Policy Briefings & Research
Reports
Business West produces a range of briefing notes and research
reports to keep our members informed about issues of
importance.
The Collective Redundancy Consultation has been set up as a part
of the governments Employment Law Review. Areas previously
consulted upon have been the dispute resolution and the employment
tribunal system.
Posted: January 2012
Posted: January
2012
The Joint Core Strategy (JCS) is a
partnership between Gloucester City Council, Cheltenham Borough
Council and Tewkesbury Borough Council, supported by
Gloucestershire County Council. The document forms the central
element of a statutory council development plan, which will plan
how the area is to be developed during the period up to 2031.
Posted: January
2012
The annual Cities Outlook publication
for 2011 was released by the policy group Centre for Cities on
January 2012. The publication charts and compares the merits of 63
UK cities against a range of economic indicators.
Posted: January
2012
This short briefing provides a January
2012 update on the latest news and headlines from across the
network of Local Enterprise Partnerships (LEPs). As the Governments
main vehicle for driving forward many of the changes in the
Localism Act, 2012 could prove to be an important year for
LEPs.
Posted: January
2012
In this paper we provide an update on:National
LEP Announcements – City Deals, Growing Places Fund, Work
Foundation report and News from Around the LEP Network – Tees
Valley EZ, mid sized business pilots.
Posted: December 2011
The National Infrastructure Plan (NIP)
2011, published as part of the Chancellors Autumn Statement, sets
out a strategy for investment in infrastructure in the United
Kingdom over the next decade. It builds upon the last years
inaugural National Infrastructure Plan, and indentifies a total of
500 infrastructure projects including transport, energy and
telecoms schemes which plan to be completed by 2021.
Posted: December
2011
The overall theme of the statement,
whilst trying to be positive, was about lower than expected growth,
higher borrowing, and higher unemployment.
Posted: December
2011
With Local Enterprise Partnerships (LEPs) now covering 98% of
businesses and only 7 local authorities not yet belonging to an
LEP, attention is focused on how these LEPs will breathe new life
into local economies and drive forward the innovative projects that
will stimulate business growth and job creation.
Posted: November 2011
The government Department of Communities and Local Government
issued a consultation on 2nd November seeking views on their
proposal to have elected mayors in the 12 core cities and the
powers that should be transferred to those mayors. The proposals
relate to the cities of Birmingham, Bradford, Bristol, Coventry,
Leeds, Leicester, Liverpool, Manchester, Newcastle, Nottingham,
Sheffield and Wakefield.
Posted: November 2011
On Monday, Nick Clegg announced
details of 119 successful bids made to the £950 million second
round of the Regional Growth Fund (RGF). In total 200,000 jobs will
be created and safeguarded as a consequence of second round funding
(37,000 directly and 164,000 indirectly). The announcement built
upon £450 million of pledged investment earlier when successful
bids to the first round of the RGF were announced.
Posted: November
2011
This paper provides a brief update on LEP related activity over
the past month. The paper builds upon a September LEP update
produced by the Policy Team at Business West and covers
announcements, opportunities and ideas of best practice for
LEPs.
Posted: October 2011
The Community Infrastructure Levy
(CIL) is a new levy that Local Authorities can choose to charge on
new developments in their area. Introduced by the previous
Government in the Planning Act 2008, CIL came into force in April
2010 and will see collected development monies being used by Local
Authorities to support development by funding infrastructure that
the council, local community and neighbourhoods want.
Posted: October
2011
Ongoing weakness in the UKs main export
markets (Europe and the United States) appears to be continuing the
UKs bumpy road to recovery. Indeed, recent revisions to UK
GDP have demonstrated that Britain’s economy contracted even more
sharply during the recession than previously believed (7.1% drop)
and its recovery so far this year has been even more anaemic than
first anticipated.
Posted: October 2011
The Conservative parties’ Autumn
conference in Manchester, marked the end of conference season for
the countries main political parties. 18 months have passed since
the Conservatives joined the Liberal Democrats in leadership of the
country, and whilst the party has fallen behind Labour in the
latest poll ratings, given the difficulties of implementing
austerity cuts, the party still remains in close touch with
its opposition rivals.
