News: Smart motorways through Rotherham need more measures to make them safe

Existing All Lane Running (ALR) motorways are set to have the technology to spot stopped or broken-down vehicles quickly fitted six months earlier than originally planned.

Highways England Smart Motorway schemes through the borough include the scheme on a ten mile stretch of the M1 between junctions 32 (south of Sheffield and Rotherham) and 35a (north of Sheffield and Rotherham) and a 20 mile stretch of the M1 between junction 28 (South Normanton) and 31 (Aston).

The multimillion pound projects include converting the hard shoulder to an extra traffic lane in both directions and variable mandatory speed limits and they deliver benefits at a significantly lower cost than conventional motorway widening, and with less impact on the environment during construction.

A legal case was launched last year after two men were killed when they were knocked down by a HGV near junction 34 of the M1 at Meadowhall. The Government published an action plan last year to boost safety, backed by a £500m investment.

ALR motorways are fitted with technology and features not seen on conventional motorways, such as set-back emergency areas, and red X signs on gantries to close live lanes. Radar detection to spot stopped vehicles is also being rolled out.

To accelerate improvements, by the end of September 2022, Highways England said that it would install radar technology on all existing stretches of ALR motorway, six months earlier than planned, upgrade special cameras ten months earlier than planned, so that they can be used to spot and prosecute motorists ignoring red X signs and illegally driving down closed lanes, putting themselves and others in danger, and install around 1,000 additional approach signs six months earlier than planned, alerting drivers to their nearest place to stop in an emergency.

Every new ALR motorway will open with the technology in place and more measures are expected when further research is complete.

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Transport Secretary Grant Shapps said: "Despite the data showing that fatalities are less likely on All Lane Running motorways than on conventional ones, this doesn’t mean all drivers necessarily feel safe on them.

"That is why I tasked Highways England last year with delivering an action plan to raise the bar on safety measures even higher. This progress report shows the extensive work already carried out, but we want to do more.

"Alongside the raft of measures already undertaken, today I am announcing that all new All Lane Running motorways will open with stopped vehicle detection technology in place, as well as a programme to speed up the roll-out of the technology on previously built stretches of All Lane Running motorways to next year. This will help us further reduce the risk of accidents on the country’s roads."

"So-called smart motorways started to be built in 2001 and I am determined to ensure that technology and exacting standards are in place."

Highways England’s Acting Chief Executive Nick Harris added: "I want Highways England to continue to be an organisation that listens and puts the safety of road users first.

"We’ve made good progress delivering the improvements set out in the 2020 stocktake, but we are not complacent and are examining ways to improve safety further.

"We will continue implementing the findings, and will work with drivers to make increasingly busy motorways safer for everyone who uses them."

Claire Mercer from Rotherham, whose husband was killed on the M1, instructed Irwin Mitchell to fight for a judicial review of the decision to allow Smart Motorways to be brought in.

Sarah Champion, MP for Rotherham, welcomed the new technology but added that it "doesn’t address the fundamental problem."

Champion said: "While it can improve safety, in the end, all Highways England and the Government are doing is mitigating to a small degree a risk they themselves have created.

"Highways England continue to disingenuously offset the safety improvement that a managed environment delivers against the risk of removing the hard shoulder. But these are not mutually exclusive. A managed environment can be delivered while keeping the hard shoulder.

"If safety really was the number one priority, then delivering basic safety measures like properly spaced refuges would have been built into the design from the word go. Instead, we must wait two years from the publication of the initial report simply to learn the outcome of a review.

"I am gravely concerned that more lives will be lost whilst we wait. The Government should immediately commit to restore the hard shoulder pending work to install additional refuges. If it’s not be possible to deliver these safely, they should return to traditional operation, with a hard shoulder."

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News: Fast recovery predicted for Rotherham economy

Rotherham's £4 billion a year economy is set to bounce back with a higher than average GVA growth, according to an economic report.

The UK Powerhouse study is produced by Irwin Mitchell and the Centre for Economics and Business Research (Cebr) and provides an estimate of GVA growth and job creation within 46 of the UK's largest cities at least 12 months ahead of the Government's official figures. It uses a range of more timely indicators to create a "nowcast" of GVA and employment for a range of key cities across the UK.

GVA, or Growth Value Added, is the increase in the value of the economy due to the production of goods and services. It is widely recognised by Government and policy makers as a measure of local economies.

In the latest quarter of data, Q3 2020, all areas saw an annual contraction in economic growth, with a simple average of -9%.

Rotherham's economy was charted at contracting by 10.5% in its year on year growth rate for Q3 of 2020.

However, the borough is predicted to bounce back with the study showing a GVA growth rate of 26.9% for the year ending Q2 2021.

Rotherham is ranked fourth in the UK in the study amongst other Yorkshire locations leading the way - Docaster is first with a rate of 29.6%, Wakefield is third (26.9%).

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Rotherham's figure is ahead of the average annual GVA growth across the UK Powerhouse cities which is expected to be 23% for the period.

The study also looks at jobs in Q3 2020 and ranks Rotherham at 17th with an employment level of 96,200, a decrease of 3.6% on the previous year. Looking ahead to Q2 of 2021, Rotherham is ranked 20th with an employment level of 98,200, -0.1% on the previous year

Looking further ahead, the study plots figures for Q4 2021 where Rotherham's economy is predicted to continue to grow by 8.1% to £4.4 billion a year. Employment is predicted to grow by 6.2% (the fastest growth in the region) to 99,600.

Before the COVID outbreak, the study had Rotherham's economy up at £4.7 billion a year and employment rates over 100,000.

It should be said that the latest study looks at the economy beyond coronavirus but was published before the new national lockdown was announced by the Government.

Dorrien Peters, partner at Irwin Mitchell, said: "The SCR [Sheffield City Region] has done a lot of work to prepare the ground for economic revival and we hope to see the chancellor back his words with action in offering practical support to northern cities and towns hardest hit by the perfect storm of pandemic induced economic damage, lockdown and Brexit."

