Law firm Brabners Chaffe Street has formed a joint venture with Liverpool corporate finance adviser The Steve Stuart Partnership (TSSP) to boost its integrated professional advisory service. Under the agreement, TSSP will join with Brabners Chaffe Street’s existing corporate finance team to create a team of nine. The new venture, which will operate under the Brabners Stuart Corporate Finance brand, plans to target locally-based, owner-managed businesses and entrepreneurs. Mark Brandwood, managing partner of Brabners Chaffe Street, said: “Our partnership with TSSP is both a practical response to the market’s changing needs and an important development in our broader strategy.” For Insider comment, click here.

The Northwest Regional Development Agency (NWDA) is allocating £2m of grant funding for small and medium-sized businesses to develop green technologies. The move is part of the Northwest Climate Change Action Plan, with grants between £20,000 and £250,000 available for up to 40 per cent of project costs. Funding will be allocated over categories including waste treatment and recycling, pollution, and energy generation and efficiency. It is provided by the NWDA, working alongside Envirolink Northwest, and the European Regional Development Fund’s Grant for Research and Development.

The Community Union has threatened electrical heating business Glen Dimplex Home Appliances with legal action over claims that its management are pressurising members to end strike action. Almost 380 members of the union are staging industrial action at the Prescot business in protest at a management decision to alter the terms of a three-year pay agreement. The union said workers have been docked eight hours pay after a two-hour walkout. Community Union general secretary Michael Leahy said: “Management seem to believe that David Cameron in Number 10 means that they can break the law with impunity, bringing in illegal strike breakers, unlawfully deducting wages and attempting to coerce union members out of striking.” Glen Dimplex said it will meet with the union next week.

The £5m North West National golf course in Rainford, Merseyside, will open on 29 May. Glenn Turner, SKY TV presenter and director of golf at North West National, has taken five years to open the course. The project experienced a number of setbacks including contractors working on the clubhouse and course going into administration, and delays due to the cold weather last winter.

Low-cost airline Easyjet is to start running flights between Liverpool John Lennon Airport and Ronaldsway on the Isle of Man. The company will operate a daily service starting tomorrow. Easyjet’s UK commercial manager Ali Gayward said: “By launching this route we're making the Isle of Man more accessible for the huge numbers of North West business and leisure travellers that visit the island each year.”

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