The government has recently introduced a common commencement date for new legislation.  Most legislation is now introduced twice yearly, in April and October.

Listed below are some of the new legislation updates coming into effect from April 6 2008. They include changes to Corporation Tax, Capital Gains Tax and the Annual Investment Allowance.

Click ‘more’ for the full list.

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Chamber Members The Linkage Point would like you to know about the latest event they are offering:

The Healing Power of Love with Cris Burgess

At: The Racquet Club,
Hargreaves Building,
5 Chapel Street,
Liverpool L3 9AG

Monday 31 March 2008 7:00pm - 9:30pm

Tonight’s three topics:

Energy source big bang Chi Gung
Frequency sound and light power
Brain technology imprinting

Click more for details:

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Let Liverpool University find the ‘next big thing’ for your business.  Take part in their first ever SME Milkround:

‘The Milkround’ is the name popularly given to the universities’ annual graduate recruitment programme. National employers from a wide range of industrial and commercial sectors visit universities to recruit graduates who have applied for their opportunities through the Careers Service.

We recognise that for many SMEs, recruiting a graduate puts an additional strain on the business, in terms of staff time, resources and money that isn’t always readily available.

So this is where we can support you in your search to identify suitable quality candidates.

The University of Liverpool’s Careers and Employability Service in partnership with the Next Big Thing and npower have secured European Social Funding to support SMEs on Merseyside who want to recruit graduates by providing a free recruitment support service.

This initiative would involve the Careers & Employability Service carrying out the following functions on your behalf:

• Profiling your vacancies at our forthcoming Graduate Recruitment Event being held at St George’s Hall, Lime Street, Liverpool on Tuesday 20th May 2008 - circa 2000 graduates attending
• Advertising your vacancy in the lead up to the above event on our vacancy website and virtual fair website
• Collating suitable CVs from those students/graduates interested in being considered for your vacancy
• Arranging your interviews
• Providing you with the suitable facilities here within the Careers & Employability Service to conduct your interviews
• Providing unsuccessful candidates with feedback on your behalf

So all you need to do is concentrate on conducting your interviews.

So what are you waiting for?

To take advantage of this initiative or to find out more, contact Paul Cullinan or Stefan Melgaard, at the University of Liverpool

Tel: 0151 794 5847/5112
Email: pcull@liv.ac.uk or stefan.melgaard@liv.ac.uk
University Talent Team, Careers & Employability Service, University of Liverpool, Student Services Centre, 150 Mount Pleasant, Liverpool L69 3GD

 Liverpool Chamber of Commerce have recently committed to a programme called Hope in the Cities that looks at issues of diversity within business. A high level meeting with some of the city’s key retail employers and Black and Racial Minority (BRM) networks identified the need to look at the issues employers may be having with diversity within their companies. We are all aware that legislation is in place that makes it illegal to discriminate on grounds of gender, race, ethnicity, disability, belief, sexual orientation or age.

This is largely defensive and makes sure employers don’t do the wrong thing. The more positive approach is to look at how diversity can enhance your company’s performance. For this reason we are seeking to enlist your support to build a picture of the level of diversity amongst our members. If you have not already participated, we would appreciate a few moments of your time to complete this survey. Click here and click on Surveys.

Registration is now open for the i-techpartner eServices Forum which is taking place at the new Liverpool Convention Centre on 3rd & 4th June 2008.

The event builds on the success of the 2007 i-techpartner Academy at Daresbury Innovation Centre where over 120 delegates attended, including researchers, small businesses, innovation experts and investors.

Focussing on the areas of web services, mobile applications, web 2.0, software as a service and more, this event is for you if you are:

• an innovative ICT/digital SME looking to grow your business
• a researcher from a university or research institute looking to commercialise your research
• a venture fund or business angel looking for investment opportunities in eServices
• an expert in technology transfer, innovation or business growth

The event is a unique platform for eServices-focused high-growth companies, technology corporations, R&D organisations and international investors from across Europe to exchange knowledge and build effective business connections.

If you are an SME or researcher, presenting your technology offering at this event will mean significant exposure to an international audience of industry experts, investors, researchers and SMEs. Your attendance will enable you to access technology specific R&D and discuss how to grow your company with potential partners from research and industry. You will be able to book face-to-face meetings with potential business partners and develop new contacts with SMEs, multinationals, researchers, innovation experts and investors from across Europe. Overall the event provides a unique opportunity to receive valuable feedback and new knowledge regarding your technology.

The Academy is being led by AIMES, together with Daresbury Science & Innovation Campus, RTC North, Merseyside ICT and Vanguard Corporate Finance.