Irwin Mitchell website
CEBR website

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News: Continued growth for Rotherham economy

Rotherham's £4.7 billion a year economy is continuing to grow, but at a slower rate than in previous quarters.

Consistently near the top of the UK Powerhouse rankings for GVA growth, the year on year growth rate in Q3 2019 (October, November, December) for Rotherham was 0.9%, meaning that the borough slipped down the rankings to 37th.

The UK Powerhouse study is produced by Irwin Mitchell and the Centre for Economics and Business Research (Cebr) and provides an estimate of GVA growth and job creation within 46 of the UK's largest cities at least 12 months ahead of the Government's official figures. It uses a range of more timely indicators to create a "nowcast" of GVA and employment for a range of key cities across the UK.

GVA, or Growth Value Added, is the increase in the value of the economy due to the production of goods and services. It is widely recognised by Government and policy makers as a measure of local economies.

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Previously the fastest growing economy in Yorkshire and the North of England with growth rates over 1%, Rotherham has been overtaken by Doncaster (ranked 30th at 1.0% year on year growth), York (31st, 1.0%), Wakefield (32nd, 1.0%), Leeds (33rd, 1.0%) and Sheffield (35th, 0.9%).

Predictions for the year ahead are also included with Rotherham's economy expected to continue to grow by 0.7% in Q4 of 2020, ranked 33rd in the study.

Between Q3 2019 and Q4 2020, growth is expected to slow for nearly all of the 46 UK Powerhouse cities. The simple average annual growth rate across them was 1.2% in Q3 2019, but this is expected to be just 0.9% in Q4 2020.

The study also looks at jobs and ranks Rotherham at 27th with an employment level of 106,600 an increase of 0.9% on the previous year. looking ahead to Q4 of 2020, Rotherham is ranked 23rd with an employment level of 107,800, an increase of 0.8%.

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News: Legal case over smart motorways

The grieving widow of a driver killed on a smart motorway has instructed specialist lawyers at Irwin Mitchell to begin work on a High Court legal challenge calling for them to be scrapped.

Jason Mercer was one of two men killed when they were knocked down by a HGV near junction 34 of the M1 at Meadowhall in South Yorkshire. Moments earlier Jason, of Rotherham, and 22-year-old Alexandru Murgreanu, from Mansfield, had been involved in a minor collision.

The stretch of road is classed as an all lanes running (ALR) motorway, meaning there is no hard shoulder in operation. Jason, 44, and the other man had pulled over as far as they could to exchange details. However, after they left their vehicles a lorry collided with the pair. They were pronounced dead at the scene.

Their deaths mean that five people have died on that route in the past year.

Highways England schemes through the borough include the £106m scheme on a ten mile stretch of the M1 between junctions 32 (south of Sheffield and Rotherham) and 35a (north of Sheffield and Rotherham) and a 20 mile stretch of the M1 between junction 28 (South Normanton) and 31 (Aston).

The projects include converting the hard shoulder to an extra traffic lane in both directions and variable mandatory speed limits and they deliver benefits at a significantly lower cost than conventional motorway widening, and with less impact on the environment during construction.

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Helen Smith, solicitor at Irwin Mitchell, said: "The safety of smart motorways which operate without a hard shoulder has been called into question on a number of occasions in recent years and the number of fatalities on such routes both locally and nationwide is a major cause for concern.

"In fact the Transport Select Committee has previously published a report warning that the government should not go ahead with all lane running motorways because they posed a dangerous risk to drivers and emergency services.

"Through our initial investigations and the increasing amount of families which have been torn apart because of fatalities on smart motorways, it is clear that a full and urgent review of their use needs to be completed."

Leading a Parliamentary debate this week, Rotherham MP Sarah Champion challenged the Government to improve safety on ALR Smart Motorways or face the prospect of more deaths.

She said: "The safety of motorists must always be paramount. It is totally unacceptable to risk lives in the name of cost savings.

"There is no evidence that shows me that ALR can ever be delivered safely. I therefore strongly believe the government must stop the rollout with immediate effect.

"Until the obvious and intrinsic risks which come with removing the hard shoulder are addressed, existing schemes should be revert to traditional motorways from today."

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News: MBO at Rotherham alloy firm

Rotherham-based Alloy Services Limited has been acquired in a multi-million-pound management buy-out.

The £30m turnover processor and supplier of speciality alloys is based in Dinnington and was established over 25 years ago by Alan Fisher. It has developed to become one of the UK's leading specialists in processing and recycling high-temperature alloys and metals. The company supplies products for extremely demanding end-use applications, in industries such as aerospace, oil & gas and medical.

The company has been acquired by its managing director, Stephen Hall, with funding to support the transaction provided by Shawbrook Bank.

Hall said: "Firstly, my thanks must go to Alan who has nurtured and developed Advanced since its inception over 25 years ago. It's this legacy that I will be building on, and I'm absolutely delighted to have the opportunity of taking this exceptional business into the next chapter of its growth. We will of course be continuing to work closely with our suppliers and customers, with the support of the fantastic staff here at Advanced."

BHP Corporate Finance acted as lead advisor on the transaction.

Kevin Davies, partner at BHP, said: "I am delighted to see Advanced Alloys step into this next exciting stage, Stephen has ambitious plans for the future of the business. An innovative funding package was required to support both the structure of the deal and Advanced's working capital cycle. It is further demonstration of the funding appetite we are seeing for carefully prepared and structured transactions."

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Nick Salmons from Shawbrook Bank, added: "At Shawbrook we've worked on a number of advisor-led MBOs this year and this is a great example of how working closely with the team at BHP and Advanced Alloy Services has delivered another solution that doesn't just support the transaction but also provides the headroom to deliver further growth."

Peter Crawford and Emily Pogson of Freeths provided legal advice. Peter said: "Advanced is a very strong business with a great future ahead of it. We have enjoyed working with Stephen to bring this transaction to completion and we look forward to watching Advanced continue to develop and grow under his direction."