Posted: October
2011
The Labour party went into this week’s
party conference, boosted by a narrow lead in the latest poll
ratings, putting the party narrowly ahead of the Conservatives.
Whilst the lead represents a turn of fortunes for a party who have
been in opposition for over a year now, there is widespread opinion
that there is still a long way to go before voters are convinced
that the party is the right one to run the country.
Posted: September
2011
With 500 days of coalition government
behind them, the Lib Dem’s autumn conference in Birmingham provided
an opportunity to take stock and reflect upon the experience of
Government. Since joining the Conservatives in government last
year, the party has suffered something of a bumpy ride.
Posted: September
2011
This paper provides a short update on
LEP activity over the last couple of months. The Policy Team at
Business West now aims to produce a monthly LEP update to cover
progress with LEPs, innovative and interesting ideas and projects
as well as opportunities for LEPs.
Posted: September
2011
Planning has hit the headlines over
recent weeks, with various stakeholders making their views heard in
terms of where they stand on the Governments latest planning
proposals set out in the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF).
Described as the biggest shake up of the planning system for 50
years, the NPPF aims to deliver planning that is “positive,
proactive, simple and free from bureaucratic barriers”.
Posted: September
2011
September saw the deadline for
Local Authorities from across the country to submit their best and
final Major transport scheme bids to Government. From across
the area, there were six scheme submissions, including five from
the West of England and a single scheme from Gloucester City
Council.
Posted: September
2011
The Department of Environment, Food
and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) has launched consultation on plans to
reform the registration system for town and village green status.
Describing the law relating to these greens as “notoriously
complex”, DEFRA is looking to ensure legitimate development
proposals are not hindered by village green applications.
Posted: August
2011
Publication of the draft National
Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) builds on previously announced
Governments measures made in the Localism Bill (December 2010). As
a part of what has been described as the biggest shake up of the
planning system for 50 years, the NPPF aims to deliver planning
that is “positive, proactive, simple and free from bureaucratic
barriers”. In reducing national planning guidance from 1,300 pages
into a 58 page document, the NPPF is certainly simple, however
arguably the documents most significant feature is its pro-growth
rhetoric.
Posted: August
2011
On 18th July the Government announced its intention to change
the current system of allocating business rates to one that
incentivises local growth. They propose to enable councils to keep
a share of the growth in business rates, something that Business
West have been calling for over many years.
Posted: July 2011
Gift Aid is the most widely used and
recognised of the tax-effective giving mechanisms. It accounts for
approximately 90% of all tax-effective giving, enabling charities
to increase the value of donations through reclaiming tax and
Transitional Relief. Figures from HMRC suggest that over £891m per
annum is claimed in Gift Aid by UK charities.
Posted: July 2011
Over recent months, there has been a raft of
energy policy developments which look to support the Governments
agenda of creating a low carbon economy and enhancing the UKs
future energy security. The publication on the 12 July 2011,
of the Governments Energy Market Reform (EMR) white paper “Planning
our electric future: a White Paper for secure, affordable and
low-carbon electricity” is the latest publication in this
area.
Posted: July 2011
As part of the Modern Workplaces consultation which is due to
close on 8th August 2011, the Government is consulting
on changes to employment law to encourage a more fair and flexible
approach at work. The consultation seeks views on a range of areas
of employment regulation.
Posted: July 2011
The economy across the region has recorded slow but steady
growth over recent months, and whilst there remains a level of
short term uncertainty, the long term picture would appear to be
more optimistic.
There has been an
improvement in the level of both domestic and export sales building
upon the marginal increases reported in the previous quarter.
However this quarter has also seen a disparity in performance
between both the service and manufacturing sectors.
Posted: July 2011
In this briefing paper, we provide an update on the progress of
the Localism Bill, which is currently making its way through
Government. Announced in Parliament on 13th December, the Localism
Bill represents one of the most significant pieces of legislation
for local government for some time. It shifts the balance of power
away from the centre to local authorities and local communities. It
includes new powers for communities to play a greater role in local
service delivery and provision, and brings in proposals for
directly-elected mayors in all our major cities.
