30/04/2008 by admin.

The Federation of Small Businesses (FSB) said that small, independent shops have been let down by the Competition Commission in its inquiry into the grocery sector.

Despite a committee of MPs estimating that 2,000 small shops are going out of business each year, the FSB said that the Competition Commission had failed to come up with any remedies that would halt the decline. Throughout the two-year investigation the FSB has been dismayed that the Competition Commission failed to consider the impact of supermarkets on independent retailing.

In response the FSB set up its wide-ranging Keep Trade Local campaign to highlight issues that the Competition Commission failed to address. The campaign also aims to raise awareness of the value that small, independent retailers provide to consumers. This includes local products, more personal service and speciality goods not available in supermarkets.

Clive Davenport, FSB Trade & Industry Chairman, said: “During the course of three investigations in seven years the Competition Commission has consistently failed to understand the value to consumers of small independent shops. This latest inquiry has again missed the point.

“The remit of this inquiry was far too narrow. Supermarkets are forcing small shops out of business in many areas of retailing, not just groceries. Important issues such as the travesty of almost limitless free parking at out of town superstores while independent high street shops face ever-more stringent parking restrictions were not even considered.

“People up and down the country can see that we are losing our small shops, but this report does little to solve the problem. We are in danger of sleepwalking into the death of our high streets. The FSB has been left with no alternative but to campaign across the country and raise political awareness. It is now up to our elected representatives to step in and prevent disaster.”

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30/04/2008 by admin.

The role of a research centre based at NEWI in Wrexham, in successfully securing a £1.6 million research grant, has been raised in the Welsh Assembly by the town’s AM.

Wrexham Assembly Member, Lesley Griffiths made her remarks in a Question to the First Minister, Rhodri Morgan on the Government’s science policy.

Ms. Griffiths praised the Centre for Water Soluble Polymers at NEWI, for winning £1.6 million of grant as part of a consortium involving other academic institutions and industry.

The grant is being awarded to help the drilling fluids industry address increasing pressures from legislation desinged to protect the environment. The Centre will help look for a new alternative biodegradable material, to inhibit swelling of clays in offshore oil and gas drilling operations, replacing materials currently used.

In her Question, Lesley Griffiths told the First Minister: “In its document, ‘A Science Policy for Wales 2006’, the Government clearly spelt out that higher education institutions would play a pivotal role in delivering science and innovation policy. The document also said that that should be linked to Wales’s wider economic success.

“Will you, therefore, join me in congratulating the North East Wales Institute of Higher Education in Wrexham - Wales’s latest university - on securing a £1.6 million research grant to work with industry to find an alternative, greener, biodegradable material for use in offshore oil and gas drilling operations? Does this not demonstrate perfectly how the Government’s science policy is delivering for Wales?”

In his reply, the First Minister, said: “We specified three top priority areas in which we, and our higher education institutions, should do more and more work. One of those was the low-carbon society and economy. The kind of research grant that you mentioned in NEWI would fit in with those priorities.

“I welcome the announcement of that grant, which is quite substantial by NEWI standards. Now that it has university-level ranking, we hope that its research income, and its ability to win research contracts, will grow and grow.”

Commenting after her Question, Lesley Griffiths AM said: “The news the Centre for Water Soluble Polymers had been successful in securing this large grant, is typical of the great things currently happening at NEWI.

“With this kind of research taking place, it underlines precisely why it is to become Wales’ new University.”

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28/04/2008 by admin.

Lesley Griffiths, the Welsh Assembly Member for Wrexham, has welcomed the launch of a new telephone support line for families who have been bereaved through a workplace fatality and the colleagues of people killed at work.

The support line has been set-up by the voluntary organisation - Hazards Campaign Wales - with aim of providing information on other organisations offering help and where possible offer emotional support, to family members and co-workers who have experienced a work- related death of someone close to them.

The launch coincided with Workers Memorial Day which is held on 28 April every year, when all over the world, workers and trade unions remember those who have died in the workplace and campaign for tougher health and safety laws and improved occupational health for workers.

Commenting on the launch of the support line, Lesley Griffiths AM said: “In the latest statistics from the Health & Safety Executive, 14 workers died in Wales of fatal injuries during 2006/2007 and this does not include those people who die each year from work related illness.

