Category: Business News

THE Police are warning local businesses in Oxfordshire to take steps to avoid becoming victims of scrap metal theft.
Pubs, builders and the construction industry, and air conditioning firms are among the industries being warned to secure goods that could be stolen and sold for scrap, such as copper piping, aluminium staging, and even stainless steel beer kegs.

There have been a number of thefts of large quantities of metal in Oxford and across the county in recent weeks (see below for details).

Crime Reduction Officer Nick Gilbert said: ?Scrap prices, particularly for non-ferrous metals such as copper & aluminium, are at their highest for more than 2 years, and it?s thought that will rise further in the early spring.

?Prices are being pushed up by the economic booms in India and China and much of this metal makes its way out to Asia. The scrap is being shipped ?raw? and processed overseas where the labour is cheaper.

?We?re seeing an increasing number of reported thefts. Some businesses get hit so often they don?t bother reporting them, so the problem is likely to be much bigger than we know about.

?We are advising businesses to secure all their stock, even those items they may see as of low value. There are those who may disagree and cause serious criminal damage to your property to get their hands on those goods.?

Police are also advising scrap dealers to be aware of illegal metal in the market, and are reminding the few who would think about taking this type of material that it is a criminal offence to do so and considered as handling stolen goods.

Officers have the powers to demand to view any dealer?s purchase books and will be actively visiting sites across the county to reinforce compliance.

Nick Gilbert said: ?The vast majority of scrap dealers are law-abiding businesses, but they need to be reminded it?s their responsibility to know where all their stock is coming from.

?If you are a dealer and someone offers you stuff that you don?t know where it was sourced, do yourself a favour, turn it away and call the police.?

If anyone who has any information about the following recent unsolved thefts or any other incident or suspicious items, please contact the Police Enquiry Centre on 0845 8 505 505.

If you don?t want to speak to police and don?t want to leave your name, contact Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.

You can also give information to the police in person by visiting any police station. To find out the opening times and location of your local station please call 0845 8 505 505 or visit: www.thamesvalley.police.uk/bcu/oxfordshire/bcu-info/stations.htm

? The Morrells Brewery, Osney Mead Industrial Estate, Oxford, has been targeted by thieves twice ? overnight on the 4-5 January at around 12.35am on 12 January ? who stole empty steel beer barrels on both occasions. On the 12/01, it is believed a vehicle was used to ram open the gates of the site to gain entry.

? Between 8pm on 9 January and 5am on 10 January, thieves forced their way into the premises of The Swan Foundry, Swan Close Road, Banbury. They stole a large quantity of metal, including iron nickel alloy. Officers are particularly interested in a white transit van that may have been seen acting suspiciously in the area.

? Copper piping was stolen from three air conditioning units on an office building at the Sandy Lane Industrial Estate, Oxford, on 16 December, 2006. Two men were charged on 8 January with theft and criminal damage.

JOHN Laing, the parent company of train operator Chiltern Railways, has been delisted from the London Stock Exchange after being acquired by Henderson Infrastructure Holdco, a subsidiary set up by Henderson Global Investors for the purpose of acquiring Laing.

The delisting on 27 December 2006 ends several months of competing bids for Laing from Henderson and German insurance group Allianz. On 19 September, the Boards of Henderson Infrastructure Holdco and Laing announced that they had reached agreement on an offer valuing the main Laing shares at 355p. Financial group Allianz then entered the bidding on 27 October, by improving on the Henderson offer with a 385p bid. Henderson came back on 10 November with a higher offer, worth 405p a share. Allianz dropped out of the running on 16 November, leaving the field clear for Henderson.

Laing’s main business is private finance initiative construction projects, but it also holds the Chiltern Railways franchise. The company was part of the public private partnership which constructed the Second Severn River Crossing and has made a name for itself by organising private finance for railway enhancement schemes, including the construction of Warwick Parkway and the recently completed multi-million pound project Evergreen upgrade of the Chiltern Railways network.

The transfer of control triggered the standard clause in the Chiltern Railways franchise contract which allows the Department for Transport to intervene if it is unhappy about a company which comes to own a rail franchise by means of a buy-out. The DfT said that it gave approval to the deal on 13 December. Approval can be granted in advance of a purchase contract affecting a franchise owner being signed, but when approval has been given the contract concerned must be completed within six months.