Posted: July 2011
The Bribery Act replaces the offences at common law and under
the Public Bodies Corrupt Practices Act 1889, the Prevention of
Corruption Act 1906 and the Prevention of Corruption Act 1916
(known collectively as the Prevention of Corruption Acts 1889 to
1916)with a new consolidated scheme of bribery offences.
Posted: June 2011
Whilst weak growth in the UK
economy has given cause for concern over recent months, the
strength of the manufacturing sector has been a source for
optimism. Indeed between March 2010 - March 2011, production in the
manufacturing sector grew by 2.7%. By contrast, the UK economy grew
1.8% over the same period. As a consequence, it is now widely
reported that a sustained economic recovery will be largely
dependent upon a rebalancing of the economy towards the
manufacturing sector.
Posted: June 2011
The Government has announced plans to introduce superfast
broadband across the country by 2015, in an action plan entitled
Britain's Superfast Broadband Future.
Posted: June 2011
In 2010 the Government appointed Martha Lane Fox as "Digital
Champion". The role focussed on encouraging as many people as
possible to go online, and improve the convenience and efficiency
of public services by driving online delivery. The purpose of the
new role is to assist the Government to be more transparent.
Posted: June 2011
This paper briefly provides an introduction and update on Local
Enterprise Partnerships (LEPs). It provides information on where
the LEPs have been approved, progress with those in the West and
outlines why these are an important issue for business going
forward.
Posted:May 2011
On 10 May, Business Secretary Vince Cable, Foreign Secretary
William Hague and Trade and Investment Minister Lord Green launched
a new cross-government focus on trade and investment to help the
British economy grow.
Posted: May 2011
The Government opened their “modern
workplaces” consultation on 16 May 2011. The consultation; due to
close 08 August 2011, seeks views on flexible parental leave
measures, which would allow both parents to share leave and have
greater choice on when leave is taken. The proposed new scheme is
not due to come into effect until 2015 at the earliest.
Posted: May 2011
The local elections on
5th May 2011 sent a clear message to the Liberal
Democrats that their Coalition with the Conservatives nationally
was not popular with their voters. Both the Conservatives and
Labour made gains across the country, with the Tories picking up
seats in the southern counties, whilst Labour made some inroads in
their traditional heartlands in the North of the
country.
Posted: May 2011
The announcement at the end of 2009 by
the UK Payments Council as to whether cheques should or can be
phased out is a critical issue for many business groups, including
the self employed, small businesses and charities.
Posted: May 2011
Results for the four Unitary Authorities in
the West of England came through early Friday morning. The results
are set out in detail below. Overall a bit of a mixed picture, with
results in Bath and North East Somerset bucking the national trend
where Liberal Democrats gained seats, in Bristol Lib Dems lost
control of the council and in South Gloucestershire the
Conservative Party narrowly missed taking control, with the main
gains to Labour. In North Somerset the Conservatives maintained
control of the council.
Posted: May
2011
GDP (Growth Domestic Products) is the principal means of
determining the health of the UK economy and is used by the Bank of
England and its Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) as one of the key
indicators in setting interest rates. On 27 April the Office for
National Statistics (ONS) announced the GDP, for quarter one of
2011, the results showed an increase of 0.5%.
Posted: May 2011
Business West has developed a manifesto for change - a direct
call to action for all our local councils with elections this May.
Local elections are important to business in many ways – the
policies and practices of local councils have a significant impact
on the ability of business to deliver and grow.
Posted: April 2011
Each Local Authority area is required
to prepare a Core Strategy document. This strategy document sets
out the long-term spatial vision and objectives across the council
area over the period to 2026.
Posted: April
2011
May is election time again, with local
elections taking place across the country and a UK-wide referendum
(the first since 1975) on changing the Westminster Parliament
voting system. This briefing covers the following four
issues:Business West manifesto for change, background on voting
intentions, the Alternative Vote referendum and local elections
taking place in Bristol, West of England, Gloucestershire and
Swindon.
