More affordable new homes are to be built in North Yorkshire through a new partnership involving its own property company Brierley Homes and Broadacres Housing Association. Brierley Homes is a private house-building company wholly owned by North Yorkshire Council, and Broadacres is a not-for-profit housing association based in Northallerton and operating across the North of England. By pooling their knowledge, experience and resources, they hope to help meet the demand for affordable homes. The first scheme is at Kirkby Malzeard near Ripon. Brierley Homes is delivering the scheme following an agreement to buy the land from Broadacres. It will feature 33 houses, of which 13 will be affordable homes. They will be built to the highest specifications and feature energy-efficient construction techniques. Brierley Homes MD Stuart Ede said: “This announcement is the result of 12 months’ hard work and negotiations between ourselves and Broadacres on this and other schemes. It is an exciting partnership between two North Yorkshire companies that will deliver high-quality housing in areas of greatest need.” Broadacres’ director of development and investment Helen Fielding said: “Working in partnership with Brierley Homes, we are pleased to be able to provide 13 much-needed affordable homes in this part of rural North Yorkshire. “It’s important that we continue investing in even more affordable housing across the county, ensuring our rural communities remain sustainable for local people now and in the future. We see working closely with Brierley as a major step towards achieving this.”

A 22-metre tugboat bought by Hessle-based SMS Towage Limited from Sanmar Shipyards in Turkey has arrived in Hull from Istanbul.

The brand new, environmentally-friendly TRADESMAN  is the latest tug to join the SMS fleet, and will manoeuvre boats and super tankers safely into the ports of Hull and Immingham. Weighing over 190 tonnes, the TRADESMAN has been bought with the help of Andrew Jackson Solicitors. She is equipped with two Caterpillar 1,500 kw engines capable of pulling super tankers carrying gas or oil, which can weigh as much as 200,000 tonnes. The tugs are also fitted with firefighting pumps. Paul Escreet, chairman of SMS Towage, said: “The Humber estuary is one of the busiest trading areas in Europe, but its powerful tide means there needs to be a substantial fleet of tugs readily available to ensure that vessels are capable of manoeuvring and berthing safely. “This latest investment in our fleet means reflects our aim of providing our customers with more modern and environmentally friendly tugs at the Humber port, whilst complementing the existing fleet to meet our specific operational needs. “Once again, we are very grateful to Rebecca Forder and Dominic Ward in Andrew Jackson’s shipping team, who remain our trusted advisors for this type of work. We continue to be very happy with their valuable help and advice.” Dominic Ward, senior partner, and head of Andrew Jackson’s shipping & transport team added:- “SMS Towage is the UK’s largest independent marine towage provider and their passion for the industry is evident. As a long-standing client of the firm, we are particularly delighted to have assisted them with this latest transaction and to ensure the vessel’s smooth transition into the UK, as the business continues to flourish. ”

Confidence in the logistics sector has fallen to its second lowest level on record, only slightly above that seen during the first COVID-19 lockdown in 2020, a new industry report has found. According to the Barclays-BDO UK Logistics Confidence Index 2023, this year’s score is 47.3, down from 50.4 in 2022. In 2020, the confidence index stood at 47.1. Any index figure below 50 indicates overall pessimism in the logistics sector – a sector that is integral to the functioning of our society at many levels and regarded as a useful barometer of the state of the wider economy. The latest figure is in contrast to the marked optimism seen in 2021, which produced an index reading of 62.5, as the sector bounced back from the effects of the pandemic – a time of increased levels of home delivery and higher rates for global logistics services. The latest study from Barclays Corporate Banking and accountancy and business advisory firm, BDO LLP, found that three quarters of operators (75%) feel business conditions are more difficult now than a year ago, with levels of demand the number one concern for 71% of logistics businesses. Interestingly, staff shortages and increased labour costs – a perennial problem for the sector – are becoming less of a concern for businesses. Less than half of logistics leaders see it as a major challenge in the next 12 months. Challenges in recruiting warehousing staff and LCV drivers have also eased as volumes fall. Jason Whitworth, corporate finance partner at BDO LLP, said: “Given the economic environment and market dynamics, it’s not surprising that the industry is cautious about the current trading environment, with real concern over volume of activity across certain sub-markets. As always, the logistics industry is feeling the effects of a tightening economic climate more than most, as inflation and interest rate rises continue to have an impact on consumer behaviour. “Despite the lower overall confidence, there are still plenty of opportunities for operators, including greater collaboration with customers and other providers in the sector in areas such as shared-user warehousing, shared transport space, as well as electric vehicle charging or alternative fuel infrastructure.” The report also showed that nearly nine in 10 respondents are investing in environmental, social and governance (ESG) projects. While the majority are driven by playing their part to combat climate change, there is clear acknowledgement of the growing commercial importance of being able to demonstrate ESG credentials in winning new business. There is a willingness to consider alternative fuel types, with electric solutions a top priority for investment, albeit jointly with diesel, suggesting the alternatives are not yet viable in many cases. Whitworth added: “Investment in technology and ESG measures is a positive step to pursuing both cost savings and gaining competitive advantage. In addition, due to a need by many operators to boost volumes through new service offerings or breaking into new sectors, appetite for M&A activity remains strong.” Looking at growth opportunities in the next 12 months, the most popular strategy is cost control and efficiency. According to the research, this is also one of the main drivers of investment in technology. More than half of businesses see this as an opportunity and, as in previous years, most will spend on upgrades to and replacement of existing technology. With the rise in cybercrime across all industries, cyber security is the second highest priority. James Lean, Industry Director for Manufacturing, Transport & Logistics at Barclays Corporate Banking, said: “It is consistent with other global indexes to see the UK logistics sector feeling at a low level of confidence following the realigning of supply chain capacity. “However, as our report shows, despite cooler demand from manufacturers and wholesalers, this resilient sector continues to look to the future, adapting their business models through digital strategies, investing in fixed assets and importantly their people.”

