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Buisiness News

Summit scales the heights

Tameside's private and public sectors have declared their determination to work together to steer the borough through the economic downturn.

The Tameside Works First Business Summit, which took place at Dukinfield Town Hall on May 8th, was attended by MPs, senior councillors and council officers, and representatives of the borough’s biggest companies.

Cllr Roy Oldham, the executive leader of Tameside Council, set the scene by stressing that the recession had not been caused by the trade cycle, but was the result of a banking crisis which had led to a loss of confidence in the entire financial system.

He said: “The prevailing attitude is that the Government will somehow sort things out, but that’s not good enough. We all have to play our part. We want to create an enduring and sustainable initiative which benefits all parties.”

The consensus was that more must be done to provide job opportunities for young people through apprenticeships, and that the borough, and indeed the country, need a better-educated and skilled workforce if they are to prosper within a high-tech, global economy.

James Purnell, MP for Stalybridge and Hyde, outlined the Future Jobs Fund which has been set up to generate employment for those in greatest need.

He explained: “We are talking about a public works scheme which is good for the community and good for the individuals taking part in terms of skills and learning.”

Cllr Kieran Quinn, Executive Member for economic services who heads Tameside Works First, said: “Tameside’s recovery depends on businesses being successful. This summit demonstrated the good relationships which exist across the borough between the public and private sectors.”

Also attending the summit were Andrew Gwynne, the MP for Denton and Reddish, Conservative group leader Cllr John Bell and the acting chief executive of Tameside Council, Steven Pleasant.

Findel unveils superb new offices at Hyde

Findel Education , one of the largest employers in Tameside, has opened a new 55,000sq ft office development on Ashton Road, Hyde.

The company unveiled its £10m state-of-the-art headquarters on May 14th.

Findel is the largest supplier of education and classroom products in Europe. As a result of business growth and many corporate acquisitions, the company’s previous headquarters, adjacent to the new Ashton Road offices, had become obsolete.

The ceremony was attended by senior councillors and officials of Tameside Council, and Findel’s chief executive, Patrick Jolly, who said: “This fine new building will play a key part in the future success of our operations in the North West.

“We are very happy to invest in Tameside and look forward to working closely with the council in order to ensure the remainder of this prime site is developed soon in a complementary way.

“We believe that our new offices will act as a springboard for development on the adjoining land, which should prove to be a massive boost for job creation in Tameside.”

The executive leader of Tameside Council, Cllr Roy Oldham, said: “I would like to thank Findel Education for their continued support and investment in Tameside. The fact they are unveiling a £10m state-of-the-art headquarters is testament to this, and long may it continue.”

The new building is the first phase of part of a 13-acre scheme which has been granted planning permission for a mixed-use development by Tameside Council.

Leading northern property consultancy Dove Haigh Phillips is advising Findel on the new office investment funding together with the disposal of a further 9.25 acres of the site which is now for sale.

Mike Dove, partner of Dove Haigh Phillips said: “With a long-term commitment from a major plc this is a prime investment opportunity.

“With planning permission in place, a large catchment area for labour and close to the M67-M60 transport hub, the remainder of the site is now ripe for further major quality development.”

The building was designed by Rone Design and built by GMI Construction. The project manager was Rex Procter.

TWF’s first adaptations

Getting in and out of her house used to be something of an ordeal for Hyde pensioner May Hudson. But things have got a lot easier for her thanks to Tameside Works First.

May’s Oak Street home is the first to undergo adaptation work as part of Tameside Council’s £12m project to help the borough’s small and medium-sized businesses weather the economic downturn.

A and G Building and Joinery of Taylor Lane, Denton – a member of Tameside Trading Standards’ Buy With Confidence scheme – was taken on to install front and rear doorsteps for May, along with grab rails.

May (80), a mother of eight and grandmother of 13, suffers from Paget’s Disease (a bone disorder) in her legs and has to walk with a stick. She said: “It used to be very hard to get out of the front door, so the new steps and grab rails have made a big difference.

“I think the work done at my home is wonderful and it was all sorted out so quickly. Social services have done a lot for me, too, like heightening the settee and putting a rail around the toilet.”

Councillor Kieran Quinn, the Executive Member who heads Tameside Works First, added: “I’ve always said that Tameside Works First is all about the local council helping local businesses to help local people.

“And it’s good to know that A and G is a member of the Buy With Confidence scheme which gives customers peace of mind, particularly those who are older or vulnerable.”

Citizen gardeners

It may be too soon to be talking about green shoots of recovery, but the garden is looking rosier for a group of long-term unemployed young men from Tameside.

The lucky 13 have acquired 12-month contracts to work as grounds maintenance assistants, thanks to the District Assembly service and Tameside Works First.

All of them took a pre-employment training course at Tameside College in subjects such as interview technique, health and safety, manual-handling and first aid.

They will continue to have links with the college with the chance to undergo NVQ2 training.

Cllr Jim Fitzpatrick, Executive Member with responsibility for district assemblies, said: “We see this as a win-win situation as everyone benefits. This group will spend 12 months working for the District Assembly service as assistant gardeners which will result in improvements to the environment.”

First Deputy, Cllr Joe Kitchen, who has responsibility for human resources, said, “Thirteen long-term unemployed people are getting work which will remove them from the jobless register”.

“When their year is up, they will have learned skills in the parks and at college which will greatly enhance their chances of finding permanent employment.”

The project is rooted in the Local Employment Partnership agreement with Job Centre Plus  in which Tameside Council has committed itself to helping people move from welfare to sustained employment.

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