Posted: April
2011
Communities Secretary Eric Pickles has
launched a consultation into plans to scrap the planning approval
requirement for changing the use of a property from commercial to
residential. The move follows recommendations made in a publication
last month by the centre-right think tank Policy Exchange, which
called for empty shops to be turned into housing.
Posted: April
2011
The Government has recently launched a
new initiative to tackle regulation. A new website has been set up
inviting businesses to make clear what is working and what is not
working in terms of the regulations that affect them.
Posted: April
2011
Nick Clegg has announced details of
the 50 successful bids made to the £450 million first round of the
Regional Growth Fund (RGF). In total 27,000 jobs will be directly
created and safeguarded as a consequence of first round funding,
with close to a further 100,000 jobs created in associated supply
chains.
Posted: April
2011
Independent think-tank Localis has re-ignited
the debate around the localisation of business rates in its recent
publication ‘The Rate Escape’. The report ties in with the
Governments ongoing Local Government Resource Review which presents
an opportunity to think radically about the way local government is
funded in the future.
Posted: April 2011
On 30th March the Government published an aviation scoping
document which will lead the debate on aviation ahead of the
consultation on a long-term UK aviation policy framework next
year.
Posted: April 2011
This briefing note outlines some of
the key aspects from the Chancellor’s budget, picking out issues we
have been campaigning for on behalf of the business community and
those which we think will make the greatest difference to
business.
Posted: March 2011
In the Budget 2011, the government announced they would
establish 21 new Enterprise Zones (EZ) within LEP areas across
England.
Posted: March 2011
to the Employment Tribunal system. It is aimed at creating a
greater focus on settling cases before they reach tribunal,
shortening the length of tribunal hearings and introducing the
power for tribunals to impose financial penalties on those
employers who lose a claim.
Posted: March 2011
The Coalition Government’s first full
budget will be outlined at 12.30pm on Wednesday 23 March. Following
on from the Emergency Budget announced in June and the
Comprehensive Spending Review in October, this Budget is being
promoted as a “budget for growth”.
Posted: March 2011
The 2010 study tour afforded those
within Local Authorities, and currently developing the first wave
of UK Eco-towns, the opportunity the whiteness at first hand the
development of sustainable urban extensions and sustainable city
living.
Posted: March 2011
The Coalition Government has announced
plans to push ahead with the electrification of the Great Western
Main Line (GWML) between Cardiff, Bristol and Didcot, at a cost of
£704 million. The announcement builds on the Governments previous
November declaration for planned rail electrification on the lines
between London Paddington, Didcot, Newbury and Oxford.
Posted: March 2011
The GWE Business West Policy Team
produces regular briefing notes, consultation responses and press
communications on a whole range of local, regional and national
issues relevant to business. The team are also responsible for
surveys and polls, regularly asking our members what their views
are on current issues.
Posted: March 2011
The annual Cities Outlook publication
for 2011 was released by the policy group Centre for Cities
on 24th January 2011. The publication charts and compares the
merits of 63 UK cities against a
range of economic indicators.
Posted: February 2011
The GWE BW Policy Team produces regular briefing notes,
consultations and press communications on a whole range of local,
regional and national issues relevant to business.
Posted: January 2011
The Government has launched a consultation Green Paper which
assesses how the UK Government should acquire equipment, support,
and technology for UK defence and security. This consultation
follows on from the recently published Strategic Defence and
Security Review (SDSR) and forms part of the wider process which
will see a Defence White Paper published in Spring 2011.
Posted: January 2011
The announcement of the New Homes
Bonus measure, is an example of the Governments method of
incentivisation. Billed as a replacement for the previous
Governments Housing and Planning Delivery Grant (HPDG) measure, the
New Homes Bonus sets out to be more effective and less complicated
than its predecessor, rewarding Local Authorities financially for
every additional new housing unit built. In principle GWE Business
West is supportive of the New Homes Bonus scheme.
Posted: January 2011