<div class="editor-cover-image" data-dimensions="780:300" data-pmr-editor-image="" style="background-image: url(&quot;https://leaders-council-web.s3.eu-west-2.amazonaws.com/uploads/store/4269c024b54930192a4649eb34e629fb.jpg&quot;);"></div>

 <div data-pmr-editable="" class="medium-editor-insert-plugin">In the backdrop of the <a href="https://www.morganjones.co.uk/2021/05/mini-umbrella-employers-nic-fraud/">exposure</a> of unscrupulous umbrella companies committing Employers’ National Insurance Contributions [NICs] fraud, one business leader in the security industry has raised concerns that similar Income Tax and National Insurance evasion is occurring in the security industry.<a href="http://www.leaderscouncil.co.uk/members/rachel-fleri">Rachel Fleri</a> is the managing director and owner of <a href="http://www.specialistsecurityco.com/">Specialist Security Ltd</a>. Based in Cardiff, the firm is a provider of security solutions to a wide range of businesses across both the private and public sectors. Being at its helm, Fleri is knowledgeable about how the security industry operates in Britain’s night-time economy. While the launch of the Security Industry Authority [SIA] and subsequent introduction of the personal licence scheme and Approved Contractor Scheme [ACS] have all raised standards in the industry, Fleri is worried that law-abiding businesses like hers operating in the sector are not currently competing on a level playing field.<a href="https://www.theparliamentaryreview.co.uk/organisations/specialist-security">Fleri told The Parliamentary Review</a>: “There are many noncompliant companies in our sector, and there are also huge multinationals, the biggest four of which have a turnover of almost half of the entire UK market. The industry operates extensively in the night-time economy, and while licensing is statutory for individuals, it is not the case for companies.”Fleri goes on to explain that the consequences of this are that many security workers are operating on a self-employed basis and in some cases even paid in cash. Operating in such a manner allows unscrupulous employers to avoid paying National Insurance Contributions for their employees, and the Treasury also loses out in revenue from lost Income Tax.“Many workers operate as self-employed or are even paid cash, which enables companies to avoid paying NIC, and their staff avoid paying PAYE. This is lost income for the government and allows such companies to charge reduced rates. These companies supply operatives who are not directly employed, which tends to drive the price down overall.”By way of a solution, Fleri suggests that self-employed status in the security industry should be abolished, a form of business licensing introduced, and the Security Industry Authority should seek to co-ordinate better with HMRC to crack down on offenders.“I believe that in this sector, there ought to be no self-employment, in order to take due care of our employees and the industry as a whole,” Fleri said. “We care about the end user, not just the bottom line.“The SIA has begun to work more closely with HMRC which is a step in the right direction. However, I would like authorities to go further by introducing business licensing. While I understand that regulation can increase business bureaucracy, the introduction will provide additional treasury income and help reduce organised crime.”<a href="https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2021/sep/16/tax-lost-in-uk-amounts-to-35bn-almost-half-say-campaigners-due-to">Official figures</a> from September 2021 indicated that as much as £35 billion of tax and NI revenue was lost in the UK over the 2019/20 tax year due to non-payment, avoidance and fraudulent activity.The amount of tax lost specifically to fraud that year, based on the HMRC figures, was at least £15.2 billion. </div>

In the backdrop of the exposure of unscrupulous umbrella companies committing Employers’ National Insurance Contributions [NICs] fraud, one security sector leader is concerned about similar activity occurring in her industry.

Specialist Security boss raises concerns over NIC fraud in security sector

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 <div data-pmr-editable="" class="medium-editor-insert-plugin"><a href="https://ocura.co.uk/">Ocura Healthcare Furniture</a> recently <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/posts/ocura-healthcare-furniture_team-thankyou-hospital-activity-6856506911324549120-kQdp">raised £5,000</a> for the <a href="https://supportkings.org.uk/">King’s College Hospital Charity.</a>Starting on August 1, Ocura Healthcare Furniture’s senior management and wider team set an ambitious target of walking, running, or cycling the 1,228-mile return distance between its two offices in Paddock Wood, Tonbridge, Kent, and Ellon in Aberdeenshire, Scotland.The sponsored journey was launched and promoted with the aim of raising £5,000 for the King’s College Hospital Charity, with the funds to go toward cutting-edge equipment, facilities, supporting staff, innovative research, and pioneering treatment.By October 20, Ocura had successfully hit its £5,000 target, with a total of 1,312 miles walked by the team.Following the success, directors <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/chris-doughty-57a919114/">Chris Doughty</a> and <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/lloyd-whitbourn-338631116/">Lloyd Whitbourn</a> reached out to everyone who supported the Ocura team in achieving the feat, saying: “We have been overwhelmed with support from family, friends, and suppliers. We are thrilled to share our final update with you that we have now walked a total of 1,312 miles and raised our £5000 target.“This would not have been possible without you, and we, the board of directors and the full Ocura team would like to take a moment to thank you all for your support.”Ocura Healthcare Furniture is a company which provides innovative healthcare products, including furniture, to help transform healthcare environment and improve patient outcomes by making them more comfortable during their time in hospital. Further information can be found <a href="https://ocura.co.uk/">here</a>.Photo by <a href="https://unsplash.com/@henry2cute">Henry Xu</a> on Unsplash</div>

Ocura Healthcare Furniture recently raised £5,000 for the King’s College Hospital Charity.

