HCC
working in the interest of
local business Newsletter
January 2007
Dear Chamber Business Breakfast
Members For those of us able to brave the early start and the
grim weather, the Chamber’s Quarterly Business
Breakfast rewarded both our business appetites and
2006 was a busy year for the Hillingdon Chamber and our stomachs! The event was handsomely hosted
I hope that you have enjoyed the varied programme by Sagar Nakar at the Novotel Hotel. Our lively
of events for our Members. Particular highlights for speakers included David McVittie - Chief Executive
me included the Houses of Parliament tour and lunch Hillingdon Hospital NHS Trust, Cllr. Scott Seaman-Digby
with Nick Hurd MP; I also enjoyed the series of events – Hillingdon Council Cabinet Member, and Shahina Jiwa
designed to give our Members the edge in public - SME Development Manager, Park Royal Partnership.
sector contracting opportunities.
The public sector speakers spoke of their past record
on local procurement and commitment to do more
The Winter-Spring Events Programme is featured in in the future. David McVittie explained that Hillingdon
this newsletter and we look forward to seeing you Hospital attended the Heathrow Meet The Buyer event
at these events during 2007. Detailed, up-to-date and outlined that opportunities for local companies
information on dates, venues and speakers are listed can currently be found in hospitality & cleaning, legal,
on the Chamber website: www.hillingdonchamber.org laundry and catering. Delegates were invited to contact
Andy Carrey, Hillingdon Hospital Contracts Manager for
I am particularly pleased with our new-look website
further information – andycarrey@thh.nhs.uk
and urge any of you who have not yet entered your
business details on it, to do so. Cllr. Scott Seaman-Digby highlighted the following key
steps that are being taken within the Council to make
I have enclosed the Hillingdon Chamber leaflet revised local procurement a reality: clear, concise, up-to-
for 2007 which sets out the Committee’s aims for the date information on the Council’s website including
next 12 months. Please use this leaflet to promote information on future contracts; a ‘tender-ready’ tick
list for local companies; personal contact within the
the Hillingdon Chamber to your business associates,
Council; publication of a Small Business Concordat.
as together we have strength in representing the Cllr Seaman-Scott also committed to holding a local
interests of Hillingdon’s small and medium sized Meet the Buyer event early in the New Year, which will
businesses. emphasise smaller contracting opportunities below the
OJEC threshold.
If you have a comment you would like to make about
the Chamber or to propose a seminar or future event, Chamber Members were quick to probe and test
the commitment of the speakers with their own
please contact Sally Hamblin at: experiences. It will be interesting to see what
info@hillingdonchamber.org or 0208 429 4898. progress is made during 2007 following the speakers’
undertakings and emerging opportunities. Our sincere
Finally, on behalf of the Chamber Committee, I thanks to the staff of Novotel for their hospitality and
would like to wish you a very a successful and to our stimulating speakers, with whom we hope to
prosperous New Year. work further in the interest of developing Members
businesses.
All the best We would welcome hearing from any Members who
successfully enter into contracting relationships with
Mike Langan either the Council or Hillingdon Hospital during 2007.
Chair Hillingdon Chamber
Headquarters: PO Box 518, Pinner HA5 9DQ • Tel: 020 8429 4898
E-mail: hillingdonchamber@f2s.com • Website: www.hillingdonchamber.com
Planning Update New Chamber Members
Hillingdon Chamber would like to
The Planning Appeal Hearing for the Master extend a special welcome to the Ruislip
Brewer site re-opened on 8th January 2007. Manor Chamber of Commerce, whose
Tesco want to build a 7,000 square meter members are now formally affiliated to
superstore on this site. The proposed seven the Hillingdon Chamber.
and a half storey building will be approximately
50 ft high and will be clearly visible to many Jo Aubrey Affordable Hearing Centre
homes and (more crucially for the planning Harji Lakman Bottlesup Superstore
appeal procedure) the green belt. Omer Gecsooyler Master Chef
Justine McKenna Justify Ltd
Don Chaudhury Wow!
