Nick Clegg has announced the creation of a new £1million pot of funding to help support local businesses, communities and jobs most at risk following public spending cuts. Called the ‘Regional Growth Fund’ it aims to help those areas most dependent on public sector employment as the country works towards change.

Both private and public-private partnerships will be eligible to bid for funding – providing they can demonstrate their proposal will increase private investment and support sustainable growth in their area.  This new funding initiative will support the collaboration of local councils and businesses in a bid to cut red tape and stimulate growth- Providing local solutions to local problems.

Arguably this announcement is the first of many major changes we can expect to see  as the new coalition government becomes established – so, a good time to keep your eyes peeled for new opportunities!

The new coalition government is likely to have a huge impact for all of us working closely with the public sector. The initial agreement produced by both Conservatives and the Liberal Democrats highlights several new policies to help tackle our country’s core problems; the financial deficit, skills and employment and sustainability to name a few.

This new agreement should introduce lots of new opportunities for businesses including changes to the tax system, more financial help for SME’s and a new comprehensive ‘welfare to work’ programme to tackle the country’s rising unemployment.

Overall a good time to keep an eye on what’s going on, you never know what new opportunities ‘change’ will bring… 

http://www.conservatives.com/News/News_stories/2010/05/Coalition_Agreement_published.aspx

No, we’re not talking about the election. We’re talking World Cup! It’s a good time to communicate with staff about taking time off - you might want to remind them about it so they can book official leave!

If you want to know the dates for any reason!! go to http://www.worldcup2010southafrica.com/

There are lots of new HR related rules coming into force this April. Here are a few of the main ones worth noting:

Holidays carried over to next year

Now workers who fall sick while on holiday should be allowed to reschedule their time off, even it if means carrying the leave over to a new holiday year.

Workers can accrue holiday pay whilst on sick leave and that they should be permitted to carry forward the holiday to the next holiday year in such cases.

Fit Notes

“Fit notes” will replace sick notes from 6 April 2010. Where an employee is sick for longer than seven days, they will need to submit a fit note to their employer. The fit note will have two options for the GP to tick: 1. “You are not fit for work” or
2. “You may be fit for work taking into account the following advice”.

New Right to Request Time Off 

The right to request time off work to undertake study or training is being phased in from 6 April 2010. Such a right will work in a similar way to the right to make a flexible working request, in that an employer must consider requests seriously and can only refuse them on specified business grounds.

Some Statutory payments go up!

From April 2010, the new statutory payments will be as follows:Statutory maternity pay- £124.88
Statutory adoption pay- £124.88
Statutory paternity pay- £124.88

Greater paternity leave and pay 

Changes to the paternity leave and pay regime will become law on 6 April 2010. However, they will not come into force until 3 April 2011. A mother will be able to transfer up to six months of her maternity leave to the father when she returns to work.

The CRC Energy Efficiency Scheme, CRC (was the ‘carbon reduction commitment’) is a mandatory scheme which starts in April.

To make sure you’re compliant with your electricity usage, check the Net Regs website! It will effect mainly larger companies but its worth a check whatever your business…

http://www.netregs.gov.uk/netregs/legislation/future/97515.aspx

The government has employed a new ‘rapid response team’ to ensure all cases are investigated as quickly as possible in relation to non-compliance of minimum wages. The minimum wage was upped last October; for more information go to http://nds.coi.gov.uk/clientmicrosite/content/Detail.aspx?ReleaseID=410026&NewsAreaID=2&ClientID=431

A useful checklist: Don’t forget…

1. To set up ‘Out of Office’ emails and Answer phones – but try not to specify any actual closure dates…it’s inviting burglars!

2. Cancel your milk orders

3. Time your heating to come on for an hour each day – and avoid a burst pipe

4. Ask your cleaners to do some extra cleaning – this is the perfect time for a carpet clean!

5. Empty all the bins and back up your computers just in case of fire

6. Do a final check before leaving the building, ensuring valuables are put away and doors/windows are properly locked!

These days sending a Christmas card is not quite as simple as it used to be! Electronic or not electronic? Is it a waste of paper? Is it an environmental ‘no-no’ - or is it a bit stingy not to send one?!! What about designing it? How much will that cost? Personalisation?!

Why not send an electronic message to your customers with your festive message, and donate a sum to charity instead…everyone’s a winner!

There’s a new system available where you can report on both businesses and individuals you believe to be suspicious of unlawful activity pertaining to taxes.

It’s led to all sorts of criminal activity being quashed already. Just visit www.hmrc.gov.uk/tax-evasion

Latest guidance issued by the The Department for Children, Schools & Family:

http://publications.everychildmatters.gov.uk/eOrderingDownload/Child_employment09.pdf