Whitby Seafoods has been given five days by the Competition and Markets Authority to demonstrate that its purchase of Kilhorne Bay Seafoods won’t lead to higher prices and lower quality products. Whitby Seafoods currently holds 90% of the market to supply breaded scampi to foodservice customers such as pubs, restaurants, and fish and chip shops by some distance. It has a market share close to 90%, and Kilhorne Bay Seafoods, while significantly smaller than Whitby Seafoods, is the second-largest supplier. Whitby Seafoods agreed to buy Kilhorne Bay Seafoods in May this year, and voluntarily notified the deal to the Competition and Markets Authority, which launched a merger review into the deal in August. An initial Phase 1 investigation conducted by the CMA has found that Whitby Seafoods already holds a very strong market position in the supply of breaded scampi to foodservice customers. Following the deal, Whitby Seafoods would face even less competition from other scampi suppliers. The CMA’s investigation also found that Whitby Seafoods faces limited competition from potential market entrants and suppliers of other types of breaded seafood. The loss of competition brought about by the deal could result in foodservice customers having to pay higher prices – which could ultimately lead to higher prices for customers in venues such as pubs, restaurants, and fish and chip shops – as well as reduced product quality. The CMA will refer the deal for an in-depth Phase 2 investigation unless Whitby and Kilhorne Bay offer remedies which fully resolve these concerns. They now have five working days to submit proposals. Colin Raftery, Senior Director of Mergers at the CMA, said: “Scampi is a popular choice when eating out in the UK, with over 20 million servings sold to restaurant, café, and pub goers every year. These venues are already facing significant cost pressures, and it’s critical that we don’t allow a loss of competition to make things worse.

“Kilhorne Bay is a relatively small player, but Whitby Seafoods already faces only very limited competition when competing for foodservice customers – so the deal would leave customers facing the risk of higher prices and lower quality products.”

Rather than delivering HS2 Phase 2 new line between Birmingham and Manchester Prime Minister Rushi Sunak has promised to enhance the transport infrastructure across the whole country. Communities in towns, cities and rural areas will see improved transport infrastructure far sooner through £19.8 billion reinvested in the North, including:

• £2 billion for a new station at Bradford and a new connection to Manchester;
• £2.5 billion to deliver a new mass transit system in West Yorkshire;
• £3 billion for upgraded and electrified lines between Manchester and Sheffield, Sheffield and Leeds, Sheffield and Hull, and Hull-Leeds.
• Nearly £4 billion more funding for local transport in the North’s six city regions.
• A new £2.5 billion fund for local transport across all areas in the North outside the six city regions – smaller cities, counties, towns and countryside.
• A new £3.3 billion fund for road resurfacing.
• Landmark investments in roads, reopened train lines and new stations

Cornerstone of the new plans is Network North, which it’s claimed will drive better connectivity across the North and Midlands with faster journey times, increased capacity and more frequent, reliable services across rail, buses and roads. £36 billion will be invested in hundreds of transport projects across the country – with every region set to receive the same or more transport investment on an unprecedented scale as a result of the change.   A further £12 billion on top of this figure will be set aside for faster connectivity between Liverpool and Manchester. This represents a fundamental shift in investment towards the people’s transport priorities, consistent with the Prime Minister’s pledge to grow the economy while ensuring value for money and demonstrating responsibility with taxpayers’ money. More than four million people in cities in the North cannot currently reach their city centre by public transport within half an hour, which is detrimental to productivity and economic growth. And rail accounts for just 8 per cent of distances travelled and 2 per cent of all journeys. Yet the HS2 project currently accounts for over one-third of all Government’s transport investments, preventing the Government from spending on people’s genuine priorities and doing little to improve the journeys that people make the most.  

Sheffield-headquartered healthcare operations technology provider, Agilio Software, has enhanced its patient engagement software offering with the acquisition of Leeds-based iatro. Since its launch in 2019, iatro has grown into a go-to solution for primary care organisations by providing simple, patient-facing digital solutions for NHS organisations including Integrated Care Boards, Primary Care Networks and GP practices. iatro will benefit from Agilio’s footprint of over 4,000 GP practices, allowing them to rapidly provide their solutions to this extended community, whilst complementing the extensive offering of Agilio Software. Thomas Porteus, founder of iatro, said: “We’re delighted to be joining Agilio to accelerate our ambitions in supporting practices across the country and make a real difference for organisations and professionals delivering primary care. “Patient engagement is an incredibly important part of patient care, and thanks to our technology, practices can benefit from a simple solution enabling them to communicate easily with their patients and provide them with clear, easily accessible information. “The acquisition means that iatro can benefit from Agilio’s leading healthcare operations technology expertise, allowing us to further invest in the rapid expansion of our patient engagement technology.” Neil Laycock, CEO of Agilio Software, said: “I am delighted to be announcing another cutting-edge organisation joining our ever-growing roster of healthcare operations solutions, and iatro will be a great addition to our Agilio family. “As a group, we are focused on expanding our patient engagement offering to provide our clients with a one-stop digital solution for all of their healthcare operational needs.” David Taylor, MD of Agilio Primary Care division, said: “We’re excited to be welcoming Thomas and the iatro team to our Primary Care division. The team brings vast experience in patient-facing and patient-engagement digital solutions that will greatly benefit the existing offering of Agilio Primary Care. “We are dedicated to delivering high-quality solutions that will make the everyday lives of healthcare professionals easier without compromising safety, and one of the challenges primary care faces is how to effectively digitise communication with patients.”