Deputy Prime Minister boosts
jobs with £50 million for local companies
THE Deputy Prime Minister is awarding
£50.4 million of extra funding from the Regional Growth Fund to help companies
in the North West to flourish.
Since Nick Clegg launched the fund in 2010, a total of £430 million has now been
invested in 89 projects across the North West, which will create or safeguard
around 117,000 local jobs and attract around £2.5 billion of further investment
from the private sector.
Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg said:- "After decades of regional
economies being neglected, I set about investing directly in local businesses
via the Regional Growth Fund. This investment has allowed regional businesses to
be more ambitious than ever before and gone a long way in creating a stronger
economy.
A stronger economy means providing equal opportunity for everyone across the UK,
rather than solely relying on the city of London to bolster UK business. The
success of the RGF is proof that putting money in the hands of local businesses
helps them flourish, and creates opportunities for more people to work locally."
For every £1 the Government has invested through the Fund, the private sector
has put in £5.50, meaning the total investment is now expected to attract £16
billion of private sector support across the UK.
Ministers will be visiting RGF projects across England to see how the Fund is
helping to rebalance the economy. Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Minister
Dan Rogerson will visit H2 Energy, a bio-refinery company in Liverpool, which
secured a RGF grant from the North Liverpool City Fringe Programme to assist
them with the costs of setting up their central manufacturing and support
Facility in Liverpool.
Business Secretary Vince Cable will visit automotive specialist Brose today, a
successful bidder in Round 6. He said:- "We have invested more than £1.1
billion in British manufacturing businesses outside London to grow and create
jobs in sectors spanning aerospace, automotive, low-carbon and chemicals.
Today's investment, supporting businesses like Brose, will boost British
manufacturing, exports, and opportunities to innovate, impacting companies
positively for a decade and beyond."
Universities, Science and Cities Minister Greg Clark added:- "The
Government is supporting local businesses and enterprise across the country,
helping them to expand and create long term, skilled jobs.
This latest round of RGF investments will help local firms fulfil their
ambitions for growth, encourage businesses to set up bases in the UK and boost
jobs and prosperity."
List of bidders in the North West with conditional
offers from Round 6:-
► St Helens Chamber Ltd (Programme covering the Liverpool City Region).
► Economic Solutions Ltd (Programme covering the North West and parts of the North
East).
► Cumbria Chamber of Commerce (Programme covering Cumbria).
► East Lancashire Chamber of Commerce and Industry (Programme covering Lancashire).
► Victrex PLC (Thornton-Cleveleys).
► MSIF (Programme covering the North West).
► M Sport Ltd (Cockermouth).
► HPL Prototypes Ltd (Location TBC).
► Hanson Springs Ltd (Rochdale).
► S Cartwright & Sons (Coachbuilders) Limited (Altrincham).
► Barnfield Investment Properties Limited (Brierfield).
► The University of Manchester (Programme covering Cumbria).
► BioCity Nottingham Ltd (Alderley Edge).
► Reform Energy PLC (Fleetwood).
GMB welcomes Mesothelioma victims compensation
but will fight on for those who missed out
GMB is greatly disappointment that
those victims and their families who received 80% of the compensation since July
2014 will not be getting the missing 20%. And those victims who from February
2010, when the original consultation began, will receive nothing from this
scheme. John McClean, GMB national Health and Safety Officer said:- "GMB
welcomes today's announcement from Lord Freud on the decision to increase
Mesothelioma victims compensation from an average of 80% to 100% as this is in
line with GMB policy. However, GMB is greatly disappointment that those victims
and their families who received 80% of the compensation since July 2014 will not
be getting the missing 20%. And those victims who from February 2010, when the
original consultation began, will receive nothing from this scheme. The
government while announcing how successful the scheme has been continues to
ignore suffering victims and their families in a purely unjust and arbitrary
manner and GMB will continue to campaign on those who have been excluded or only
partially compensated, from the scheme."
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Liverpool office
workers are burning the midnight oil, according to Regus survey
LIVERPOOL professionals say
they are working outside of their usual hours more than 5 years ago.
73% of Liverpool professionals are required to work outside of their
regular office hours more than they were 5 years ago, according to a
recent research from Regus, the world's largest provider of flexible
workspace. The survey canvassed the opinions of over 3,000 business
people in the UK on their attitudes and approaches to work.
The same proportion of the Liverpool workers surveyed (73%) say that
fixed hours are no longer suited to their duties; perhaps offering
some explanation as to why so much extra time is spent at the
office. 74% also reported a rise in remote workers, further
suggesting that the concept of 9-5 day in the office is outdated.
Richard Morris, UK CEO, Regus said:- "These findings clearly
show that UK working practices continue to evolve. The fact that so
many workers in Liverpool are finding that 'regular' hours no longer
suit their roles, should prompt companies to embrace flexible
working practices. Our clients frequently say that
implementing flexible working has a strong impact on the
productivity and well-being of employees. Many companies still make
the mistake of associating flexible working solely with home
working, however, dedicated workspaces offer the flexibility to work
wherever and whenever it suits them."
Fishlock's
florists and R Charity 'make it official' for Valentine's Day
LOVE is blooming this
Valentine's Day as Fishlock's florists announce the Royal Liverpool
and Broadgreen University Hospitals NHS Trust's R Charity as their:-
'Charity
of the Year 2015'.
And to mark the start of their relationship, the local florists, who
have been selling flowers in Liverpool for over 120 years, will give
customers the option to donate £1 to the charity from each
Valentine's bouquet bought in the run up to Valentine's Day.
Anyone buying the bouquets for their current and maybe even future
partners will help raise funds for vital equipment in the new Royal,
which will allow staff to provide the best care possible to patients
in the new hospital.
Loren Slade, R Charity fundraiser said:- "Having a local
business like Fishlock's help out with R Charity is fantastic. The
new Royal will help change the lives of thousands of people in
Merseyside so we want the local community to get involved as much as
possible. That includes local businesses and anyone else who wants
to help out."
Fishlock's florists have been in and out of the Royal for many
years, delivering flowers to hospital patients.
Speaking about their
fundraising, Fishlock's owner Richard Moore said:- "Love is in
the air this Valentine's Day and we're proud to be sharing that love
with R Charity.
We've delivered to patients and sometimes even staff members in the
Royal over the years, so it's great to be able to help them out with
the new Royal."
The florists plan to help raise more money throughout the year for R
Charity through sales and other events.
Next of kin appeal for:-
'William George Roche'
LIVERPOOL Coroner's Office are asking
for the public's help in tracing the next of kin of a Bootle man who died in
hospital last August (2014). William George Roche died at University Hospital
Aintree on 22 August 2014 after a short illness. There are no suspicious
circumstances surrounding his death. Mr Roche had lived in Syanley Road in
Bootle and is believed to have had family in the Liverpool area. Anyone who can
help the Coroner establish his next of kin is encouraged to call:- Alby Howard
Murphy at Liverpool Coroners Office on:- 0151 225 5063. |