SWINDONBUSINESSNEWS

Swindon-based vehicle tracking and mobile working solutions company CMS SupaTrak has secured a further round of funding from the YFM Group managed South West Ventures Fund (SWVF).  The funding will allow CMS SupaTrak to develop its EcoTrak service. This third round of funding will be used to build the sales pipeline for EcoTrak, a fuel saving technology which enables fleet operators to analyse and measure fuel usage, carbon emissions and driving style for the purpose of managing fuel costs.  The technology produces detailed ... Read More

The National Apprenticeship Service (NAS) has launched a brand new prospectus aimed at informing more young people and adults about the benefits of Apprenticeships and highlighting the skills they need to succeed in their chosen career. Available across the South West, the downloadable ‘Apprenticeships Work’ prospectus showcases more than 180 available Apprenticeships spanning 80 different industry sectors – from IT, broadcast media and the arts to hospitality and travel, veterinary nursing and sport management. The launch of the prospectus comes at a time when ... Read More

Shoppers, diners and party goers in Swindon will be the first people in the UK to cash in on a brand new mobile marketing initiative which brings discounts at the touch of a button via their mobile phone. The new mobile promotions service is being launched by inSwindon, the town’s Business Improvement District (BID) company, in association with Kaskado, the company which has developed the service. inSwindon will be launching Kaskado on 25 June on behalf of the shops, pubs and clubs in Swindon ... Read More

Rents dropped across the residential lettings sector but rental expectations remain optimistic, says the RICS Lettings Survey published this month.   The net balance of Chartered Surveyors reporting falls rather than rises in rents across the UK fell from 48 per cent to 55 per cent, the lowest level in the series’ history (1999). However, here in the South West there are signs of some improvement with 17 per cent less reporting a fall rather than a rise in rents from the previous quarter.  The rental change has been most ... Read More

The first Sovereign residents have recently moved into the first phase of rented homes in East Wichel. The East Wichel phase is the first part of the Wichelstowe development to be completed and will help to form the new Wichelstowe community. Each of the Sovereign homes at East Wichel has been designed so that every house has its own individual character and style. Sovereign is offering a mix of one-bedroom and two-bedroom apartments and two-bedroom and three-bedroom homes for both intermediate rental and ... Read More

The government has recently confirmed that the weekly limit used to calculate statutory redundancy pay will increase to £380 on 1st October 2009.  This is an increase of £30 on the current rate of £350. The weekly limit for calculating statutory redundancy pay is normally increased every February.  However, the increase due to take place in October is a one-off increase as a result of the 2009 Budget.  The government has also confirmed that the £380 weekly limit will not increase in February ... Read More

Swindon’s large employers will need to register for the Government’s Carbon Reduction Commitment – or face being fined Some of Swindon’s leading employers need to make urgent preparations for the introduction of a sweeping new mandatory carbon emissions trading scheme next year, according to a leading property expert. The Government’s Carbon Reduction Commitment (CRC) is aimed at reducing consumption among companies that use energy worth around £1 million a year. Companies that register for the scheme, which becomes law on 1st April, will have to: •    ... Read More

A new survey carried out among Swindon companies indicates that nearly half believe the recession is ending, with sales likely to increase in the next three months. The first Swindon Strategic Economic Partnership business survey conducted during May has provided some optimism for the near future, with 78 Swindon companies across all sectors reporting that the previous three months have been difficult, but that this trend may be bottoming out. The survey, conducted in partnership with Swindon Chamber of Commerce, GWE Business West and ... Read More

South West RDA will be spending £56m less than budgeted in the next two years as a result of the recession and pressures on funding. Much of the RDA’s activity is in support of economic activity in Devon, Cornwall and developing areas of the South West, but it has budgeted around £3m towards the now delayed regeneration of Swindon’s town centre. Now worth £260m over two years, the regional targeted investments will “drive the region’s economy and help businesses, communities and people to prosper.” ... Read More

The Chartered Institute of Marketing’s latest Marketing Trends Survey (Spring 2009) has revealed that many marketers believe the worst of the recession is over, although the rest of 2009 will remain extremely challenging. The survey, conducted for The Institute by Ipsos MORI, reveals that the number of marketers who believe the UK economy will worsen in the next 12 months has halved to 34 per cent (down from 70 per cent in the Autumn 2008 survey). Likewise, those believing the UK economy will ... Read More