Other local advisors to the transaction were Paul Trudgill and James Burdekin of Keebles who acted for the vendors, and Dean Gormley and Hayley Johnson at Irwin Mitchell who acted for Shawbrook.

Advanced Alloy Services website

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News: Rotherham economy continues to grow

Rotherham's £4.4 billion a year economy is continuing to grow but it has been overtaken by Wakefield as the fastest growing economy in Yorkshire.

Staying at the top of the UK Powerhouse rankings for GVA growth, the year on year growth rate in Q1 2019 for Rotherham was 1.1%, placing the borough 18 out of 46 (the same ranking as the previous quarter). Ahead of the national average, this is the second best ranked economy in Yorkshire and is only bested in the North by Wakefield (1.3%), Sunderland (1.2%) and Stockport (1.1%).

The UK Powerhouse study is produced by Irwin Mitchell and the Centre for Economics and Business Research (Cebr) and provides an estimate of GVA growth and job creation within 46 of the UK's largest cities at least 12 months ahead of the Government's official figures. It uses a range of more timely indicators to create a "nowcast" of GVA and employment for a range of key cities across the UK.

GVA, or Growth Value Added, is the increase in the value of the economy due to the production of goods and services. It is widely recognised by Government and policy makers as a measure of local economies.

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The UK economy expanded by 0.5% in the first three months of 2019, according to data from the Office for National Statistics (ONS). Reading, Cambridge and Oxford again make up the top three for economic growth.

Predictions for Q1 2021 are also provided and Rotherham's economy is estimated to continue to grow, at a rate of 1.6%, to £4.6 billion.

The report also ranks economies in terms of job numbers. It plots Rotherham's economy as having an employment level of 107,300, up 1.1% on the same quarter in the previous year. Another 1.1% growth is predicted for the coming year with a Q1 prediction for 2021 of 109,700.

The theme of this quarter's rankings is environmental sustainability. Using statistics from 2017, Rotherham ranks high (5th out of 46) for the percentage of renewable electricity installations such as solar panels, and for the percentage of local authority collected waste sent for recycling (10th with 44%), but much worse for environmentally-friendly commuting (38th) and pollution levels - carbon dioxide emissions - at 44th.

Irwin Mitchell website
CEBR website

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News: Rotherham has fastest growing economy in Yorkshire again

The positive signs for Rotherham's economy continue as the borough again places top in Yorkshire for economic growth according to recent research.

Rotherham's £4.4 billion a year economy has been a top performer for a number of years, staying at the top of the UK Powerhouse rankings for GVA growth.

The UK Powerhouse study is produced by Irwin Mitchell and the Centre for Economics and Business Research (Cebr) and provides an estimate of GVA growth and job creation within 46 of the UK's largest cities at least 12 months ahead of the Government's official figures. It uses a range of more timely indicators to create a "nowcast" of GVA and employment for a range of key cities across the UK.

For GVA growth rate in Q4 2018, Rotherham is ranked 18 out of 46 with a year on year growth rate of 1.6%. Ahead of the national average, this is the top ranked economy in Yorkshire and is only bested in the North by Aberdeen (1.8%) and Manchester (1.7%).

Reading, Cambridge and Oxford make up the top three for economic growth with no locations in the North in the top ten with annual growth in all three Southern locations on or above 2.5%.

Over 2018 as a whole, the UK economy expanded by 1.4%, compared with 1.8% in 2017.

GVA, or Growth Value Added, is the increase in the value of the economy due to the production of goods and services. It is widely recognised by Government and policy makers as a measure of local economies.

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Predictions for Q4 2020 are also provided and Rotherham's economy is estimated to continue to grow, but at a slower rate of 1.3%, to £4.6 billion.

The report also ranks economies in terms of job numbers. It plots Rotherham's economy as having an employment level of 105,900, up 1.1% on the same quarter in the previous year. Another 1.1% growth is predicted for the coming year with a Q4 prediction for 2020 of 108,200.

The forecasts are based on the assumption that an amended version of the Brexit withdrawal agreement will form the basis of the future UK – EU relationship. It also assumes a transitional arrangement will be put in place that allows a continuation of the current relationship without any major disruptions until at least 2021.

Paddy Sturman, partner at Irwin Mitchell, said: "Brexit has and will continue to take up a lot of Government time, but it is vital that it refocuses its attention on rebalancing the UK economy and building on the potential within the Northern Powerhouse."

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News: Rotherham records fastest growing economy in the North

Rotherham had the fastest growing economy in the whole of the North of the UK in the third quarter of 2018, according to recent research.

Rotherham's £4.4 billion a year economy was a top performer in 2017 and into 2018, staying at the top of the UK Powerhouse rankings for GVA growth.

The UK Powerhouse study is produced by Irwin Mitchell and the Centre for Economics and Business Research (Cebr) and provides an estimate of GVA growth and job creation within 46 of the UK's largest cities at least 12 months ahead of the Government's official figures. It uses a range of more timely indicators to create a "nowcast" of GVA and employment for a range of key cities across the UK.

In the latest study, Rotherham is ranked 15th for year on year GVA growth (up from 17th in the previous quarter) - leapfrogging Manchester as the top ranked Northern economy.

GVA, or Growth Value Added, is the increase in the value of the economy due to the production of goods and services. It is widely recognised by Government and policy makers as a measure of local economies.

For Rotherham, GVA in Q3 of 2018 (October, November, December) was 1.4% up on the same quarter in the previous year. This compares to an increase of 2.2% in Q1 of 2018 and 2.3% in Q2 of 2018.

In Q3 2018, the study shows that annual growth for the UK was 1.5%, down from 2.0% in Q3 2017. This slowdown across the country is reflected in a slowing of growth across many of the Powerhouse cities. Topped by Cambridge and Reading, no economy sees growth faster than 2.3% which is well below the top growth rates observed in previous quarters.