“I wish Hazards Campaign Wales every success with this initiative. I am sure it will prove to be of great benefit to those who have lost someone close to them at work.”

The support line will be operational from 28th April 2008 and can be contacted on: 0792 121 3096.

When contacting the support line, please leave a message giving your name and contact number. Alternatively you can send a text. (Mobile rates and network charges apply). A call will be returned within 48 hours.

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28/04/2008 by admin.

Wrexham’s AM Lesley Griffiths has expressed concern at new research findings which reveal that over half of bosses in the UK assess the chances of a member of staff falling pregnant before employing them. Read more.

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28/04/2008 by admin.

The Federation of Small Businesses (FSB) has called on local authorities to rethink town centre parking policies ahead of the local elections in England and Wales in May.

The UK’s biggest business organisation said that the practice of local authorities using excessive parking charges to raise revenue is killing town centres. Local authorities made £1.6 billion from parking charges and fines in 2005, up from £628 million in 1997.

The FSB warned that short term revenue-raising by local authorities through draconian town centre parking laws would backfire in the long term as high street shops go out of business and the wealth and employment they create is lost. The FSB’s Small Business Manifesto for the local elections calls for sensible parking policies that encourage shoppers to use small independent shops on the high street. MPs estimate that 2,000 small shops cease trading every year.

Roger Culcheth, FSB Local Government Chairman, said: “Every town is different and you can’t impose exactly the same parking policies everywhere. But local authorities should come up with a set of criteria for parking policies that encourage shoppers into town centres rather than turning them away.

“Although parking restrictions can raise a lot of cash in the short term, they can be extremely damaging to local economies and ultimately counter-productive, as shops in town centres begin to close.

“Spiralling town centre parking costs and huge fines must be done away with permanently. The local elections in England and Wales are a perfect opportunity for local authorities to show their commitment to the town centres they have so much influence over.”

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27/04/2008 by admin.

Businesses in North Wales are supporting a new business award that aims to identify Wales’ most innovative companies and organisations.

The inaugural Wales Innovation Award, run by not-for-profit registered charity Wales Quality Centre (WQC) in association with award sponsor Penn Pharmaceutical Services, was launched at the Talardy Hotel, St Asaph.

The award scheme is open to entries from the public, private and charitable sectors and the award judges will be looking for evidence of how a product, practice or service has been developed over time and how it can be distinguished from its rivals.

Workshops are being held April, May and June to help entrants with their submissions ahead of the closing date on September 19. Winners will be announced at the Wales Quality Award Dinner in Cardiff on November 10.

For more information on the award contact David Edwards, WQC North Wales representative, on 07786 752 016.

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23/04/2008 by admin.

Eagles Meadow - Wrexham’s £110m shopping and leisure complex - will open on October 30. Major high street names including Debenhams, Marks & Spencer, Next, River Island, H&M, Starbucks and Jane Norman are opening stores in the new development which will also feature 24 lane Tenpin Bowling and restaurants.

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22/04/2008 by admin.

Watkin Jones and Co have completed work on the second phase of Yale Business Village taking the total new floorspace created at the £11m development to 55,000 sq ft. Phase One opened for business last August. There are a few remaining units in Phase Two with office space ranging from 2,400 sq ft to 10,000 sq ft.

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22/04/2008 by admin.

Artenus PET Packaging Europe is relocating its European headquarters from Gresford Industrial Park which will remain its major manufacturing site. Artenius boasts an 18% European market share supplying brands such as Coca Cola, Perrier Mineral Water and Lucozade.

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22/04/2008 by admin.

P.H. Jones Ltd, operators of a major service centre on Wrexham Industrial Estate, have purchased Coolfactor Group, a special engineering and building services company in Kent.

The workforce employed by the company now totals 900 - 600 of them engineers - working from 25 regional offices. The administrative headquarters for P.H. Jones are in Malpas, Cheshire. The service centre on the industrial estate was set up over ten years ago to carry out social housing work for Wrexham Council.

P.H. Jones provides heating maintenance for homeowners and well as registered landlords.

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