centre has information, advice and guidance to help prevent fraud.
|
|
 St Albans District Annual Business Summit will take place on the 13 February in the Council Chamber, Civic Centre (early evening). As a local business, you are invited to join us in discussing the major issues and opportunities affecting our local economy.
More details will be in our next newsletter and on our website.
The Chancellor of the Exchequer delivered the Government’s Autumn Budget 2024 on 30 October.
Key points for businesses included changes to employment allowance, employer National Insurance contributions, the National Living Wage, and business rates.
|
|
|
|
If you have been forwarded this email and would like to subscribe to future updates, sign up via the link below:
|
|
|
https://www.facebook.com/StAlbansCouncil/social
|
|
|
|
|