The original planning application ran in tandem Mark Braisher The Mortgage &
with a proposal for an IKEA store on the site Insurance Bureau
opposite the Master Brewer. Objections and Ron Dunning northwooduk.com
evidence for the Appeal were based on the Charlie Omanguley Budgens
Mr Ravrani J. Davies & Partners
impact of the combined applications so you Shandip Shah N. V. S. Pharmacy
may imagine the difficulties and confusion Stephen Bird The Art Gallery
created when the IKEA application was suddenly Alan Harper RSPCA Middlesex North West
dropped. Ruislip Manor Post Office
Mr Gadhavi Smokers Paradise
Scott King Scott’s Newsagents
Tesco have proposed installing a new ‘mover’ Ann Gruenbaum All About Flowers
signalling system at the Hillingdon Circus Colin Baldock Capital Financial Services
junction to minimise the impact of additional Mr Stoddart Manor Lights
Claudio Della Mura The Gibbs Gillespie Partnership
traffic going to the store. However following
Manish Pethad Pricewise
trails of the ‘mover’ in 14 different locations Brian Fawell Manor Carpets
around the country, neither the Highways Tony Davis Twin Boys Thai Restaurant
Authority nor the Ministry of Transport accept Jyoisno Raithatha Petals Gifts & Cards
Tesco’s claims. Boshul Islam Elachi
Mr Vasiliou Clippers
Simon Morris Sixty Six Store
Tesco argue that the 15,000 residents living Mike Messenger Elm Park Dining Club
within walking distance of the proposed Mr Morley HGB Motorcycles Ltd
store will walk there every week. Even if such
footfall occurred, Tesco would still need a
further 85,000 customers per week to reach Christmas News Bulletin
its 100,000 shopping basket viability level and
these customers will need to come by car. Bull’s Hayes FM is now in the final stages in the
refurbishment of its studio and office premises. The
Bridge Tesco at Hayes is a direct comparable to
local radio station plans to start broadcasting from
the Hillingdon Circus proposal, it generates 800 Mar/Apr 2007 and will soon be speaking to local
car journeys in and out of the store every hour. businesses interested in ADVERTING opportunities.
Our advertising rates will be the most competitive
In late November Tesco’s planning application with range of discounts reflecting our wider vision
for a 7,340 square meter superstore at Yiewsley of community cohesion, social inclusion and local
regeneration. The broadcast area will span 4-5 miles
went to Hillingdon Planning Committee. from the centre of Hayes and will have a catchment
Independent retailers are concerned about area of about 200,000 people. To find out more
the impact of such a superstore on their please contact Sutish K Sharma on 020 8573 7992
businesses. The appeal against this application
is due to start on 23rd January 2007. ProLogis starts work on speculative units
The ProLogis Park at Heathrow will provide 617,880
sq ft of warehousing, light industrial/production
If you would like to make your feelings and office space along with 101 new homes. 55,035
known regarding either of these proposed sq ft has already been let to BAA for the Heathrow
developments please contact Mike Langan on Consolidation Centre, a distribution unit, and a
info@hillingdonchamber.org Together we can new access roundabout from Stockley Road is now
completed. New speculative units will be ready for
make a difference.
occupation in early 2007. Knight Frank and Savills are
joint agents.
Recruitment & HELPING YOU WIN BUSINESS
Retention FROM HILLINGDON COUNCIL
On 29 November Hillingdon Council’s procurement
Most businesses will tell you that team presented to local businesses the new
recruitment is difficult in West electronic system which an increasing number of
London, especially recruiting suitable Councils will be using to let future contracts. This
system is called the London Tender Portal and is
candidates who have sufficient skills to powered by Due North software.
do the job. Skills training is essential if
businesses are to compete within an In the future it is proposed that the whole
Procure to Pay (P2P) process will be dealt
increasingly global economy. with electronically. The London Tender Portal
will automate the qualification, award, and
If you are a small business it is possible management of all tenders and contracts, and
Oracle iProcure will allow Orders and Invoices to be
that you will think that training is handled electronically.
time away from the job and that
once trained, employees will leave for Once applicant businesses have passed the initial
pastures new. However the reality is qualification stage they will receive automatic
electronic notification of contracts which might
that most employees value training interest them based on the goods and/or services
and respect employers who invest in categories against which they have registered,
their development. There is always and an invitation to tender. All contracts will be
awarded on a scoring basis of “price and total
the risk of losing staff but the longer acquisition costs”. There are a number of factors
term benefits are far greater and which the Council take into account prior to award
outweigh the risks; a higher skilled and price is only one of them. Great emphasis is
placed on quality.
employee is more motivated and a
trained employee is often a more Some business representatives had little
effective employee. The better our confidence that the lowest price contract obtained
through a reverse auction (one of the procedures
staff, the better our bottom line. currently used by the Council when contractors
are equal on the other tendering factors) would
Traditional assumptions about what result in the continued service level promised in
the original tender. Andrew Malin from Hillingdon
training involves may no longer apply. Council expressed that penalty clauses in
Much training can now be done at contracts would be implemented where contract
times to suit the company, perhaps performance falls below agreed service standards
and that ultimately a failing contractor would lose
at the weekend or evenings, in short the contract and not be awarded another.
sharp blocks or even in the workplace.
