The Chamber

The Department of Innovation, Universities and Skills has issued a consultation which considers that all employees should have the right to request training from their employers.

The new right would operate along the same lines as the right to request flexible working. However, whereas the right to request flexible working is confined to certain people in certain family situations, the right to request training would apply to all employees.

The new right is a right to request training, rather than a right to receive training.

The key proposals are:

• The training requested must help the employee to be more productive and effective at work;
• Where training requested ties into nationally funded schemes (such as Train to Gain, employers will be able to claim funding;
• Employees must have been working for their employers for a period of not less than 26 weeks;
• Employees, after consideration of their training needs (with third parties if needs be) would need to submit a request in writing;
• Employees can have a representative with them to attend any employer meeting to discuss this right;
• The number of requests would be limited to one in twelve months;
• There would be right of appeal to the employer, and following that to an employment tribunal. Such appeals would only be allowed where the employer failed to follow correct procedure.

In the proposals, employers could refuse training for the following reasons:

• Lack of relevance of training to business;
• Suitable training is unavailable;
• Burden of cost;
• Detrimental effect on ability to meet customer demand;
• Inability to organise work among existing staff;
• Inability to recruit additional staff;
• Detrimental impact on performance;
• Detrimental impact on quality;
• Insufficiency of work during the periods the employee proposes to work; and
• Planned structural changes.

The purpose of the proposals is to ‘serve to raise employers’ awareness of the importance of skills to their businesses’ and to act as ‘a significant driver of cultural change, and action, in relation to skills’.

The British Chamber of Commerce want to know what you think. Please take our quick survey to share your views on how this will effect business and whether or not it will change how training is delivered. Take the survey here.

The full consultation can be found on the Department of Innovation, Universities and Skills website.

Join the Business Doctors for an interactive seminar at Aintree Racecourse on Thursday 17 July.

Many businesses have already benefited from this practical insight into growing a business profitably. Get some positive support and advice for future proofing your business and scaling up for sales and profit growth.

As in their previous June event, places are limited so act now. Visit the Business Doctor website to register or speak with Rod on 0845 219 7077.

Where
Merryman Boxes
Aintree Racecourse
Ormskirk Road
Liverpool L9 5AS

When
Thursday 17 July
Choose between Breakfast or Lunch.

Breakfast
7.30am arrival, 8.00am start, away by 9.00am
Lunch
Noon arrival, 12.30pm start, away by 1.30pm

Here’s a few quick posts with some great tools and tips to protect and tidy your computer and your desk. A most satisfying way to spend a Friday afternoon…

Top Five Windows Maintenance Tools - Includes free applications to dump unwanted files and programmes as well as fast defraggers to keep your PC ticking over nicely.

Top Five Antivirus Applications -  A cool list of tools to help keep your machine safe and virus free. We may have linked to this before, but it’s such a vital job we thought we’d highlight it again.

Make a cable tidy from an old loyalty card - A nice Blue Peter-esque project that both declutters your purse / wallet AND tidies up those Medusa-like cables trailing down the back of your desk.

All links taken from or found on the Lifehacker site.

• Do you occupy a public building of more than 1000m2? and
• Is your building occupied or part-occupied by a public authority or institution providing a public service? and
• Is your building visited by large numbers of the general public?

If so, from October 1st 2008 the Energy Performance of Buildings Directive makes it compulsory for you to have a Display Energy Certificate (DEC). This rates the operational performance of your building in terms of CO2 emissions. You also need an advisory report, which highlights cost effective measures you can implement to improve energy performance.
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ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING
NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN
THAT THE ONE HUNDRED AND FIFTY-EIGHTH
ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING OF MEMBERS OF THE CHAMBER
will be held at Jury’s Inn
at 12 Noon on Wednesday 23rd July 2008

Members are requested to attend

A G E N D A

1. To elect the President of the Chamber

2. To elect the Chairman, Vice Chairman and Deputy Vice Chairman of the Chamber

3. To receive the report of the Board from the Chairman

4. To receive the Statement of Accounts and Balance Sheet, and the Report of the Auditors

5. To agree the re-appointment of Edward Robinson as Auditors for 2008/09 and to agree to allow the Board to fix their remuneration

6. (a) To elect Council members retiring in rotation under Article 42 and who have signified their willingness to offer themselves for re-election

(b) Council are asked to NOTE the resignations of Council members.

(c)To elect members who have been recommended for election to Council, or who have signified their willingness to be elected in accordance with Article 39

7.  To formally agree to the adoption of the new “Code of Operation” to prepare for the future Governance of the Chamber.

Download a copy of the Code of Operation here [Word Doc]

8. ANY OTHER BUSINESS

Book your place online at the Chamber website

Get directions to Jury’s Inn Liverpool

Creating professional-looking invoices then tracking and managing them can be a complicated and time-consuming task. If you’re a freelancer, self-employed or running a small business, it can be a serious drain on your time.