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The study also includes estimates of employment levels with Rotherham's Q3 2018 figure at 106,000, up 1.1% on the same quarter in the previous year and ranking 23rd in the study. This is a dip from the 107,000 figure estimated in Q2 of 2018.

Looking ahead the study shows that Rotherham's economy is expected to continue to grow with a year on year growth rate of 1.5% forecast for Q3 2019. Job numbers are also predicted to continue to increase and reach 107,200 in Q3 2019.

The latest official figures, which date from 2017/18, have 99,000 jobs in the borough in comparison to 104,000 in 2016/17. Rotherham Council has set a target of the figure rising by 1,000 new jobs each year. A recent report to councillors said that the figure "contradicts all other measures of Rotherham's current economy and feedback from the Office of National Statistics (ONS) indicates that the data is misleading."

The reply from the ONS indicated that the 2016 figure was "optimistic" and likely to be due to over reporting of jobs in the health sector.

The study also looked at three Brexit scenarios. Josie Dent, economist at Cebr, said: "With uncertainty still surrounding what the deal – or indeed lack of deal – between the UK and EU will be on departure day, Cebr's economic forecasts under different scenarios highlight the impact that Brexit could have on the economy, finding that business investment is set to suffer in particular in the months following a potential no-deal Brexit.

"However, our models show that the UK labour market in a no-deal scenario is more resilient than some expect, as the changing nature of employment means firms can be more flexible and adjust without the need to fire employees."

Irwin Mitchell website
CEBR website

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News: MBO at Rotherham manufacturer

Rotherham headquartered Harvest Healthcare, a leading manufacturer and supplier of high-quality healthcare equipment, has changed ownership in a Management Buy-Out (MBO) led by managing director, Neil Davis.

Based at Templeborough, Harvest Healthcare manufacture and distribute quality healthcare equipment to the NHS, care home and community markets, throughout the UK and internationally. The company manufactures, supplies and services active and static mattresses and cushions, profiling beds, and moving and handling equipment. It has long term relationships with several national blue-chip care home groups as well as serving most local authorities around the country.

The deal, for an undisclosed sum, sees Davis acquire all of the shares in the company from founders Phil and Jim Hutchinson. Both Phil and Jim have steadily reduced their involvement in the day to day running of the company over the last few years.

Sheffield based dealmakers, Castle Square Corporate Finance, provided corporate finance advice to the management team, leading negotiations on transaction value as well as deal structure, and also running the fundraising process alongside law firm, Keebles who provided legal services and advice. HSBC provided the necessary finance to complete the transaction.

Davis joined the company in February 2017 and has transformed the fortunes of Harvest, delivering significant growth in turnover and profit, culminating in him being given an opportunity by the owners to put together a MBO bid.

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Neil Davis (pictured) said: "I am proud and excited to have the opportunity to lead the long-term development of Harvest Healthcare, and am grateful to the professional team who have helped make this possible. We are determined to help more and more customers provide exceptional care to their residents and patients, whilst building fulfilling careers for our staff, and growth opportunities for our supply chain partners."

Patrick Lynch, corporate finance executive at Castle Square, said: "It is fantastic to have advised the highly experienced and successful managing director and entrepreneur Neil Davis on the transaction. During the last 21 months Neil has been supported by the wider management team, in particular finance director Tim Woods, who has also provided tremendous support throughout the transaction.

"The buy-out gives Harvest the platform build on the recent success and continue to manufacture and supply innovative high-quality equipment supplied into multiple healthcare environments."

Matt Ainsworth, corporate partner at Keebles, added: "We are delighted to have worked on this transaction. Harvest Healthcare is a great example of some of the fantastic businesses we have in South Yorkshire that local funders and deal advisory teams can support. We are confident that Neil and Tim will capitalise on the huge potential in the care sector to drive the business forward."

Following the structured debt fundraising process led by the Castle Square team, HSBC emerged as the preferred funding partner - providing the acquisition finance on the transaction alongside working capital facilities.

Chris Alsop from HSBC's corporate team in Sheffield, said: "I am very happy to back this strong management team whom I am confident will take Harvest Healthcare from strength to strength."

HSBC were advised on the legal aspects of the transaction by Irwin Mitchell and financial due diligence was provided by Sheffield's BHP team. Hollis & Co provided specialist tax due diligence.

Harvest Healthcare website
Castle Square website
Keebles website
HSBC website

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News: Rotherham back as Yorkshire's fastest growing economy

Rotherham had the fastest growing economy in the Yorkshire region in the second quarter of 2018 according to recent research, with growth ahead of the UK average.

Rotherham's £4.3 billion a year economy was a top performer in 2017 staying at the top of the UK Powerhouse rankings for GVA growth.

The UK Powerhouse study is produced by Irwin Mitchell and the Centre for Economics and Business Research (Cebr) and provides an estimate of GVA growth and job creation within 46 of the UK's largest cities at least 12 months ahead of the Government's official figures. It uses a range of more timely indicators to create a "nowcast" of GVA and employment for a range of key cities across the UK.

In the latest study, Rotherham is ranked 17th for year on year GVA growth - the top ranked Yorkshire economy and the third ranked Northern economy behind Stockport and Manchester.

GVA, or Growth Value Added, is the increase in the value of the economy due to the production of goods and services. It is widely recognised by Government and policy makers as a measure of local economies.

For Rotherham, GVA in Q2 of 2018 (July, August, September) was 2.3% up on the same quarter in the previous year. This compares to a 1.8% increase seen in Q3 of 2017, 1.4% in Q4 of 2017 and an increase of 2.2% in Q1 of 2018.

On average, across the economies in the study, GVA annual growth was 2.1% in Q2 2018.

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The study also tracks employment, with Rotherham ranked 20th with overall job numbers growing by 1.4% in the year to an estimated 107,000.