Contracts are generally 3-5 years, often with an
option for an extension. Businesses welcomed
There are also free and subsidised the Council’s proposals to have smaller value,
training opportunities through area based contracting agreements which would
the ‘Train to Gain’ initiative which facilitate their ability to compete with larger
organisations.
is targeted at small and medium
sized companies. If you have a It is vital to the continuing success of the Council’s
specific training need and would relationship with local businesses that the
like advice on free events and other Subscriptions for
businesses themselves proactively research council
needs and develop their capabilities to fill those
training opportunities contact: needs by utilising their advantages of geography
- Employer Services at:- Uxbridge 2006 are now due.
and flexibility.
College. Tel 01895 853636 or email
employerservices@uxbridgecollege. Not paid?
The Chamber is pleased to be working with the
Council to achieve the award of more public sector
ac.uk contracts to local businesses and has invited the
Please support the Chamber
Council to join its Committee to enable closer
working.
For advice on free events and other by sending your payment as
training opportunities. Jointly written by Andrew Malin and Frazine
soon
Johnson as possible. Thank You
Winter/Spring Business Events Diary 2007
January
25th
Marketing & The Web – interactive presentation from the Push Group on making the best of marketing
opportunities. Hosted by the JGA Group at 6pm Television House, 260 Field End Road, Eastcote
Chamber Committee Meeting Closed meeting
February
28th Seminar.
40 Ways To Pay Less Tax – evening presentation from Jonathan Seymour of Kingston Smith Chartered
Accountants. Seminar to include networking opportunity. Hosted by Kingston Smith, 800 Uxbridge Road,
Hayes.
March
Heathrow T5 Tour. A tour with BAA to include a tour inside the new terminal building.
Meet The Buyer. Opportunity for small and medium sized businesses in Hillingdon to meet the Council’s
procurement team and to discuss tendering opportunities. Event to be hosted by Hillingdon Council and to
include networking opportunities.
13th Seminar. Fire Protection & Crime Prevention for Businesses – specific advice and information for
businesses from Hillingdon Police and Fire Services to include the opportunity to answer your questions and
network.
Chamber Committee Meeting. Closed meeting
April
House of Commons Tour. The annual tour and meal at the House this year hosted by John McDonnell MP.
Doing Business with Hillingdon Opportunity for small and medium sized businesses in Hillingdon to meet
the Council’s procurement team and to discuss tendering opportunities. Event to be hosted by Hillingdon
Council and to include networking opportunities.
May
AGM - Chamber Committee Meeting The annual tour and meal at the House this year hosted by John
McDonnell MP. 12.15 – 3pm
Home Information Pack – rights, responsibilities and implications of this new legislation. Vijay Ghudail, Infinity
Mortgage Solutions. Venue TBA.
Details on events will be published on the Chamber website www.hillingdonchamber.org
Home-Start Hillingdon is
looking for Trustees. print copy design
Home-Start is a registered charity and a company • creative design & artwork • poster printing
limited by guarantee supporting families with
children under five • large format copying • digital printing
years old who – for
whatever reason – are • printed stationery • brochures & leaflets
experiencing difficulties,
loss, isolation, • training material • fulfilment services
separation, disability,
mental or physical ill • fast black & white printing / copying
health or bereavement.
Our family befriending volunteers, who know all For further information, advice
about being a parent, support other parents with the and consultation, please call
gifts of time and loving concern. It’s a simple idea
which really works.
The Board of Home-Start Hillingdon is currently
Tel: 020 8848 8898
56 Station Road, Hayes,
recruiting people to become Board Members/ Middlesex UB3 4DF
Directors. Any interested persons with managerial or Fax: 020 8848 8683
financial experience should phone Mike on 0208 740 Email: kallkwikheathrow@btclick.com
7875 or email at mike@harrisonw12.fsnet.co.uk www.kallkwik.co.uk/hayes
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