Zero Hours Contracts – Do you know about the changes ?

For many employers, zero hours contracts make their organisation viable.

This afternoon, the Government issued their new guidance on these.

This guidance includes what they are, how they affect employment rights, appropriate use and best practice.

The guidance notes can be found at http://bit.ly/1OFakqU

The real question is, does your organisation know this ?

If it hadn’t been via this post, would it have been aware of this guidance note from BIS ?

If you would like to discuss further how to keep informed about the changes which BIS and other departments are making, please do contact

karen@perpsectivconsultants.com

Conference season is over – now to The Budget

As Westminster returns from its Conference recess, all eyes now turn to HM Treasury and The Budget 2016.

Many businesses feel that they need to concentrate on the Here & Now, but in HM Treasury, that is next year’s Budget.

So, how will the announcements made next Spring impact upon your business ?

Have you even thought that far ahead ?

Some larger businesses or trade associations see this is the starting point for their working year.

So, does your business require a change in tax in order for it to be competitive ?

Have you spoken to any politicians to test the water with your ideas ?

Do others in your industry see this as a positive for the industry as a whole ?

If the answer to any of the above questions is YES, then do you have the political knowledge and business capital to achieve this ?

If you require assistance, please contact:-

karen@perspectivaconsultants.com

If it is Thursday, it must be Doncaster

Tim Farron has just finished his first Conference speech.  It was greeted enthusiasm by many of the assembled members.

He set out the Party’s stall.

Proud of delivering in Government with the Pupil Premium and increases in the Personal Tax Allowance.

Saying that housing and the plight of refugees were firmly on his agenda.

But Tim is well aware, this is a marathon, and most definitely not a sprint.

With the next general election in 2020, there are numerous occasions to commence influencing party policy.

The Liberal Democrats are packing Bournemouth by the press pack in those who want to try and influence party policy – and voting decisions – now try and split themselves, by move onto Doncaster, to the UKIP conference tomorrow, the Green party conference in Bournemouth on Friday and the Labour Party in Brighton on Sunday.

Choosing where to be and when can be a challenge.

With elections to the Scottish Parliament and the Welsh assembly in May next year, influencing political parties is vital.

If you require more information or assistance with this, please do contact

karen@perspectivaconsultants.com

Small Business + Legislation = Lobbying NOW

Yesterday, BIS, the Department of Business & Enterprise issued a raft of papers about the forthcoming Enterprise Bill.

So what, many small businesses say, all they will do is add more obsticles to what we do.

Helpfully, BIS also issued a Enterprise Bill fact sheet.

This sets out some of the areas which this Bill will touch.

However, if these have a significant impact on your business, it isn’t too late to advise politicans of this.

Many MPs have never run their own business and are simply unaware of the law of unintended consequences.

If your organisation would like assistance with this Bill, please do contact me on

karen@perspectivaconsultants.com

Conference Season starts here

Yesterday, in Brighton, the TUC opened it’s annual Congress, or Conference. Not just an opportunity for people to go to the seaside but an occasion where Trades Unionists from the length and breath of the UK, come together, exchange experiences and more importantly, after the election of Jeremy Corbyn as leader of the Labour Party, to lobby elected members pn behalf of their members.

Frances O’Grady, the General Secretary of the TUC, will make her speech today, and is likely to highly the impact of the forthcoming Trade Union Bill. The changes in duties places upon Trades Unions in this Bill have been decsribed as “dreconyian” – placing impossible duties upon them – including advance warning of the members Facebook posts…….

This is the start of the lobbying season in earnest.

Every business has the right to lobby – but the issue is, is it strategtic, is it effective, and much more importantly, are there agreed milestones and objectives which can be delivered ?

Effectivly lobbying is not setting up a meeting with an MP.  It is the creation of a strategy and implementing it and achieving the objectives from this.

If anyone would like assistance with this, do contact

karen@perspectivaconsultants.com

Feed In Tariff Consultation

On Friday afternoon, as many people were packing up for their weekend, the Westminster Government opened it’s Consultation on the review of the Feed In Tariff scheme.

Whilst some may be aware of this.  This is a classic example of why Public Affairs companies add value to businesses – of all sizes.