Forecasts for the future are also included in the study which estimate that Rotherham's GVA growth in Q2 of 2019 - the three months after the scheduled date of leaving the EU - is expected to fall from 2.3% to 1.2%. Job growth is also predicted to slow to 1.1% with 108,200 total jobs predicted in Q2 2019.

Dorrien Peters, partner and head of business legal services at Irwin Mitchell in Sheffield, said: "These figures reveal that the departure from the EU will coincide with a slowdown in the level of economic growth in South Yorkshire.

"The UK will ultimately be responsible for managing and securing its own trade deals and though there are clear opportunities, these will have to be balanced alongside the short term risks which will be realised shortly after the UK's official departure.

"One thing that the last decade has taught us is that despite the hugely disruptive force of the financial crisis, the UK economy has been incredibly resilient. It is vital that we tackle the challenges head on and take advantage of the new opportunities that emerge.

"The UK is a global powerhouse and the South Yorkshire region contributes significantly to this. We need to stay positive and work together to ensure this remains to be the case."

The study shows that growth in the North is often concentrated in cities that are already well-established. This is in contrast to the regions in southern England, where economic activity has seen expansion into other cities in the area, supported by growing transport links.

Irwin Mitchell website

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News: Rotherham economy powers on

The positive signs for Rotherham's economic growth continued into the first three months of this year, according to recent research.

Rotherham's £4.3 billion a year economy was a top performer in 2017 staying at the top of the UK Powerhouse rankings for GVA growth.

The UK Powerhouse study is produced by Irwin Mitchell and the Centre for Economics and Business Research (Cebr) and provides an estimate of GVA growth and job creation within 46 of the UK's largest cities at least 12 months ahead of the Government's official figures. It uses a range of more timely indicators to create a "nowcast" of GVA and employment for a range of key cities across the UK.

Across quarter three in 2017, Rotherham's GVA was up 1.8% on the same quarter in the previous year. In quarter 4 of 2017, GVA was 1.4% up on the previous year.

The latest figures show that Rotherham's GVA for the first quarter of 2018 is 2.2% up on the same quarter in the previous year.

Again Rotherham is the fastest growing city economy in Yorkshire, placing as the county's highest entrant in the study's GVA rankings. Rotherham is placed at tenth overall where Cambridge tops the table with 2.6% GVA growth year-on-year. Rotherham was ranked as the eighth fastest growing overall in the third quarter of 2017.

GVA, or Growth Value Added, is the increase in the value of the economy due to the production of goods and services. It is widely recognised by Government and policy makers as a measure of local economies.

Employment levels are also tracked by the study and again, Rotherham's figures are positive. Latest available official figures are from 2016 where the number of jobs in the borough went over 100,000 for the first time in years. The latest CEBR study has the figure for quarter 1 of 2018 at 107,900, a 1.4% increase on last year.

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The study also provides forecasts for the future which estimates that Rotherham's GVA will continue to grow but employment may dip before increasing again.

GVA is predicted to be 1.3% higher at the end of 2018 compared to the end of 2017 and, looking further ahead to 2028, the researchers put Rotherham's GVA at £4.8 billion, up from the £4.3 billion today.

Employment forecasts show a drop from 107,900 to 105,900 in quarter four of 2018 but an increase up to 118,400 by 2028 - another 10,000 jobs being created over the next ten years.

The report points to McLaren Automotive's new building opening on the Advanced Manufacturing Park (AMP) in Rotherham "which should also spur on growth looking forward, with Rotherham staying in the top 15 Powerhouse cities for GVA growth towards the end of 2018."

The top three cities for GVA growth in the North are all in Yorkshire – Rotherham, Doncaster, and Wakefield.

Paddy Sturman, partner at Irwin Mitchell, said: "The current situation in Yorkshire looks fairly rosy and in the short term this is expected to continue.

"Leeds has performed particularly strongly for employment growth and this is set to continue until the end of the year. Financial and business services account for 38% of total output in Leeds and so will be behind a large proportion of the employment growth, while the city has a large manufacturing sector that employs over 30,000 people.

"According to our UK Powerhouse study, there are no Yorkshire towns and cities in the top 10 for GVA by the end of 2028. The fact that Northern cities are continuing to fall behind their southern counterparts highlights that much more need for more to be done to ensure Leeds and the wider Northern Powerhouse region can realise its true potential."

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News: Rotherham's growing consumer economy

Rotherham's GVA growth has been boosted by a burgeoning consumer economy, recent research has found.

The UK Powerhouse study is produced by Irwin Mitchell and the Centre for Economics and Business Research (Cebr) and provides an estimate of GVA growth and job creation within 45 of the UK's largest cities 12 months ahead of the Government's official figures.

Rotherham's £4.3 billion a year economy was a top performer in 2017 and for for quarter 4, it continued to grow with a rate of 1.4%, and ranked at 13th, well within the top third of the regional economies in the study.

An update to the study has focused on the consumer sector in the UK, including retail, tourism and leisure, and restaurants and bars, which was worth £400bn in 2017.

The in-depth study includes the Consumer Powerhouse Table where Cebr utilised a range of timely indicators to create a "nowcast" of GVA and employment for the consumer sector in a range of key cities across the UK, and also a forecast for Q4 2018.

Rotherham is ranked 18th in the UK with a 2% growth in GVA in the consumer sector, ahead of the average GVA growth across the areas in the study which was 1.5% annually in Q4 2017.

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Rotherham's annualised GVA in the consumer sector is an estimated at £160m. By comparison, Bristol's £500m consumer economy grew by 3.1% while London's £10 billion consumer economy grew by 0.1%.

GVA, or Growth Value Added, is the increase in the value of the economy due to the production of goods and services. It is widely recognised by Government and policy makers as a measure of local economies.

Rotherham's annualised GVA in the consumer sector is predicted to grow by a further 2% to £170m by the end of 2018.

The borough fairs less well for employment where 13,300 jobs were in the consumer sector at the end of 2017, a drop of -2.5%, one of the biggest in the study. Whilst further GVA growth is predicted the actual number of jobs is predicted to fall again to 13,100.