Ocura Healthcare Furniture raises vital funds for King’s College Hospital

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 <div data-pmr-editable="" class="medium-editor-insert-plugin">2021 has seen haulage business <a href="https://www.dwpandsons.com/">Danny W. Poole and Sons</a> invest <a href="https://www.dwpandsons.com/news">more than £1 million</a> into new premises in its hometown of Stoke-on-Trent. The new premises are to include a new company workshop and warehouse which will be based on the new site on Stoke’s Campbell Road.Director <a href="http://www.leaderscouncil.co.uk/members/danny-poole">Danny Poole</a> commented: “Development of the site for the new premises is already underway but there is much more to come.“We are currently in the process of looking for commercial building contractors to help make the new workshop and warehouse a reality.”The investment and planned move will be just the latest step in what has been a remarkable journey for the business, which Danny started at the age of 18 back in 1994 and grew through his own hard work, despite leaving school without conspicuous qualifications.Initially focused on bulk haulage, Danny changed the focus of the business toward international haulage in 2015, culminating in a period of significant growth for the company after it excelled in UK exports.Photo by <a href="https://unsplash.com/@sebcreativo">Seb Creativo</a> on Unsplash</div>

2021 has seen haulage business Danny W. Poole and Sons invest more than £1 million into new premises in its hometown of Stoke-on-Trent.

Building for the future: Danny W. Poole and Sons invest in new facilities

<div class="editor-cover-image" data-dimensions="780:300" data-pmr-editor-image="" style="background-image: url(&quot;https://leaders-council-web.s3.eu-west-2.amazonaws.com/uploads/store/02371fac717d6bd93fef7154c45129a8.jpg&quot;);"></div>

 <div data-pmr-editable="" class="medium-editor-insert-plugin"><a href="http://www.leaderscouncil.co.uk/members/david-liddle">David Liddle</a>, CEO of The <a href="https://thetcmgroup.com/">Total Conflict Management [TCM] Group</a>, has been recognised as one of the 50 HR Most Influential Thinkers at the 2021 HR Most Influential Awards ceremony at St Paul’s Cathedral in London.Now in its 15th year, the <a href="https://www.hrmagazine.co.uk/content/news/hr-most-influential-2021-who-were-our-top-practitioners-and-thinkers">HR Most Influential list</a> recognises HR practitioners and thinkers who go above and beyond to drive the HR profession forward and share best practice with the industry at large. All nominees for the HR Most Influential are put forward by their peers, with <a href="https://www.hrmagazine.co.uk/">HR magazine</a> and business school <a href="https://www.hultef.com/?utm_source=google&amp;utm_medium=paidsearch&amp;utm_campaign=ppcbrand&amp;utm_content=[UK]_[Brand]_[None_Product]_Pure_Brand_[EXACT]&amp;gclid=CjwKCAjwn8SLBhAyEiwAHNTJbUkug2vzT4hI6AnProLgR1t6SK22nUtF1p70955bLmf3BJliL-xpBhoCIn8QAvD_BwE">Hult Ashridge Executive Education</a> putting together the annual ranking.Two lists are compiled each year, one containing the 50 HR Most Influential Thinkers, and the other comprising of the 50 HR Most Influential Practitioners.Liddle, who came in at Number 19 on the 50-strong list of Most Influential Thinkers, has been at the forefront of conflict management, mediation, employee relations and leadership best practice for over 25 years. In the early 1990s, he established the Leicestershire Mediation Service, one of the first community mediation schemes in the UK. In 2001, he established The TCM Group, now an award-winning provider of mediation, investigation, culture change and leadership development services and training to UK and global companies.By featuring on the Most Influential Thinkers list, Liddle found himself among notable company in the HR sphere, with HR conversationalist <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/shereen-daniels/">Shereen Daniels</a>, <a href="https://www.pthr.co.uk/">PTHR</a> founder <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/perrytimms/">Perry Timms</a> and <a href="http://www.apsintel.com/">APS Intelligence</a> CEO and New York Times writer <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/amaechi/">John Amaechi OBE</a> heading up the table.<a href="https://www.linkedin.com/posts/liddledavid_hr-humanresources-peopleandculture-activity-6856507011257970688-K3ro">Writing on LinkedIn</a>, Liddle said: "I had a fantastic evening at the HR magazine HR Most Influential Awards 2021. St Paul's Cathedral provided the most beautiful backdrop for the evening, and I extend a massive thanks to HR magazine editor <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/jo-gallacher-80a8a0115/">Jo Gallacher</a> and her team for an incredible event."I am proud to have been recognised as one of the HR Most Influential Thinkers. Congratulations to Shereen Daniels who took top spot, Perry Timms who was second and John Amaechi OBE who was third."It was also great meeting <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/benwhitter/">Ben Whitter</a> for the first time, having been inspired by his work to promote human employee experience at work."I’d also like to give a final thanks to everyone at The TCM Group. You are the true influencers who have made this success possible!"Image sourced from <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/posts/liddledavid_hr-humanresources-peopleandculture-activity-6856507011257970688-K3ro">LinkedIn</a></div>

David Liddle, CEO of The Total Conflict Management [TCM] Group, has been recognised as one of the 50 HR Most Influential Thinkers at the 2021 HR Most Influential Awards ceremony at St Paul’s Cathedral in London.

TCM Group’s Liddle named among HR Most Influential 2021

Anthony Main is the Founder and Managing Director of The Distance, a company that develops intuitive mobile app solutions for iOS and Android platforms.

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Specialist Security boss raises concerns over NIC fraud in security sector

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Building for the future: Danny W. Poole and Sons invest in new facilities

TCM Group’s Liddle named among HR Most Influential 2021

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