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Top story
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Call for new port rates from 2010 as first victim falls
The government’s imposition of new port rates has claimed its first Merseyside victim. Thomas Nichols Brown, a shipping business based in north Liverpool, has called in administrators rather than face a backdated rates bill of £1.3m. The imposition of direct rates on all port-based businesses, backdated to 2005, was announced by the Valuations Office Agency (VOA) in September and has been criticised heavily. David Pendleton, business development director at Mersey Maritime, this morning told Insider: “There have been numerous hearings in Parliament on this and the VOA has effectively admitted the way this has been imposed is wrong. We’re asking for the changes to be brought in from 2010, which will give continuity of employment. It’s a difficult enough trading environment as it is.”
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Business
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Jaguar in bailout talks
Jaguar Land Rover (JLR) has held talks with the government about a possible bailout. The story emerged as US car giant Chrysler announced it would halt production at all 30 of its US factories for a month, while the US government is widely expected to put together a rescue package for both Chrysler and General Motors. JLR’s Halewood plant is to cut back to a single shift in January. Business secretary Lord Mandelson confirmed that discussions have taken place, but said the first responsibility should lie with JLR’s owner, the Indian industrial giant Tata. 
Liverpool hotels outperform UK
Hotels in Liverpool have recently outperformed those in other parts of England, according to a report by business advisory PKF. Hotels in the city achieved an occupancy rate of 83.9 per cent in October. This represented a greater increase on last year than in any other part of the UK. Daily rates and revenue also exceeded the English average. Events attracting visitors to the area included the Liverpool Irish Festival and the BBC Electric Proms.
Funding for LJMU digital facilities
Liverpool John Moores University (LJMU) has secured an additional three months funding from the Northwest Regional Development Agency (NWDA) that will enable its International Centre for Digital Content to continue delivering specialist training and support to digital and creative companies across the North West. Negotiations to secure a new lease at the Liverpool Innovation Park are also expected to conclude in the near future. The university is working in partnership with the NWDA to enhance facilities at the Liverpool Innovation Park, including establishing a high-capacity connection to MediaCity in Salford. An announcement about this next phase of development is expected in 2009.
More visitor records for museum
Merseyside Maritime Museum is attracting its millionth visitor in 2008 as National Museums Liverpool (NML) records the highest entry numbers in its history. The museum becomes the first NML venue to attract a million annual visitors since the organisation was set up in 1986. Visits to the museum have increased by 66 per cent since last year when the museum recorded 601,629 visits.
Administration for Ultra Core
Ultra Core, the Wirral-based trading arm of Deva Composites, has been placed into administration. Administrators at Begbies Traynor are looking for a buyer for the intellectual property assets of the company, which manufactures composite cores to the paper, printing, packaging and converting industries. Ultra Core was backed by the Merseyside Special Investment Fund’s Venture Fund, the Liverpool Seed Fund, North West Equity Fund and HSBC. It lost £700,000 in its last financial year and has incurred development costs of £3m. Begbies’ Paul Stanley said the business wasn't sustainable without a further large capital injection and the 14-man workforce has been made redundant.
Livestock scheme launches
The Northwest Regional Development Agency has appointed four North West organisations to deliver a £6.3m livestock support scheme across the region. Cheshire-based agricultural advisories Promar and Kite Consultancy will work alongside The University of Liverpool Veterinary School and Myerscough College in Preston to carry out the programme. Work will focus on better animal health and welfare and greater efficiency in the use of farm resources such as fertiliser, fuel and water.
BITC awards launch
Businesses in the North West have been invited to enter regional and national categories of the Business in the Community’s Awards for Excellence 2009. Last year Manchester-based Co-operative Financial Services was named Company of the Year and 17 businesses from the region received a Big Tick. The awards recognise companies for the positive impact they have on the marketplace, workplace, environment and community.
Hogan-Howe shortlisted for Met job
Bernard Hogan-Howe, the chief constable of Merseyside Police, is among a four-man shortlist for the UK’s top police job - Metropolitan Police Commissioner. Hogan-Howe was an assistant commissioner with the Met before taking over the Merseyside job from Norman Bettison in 2004. He faces competition from Sir Hugh Orde and Sir Paul Scott-Lee, chief constables of Northern Ireland and the West Midlands respectively, as well as acting Met commissioner Sir Paul Stephenson.
Aiport embraces information age
The refurbished Information Desk at Liverpool John Lennon Airport has been officially opened by Steven Broomhead, chief executive of the Northwest Regional Development Agency (NWDA). Neil Pakey, deputy chief executive of owner Peel Airports, said: “We have seen an increasing number of foreign visitors and are confident that numbers will continue to increase. It is important that we make information provision as easy and attractive as possible.” Design consultancy BroomeJenkins, responsible for the artwork and branding at the airport, designed the new facility.
NWDA appoints five to rural programme
Five organisations have been appointed by the Northwest Regional Development Agency to deliver £6.3m in livestock support work as part of the £75m North West part of the Rural Development Programme for England. Agricultural advisory business Promar, based in Tarporley, Cheshire-based training firm Kite Consultancy, The University of Liverpool Veterinary School and Myerscough College in Preston will, along with Scottish Agricultural College, deliver various activities across the region.
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Property
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Edward Symmons goes to church
Edward Symmons has been instructed on the sale of the Westminster United Reformed Church on Orwell Road in Kirkdale, with offers in excess of £250,000 expected. Two-and-a-half miles north of Liverpool city centre, the freehold of the 12,488 sq ft building comprises a traditional church building over three floors, an attached sports hall and a car park, on a site of 0.42 acres at a prominent junction site. It sits within an area earmarked as primarily residential in Liverpool’s Unitary Development Plan.
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