Victoria Brackett, CEO of Business Legal Services at Irwin Mitchell, said: "The consumer sector is a key driver for economic growth here in the UK and across the world. However, the sector is facing significant disruption at every turn, including digital and technological change."

Brexit, new regulation, changing consumer buyer behaviour and the on-going skills gap are also discussed.

Irwin Mitchell website

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News: Rotherham economy flying high

Rotherham's £4.3 billion a year economy was a top performer in 2017 according to recent research, staying at the top of the UK Powerhouse rankings for GVA growth.

The UK Powerhouse study is produced by Irwin Mitchell and the Centre for Economics and Business Research (Cebr) and provides an estimate of GVA growth and job creation within 45 of the UK's largest cities 12 months ahead of the Government's official figures.

Rothbiz reported in January on Rotherham's stellar performance for the third quarter of 2017 which meant that its economy was ranked as the eighth fastest growing economy in the UK, rising 18 places to rank alongside the likes of Cambridge Aberdeen, Derby and Oxford.

For quarter 4 of 2017, the Rotherham economy continued to grow with a rate of 1.4%, and ranked at 13th, well within the top third of the regional economies in the study. Cambridge again came out top.

GVA, or Growth Value Added, is the increase in the value of the economy due to the production of goods and services. It is widely recognised by Government and policy makers as a measure of local economies.

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The study estimated the annualised GVA of the Rotherham economy at £4.3 billion. Sheffield, ranked 38th with 1.1% growth had annualised GVA at £11.6 billion. Hull topped the Yorkshire list with 1.5% growth and annualised GVA at £5.5 billion.

The study also analysed future prospects and predicted that Rotherham's GVA growth rate will drop slightly to 1.3% in Q4 2018, with Sheffield's rate expected to fall further to 0.7%. Both are expected to maintain their employment rate.

Looking further ahead, the report did sound a warning that both GVA and employment growth in both economies are set to fall by 2028.

Dorrien Peters, partner and Head of Business Legal Services at Irwin Mitchell, said: "This latest report highlights the excellent work being undertaken within Rotherham and how the city has been able to maintain its strong performance in terms of GVA growth across the final months of last year.

"Manufacturing will have undoubtedly played an important role in terms of Rotherham's figures, with the Advanced Manufacturing Park just outside of the city being a vital hub of activity.

"However, the report does come with a word of warning in terms of long-term prospects and it could well be an issue that business leaders need to try and address in the coming years."

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The Rotherham Economic Plan seeks to increase GVA through growing, attracting and starting businesses. It highlights that, while GVA is a sign of economic vitality, it is not possible to produce an accurate figure at borough level.

In the wider Sheffield city region (SCR), it has been estimated that the city region's GVA has to increase by £3 billion just to reach the national average (excluding London) and GVA per head in SCR is only £16,786, suggesting low productivity.

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News: Irwin Mitchell hosts law competition for Rotherham students

A Thomas Rotherham College student has won a week's work experience as part of law firm Irwin Mitchell's fourth annual law competition with the organisation.

Following the success of the previous three competitions, this year's challenge asked second year BTEC and A2 law students at the college to perform a PowerPoint presentation on an area of law that interests them, with three prizes up for grabs.

The student's presentations were judged by Mark Allen, an associate director in the workplace illness team at Irwin Mitchell; Ellie Taylor, a fast-track paralegal at Irwin Mitchell and former student of Thomas Rotherham College; and Cerise Walters from the college.

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Ewan Garside, from Sunnyside in Rotherham, claimed first place after giving a talk on the right to die. Ewan will attend a week's work experience at Irwin Mitchell's Sheffield office in Millsands, where he will gain experience in a number of areas of law including medical negligence, court of protection, workplace illness, personal injury and commercial litigation.

Adam Frost impressed the judges to secure second place and the prize of £50 in vouchers, while Bailey Wright came in third and won a legal textbook.

As well as judging the presentations, Mark and Ellie spoke to students and offered advice and tips on different routes into law.

Mark Allen, associate director at Irwin Mitchell, said: "We're honoured to be able to help out Thomas Rotherham College with its annual legal competition for the fourth year in a row. The students certainly make each competition more difficult to judge than the last with increasingly impressive presentations on their favourite area of law.

"Irwin Mitchell is delighted to be able to offer the next generation of legal talent with the experience and help they need in the formative stages of their legal careers. It's great talking to the students and being able to help them on their first steps on working in the world of law."

Irwin Mitchell website
Thomas Rotherham College website

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News: Rotherham places top as Yorkshire’s fastest growing economy

Rotherham is the fastest growing city economy in Yorkshire, and the eighth fastest growing economy in the UK, according to a new report.

The UK Powerhouse study is produced by Irwin Mitchell and the Centre for Economics and Business Research (Cebr) and provides an estimate of GVA growth and job creation within 45 of the UK's largest cities 12 months ahead of the Government's official figures.

The report shows that Rotherham had a growth of 1.8% across October to December 2017. It was joined in the top ten with Hull, which recorded a rate of 1.8%, while Wakefield also had a rate of 1.7%.

Rotherham rose 18 places on the GVA table to rank eighth in terms of growth. The only economies ahead of Rotherham were Cambridge (2.2%), Aberdeen (2%), Derby, Milton Keynes, Ipswich, and Oxford (all 1.9%).

GVA, or Growth Value Added, is the increase in the value of the economy due to the production of goods and services. It is widely recognised by Government and policy makers as a measure of local economies.

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The report goes on to state that Rotherham has built on its historical manufacturing sector specialising in heavy steel, and now plays a key role in the manufacturer of bespoke products for the aerospace, nuclear and transportation industries, driven by research and development in technologies.

More favourable exchange rates can boost exports and manufacturing production, and therefore GVA. Rotherham's economy has a higher percentage of manufacturing businesses than the national average.