In many parts of the UK, FITs are used by many small businesses as part of their business model and any change could make a significant impact upon this.

It is vital that if your business is effected in any way by FITs that your organisation, large or small, irrepective which part of the UK it is situated in, contributed to this consultation process.

The documents in full can be found at :-

https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/consultation-on-a-review-of-the-feed-in-tariff-scheme

If your organisation requires assistance with contributions to this process, please do contact me either on

0141 333 6560 or

karen@perspectivaconsultants.com

Politics returns to normal-Scottish Parliament election campaign starts today

Today both the Scottish Parliament and the European Parliament return for their summer recesses.

Our news screens will start to fill up with politicans and we now have the end of the so -called “Silly Season” of news.

But for people in Scotand, it indicates the start of the “Long Campaign” for the Scottish Parliament election in May next year.

For business it should indicate the start of the time when influencing politicans should become the norm. Currently political party manifiestos are in a draft stage and still have the opportunity for change.

However, the Party Conference season is 3 weeks away – once this is over – in October with the SNP conference- the ability to influence these policies deceases – significantly.

If you wish more information on how this will impact on your business, do contact me on

karen@perpsectivaconsultants.com

What does the Luxembourg Presidency mean to you ?

A Union for the citizens Priorities of the Luxembourg Presidency of the Council of the European Union

On 1st July, one of the smallest states within the EU took on the Presidency, Luxembourg.

In it’s priorities document, it set out the main aims and objectives for the next 6 months are presented under the following sections:

• Stimulating investment to boost growth and employment
• Deepening the European Union’s social dimension
• Managing migration, combining freedom, justice and security
• Revitalising the single market by focusing on its digital dimension
• Placing European competitiveness in a global and transparent framework
• Promoting sustainable development
• Strengthening the European Union’s presence on the global stage

From this list we can see that employment and economic growth at the heart of the EU.

It will be interesting to see how this manifests it’s when the Parliament and the Commission return from their vacation in 2 weeks time.

If you or your organisation require any assistance with these, or any other advice in dealing with politicians at any level, please do not hesitate to contact me on

karen@perspectivaconsultants.com or on 0141 333 6560

Scottish Government Consultations

With many Scottish schools holidays coming to an end, many organisations will see this as a time to return to “normal” business, whatever that is.

During the Summer period, the Scottish Government, like it’s Westminster counterpart issued a number of consultations.

Some of these, such as

Permitted Development Rights: Non-Domestic Solar Panels and Domestic Air Source Heat Pumps , 

Consultation on further extension of coverage of the Freedom of Information (Scotland) Act 2002 to more organisations , and Consultation on the Law of Succession  still have a limited time to contribute to. If any of these impact on your business, it is vital that you input into the process. Your business perspective is one which the Government may not have heard before and could take into account when progressing the relevant legislation. Most business maintain that Government, irrespective of where the decisions are made, do not take their views into account.  This is your opportunity to correct this. If you wish assistance with this process, do contact karen@perspectivaconsultants.com

It might be recess – but Government is still busy

It might be recess but all areas of Government are still working hard. Even if the elected members are back in their constituencies.

As we are coming to the end of July, the civil servants at every level of Government are still working hard and publishing Guidance Notes, Policy Papers and public consultations at a rate of knots.

This week alone Her Majesty’s Government have issued Policy Papers on the Minimum Wage, Women on Boards, Electricity Market Reform and TTIP.  Not content with that there have also been Guidance on the Roles & Responsibilities under the Capacity Market and Information Management policies.

There has also been the start of the consultation process on Feed In Tariffs.

While many of these subjects may appear dry – and might not apply to every business.  The issue is, that somewhere, there is a business organisation which these will impact upon – and without regular advice and guidance from a professional organisation, your business may have to react to a Government decision, as opposed to influence and shape it.

In the sphere of Local Government, many residents often accuse officers of “sneaking out” contenscious planning applications during the summer break time – as they feel that they are being held back form the influencing process.

If your organisation requires guidance with this process,please do contact Perspectiva consultants, either via their LinkedIn page or their website on http://www.perspectivaconsultants.com