However, those nice chaps over at the Lifehack website have put togather a handy list of web-based alternatives. These tools can help you stay on top of the whole process, from beginning to end. By managing your invoicing system more efficiently, you can concentrate on whatever it is you set up business to do in the first place.

The full list goes into greater detail, but includes:

Paypal: Simple and classic for the minimalist approach.

Blinksale: Greater control over the look and feel of your invoices

Freshbooks: its free account gives unlimited invoicing

Invotrak: another simple and free tool.

Whilst most of these support multi-currency invoicing, it’s worth checking out the full article for greater detail on what each service offers and at what price.

Read the full article at Lifehack here.

The Business Crime Direct Team would like to draw your attention to a scam recently uncovered which may be useful to our members.

This is a key catcher that was discovered attached to a computer terminal in the Business Centre of a 5-star central London hotel. But the facts are just as relevant to all businesses, particularly if there are credit card transactions.

The key catcher was connected to the rear of a computer in order to capture any data that passes from the keyboard.

The common use for such items is the capture of credit card data, or other personal data that can be used in fraud.

Over the past two months other hotels have recovered similar devices from their reception areas. The devices had been connected at the point of sale equipment.

Our advice is for hotel management to make regular inspections of their computers to ensure that no similar devices have been installed.

Should a device of this sort be located then please contact the Police.

We would further ask that once discovered, the terminal is left untouched until the Police can assess the potential for the recovery of forensic evidence.

Any CCTV of incidents involving such items should be saved and downloaded where necessary.

Any information to:

Tony Jopson or Constable Sheila Morrisson
Tel: 0151 224 1859 or 07900 915877
tony.jopson@liverpoolchamber.org.uk
www.businesscrimedirect.co.uk

Due to the increasing burden of employment legislation dealing with health and safety issues is becoming increasingly difficult, time consuming and costly.

An investment in training can pay dividends in ensuring that your business is compliant. Liverpool Chamber Professional Development has teamed up with Steve McClean from Safety Management Consultancy to deliver vital health and safety qualifications. (NEBOSH) National General Certificate in Occupational Safety and Health and Institution of Occupational Safety and Health (IOSH) Managing Safely.

The venue for both courses is Liverpool Chamber of Commerce, Number One Old Hall Street, Liverpool L3  9HG

To book either course or for  details of how the course can be delivered in house. Please contact Alma Mayers Tel: 0151 224 1883 or e-mail alma.mayers@liverpoolchamber.org.uk

Why indeed!  When you  have a free service right on your door step.

As members of the Liverpool Chamber of Commerce you are entitled and indeed encouraged, to make use of  the Trident Training Recruitment Service which is FREE to members.

Trident Training have been involved with schools and colleges within the Greater Merseyside Area, through the Compact Careers and Guidance Open Days.  We have over two hundred applicants waiting to be placed in employment

If your organisation is looking to employ any staff in the 16 to 18 years age group in a junior administrative or general office position we can assist.  All applicants are thoroughly vetted by qualified staff, providing screening and testing of each individual applicant before Trident release their CVs to employers for consideration

Each successful applicant will commence their apprenticeship with Trident Training in one of a number of subjects such as Business Administration, Retail & Customer Service, IT User& IT Practitioner with key Skills and Technical Certificate

The Learning & Skills Council provide funding of 100% for any staff in the 16 to 24 years old age group to gain a National Vocational Qualification through the apprenticeship scheme which is also open to existing staff in this age group.

The employer is responsible for employing the employee at an Apprenticeship wage of not less than £80.00 per week. Also the employer is responsible for ensuring that the employee receives support and assistance with their apprenticeship program.

For more information, please call the Workforce Development Team on 0151 236 3222 or 227 1234

It’s maritime culture we celebrate this week with two major events happening on the river this month.

CLIPPER RACE FINALE takes place on July 5 when the Mersey hosts the climax of an epic ocean adventure in July with the return of the Clipper 07-08 Round-the-World Yacht Race. The race is the world’s fastest, non-professional, yachting race with a flotilla of boats following the yachts up the Mersey to the finishing line. Cheer on the Liverpool 08 Yacht. For more details contact www.liverpool08.com

THE TALL SHIPS’ RACE 2008 takes place around Albert Dock, Liverpool, July 18 – 20 Enjoy the biggest gathering of tall ships anywhere in Europe this year as over 70 sailing vessels fill Liverpool’s quaysides and docks, berthing in the Wellington and Albert docks.

Climb aboard to find out more about the realities of life at sea, or enjoy the waterside location with live music, performers and displays to enjoy. The three-day maritime festival culminates with the start of the Tall Ships’ Race 2008 on 21 July as the ships begin their parade of sail and their journey to Norway.

For visitors travelling to the Tall Ships’ Race by car, please note that there is no parking within the Wellington Dock, Regent Road area of the city. Please use Park and Ride sites or City Centre car parks, and the shuttle bus service. Visit the Tall Ships’ Race website for more travel information. For more details contact www.tallshipsliverpool.co.uk