Nicholas A. Newman
NUJ Freelance Journalist
Editor: Oxfordprospect.co.uk & Headington Forum

Email: nicnewman@msn.com or nicnewman@btinternet.com
Tel: Oxford 01865-762710
Mobile: 0777-603828
35 Ash Grove Oxford ox39jn

AN Oxfordshire businesswoman is urging entrepreneurs with a new business in the south of the county to enter a competition that she says made a huge difference to her.
Marneta Viegas was the first winner of the South Oxfordshire New Business Competition. Her prize was one year?s FREE use of a furnished office in Hampden House at Monument Business Park, Chalgrove. Marneta moved her business, Relax Kids, there and has been so successful ? including an appearance on BBC TV?s Dragons? Den.
Marneta says: ?Winning the South Oxfordshire New Business Competition was great for my business and gave me a real boost. It?s a great prize and I?d encourage any entrepreneur in South Oxfordshire who really wants to move their new business forward, to enter.?
For the 2006/7 competition, the prize for the winner has been further boosted. They can win a cutting edge business advice package from competition co-sponsors Oxford Brookes University Business School and Business Boffins, plus their choice of either: a FREE furnished office in Hampden House for a year or a FREE virtual office for a year. To enter, the business must have been less than two years old on December 31st 2006.
Monument Business Park owners, Jennings of Garsington, Business Link, Barclays, OxLink, Communities in Business and Nicholson Associates also sponsor the competition. Jennings of Garsington MD, Mike Jennings, says: ?Throughout the 25 years the Park has been open, we?ve always encouraged new businesses to take a place here and we?ve seen many of them grow and take bigger premises. The competition is a great way to give a fledgling business in South Oxfordshire the chance to move to the next level with a valuable mix of business advice and a new office or virtual home at Hampden House.?
The furnished office is free for 12 months and has an equivalent value of

OXFORDSHIRE emergency planners are asking employers to help with a government survey as part of routine pandemic flu planning.
The short survey is to assess the effect potential school closures could have on absence at work in the event of pandemic flu.

The online survey is at or http://www.teachernet.gov.uk/ )

John Kelly, the Emergency Planning Officer for Oxfordshire County Council said: ?The results of this survey are important to contingency planning for pandemic flu.
?School closures could result in absences at work as parents would have to take time off to look after their children and this could in turn impact on other services.
?We are asking employers to respond to the survey so that the right decisions can be made if a flu pandemic ever does come.?

FOUR Oxfordshire women have won extra funding to support their careers, as winners of the 2006 ?One Step Ahead Awards?.
The innovative awards programme is organised by the Oxfordshire Women?s Forum, a support network for women in the county?s professional, business and voluntary sectors.
Event Co-organiser, Marion Wilkes, says: ?The aim is to provide funding for women to help them further their career or professional life in a way they wouldn?t be able to do without financial help. The One Step Ahead Awards provide tangible help by offering women the opportunity to compete for a cash prize towards the cost of appropriate career or personal development or training.?
In first place was Sue Weinstock who set up her own business making a range of products from affordable jewellery to wall-hanging panels, out of fused glass. Sue plans to use her award to fund training, including bead making and precious metal clay work, to help her produce higher quality products, to extend her product range, and to allow her to teach others, including community group members.
Caroline Tilling (2nd place) will use her award to fund extra qualifications and accreditation for her fire safety consultancy.
Rosalie Weetman (3rd place) will use the funding she won to take an accredited Coaching and Mentoring programme to support her career development in the Thames Valley Probation Service.
Nyasha Gwatidzo (4th place) is the Founder and Director of two charities which raise funds for disadvantaged children in the UK and Africa and will use her award to improve her networking skills and those of her fellow workers and trustees. Nyasha lives at Ludgershall from where she runs her charity.

NB One of the judges was Keith Slater, who runs Essence in the Buttermarket, Thame.

A panel of independent judges reviews applications for the Awards, with the strongest being short-listed for interview before final decisions are made.