The location and success of the Advanced Manufacturing and Innovation District – which sits on the Rotherham/Sheffield border – and the University of Sheffield’s Advanced Manufacturing and Research Centre was significant in attracting investment from the likes of Boeing and McLaren, making a significant difference to the assessment of Rotherham's performance against its peers.

Dorrien Peters, partner and Head of Business Legal Services at Irwin Mitchell's Sheffield office, said: "The rate of growth seen in Rotherham, Hull and Wakefield is a great testament to the excellent work being done by businesses across Yorkshire.

"The location of the University of Sheffield's Advanced Manufacturing Research Centre in Rotherham and its success attracting investment from the likes of Boeing and McLaren makes a significant difference to the assessment of Rotherham's performance against its peers. While there has been less good news for Leeds and Sheffield, the study has still emphasised that those cities are home to impressive education sectors which contribute a significant amount to their economies.

"Our latest Powerhouse Report shows that Rotherham's impressive growth is a huge testament to the vision of our universities, together with Rotherham and Sheffield, to build a world class Advanced Manufacturing Innovation District. It is a decision that is supported by the hard economic data that shows the worth of manufacturing and education to the wider Sheffield city region."

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The Rotherham Economic Plan seeks to increase GVA through growing, attracting and starting businesses. It highlights that, while GVA is a sign of economic vitality, it is not possible to produce an accurate figure at borough level. In the wider Sheffield city region (SCR), the private sector added some £1.34 billion in GVA between 2013 and 2015. However, it has been estimated that the city region's GVA has to increase by £3 billion just to reach the national average (excluding London) and GVA per head in SCR is only £16,786, suggesting low productivity.

As the AMP continues to grow and the surrounding innovation district develops, the SCR Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP), estimates that the number of jobs in Rotherham's advanced manufacturing sector will increase by 2,300. The SCR's new economic growth strategy focuses on inclusion.

Cllr. Denise Lelliott, Cabinet Member for Jobs and the Local Economy at Rotherham Council, said: "Rotherham's ambition is to create the right conditions for growth and regeneration and these results give confidence to businesses looking to invest in jobs, homes and developments within Rotherham.

"We look forward to creating an economy in which there are more growing and innovative businesses, where more local people are in work, both highly skilled and entrepreneurial, and where the transport, digital and environmental infrastructure, along with the housing offer and quality of place, support economic growth."

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News: Angel group for Sheffield city region

An angel investor group has launched in the Sheffield city region to give ambitious businesses the chance to access funding for growth and tap into local expertise and experience.

Supported by law firm, Irwin Mitchell, Angel Group Sheffield City Region follows on the heels of others in Leeds and Hull where businesses have had the chance to pitch for funding to people who have proven success in business.

Angel investors invest in early stage or start-up companies in exchange for an equity ownership interest. Angel investors often provide more favourable terms compared to other lenders, since they usually invest in the entrepreneur starting the business rather than the viability of the business.

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The Angel Groups platform allows angels to make their own investments, in a way that suits them as individuals and as a group. Groups can also syndicate with each other, if required and access to a range of co-investment partners.

The platform was founded by Martin Avison, CEO of Financial Pulse, a Wakefield firm that specialises in creating and funding growth. Martin has raised millions in grant, debt and equity funding for ambitious, high-growth businesses.

Martin Avison, managing director of Financial Pulse, said: "Access to finance is important for any growing business but alongside that they want advice and access to larger networks of people. Angel investors can provide this.

"Typically an Angel is an entrepreneur or former director of a large company who more importantly they want advice and support. Often people who have succeeded in business as either entrepreneurs or directors in major corporates who still have an appetite for business and want to see other new enterprises flourish.

"Happy to invest either as a syndicate or on their own in return for the chance to be involved so their ideal investment is within 35 – 40 miles of their home, which makes Sheffield after our Hull and Leeds launches so attractive."

The group is also on the hunt for potential investors.

Angel Group website

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News: Students benefit from legal link to Sheffield solicitors

Expert solicitors at law firm Irwin Mitchell laid down a legal gauntlet for students at Thomas Rotherham College (TRC) in the form of a law competition, which saw the successful candidate, win a work experience placement.

Growing from a small legal practice in Sheffield, Irwin Mitchell is the 20th largest law firm in the UK. It has run the competition successfully with the Rotherham sixth form college for the past two years and this time students were asked to produce a newspaper report on the law relating to murder and voluntary manslaughter, an evaluation of the law relating to non-fatal offences, or the "right to die" debate.

After several outstanding presentations Kavina Lowry was named the winner after demonstrating exceptional research skills and attention to detail.

She has now been invited to complete a week-long work placement at Irwin Mitchell where she will get experience in the firm’s business and personal legal services.

Runner up, Luke Gray, also impressed the judges by and received £50 in vouchers.

The 18-year-old winner, said: "The task for the competition was daunting because it isn't something that we've covered in our course so far. I'm not used to writing about legal matters in a news style and it was a real challenge to keep such an extensive and complicated topic concise and within the word limit.

"Having to work outside our comfort zones was challenging but I learned a lot from the process and it confirmed even more that a career in law is what I want in life."

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Former student Ellie Taylor was also on hand to speak to students after winning the competition last year. Since completing her week of work experience Ellie went on to successfully secure a paralegal role, at Irwin Mitchell's Sheffield offices, in the Motor department.

Mark Allen, associate director at Irwin Mitchell was one of the judges. He said: "This is the third year we've run the competition and the standard was higher than ever. All of the entries were well-prepared and very professional.

"We picked Kavina's entry as the winner because not only did their passion for the law really shine through but they were able to demonstrate a clear understanding of the legal matters involved. She will now come to our offices and experience a week in the life of a lawyer which will hopefully help her as she continues her studies.

"At Irwin Mitchell we are passionate about the law and honoured to be in a position where we can offer competitions like these to help the next generation of legal talent during the formative stages of their legal careers."

Marie Clare, tutor at Thomas Rotherham College, added: "This competition has been popular with students since we first launched it three years ago. It offers our law students the chance to do something slightly different from their normal course work and gives them a chance to gain invaluable experience of working for a law firm.

