Vauxhall owner General Motors (GM) has withdrawn its application for a £270m loan guarantee from the government as the process has proven to be more complex and taken longer than anticipated. Nick Reilly, president of GM Europe, said the company had decided to fund the requirements internally. The reversal comes after the German government last week rejected an application for €1.2bn in aid to help it restructure its European operations. Vauxhall employs approximately 2,200 people in Ellesmere Port.

A St Helens company has been found guilty of a health and safety breach in connection with the huge explosion at the Buncefield oil depot in December 2005. Motherwell Control Systems 2003, which is in voluntary liquidation, was convicted of the offence at St Albans Crown Court. Jurors found that the company failed to ensure its employees were not exposed to health and safety risks between September 2003 and December 2005. The explosion injured 43 people and measured 2.4 on the Richter scale.

Chester travel company Elegant Resorts has increased sales and profits despite the “considerable volatility” in the holiday market. The business reported revenues of £47m for the year to 30 September, up from £40m a year earlier. Pre-tax profits were up from £475,000 to £1.88m. Writing in the accounts, the directors said the weakness of the sterling against other major currencies had put pressure on package holiday costs. Last month, the company’s owner Thomas Cook announced it is to restructure its UK offices with the loss of 70 jobs. However, Elegant Resorts will remain in Chester.

Jonathon Porritt, the co-founder of Forum for the Future, has been confirmed as the keynote speaker for this year’s Northwest Business Environment Awards. In addition to his work with the sustainable development charity, Porritt is also a former director of Friends of the Earth. The ceremony, which takes place on 19 October at the Bridgewater Hall in Manchester, has attracted more than 100 entries and shortlisting is now underway in its six categories. It has been organised by ENWORKS and Insider is acting as media partner.

A 21 per cent fall in rental revenues has hit profits at Warrington plant hire firm A-Plant. The company posted a turnover of £162.3m for the year to 20 April, down from £208m last time. Operating profit before exceptional items fell from £16.1m to £1.8m. In a statement to the Stock Exchange, parent owner Ashtead said the reduction in construction projects caused by a lack of available finance was to blame for the slump. Group pre-tax profits fell to £5m from £87.4m, while revenue declined 25 per cent to £836.8m.

Barclays Corporate has appointed Greg Doran as business development director for the Merseyside area. Doran worked as a relationship director for the bank in Liverpool before moving to Barclays Bank Ireland, where he was responsible for the technology, telecoms, business services and logistics sectors. He will be based at Barclays’ offices at 20 Chapel Street.

St Helens specialist contractor and office fit-out company Jennor has won two contracts to refurbish the common areas in Liverpool’s Cunard Building. The business was appointed by managing agents CB Richard Ellis following a competitive tender. The project involves refurbishing the building’s ornate ceilings and fluted columns and restoring the mahogany panelled doors and brass ironmongery. Jennor expects the contracts to be worth a combined seven figure sum.

Affordable housing delivery in the North West is up on last year, despite the economic downturn, according to statistics published by the Homes and Communities Agency (HCA), the government’s national housing and regeneration body. The figures show the number of new affordable homes rose 16 per cent in the number of starts and completions for 2009/10. The HCA delivered 3,654 starts compared to 3,261 last year; and there were 3,924 completions compared with 3,256 in the previous year.