Register: For more information and to register for this event as a presenter or delegate, please visit http://www.i-techpartner.eu/ where you will be asked to create a profile and apply for the event. For further information please contact Marie Mitchell at AIMES on 0151 795 0116 or marie.mitchell@liverpool.ac.uk

Liverpool CDP and Merseyrail are pleased to announce that from 31 March Moorfields station Old Hall Street entrance will remain open until 9pm Monday to Friday.

The longer opening hours of the entrance, and the on-site M to go shop, will be piloted over a 6 month period and depending upon its success, could continue indefinitely.

Paul Rice, Liverpool CDP Chief Executive explained: “We have been working closely with Merseyrail, Merseytravel, and our public and private sector partners over the last 12 months to secure this pilot scheme.

“I believe the longer opening hours will help to serve our business and residential community in the area more effectively as they can now catch the train from their doorstep after 7pm.

“We are also pleased to announce that the M to go shop will stay open until 9pm.” he added: “M to go shop offers a full range of services, from a cup of coffee to buying your train ticket through to London or anywhere else on the national rail network.”

To mark this important change, Liverpool CDP & Merseyrail will be running a competition in the Daily Post in the next few weeks with the lucky winner receiving a year’s free rail travel on the Merseyrail network.

Bart Schmeink, Merseyrail’s Managing Director said: “There are major changes happening in the Commercial District and people’s travel patterns in the area are changing. I am delighted that together with the Liverpool CDP, we have been able to respond to these changes by extending the opening hours of the Old Hall Street entrance for a trial period.”

A new online service has been launched to let you save your most important text messages for posterity.

Treasuremytext is the brain-child of Liverpool-based web 2.0 wunderkinder Katy Lips and Paul Stringer. The site setup is simple: after signing up for an account, you just forward the messages you want to save to the Treasuremytext number that fits your region. Treasuremytext will archive the SMS message and even give you options for organizing your saved texts.

So now all those special messages from loved ones (luv u!), or important reminders (buy more bacon!) need not be lost when your phone’s memory overflows.

Liverpool Chamber’s training arm, Trident Training Ltd, is offering NVQ Level Four qualifications, equivalent to a degree level qualification, in Management. The training is subsidised by the Chamber through the Learning & Skills Council, meaning that you or members of your staff can take this qualification for as little as £649.

For more information regarding the qualification please contact the Workforce Development Manager Simon Chadwick on 0151 236 5481

 When supplying goods or services, contracts will only be awarded to contractors who can satisfy the client’s requirements in terms of resources required and their health and safety competence. You must prove compliance with basic health and safety law and you must also be able to demonstrate to contractors that you adequately manage health and safety. 

This event is designed to ensure that your business is able to meet these vital procurement requirements You can attend this event free of charge if you have been in business less that three years and if you live in the Merseyside area and have registered for the Tender Opportunities Programme. This project is funded by the European Social Fund.               

This will be an informative and invaluable information session for you to find out more about what you should do to ensure that you are Health & Safety compliant. It takes place on Wednesday 2 April between 11.45am - 14.45pm including registration, lunch & networking. In the Council Chamber Council Room, No 1 Old Hall Street, Liverpool L3 9HG To book your place, request a registration form from June Davies on 0151 227 1234.

Staybridge Suites, the first major hotel brand to focus on the extended stay business guest in the UK, opens a new hotel in Liverpool in June 2008 Kings Waterfront / Albert Dock area immediately next to the Arena and Convention Centre Liverpool. And you can be the first to book your “home from home” in Liverpool at www.staybridge.co.uk

There are 132 fully equipped and spacious one bedroom and studio suites, with modern interior design to create a residential ‘home from home’ environment for extended stay business travellers - those who usually stay five or more nights.

Rooms will include a fully equipped kitchen area while public spaces include a cosy hub kitchen and living room with open fire, the pantry, a 24/7 mini convenience store and an outdoor terrace with barbecue.
IHG commissioned research shows that business travellers on long-term assignments want to stay in something distinctly different from a regular hotel room and the brand has already proved highly successful in the US, with nearly 100 Staybridge Suites currently in operation.

John Wagner, Vice President of Staybridge Suites EMEA, commented: “I am delighted that we have signed the third contract in the UK to bring the Staybridge Suites concept to Liverpool. The city is an economic hub with a diversity of local and international business and industry, so we are confident that long-term business travellers will be attracted by accommodation specifically designed for their needs - the comforts of a home with the convenience of a hotel.”