"We were delighted when last year's winner, Ellie Taylor, was subsequently offered a permanent post by Irwin Mitchell."

TRC website
Irwin Mitchell website

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News: Package deal for Cepac

Cepac, the UK's leading independent corrugated packaging supplier based in Rotherham, has completed the acquisition of Woodhill Printers.

The deal to buy the Alfreton-based company, which also trades as Amber Valley Packaging, is the latest corporate transaction as it continues to expand and builds on its market position by acquiring businesses that add to its unrivalled service offering.

Founded in 1999, Cepac has established one of the largest and most technologically advanced corrugated packaging plants in the world in Manvers. It is part of the of the Yemen-based HSA Group and works with leading brands such as Crabbie's, Tayto and The Carlsberg Group. By pioneering "performance packaging," the business has grown to become the UK's fourth biggest integrated corrugated packaging provider.

Legal advice for Cepac on the deal was provided by Matt Ainsworth and Michael Hall of Irwin Mitchell. Claire Davis of Grant Thornton in Sheffield provided corporate finance advice and was supported by Fletcher Adamaowicz from a tax perspective.

Matt Ainsworth, partner at Irwin Mitchell, said: "Cepac is a leading player in the corrugated packaging sector and this deal will no doubt strengthen its position in its chosen markets. The newly acquired business shares Cepac's customer orientated-approach as well as its vision to be a true innovator in a competitive market and I have no doubt that it will support further growth at Cepac.

"This is another important deal for Cepac and we are delighted to have advised the business on its latest transaction."

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Cepac has made a number of other deals in recent years including the acquisitions of DS Smith's corrugated packaging operations in Darlington and Rawcliffe Bridge and the acquisition of point of sale display manufacturer Screenprint Doncaster Limited.

Claire Davis, director at Grant Thornton, added: "Together with Irwin Mitchell, we have advised Cepac on four acquisitions in the last three years and it's great to see the company continuing to look to the future and seize opportunities to grow with the addition of these complementary businesses."

The company has established itself as an innovator, both in terms of print, performance technology and retail ready packaging. Its newest development is H-DNA - high-definition performance packaging - which involves 300 lines per inch printed packaging, twice as fine as the 150 lines per inch widely used, and brings "glossy magazine cover" clarity to litho printed corrugated packaging with little or no on-cost.

Now with over 500,000 sq ft at four sites in the UK, the benefits of the acquisitions were seen in Cepac's financial results for 2014. Sales increased significantly as opportunities were leveraged across the businesses resulting in increased profits. Turnover for 2014 was £86.5m, up from £77.3m in 2013. Profit before tax for the year was £6.2m, up from £5.5m in 2013.

Cepac website

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News: Underwoods takes further bite into southern market

The Underwood Meat Company, the Rotherham-based supplier of high quality fresh meat products to the catering industry, has completed the purchase of the Kent-based Manor Farm Sausage Company Limited for an undisclosed sum.

The company, which has its head office and a manufacturing facility on Rawmarsh Road, Rotherham and sites in Godalming in Surrey and in Chesterfield, provides a wide variety of raw meat products to a range of blue-chip groups and independent catering customers throughout the UK.

The Manor Farm Sausage Company trades as Norsted Manor Meats and is a specialist butchery business based in Orpington, Kent. The business is expected to complement Underwoods Meat Company's expanding southern operation.

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In 2013, a deal with Country Park Foods saw Underwoods acquire its Bramley Foods subsidiary. The deal resulted in Underwood Meat Company expanding into a new site on Chesterfield's Holmewood Industrial Park. In 2014, it acquired St Albans-based wholesale butcher business, Butlers, for an undisclosed amount.

Matt Ainsworth, corporate partner and real estate partner Tom Hall, both at the Sheffield office of law firm Irwin Mitchell advised Underwood Meat Company on the latest transaction.

Ainsworth said: "Underwood Meat Company is an exciting business which continues to grow both organically and through acquisition. The addition of the Manor Farm Sausage Company represents another excellent purchase for the company which will no doubt enable it to continue building both market share as well as its reputation for high quality products and customer service.

"Irwin Mitchell has built up a strong and close working relationship with Underwood Meat Company and we look forward to supporting the business in the future."

The Underwood Group is also expanding its retail operation with associated company, Underwood's Butchers Shop set to open a new store in Barnsley in August.

Underwood Group website

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News: Underwood makes another acquisition

Rotherham-based Underwood Meat Company Limited has completed its latest acquisition with the purchase of St Albans-based wholesale butcher business, Butlers, for an undisclosed amount.

Underwood Meat Company previously operated from two sites – at Rawmarsh Road in Rotherham, and Godalming in Surrey – and employs 150 people. From these premises, the company provides a wide variety of raw meat products to a range of blue-chip groups and independent catering customers throughout the UK.

Last year, the Sheffield office of Irwin Mitchell advised Underwood Meat Company on a deal with Country Park Foods which saw it acquire its Bramley Foods subsidiary. The deal resulted in Underwood Meat Company expanding into a new site on Chesterfield's Holmewood Industrial Park.

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Kevin Jones, finance director at Underwood Meat Company, said: "The Butlers business represents a great opportunity to expand our Godalming site, with a customer base which fits perfectly into our existing operation. Underwood Meat Company, with the Bramley Foods acquisition last year and the Butlers purchase this year, continues to grow, looking for the right opportunities to both compliment and develop our existing business model."

Matt Ainsworth, Corporate Partner at the Sheffield office of law firm Irwin Mitchell also advised Underwood Meat Company on the latest transaction.

Matt said: "Underwood Meat Company is an established and forward-thinking company which has continued to invest in its business and build market share. The newly acquired firm shares Underwood's high standard for quality, procurement and customer service and is a superb fit. I am delighted to support the company with this latest deal and wish the management team all the best in the future."

Underwood Meat Company website

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