For more information on the Awards or the 2007 Programme of informal, interesting and stimulating networking events run by OWF, visit www.otcn.co.uk/owf.htm or contact Marion Wilkes on 01844 260703 or Mobile: 07817 807966, email marion@bkwilkes.freeserve.co.uk

THAME jeweller, Biagio Patalano, recently celebrated his 40th birthday by raising funds at a glittering black-tie ball for the Make-A-Wish Foundation. Over

EMERGENCY planners are targeting smaller businesses to help them put in place processes to enable them to survive a major for disaster.
Oxfordshire County Council’s Emergency Planning Team is joining forces with South Oxfordshire District Council to host a special meeting on Monday, November 27.

The aim is to pass on recognised ways for businesses to put processes in place to help them survive any kind of emergency. This in turn helps communities to return to normal as soon as possible.

The meeting will take place from 2pm to 4pm in South Oxfordshire District Council’s offices in Crowmarsh, and is aimed at smaller businesses, 80% who generally fail to survive a major incidence like flooding or terrorist attack.

Emergency Planning Officer, John Kelly, said: “Many of the larger businesses will already have business continuity plans in place but we are aiming this presentation at the small and medium sized enterprises. Often they are too busy dealing with the day to day realities of commercial life to give time to disaster recovery preparation.

“Many of these businesses have still to consider plans for their survival after a major incident. Recent disasters such as Buncefield in Hertfordshire and the flooding in Carlisle show that small businesses are most at risk after a major incident.

“Statistics from previous terrorist bombings show that 80% of small businesses do not survive a major incident. Large businesses are able to move their production or sales to other outlets and survive.

“We will also be advising delegates on the plan for dealing with a flu pandemic, which from recent government advice could have an attack rate of 35% on staff in the worst case.”

A CAROL service, especially for businesses in the town, is to be held at St Mary?s Church, Thame, on Friday, December 1, from 1.10pm to 1.40pm.
The service will be taken by the Reverend Nick Stewart Lee and will be attended by the Mayor of Thame, Councillor Nigel Champken-Woods.
Coffee and mince pies will be served after the Service and all proceeds from the collection will go to the charity, OXFAM.

SMALL businesses in Oxfordshire are being offered help to cut down on waste and save money.
They are being encouraged to ignore national reports that claim they are the least likely to take up the offer of help in reducing the amount of waste they produce.
The British Standards Institute has been reported as saying that small companies are the most likely to regard such innovations as an extra cost and a burden.

Oxfordshire County Councils however has stated that: “National statistics show that, among all businesses – large and small, it is those who have the most environmentally friendly policies who also have the best results in terms of success and profits.”

The council claims that it is the only county council in the country to have a dedicated commercial waste reduction officer, Daniel Dempsey.

He said: “We recognise that it?s sometimes difficult for small businesses to take advantage of the efficiency savings to be made from going green.
“It is my job to help businesses save money through waste reduction. Oxfordshire’s business community contains many small and medium sized businesses who do not always qualify for government grants and audits provided by central government and its agents. That?s why we offer free quick and easy, on site waste audits to all of Oxfordshire?s businesses.”

Tom Sherifi, Environmental Officer at W Lucy & Co, an electrical switch manufacturer employing over 200 people and beneficiary of Oxfordshire County Council?s waste reduction services said:
“Oxfordshire County Council have been a great source of help in reducing waste, saving money and ultimately increasing efficiency throughout the company.”

For more information contact Daniel Dempsey 01865 815959 / Daniel.dempsey@oxfordshire.gov.uk

RISBOROUGH Area Business Group are offering local businesses an opportunity to showcase their products and services to consumers, and network with other businesses.
The group are hosting a “Business in the Community” exhibition at the Community Centre on Stratton Road, on Wed 18th October from 1pm onwards.
The organisers say: “At the end of the afternoon displays will be re-arranged to accomodate the audience arriving for the RACA (Risborough Area Community Action) AGM in the evening. The combination of business networking and community groups will guarantee plenty of attendees and make the event well worth while for exhibitors.”

For Thame businesses interested in taking a space at this event, please contact HBpicklesdeli@aol.com. Provided there is no Risborough company in the same industry already booked in we will offer you a place if there are any left at the time of asking. We are offering Thame First Members the special price of only